The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-07-12
LOCAL MATTERS.
THE MURDER TRIAL.
INTERESTING TESTIMONY FOR TIE
DEFENCE.
Phillips from the 18th to the 22d of
February.
RIGID CROSS EXAMINATION.

For the ninth day the County Court of
Henrico was yesterday occupied by the
case Of J. Jeter Phillips, accused Of the
murder of his wife. The crowd in attend
ance is undiminished, and the most trifiing
facts in connection with the trial are sought
for with avidity by an interested public.
The prisoner seems to look rather better
for his confinement, his complexion is
fairer, his countenance calm, and never for
moment does he lose that equanimity of
temper which has been so marked during
his trying ordeal.
| The examination was resumed at the
usual hour.
Mrs. - Crawford testified: lived in
February last at Mrs. DR.. Winfree's, on
Mayo street. The prisoner is my cousin.
He was at Mrs. Winfree's on Sunday the
18th of February. He came shortly after
dinner. We dine earlier than usual on
communion Sundays. When l went to
the door to bid him goodbye the people
were Just coming from church. Mr.. Bat
terman also had q room at the house. lie
went to the door with the accused, and
stood with us in the porch. Miss Anna
Frazier came in q few moments after, and
when she left the house Mr.. Batterman
went with her. Phillips did not leave Mrs.
Winfree's from the time of his arrival after
dinner until l bid him goodbye in the
porch. am confident of this, because l
was with him all the time. | have known
the accused ever since he was child, and
always found him affectionate and OF good
behavior.
Cross-examined think had seen the
prisoner at Mrs. Winfree's before during
this year, but cannot say positively. |
do not remember the date. We usually
dine at about halCpast 8, but on commu-
MON Sundays we dine much earlier. /
had gone up stairs on the day in question,
when some one told me that Mr.. Phillips
wished to see me. l found him in the
back parlor, and Mr.. Batterman came in
shortly after. He said that he had been
in the country. When we bade him good
bye, Mr.. Batterman asked him to stay to
supper, and / think he replied that he was
going to his Uncle Miles's? l had never
heard that'thc accused had wife. Miss
Frayser did not renlaiii long st the house.
Mr.. Batterman went home with her, and
they went to the First Baptist church that
night.
/ saw the accused shortly after the 18th,
but do not remember the date. l did not
see him again on that evening. Hiss Fray
ser requested me to ask him what plain
looking lady he had been walking with on
Franklin street. He told me that if he
had walked with any one it must have
been cne of the Misses Turner. Do not
remember where this conversation took
place.
Mr.. Young Did he answer your ques.
tion Immediately
Witness: think so.
Mr.. Young: Didn't he get up and walk
about the room?
Witness Not just then, he did not
Shortly after, commenced teasing him
about Miss Turner, to whom he had beer
paying considerable attention. He then
got up and commenced looking at some
pictures which were hung about the room
and remarked something about them.
do not remember his saying anything about
having "the blues" I do not think he
manifested any embarrassment when
asked him about the ordinary looking
lady"
Mr.. Young Did you never tell any one
that lie was much embarrassed on that
occasion?
Question objected to by Mr.. johnson as
improper in its form.
To MIR. Johnson: / did not notice any
thing unusual in the conduct OF the &C
cused on the 18th.
To Mr.. Young: I have seen the prisoner
number of times since. He has fire.
quently been to Mrs. Winfree's; but l
have not always been at home. l cannot
approximate to the time that l next saw
him after the 18th. have poor memory,
and would not like to fix date unless
was sure of its correctness.
Mr.. Miles Phillips testified that he had
known the accused ever since he was
child, and bore testimony to mis- general
good character. The accused was at his
house on Sunday in the month of Febru-
ary. He could not fix the exact date, but
was sure that it was after the 18th OF the
month. He came to my house near night,
for had been to walk in the evening, and
found him there when returned. He re-
mained with me all night, and slept with
his Cousin Oscar.
Cross-examined I residei at ll3 Clay
street. The accused had frequently been
to nv house during and since the war. |
do not recollect his staying there all night
before, but he might have done so. Do
not remember his being at my house du-
ring the fall of '66. I do not recollect
when he was there before. remember
that it was in the middle of February, be-
cause the accused asked me if | had yet
got possession of house which | rented
out, and which the tenant had promised to
vacate on the 18th of the month, but had
failed to do so. / was disappointed on
other occasions by the failure OF the ten
ant to give up the house. I was disap-
pointed in March. I had never had any
conversation with the accused about the
house before this time, but he knew that |
had some trouble about the tenant. !
was first disappointed in February, and
the man then promised to give it up about
the 2Oth March, but failed again. Inc ac-
cused was at my house again during the
latter part of February or early in March.
He stayed with me, think, two nights.
On either the first or second visit ne leit
nv house to 60 to his fathers, in Surry. l
am under the impression that it was on
the first visit, but am not sure. did not
ask him where he had been, where he was
going, or how long he had been IN town,
because it was none of my business.
Mr.. Oscar Phillips sworn: have known
the accused all my life. He has always
borne an unexceptionable character, and
/ do not remember hearing him even use
a profane word. board at mr.; Mics