The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-04-14
Wilful ard Deliberate Murder at West Troy.
WOMAN KILLED By HER HUsBAsD-ARRBsr or THE

Wilful 0Rd Deliberate Murder at West Troy
WOMAN KILLED By HER HUsBAsD-ARRBsr or THE
MURDERER.
from the Troy Budget, April IL
We have been furnished with the particulars of of
which took place in West Troy last evening man
named John Phelps about thirty five years of age muir
dered his wife by stabbing her with knife made BY him
probably for the commission of the act II that
about half past O'Clock last evening" Phelps returned
from town meeting and entered his residence situated
in the vicinity Of the Methodist church in that village
lower part of the house heard great noise like strug
gle between Phelps and his wife, when heavy fall was
heard the floor. Those who were down stairs inn
medatey rushed up and on entering the back room in
which Phelps and his wife found the latter lying
just stabbed her the fourth time leaving the knife stick
ing in her heart and penetrating into 1t nearly an inch
and half
Phelps half sister was the FIRST one to enter the room
when she Immediately pulled him of his wife, The lat
ter then got from the floor and staggered into the
front room adjoining, with the aid Of of the
who lived down stairs (whom she called 'aunt when
she exclaimed "Oh! aunt, he has killed me y and eS
pred.
Phelps was Immediately taken into custody, (it does
not appear that he made any effort to escape when
Coroner Whitbeck summoned to hold inquest on
the body II would from the testimony that Phelps
and his wife had lived unhappily togeherthat although
he drank occasionally he not considered an intern
perate man, and not supposed to have been ntox
Gated at the time the ina. ns deceased was
that they had been married about four years The de-
ceased left no offspring.
On post mOrteu examination OF tue BODY, IL was as
certaned that four wounds Of rghtful character had
been inflicted with knife about three inches long, and
shaped like dagger. One wound the back Of
the neck another in the back another in the region Of
the heart and the fourth and inevitably the fatal
in the centre of the heart from which the instrument
was left protrudiDg when he was forced away by his
half sister One Of The deceaseds ribs also broken
supposed by the force of her fall 10 the floor The
jury returned verdict of wilfu murder The prisoner
was subsequently taken before Justice Stewart who,
without making any further examination-the positive
nature of tho testimony taken before the Coroner and
the condition Of the accused Che being besmeared with
bood) rend ring further proof at this stage
saryordered him to be committed to the Albany jail to
await the action of the Grand Jury. The prisoner
fused to questions put to him by the mags
trate. He taken down last night.
1t is said that Phelps had hitherto borne fair charac
ter For several years he employed engineer at
the foundry of Chocr, Sage Durham, in Watervet;
but recently he has been engaged Green Island in the
same business. He also formerly employed as en-
gnecr the Rensselaer, and Saratoga Railroad Phelps
had been resident of West Troy for the last ten
twelves Years The deceased il represented as laYnG
pea kind, peaceabe, and well disposed woman.
1t is mentioned singular coincidence, that sixteen
years ago Mr. Phelps the father Of the murderer
turning from town meeting committed suicide b. drown
ing himself Yesterday the had but just returned
from town meeting when he murdered his wife