The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-01-15

The Hssnkclde Of the Negro Rob~vts.
THE MYSTERY sOLvEu-ARREsT OF THE AssAILAST
-coRoNER's NQUEsr-vERDIcT OF THE JURY Ex-
ONERArIN0 THE AccUsEo-A CASE OF SELF De
FENCE.
The s.ery attending the homicide Of the negro James
Roberts has been cleared up. me assa'ant, white
man, Damed Or L VI Philips, srreslcd on suspicion
By policeman Bell, Of the Sixth precinct, when he con-
fessed having committed the fatal assault but ayerred
that he killed the negro in defence Of his life. From
the Statement. made by the prisoner which appears 70 be
correct he WssAta,kei by the deceased and whteman
in Ann street, near Nassau tha. they each struck him in
the face and were proceeding follow up the blows with
further acts OF Violence when he drew dirk knife from
his pocket and ade pass deceased The sight Of the
weapon frightened the. fellows of. Deceased who
wounded BY the knife, ran towards Broadway,
pursued by Philips, who cried "Stop thief" and
watch" The negro managed to clude his pur-
surer in the midst Of the throas on broadway, and
IL whe he running along the sidewalk, opposite
the Astor House, that he fell faa; from the loss OF blood
Philips, not thinking for moment tina. be had inflicted
fatal wound turned on his hoe when be get to tao corner
of Ann street aud Broadway and went towards his oce
in Chambers street On his way he met policeman Bell,
wro noticing his burr manner, and seeing blood upon
his hands asked him If he bad been in a row. Philips
replied that he had and producing the dirk knife remark
ed that had not been for that Instrument he would
have his life The pair then separated In the morn
ing tho policeman read the OF tie negros DEATH
when nc became convinced that ne had been killed by
Philips Acting under such belief he wen. TO the Office OF
acknowledged tina. he had stabbed deceased, but main
:aiusa .ha' the knife was used in se defence He was
psecnc. station house 70 await the action of the Coroner
CoRoNER's INQUEST
Coroner Connery held Inquest upon the body Of de
coased al the Third precinct station house. No 9Warren
street, when the following evidercs ecitsd:--
L q. Foreman residing at No 90 Bedford street, do
posed that NJ he was passing up Broadway he saw a
crowd collected opposite the Astor House, upon gong up
<e deceased lying upon the sidewalk bleeding pretty
freely; heard the policeman ask deceased how hc
Sta obed; deceased made no answer, but po.nc 10 his
right SIDE then passed on, and saw traces of blood as
far as Vesey ttreet
J.s Uu, being duly sworn, deposod that he was at
tached TO the Third precinct police about O'Clock last
evening saw deceased lying upon the sidewalk in Broad
way near Barclay street, he then bleeding ircay
spoke u him, but could get no answer from him. asked
him who stabbed him. but he made reply then asked
him where it occurred but he made orspy he was
able to speak hon raped for assistance and had de-
ceased conveyed to the station house he dead before
we arrived at the station house, cndeayored to find out
who stabbed deceased, but could not succeed in doing
Thos Bell, OF the Sixth precinct police deposed fol
lowsAbout nine O'Clock last evening duty at the
corner Of Chambers street and City Hall place; the
roundsman raped for about half past nine O'clock
went down and saw the prisoner standing with
the Of Duane street and City Hall place.
