Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-05-18
Infamous Outrage by aSoldier Upon
a Little Girl,
INTENSE POPULAR INDIGNATION.
The Perpetrator of the Crime Killed
in the COurt-R DOM by Brother
of the Child.

| Especial Correspondence of the Chicago Times.l
SPRINGFIELD, ILL., May IL.
Since last Tuesday the citizens of this
place have been under the most intense ex-
element. The cause which produced such
excitement was the perpetration OF one OF
| the most infamous outrages that ever hap
pened in any civilized community, and such
q one as it has never before fallen to my
lot to record, and hope never may again.
On Tuesday last about noon soldier,
who stated his name to be John nj. Phil
lips belonging to the 7th Illinois Infantry,
and here on furlough, hired buggy at
livery stable, and in passing along the
southwest corner of the public square, near
Bunn's bank, stopped, got out, and seized q
little girl, not yet nine years of age, placed
her in the buggy, and drove rapidly off to
| the woods, outside of the city. The child
is the daughter of one of our most promi-
nent and esteemed clergymen. She has
been sorely afflicted since her birth with
disease resembling what Is called st.
Vitus' Dance" She is very frail and deli
cate, and has been watched with an anX-
ious eye by her parents, scarcely ever being
permitted to leave their sight on account of
her affiiction. A very little thing has been
sufficient to cause her great fright, at which
exceedingly. Upon Tuesday her parents
considered her so much better that they
permitted her to go to her brothers, in an
other part of the city, but cautioned her to
return very soon. She did not return for
several hours, when she was found upon
the street and taken home. When she had
recovered sufficiently she told her parents
what the soldier had done; that he had
taken her out into the woods, and, on the
way, had showed her knife and told her
he would kill her If she made any noise;
that upon arriving in the woods he had
taken her out of the buggy, and treated her
most vilely.
1t would not be proper nor is it necessary,
forme to go into further particulars. Suffice
it to say, the soldier attempted to commit
one of the most heinous crimes upon that
little, sickly child and was only prevented
from accomplishing his purpose on account
of the youth of the child. After remaining
in the woods quite a length of time he
brought the child back to the city and put
her out in the street. He then returned the
buggy to the livery stable, and boasted to
the proprietor that he had played hell with
one preachers daughter. The soldier then
sauntered of through the city. The proprie-
tor of the stable paid but little attention to
what was said by the soldier, little believ-
soon met with the father of the child, who
was much excited, and learned from him
the condition of his daughter. The two
then sought the soldier, who was found
and recognized by the proprietor of the
stable. He was Immediately arrested and
taken before a police magistrate. Here
the father could restrain himself no
longer, but seized brick and dealt
the soldier blow upon the face, and would
in all probability have killed him had he
been permitted. The hearing of the case
was postponed until the following day. The
story of the wrong spread like wildfire
throughout the city, and created great eX-
citement. A number advocated the inme-
diate punishment of the villain, and no one |
appeared to dispute the right of it. To-
wards evening Tuesday the excitement |
increased, and about eight o'clock a great |
crowd appeared in front of the Jail where |
the soldier was confined, and demanded that |
he be given up to them. The Sheriff, as |
was his duty, refused to comply. Axes |
were then procured, and the door of the jail |
broken open, and number of the crowd |
searched every cell in the Jail, but failed to |
find the man. The calaboose was TeXt search
ed, and again there was failure to find the |
one they sought. 1t was evident that the
Sheriff had sent the prisoner out of the
way.
Yesterday morning. at the time appointed
for the hearing of the preliminary eXami-
nation, a crowd commenced to collect at
the Court House, where the trial was to be
held. The prisoner was brought to the
which was soon completely fill
ed with an excited throng of citizens. Be-
fore the trial had commenced, brother of
the little girl went into the room and COM
menced firing revolver at the criminal.
He fired three times, but one of the shots
taking effect; and that in the shoulder. The
criminal ran behind the Judges stand;
the brother was prevented from again fir
ing, and the soldier taken into the jury room
at the other end of the court room. The
Sheriff Immediately sent a note to General
White for posse of troops to enable him to
protect the prisoner; but, long before they
had time to arrive, the crowd burst the door
Of the jury room, and the brother again
fired several shots at the prisoner one of
which took effect in the groin. Gen. White
then made his appearance and stated to the
crowd that the man was dying, and implor-
ed them to do no further act. During this
time cries were heard of "Hang him !" but
the speech of Gen. White, especially when
he stated that the man could not survive his
had the effect of dispensing the
crowd.
tOr some Ulme aICer, III was DelleNeu CnaC
The prisoner would survive, but he died last
night about dark, having admitted all that
was charged against him before he died.
Thus ended tragedy which has never had
is counterpart in this city.
1t is stated that soldier fired at the pris-
jner in the jury room, but for the truth Of
his can not vouch.
The brother surrendered himself to the
,fficers of the law. am happy to state
hat the soldiers here, as a general thing,
ire loud in their denunciations of the out
age committed by one of their number;
md am sorry to say, on the other hand,
hat heard last night of certain persons
the almost distracted father as
ld--d old copperhead, who ought him
jelf to have been shot long ago.
ho otn Of da-narhta nIat nd dxxyah Ia |