The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-03-03
POLICE Chief
ADMITS CRIME
Virginia Official Turns Ont
to Be Murderer.
TAKEN BACK TO GEORGIA

| r. e. Morris On Eve Of Reelection
as Head OF Danvllie's Police Force
Is Arrested on Charge Of Being Flu
gltive From Justlce-6lds Wife
Farewell over Telephone and
Starts Back to Penitentiary From
Which He Escaped.
Danville, Va. March 3.--The man
who for Ave years has served as
Danville's chief of police, under the
name OF r. e. Morris, was identified
as Edgar Stripping. murderer and
an escaped prisoner from Harris
! county, Georgia, who gained his lib.
erty while serving a life term. He
Is being taken back to Georgia to be-
gin :he sentence pronounced against
| him IA years ago. Without warning
he was confronted by an officer with
requlsition papers to carry him back
and he at once acknowledged his
identity, making no effort to deny 1t,
Not for a moment did he lose his
nerve as he replied. "Yes, | am the
man you want; | am guilty"
He was in uniform when arrested.
In steady voice he was heard to
say over the telephone: Il won't be
home tonight. Mr.. Smith has come
for me. You know down in Geor
gia.'
The arrest of Stripping occurred
on the eve of the expiration of his
term az chief of police of this city.
The board Of police commissioners
have meeting scheduled for tonight
for the election of a chief. Morris
was candidate for chief and, al
though he was being opposed, every
indication pointed to his reelection.
| Danville, Va, March 3.-"I am con-
lident when the governor of Georgia
examines the evidence on which am
convicted, he will issue a full and
free pardon to me. / was justified in
laying William Corbett and since my
escape from prison l have shown the
world that my character Is right. No
true American would ask that a man
be kept in prison for life just because
he killed a man who tried to out
rage his sister,"
Defiant to the last. Edgar Stripping,
who as II. Il. Morris has for years
served as chief of police of this city,
boarded the night train to go back to
Harris county, Georgia where he Is
under sentence of life imprison-
ment for murder. Friends of the
former chief who had learned of his
trouble were In the station to bid
him goodby and promise him their
sympathy and active support in get
ting a pardon. Petitions for a par
don addressed to Governor Smith of
, Georgia are being freely signed
throughout the city today.
Stripping made no attempt to deny
his identity discussing his plight
while waiting for the train and af-
ter he had bade an affectionate fare
well to his wife and family which
lasted for more than two hours, the
ex-chlef said:
IL have expected to be recogniz-
ed for some time past. In fact, l
have courted publicity as 1 felt that
] had done no wrong in killing Cor
bett, who had tried to outrage my
sister and who was armed and try
ing to draw his revolver when fired.
] simply got him before he could get
me, but his friends were in the ma
jority when l was tried and was sent
to prison for life. That was back in
1897 and while 1 was held In jail and
my lawyers were working on plans
for new trial I managed to get
away. l lived for time In several
places under the name of Morris and
when 1 came to Danville seven years
ago and got job as night watchman
for the Southern railway company,
sent for my wife and children and
they Joined me. l think when Cover
pardon me. Then again / may be
able to have the case reopened and
get new trial"
The arrest of Stripping was brought
about through his being recognized by
Georgia drummer who reported his
discovery to the Harris county sher-
IN. Chief Morris was sitting in his
chair In his office In full uniform last
night when the Georgia sheriff came
In announced who he was and plac-
ed the chief under arrest. He at once
telephoned to his wife that he had
been arrested, and changing to cit
lzen's clothing, announced he was
ready to go. While waiting for the
train he saw his wife and ten chill
dren and kissed them all good bye.
Morris had been chief for five years
having been placed in that position
by the prohibition element. The
knowledge that he was actually an
escaped convict amazed the town.
Morris successor as chief was TO
nave been chosen tonight and there
Is no doubt that he would have been
lagain named.