saw blood on the prisoners hands; when said What
the matter ?have been in any nuss 2 he replied,
Eyes, httle-as / was going down Nassau
street met two white men and negro, and
they would have killed me ii IL had not been tor that
knfe the prisoner drew the knife out of his pocket AMI
showed TO me; hen sad You did not that knifc
did youY "No,n said he, but when the the knife
they the way towards the Astor House, fol-
lowed hem crying Stop thief but lost sight OF them
at the Astor House, then looked at the knife, and and
ing blood upon it, said, Docor must have used this
kniic-there Is blood upon it;i' "Uh non said he, "6
had not had that knife they would have killed me he
have eye TO his oilce, No 25 Chambers street. he
expected they would attack during the night; walked
up with him ~ his Office, when he ualocked
the door and walked in; heard until this morn
ing, when the account Of the murder In the
nan who ISd arrested him and S
took him 10 the sixth precinct station house; when
rested him he asked me Why did so replied that it
for the little that he had last night, when he ex
Claimed "Whatl is the Niger dead? said, "Yes no
then asked what time did heiie when told him they
found him deed the prisoner then sad az done IL self
defence when said there blood the knife, the
prisoner stated that from his nose, which he said
had been blod by tho men who had struck him. when
mp TO the roundsman and the prisoner tho lat
ter appeared confused thcrc then small speck Of
blood on his nose; that all know abou; the occur
Sinclair Iithgow being duly sworn, depescd as fol-
lows am clerk in the omrloyment OF the prisoner,
Dr. Philips used to take Of his Office, and would
occasionally post some bills up for him; have
been with him about three four years; he is peaca-
bic man and seldom quarrellcd with me or with Others
the grocery store, Of Bcecker and Mercer
streets about 10 O'Clock last evening; am employed 10
close the ooe, bat do not always do So bstween II and
~ O'Clock last night came down town for the purpose Of
sleeping in the Office Mr. Philips In the oflce when
got there; awokc him, when he opened tho door and
let in the prisoner went bed in the oco that night
he had his pants when he opened the door asked
whore was; then he told me that some attacked
him ss he was going 70 get his coffee ne said he had been
struck him FIRST and that after wards colsred
up and asking him what the mat,or struck him also;
he then said that as the colored struck at him
he took out his dirk and struck him, when they all
scattered and ra of, when he haloocd watch aud fol-
lowed thcm he did not toll me the exact spot wherothe
arcy places no said that ono o. tho mea ran towards
the Astor House when he followed him 10 that hotel; the
prisoner did not say whore no was struck saw no blood
on hs person or cothng saw no bloody watcrn tho oc
MEDICAL TESTIMONY.
Thomas Q. Fnnell, NJ. D., being sworn, says-I havc
made post morcm examination Of the body OF deceased
/ W.
wounds IN the axlary region; the first one super
ncal, involving only the skim the second about
half an inch In width and one inch in depth the axary
artery, vein aud bracsial pexus Of nerves com
plctely cut across; am Of opinion that the deceased
came 10 his death by hemorrhage from the aSiUy
blood vessels the result of stab In the right pit
The prisoners person then examined by the jury
Of violence upon his face The rcsals Of the examination
proved that Philips had bruise the bridge Of bis nose
~ Il from a recen, blow.
After fcw brief remarks from Coroner Connery the
case WAS given 70 The jury, who, after due dehbcraon
rendered the following
We the Jury, believe that James Roberts came 10 his
death the hands Of N. L. Philips and that was done
In self defence-be previously being attacked by party
Of men Of whom was the deceased and tina, we, tho
jury, think him jusiiiiable in so doing.
John p lyman, foreman, yohn Campbell,
John q. johnson, Thos. II. Doubleday,
VIM. b. Freligh, Peter NcCann,
II. 1. Lounsbury, Joseph wickham,
Eward latham, William @ Thompson,
William Wallace, william NJ stout.
Coroner Connery expressed himself highly satisfied
WITH be verdict u the jury, but nevertheless e himself
bound TO hold the prisoner TO bail TO await tho action OF
the Grand Jury
Bail in tbe Of 81 900 having been procured, the
prisoner was discharged from custody.
Personal Intelligence
Gen. VIM. Walker Of Nicaragua fame, arrived ~ Rich.
mond from Washington Monday afternoon. On Tues
day he paid visit TO the Senate and House Of Delegates
Hon. u d. Morgan aud Col Murray OF New York city,
Edwin Croswe and Augustus Shell, in Washington.
The Toronto GLOBE has of the election
nfNr Dapr fbo nar1
MINISTERIAL candidate. Mr. Papineau OF the ere.
tol Of 1887 and goes strong for republican govern
mcnt
Governor King has appointed Charles King, Of New
York Horato seymour, of Utica, and Christopher Nor
gan Of Auburn, Commissioners examine the accounts
and Affairs Of tho New York Institution for the Instruction
OF the Deaf and Dumb under the laws Of 1851 chapter
7s7.
II has been repeatedly stated in the papers ths Gen