The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-11-19
VOL. XXXIII.

II was not destined by God, however. tha,
THIS poor wornan's murderer should eseape tho
pun'shH"ent merited by his crime Soon tri.
Wan circumstances excited the suspicious
y! 'he man who had found the body
ana those suspicious fell upon the
prisoner at the bar. Letters were written
10 Essex, and it was discovered that the ac.
cused had been. married nearly two yearr be.
lore that he had carried his wife to Rich.
mono that he had written of their residence
ON Dorsets farm, and Of the sickness Of his
Vile. The family of Mrs. Phillips believed
her with her husband. The officers found
that he had not been to Dorset's farm that
he did not acknowledge his marriage, and
that his wife WAS not with him. These cir.
Gums tances We're sufficient TO stify his ar
rest.
He was arrested-and now we come to an.
other inquiry. Was the murdered woman
Mary Emily Pitts Phillips' Means of identi-
ication are various. Greenleaf Gii sec. ] !
alter speaking of the necessity of the establish
ment Of the corpus deficit, states that it is moi
necessary to prove the identity by direc,
testimony, but that Identification may be by
means OF circumstances, even though no one
VINO sees the body recognizes it. This point
can hardly be disputed. How, then, do we
establish that this was Mary Emily Phil
lips? The accused took her from Essex :
brought her to Richmcnd was with
her 1T the boarding house for two days
took her down the street on Sunday,
dead body was found on Drinkers farm
And now, we inquire, does the appearance OF
this woman correspond with that of the wo-
man whom Jeter Phillips married and brought
10 Richmondr That it did has been proven
by unimpeachable ties timony Miss Pitts de-
scribed with remarkable particularly the
purple calico dress; the dark sacuue the
brimless hat, trimmed with blue; the m ended
breastpin the pointed chemise; the patched
underskirt; the home knit stockings and gar
n a md i MT hnra hui Innfit
does not cease. In the prisoners trunk were
found articles of clothing, books, and nick
nacks belonging TO Mary Emily Pitts, all OF
which We're described by her sister with un-
paralleed accuracy. Could her identity pos
sibly be better established Who can doubt
that the murdered Woman was the same whom
the prisoner ut the bar married in Essex and
brought to Richmond last February The
number and frequency of these condolences
while single one might have had compara-
lively little weisht-Ieavc 10 room for doubt.
But in addition we have the personal appear
ance particularly described. The hair of Mrs
Phillips was cut short behind, and the re-
mnrkabe testimony of Miss Pitts and DR..
Knox in regard TO the teeth removes all doubt
about the matter.
The more circumstances converge to one
conclusion the less doubt can exist in the mind
of reasonable man. In this case the circum-
stances are so multitudinous that we must be.
lieve that the prisoners wife is dead, and that
hers was the body found on Drinkers farm.
No other hypothesis consistent with the facts
in the case can be framea. We have now,
therefore, proved two facts first, that Il
homicide has been committed; and second,
that Mary Emily Phillips was unquestiona-
bly, the victim.
We owhpproach the third point. Did this
man commit the deed" BY extraordinary
circumstances, aid his ineXplicable conduct,
this fact is established. The same evidence
which establishes the identity also connects
him with her mysterious death. Consider the
circumstances surrounding the marriage the
few visits of the accused TO his Wife, his long
periods Of absence his conCealment of the
whole matter from his family and friends
These things must challenge our wonder.
His conduct towards this woman from the
beginning has been unnatural. If he could
not bring hrr from Essex, why not at least
own the woman who before Gods minister
he had promised TO love, cherish, and protect.
But his conduct towards other persons hert
attracts us. in every respect he deineaned
himself rs Il single man, and in 4 manner cal.
cu.ated TO win affection from other con1ldme
hearts We even hear of his addressing Il
young lady, avowing that he had no serious
intentions whatever" merely 10 oblge a
friend
Colonel Young then alluded TO the false
hoods which the prisoner told the family OF
his wife. He was going 10 take her TO his
fathers, in Surry: WIN TINS ialsenood upon
his lips he starts for Richmond. Ii he had
really had such Il purpose would he not have
communicated it to his family. But his
brothers who were II home knew nothing ol
il. Arriving in Ricbmond, he still main
tanned his conccalment Of his connection Win
Mrs Phillips, only telling the hostess of the
Virginia House enough to secure their lodg-
ings. He then goes TO Templemans, and
there gives utterance to more outrageous
falsehoods. He had been to Goochland,
and subsequently, had been closely occupied III
:, store in Fredericksburg. Fresh from the
presence of his wife, this course OF deception
was kept up towards every one whom he met.
If he had determined really 10 take her to his
fathers house. can you reconclie Ihese uecep.
tions with such an intention. But another
falsehold was told 10 TEN pleman. a man
who came down on the ears with him wanted
TO buy Il pistol.n He tried TO convince Tenn
plemun of the fact that he had sure purchaser
by telling him that he could get more than
five dollars for il from the man whom he had
casually met on the cars. subsequently
the weapon is returned with the simple re-
mark that he could not dispose of it.
We are next called upon to note the prison.
ers conduct in regard TO his baggage. lie
brings from Essex trunk without 4 name
upon it, and leaves his own, with the name OF
Phillips, at the bouse OF his WlieS motner'
Arriving at the depot, he left the baggage
there, and said ut the Virginia house that II
would be brought up by boy. 1t did not
come He leaves the house, and must nave
passed right by the depot on his way to rem
pleman's still he did not stop TO see about lne
trunks. In the evening, witch ltHllHtieu u ~
he requested the old woman TO have man IL
the house early on Sunday morning The man
was there III the appointed time the accused
was aroused, and came from ms oed 10 the
door; heard that the servant had come, bu'
went back TO bed, and the negro, tired OF walt
ing went away. In the mean time the open
trunk was at The depot, liable III any momeh
to be pilaged. Was ii not apparent that he
did not want the baggage brought up HOW II
got away no one hts been able TO discover
fht.l oil
gage whatever, and, furthermore, wlthou
paying the Olll
The connection of the accused with this
crime is further exhibited by the letters writ
ten by him shortly after his arrival In ken
mond, pulporting TO give IN account OF Tx
movement Us of himself and wife in Richmond
The details in regard to their proceedings on
Sunday have been proved TO be false lheS
did not go 10 church IL all that day, while le
alleges that they Went Mfee times Mr. 1 ur
ner proves that the arrangement about gong
TO Or. Dorsett's was made in the middle OF the
next week while this man writes that ne re.
ceiped q letter from the Doctor which liiduce0
him to change his purpose about gong u
Surry. DR.. Dorset says he never sa" nol
heard of the prisoner until after his arrest
Thus another deception is exposed. NOW
men don't deceive without motive. why
should he thus write falsehood AFTER .lalsehooo
TO The family of his poor wife II he was gulit-
less? But ii is said that this letter is not pro
uuced. True; Out ltS coHlehtS iia'0
proyed, and the fact that II was written IS aq
United in Il letter subsequently written. =
his wife was unaccountably missing, why dlo
henot stateit? HIS motive was TO blind tht
family in Essex, aud the only object in an !.
nouncing the change of purpose in regard ie
going 10 Surry was to prevent any tell-ta
letter being addressed TO him IN the care O.
those who were ignorant Of his marriage
Further the prisoner, rs already stated, was
the last person seen with the unhappy victim
Their in tercourse and demeanor at the virgil
MIA House have been shown. The little AFTER
dinner scene speaks volumes in regard 10 th'
feelings Of Mrs Phillips towards her nusohnu
lie leaves the house. and is next seen at Mrs
Winfree's, and according to Batterman
fi,,oN n