The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-11-27
EuE PHELPS MURDER CASE IN VIRGINIA.
Tie Eighth Respite Of the PrisOner-Interest-
ing Particulars Respecting the Affair.

Tie Eighth Respite Of the Pris0ner-Interest.
ing Particulars Respecting the Affair.
[sichmond, Va. (Nov. 22) correspondence Baltimore
james Jeter Phillips confined In Henrico county
jail under sentence OF death for the murder of ms
wife, is again respted, tuis being the eighth time
day respltcd him for sixty days, from November 25
1863, to January 70, 1870
This case IN many or It's aspects one OF the most
remarkable In the annals OF crime. Phillips, young
man OF excellent reputation, well connected, the
son Of former sheriff OF Hanover county.
Va, was gallant Confederate solder, and
during the war he was received AZ Inmate,
sick, into the house OF family named
pitts OF Caroline county. He was treated with
tile greatest Kindness and one result OF the acquant
ance thus formed was engagement OF marriage
between hlm and Miss Emily Pitts. Soon after the
wax they we're married.; but the marriage, though
published at the time IN Richmond newspaper,
seems to have been studlously kept from the Know
city aud III all his native county still as single
Ii was only IN February, 1857, that he brought ms
this city. They stopped at a boarding house that
night and are believed To have lett that house
together Though that Is uncertainty some time on
sunday. AT any rate she lnyseriousy disappeared
that day; but, US she was unknown, there were no
questions asked nor any inquiry raised thereupon.
Twas several days INTO March when the dead
body oil woman was found IN secluded spot not
far from Richmond, ana naar the place upon which
Philips had lived for several months: she had evl-
IDENTITY been murdered, but nobody knew her. and
she was finally buried, without, apparently, any
hope OIL Identification Nevertheless, circumstances
June he was arrested. When arrested he DENIED
ever having been married. but his marriage was
subsequently, proved beyond all doubt, anu it was
satisfactorily proved, too ny dress ornaments, &c.
lat the pody was tnaa of MS Wife. IL turned CIT,
also, that ne had written series OF lying letter
hls we's family. after the date OF her ai5ap-
peaiance, with The evident intention TO prepare
them gradually for the announcement OF her death
ny natural means. These were the Chief points.
though there were thousand others Of corrobora-
tive KIND, and he was accord ngy put upon his trial
III August, 1867, believe.
uraf ruI IL ofa milf tbo
disagreeing-ten being Tor convection ana two Tor
acluital. There was great Indignation here against
the two who would not agree To verdict OF guilty,
AMI much evil was said auvut them.
II was not till last summer QS6Sl that he was tried
again, and this time he was promptly found guilty
aud sentenced to De hanged early in November.
1868. Previous to this trial Phillips had had two ex-
celleut opportunities to escape from jail this own
cell mates gaming their liberty, but he declined to
take advantage or them.
Now began the respites and the appeals and the
postponemcnts. Tne hrst appeal was TO the Supreme
Court OF Virginia, and then, Underwood having de-
clued in the Caesar Griffin case that any dsquali-
fed under the fourteenth constitutional amend
nlent could not legally perform any judicial func-
ton 10 the United states courts, the case awaits
the arrival here OF Chief Justice Chase, who is ex-
pected next Monday. mus james Peter Philips, III
this one matter, has gone from the county maQis-
trae to the cher Justice VI the supreme Court OF the
United states; has had TWO orig nal trials; has had
eight respes; has been under sentence of death for
over one year; mas lain III Jail two years ana SIX
months, and has cost the State over $4,000
recently petition has circulated here for sigma
lures trecelvlng many requesting the Governor 10
commune Phillips sentence 10 imprisonment for
HE, and ii IL believed that Ii the sentence Is BuS
tanned IN the last resort, that the petition VIII be
granted. There has much been said Of late IN his
ivor and there ~ belie thar he could relieve him-
self o much odium by revealing his accomptces. 1t
Is the settled conviction here that he hau ut least
one accomplish, and one theory Is tbat ne Is lnno-
cent and suffers TO screen the real culpriI