The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1916-08-03
GIRLS PLEA SAVES FATHER.
Governor of Georgia Pardons Thomas
Edgar Stripping.

Of the fourteen years tnat ne was an
escaped convict, was granted a full
pardon by Governor Nat E. Harris at
six o'clock tonight.
Since the first day that "Chief r.
E. Norris" of Danville, was brought
back to Georgia to resume his life
sentence as Stripping influential at
tempts were made through three
administrations to have him pardon
ed. All these failed, however, until
Governor Harris went to Milledge-
Vile in July, 1915, to inspect the
State prison farm.
Little Girls Plea.
While there one of Stripplings
eight children, girl of six, ran to
him in the prison grounds and BASH
fully pleaded to "please let my papa
out because he is sick and we all
need him so bad" The incident
touched the aged governor and he
promised 'to send your father back
to you some time during his term
After completing an exhaustive re-
view of the case, Governor Harris to-
night dispatched letter to little Bes-
sic Stripping and completed the case
in it's last sentence with, latter all
it is the offering from the governors
heart to the love and innocence of
a little child
Stripping, on September 4, 1897,
shot and killed W. J. Cornett, his
neighbor, in Harris county, Georgia.
He fired through window of Cor
nett's house. He surrendered at Co.
lumbus, Georgia, a few days AFTER
ward and eventually was found gull
ty and sentenced to life imprison-
ment.
Stripping testified at the trial and
it was corroborated that Cornett had
insulted both his wife and married
sister; that Cornett had threatened
to kill him and that when passing
Cornett's house the night of the kill
ing he could not restrain himself
from shooting when he saw Cornett
passing a window with light in his
hand. He claimed self-defence, as
he said he believed 3fit was either
Cornett's life or mine some time"
He escaped from the Harris coun-
ty jail when his case was awaiting
the outcome of an appeal. He re-
NAMED hidden about two months at
the home of his uncle in Harris coun-
ty and then made his way to North
Carolina where his wife joined him
in 1899. Under the name Of R. E..
Morris he did different kinds of work
in several towns for number of
years. Finally he was employed by
the Southern railway as special
agent. That work took him to Dan
vile, where he had been about one
year when he obtained a place on
the police force. Nine months later
the escaped convict was elected chief
of police.
Two Men Who Knew Him.
Stripping has stated since his re-
turn to Georgia that there were two
men in Danville who knew his life
story, but they remained silent. FL
nally man we'll known in Harris
county saw him and soon afterwards
reports of Strippling's whereabouts
were heard. These reports seemed
to G. M. Smith, a private detective,
to warrant investigation. He obtain
ed requisition papers from Governor
Brown and went to Danville. Smith
esta ablished the Identification beyond
a doubt.
On March 4, 1911, the Danville
council was to elect chief of police
and it is said Stripping was practic-
ally assured of reelection, notwith-
standing some opposition had arisen
because he had killed young white
man who had resisted arrest, had
killed a negro who was attempting to
rob his home and shot another negro
while resisting arrest. He was ex-
onerated of blame in each case.
On the afternoon of March 3, how
ever, Smith presented the requisition
papers to Danville authorities. Strip
ping was confronted with the fact
and admitted his identity.
Stripping requested the mayor and
members of council who at that time
were unaware of his plight, to meet
that night as he had an important
statement to make. Before the body
that probably would have elected him
chief of police for another term the
next night he stood handcuffed, but
in his uniform, and told the story of
the shooting of Bill" Cornett, of
the escape and movements during the
nearly fourteen years of freedom. He