Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-06-25
The Drinkers FarnllTuraer.
The Murdered Roman's Eas,A.

certain Such lurther particulars as were nc
cessible relating to the wife of j. j. Phillipsf
and throwing light upon her fate. TP
reached the residence Of the widow Pivon
Saturday, and found the family entirelEG2In.o,-
rant of the supposed murder of NJ Fhii-
lips, formerly Emma Pitts. The Ghiiy con;
sisted Of the aged widow, two daynters, 2nd
one son, D. I. Pitts, Jr. TheyeSide In rs
sex county near tue Caroline hGndaTy'
Tho probable fate OF NJ Philips was
communicated first to tyson; whose griet
was so uncomfortable this ~he other members
Of the family were pgcss2rliy Immediately
informed of the matEr. The officers rePre>
sent that they hayshever witnessed scene
Of deeper distresy Mrs. Phillips seemed TO
have been the t.ntre Of the attachments of
the family. am the news of her fate was a
dreadful sISck to them. Their grief soon
brought svnpathizers, and the neighbors came
to condcS with them, soon filing the house.
Mrs yhillips seemed to have been greatly
beLred in the vicinity, and was represented
With one accord as young woman of the
geutlest and most affectonatc disposition
When feelings were somewhat composed
the family were questioned Iy the officers
with reference to Phillips and his wife, aud
good many facts were gathered to he used
in the trial. We may generally state the
main points as follows:
J. j. Phillips was in the Confederate army,
and being taken sick in the neighborhood Of
Mrs. Pitts's found shelter and attendance in
her house, where he remained about nine
months. Miss Emma Pitts was exceedingly
kind and attentive to him. Her gentle min
iStrations during his sickness were gratefully
acknowledged by him. Gratitude gave place
to warmer sentiment, which being recipro-
Gated by The lady, they were married on the
18th July, 1865. Mrs. Phillips was twenty
fVa mr. tlIvfy- Of nd nllo.
her husband. She was in delicate health,
supposed to be corsumptive
Phillips only remained with his wife three
weeks after the marriage. lie then abscntcd
himself about six months Returning, he
remained only few weeks, and was again
absent some five months. The neighbors
considered his conduct objectionable. and
much censure was cast upon him, his wife al
ways earnestly defending him. She always
treated him with the most devoted affection
upon each Of his visits to her mothers
1 Matters proceeded in this way until Feb
ruary last, when he went to Essex to bring
his wife to Henrico. He left Essex with her
between the 18th and 18th of February. Ia
king the cars at Milford Depot on the Fred
Lericksburg railroad.
Since then the family have had no informa.
CtlCn of her whereabouts, save through Phil
lips's letters, Of which there were several
The officers procured the last letter received
3. from him. II is dated ''Rivcr View on
'Iames,Tiver, May H." This place it is be
!, lieved, is entirely fictitious He states that
I he was living with n DR.. Dorsett. ten miles
below Richmond. No such person lives
theTea5out4, and Phillips was all the time en-
Slcyed by Mr.. Turner
SIC spoke in previous letter Of the comfort
SSgsmanner in which he and his wife were
citing along-sPeaSinge fhousehold matters.
her success IN raising chickens &c lie
threw in. however. occasional reference to the
hea!th Of the locality. 1t was very sickly, &c
In the last letter, in addition to this suggestion
for alarm with her family, Phillips informs
Il. T. Pitts that his wife has whitlow ON
her finger. cccasicned hy sewing. which nives
great deal ofPa!n, rendering the administra-
ton Of morphine necessary. The doctor, he
said, feared lock Jaw! he sresks of family
matters; wants to know how his sister in law
and certain young gentleman are getting
on, and wants TO move to Essex; wants Pitts
TO get lin situation. This letter was
brought mp By the officers.
Mrs. Pitts and her daughters described ac-
curately the clothing Of Mrs. Phillips. which
correspondent exactly with that found upon
the body in Drinkers woods. Unfortunately
a part only Of that clothing is preserved:-
Under the order OF the Mayor of Richmond,
several pieces OF tic garments taken from
the body were turned over to the ChicfoE-
Police Of this city. They we're placed in the
Old Market station and were-strange to say.
recently sold rs rags for the paper mill 6y
the negro man who attends the place! For
tuGately several pieces are yet in the hands
OF Mr. Cole. and they will be produced At the
trial 1t Will be remembered that breast
pin found upon the body was lost by gem
tleman who brought it TO town the day after
the discovery, TO advertise it with the hope
Of getting clue to the name of the muir
dered person. This pin, the officers say. was
accurately described by the ladies.
- f. Pitts had answered the last letter Of
Phillips; but accidently the answer was not
sent TO the post-of,icc. and this letter the Off
GERS also obtained. 1t is very friendly and
Unreserved.
The exact day OF the departure Of Phillips
and his wife from Essex will be ascertained
before the trial. Mrs. Brown met them after
their arrival in this city on Eighth street. and
knowing Mrs. p. greeted her cordially, and
was introduced by her to Phillips as her hrs-
band. The dates are here important. and are
no doubt easily ascertained. Mr.. Dowden.
tollkeeper on the Williamsburg road. say ::
man and woman pass by in wagon in the
afternoon and in : half hour or 50 the man
returned alone. This was day or two be-
Iore Tue OOaE was discovered. ne thread
OF this mysterious aud shocking affair being
discovered, much more will probably be de-
velopc1- In leaving Essex Phillips put his
wite's clothing in a trunk without lock and
without name upon it, leaving his own
trunk which was better one and had his
name upon it, behind.
Phillips, i; is understood, had not informed
his relatives Of his marriage, and he denied
that he was married when arrested Officer