Arizona republican., 1914-03-20

"OiilS lIdue HIS HlOlOTCycle trip They can't quite swallow the mar rative of the mysterious motorcycle abductor, who doesn't seem to be criminal. Sketchy places in the story lead them to believe it is all manufactured in the strenuous imag ination of the prisoner. Morris ad- mits being marrieds and having a child in Chino. He claims he is a partner in mOtorbike shop with @ man named M. E. Connors. Thin places in the story with which he covers his act are those parts deal ing with the stops at stores to buy clothes and food, and the sleeping places. Morris does not account for the entire time between Sunday morning, March s, and Thursday evening, March 19 He allows him. self sleeping places at San Diego, Fl Centro, Brawley, Yuma and some in definite places between Dome and Palomas. Why he should have walked the sixty miles from Dome to Palomas when he might have re- traced his steps to Yuma is ineX- piicable. Why he should have fled, leaving his motorcycle, is another hay point. Why he didn't call for help in any one of the places he was compelled to stop for food or clothing, he doesn't explain, except
 by his immense fear of the 200 pound tramp he claims was his Captor.
 T IH1i hi
 the police here are being kind to
 their suspect. He was kept in the
 women's cell last night, that place
 being temporarily vacant.
 Morris Story
 The story of Robert Morris as he told it to a Republican reporter in
 the best cell in the city jail, is one
 of rambling details, but told with fair
 continuity.
 Tt was a week ago Saturday night that it started. l had just been talking to a couple of deputies in front of our store in Chino. They left me, and a couple of men 1 had never seen before came up and talk ed to me a while. Then a man came out of the sheriff's store, a confectionery store across the street, and told me if my name was Morris that the Merkel agent in Los wanted to see me the next morning. He was dressed in a brown suit with low cuts, and didn't wear hat. He had been in the dance over my store"
 But you said the man came out of the sheriff's store. How did you
 know he came from the dance?" was asked.
 q only thought he did because he didn't wear any hat. Well, the next
 morning about s o'clock I got on my machine and started for Los Angeles. It was 37 miles. I got about a mile the other side of Po mona and I caught up with man walking He waved to me to stop
 and I stopped. He said he wanted me to take him to Texas. I said it was too far away. He pulled gun on me and said I would have to. I tried to argue him, but he clum
 on the tandem, and poked the gun in my back I had to take him. We ] went to San Diego. He made me go through the outskirts of the towns. and bought sandwiches and canned stuff for us to eat. We went into a | little store in San Diego and he I bought me this suit of clothes" "Why didn't you call for help when you got in the store?"
 There was only one man there and he wasn't enough. We went out on the road a little way and we slept on the dirt. He took dog
 chain he had and chained my legs to the back wheel of the motorcycle. q worked around and got out the pliers and cut the chain and started i to run. But he jumped up and shot at me and I stopped. Then he chained me again.
 The second night we slept at Fl | Centro The third night we slept 15 miles north of Brawley. Next night we came to Yuma. We crossed the | river on a ferry. No. I didn't ask l the ferryman for help because there 1 was only one man. No, of course
 not. He was lots bigger than me
 and weighed 200 pounds and was | three inches taller.
 We came on ten miles this side | of Yuma. I got loose in the night and get into the brush and got away l from him. I started to walk and walked two days and a night with
 out anything to eat and drink. An
 automobile caught up with me a
 mile the other side ot Palomas, and
 got them to bring me into Phoenix. | T had about $1O when I got here | Wednesday. I wired my store in Chino. I wanted to get back as soon as I could.'
 l This story was told in the pres I ence of Chief Moore. Officer Peters and The Republicans representative, Itbefore the latter had had any con lversation with the officers. Peters is responsible for the statement that | Morris tried to get work here at George Sadler's Merkel shop and at Griswold's. Moore points out the
 fact that. after arriving in Phoenix, | Morris waited a long time before