New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-07-23
CRIME IN VIRGINIA.

RICHMOND, July 22.-James Jeter Phillips,
who has respted IL times executed this morn
ing for the murder of Mary Emily Phillips, his wife, on
18th of February 1867. Philips % years Of age
ut the Of his marriage in July 1868 He had served
I'm the Confederate ranks member of the Thirteenth
Virginia Cavalry The close Of the found him lying
sick at the house Of Mr.. b. F. Pitts in Essex County,
where he was nurscd by daughter of his host-a lady
five years his soMOr-wLom he afterward married,
and whose murder he has today expiatcd upon the
galows
soon after hi. recovery and marriage Philips came to
Richmond leaving his wife az his fathers house. Hn''e
he often visited her aeging want Of means an ex
cnse for moi providing home for her. Among his
friends and relatives here he studiousy concealed the
fact Of his marriage though lie continued to write and
make candcsne visits TO his wife, During this period
st is said he fell in love with and paid attentions to
young lady at whose fathers house he boarded In Feb
Tuary. isse letter 10 Philips from his wife fell into
this Young ladys hands, and she Immediately wrote to
Mr. Phillips She received a reply which confirmed her
suspicous; but while she declined to receive his atten
tons she did not make known the fact Of his marriage
10 the friends OF Philips or her own On the witness
sand az the trial this young lady exhibited much emo
ton but testified that Phillips always treated her as
brothcr-nOthing more
In February, 1861 Phillips brought his wife to Rich
mord taking rooms al the Virginia House. in the upper
part Of the city, Saturday, where they renamed
until Sunday afternoon, when they went out, she oong
the landlord that Phillips intended 70 axe her to his
fathers house They were noticed o,lnr together at
Twenty ff,h-st., after which ars Phillips was seen no
more alive This was or the 18th day Of February On
the night OF that oy Phillips arrived at the house Of the
father OF INC young lady previously mentioned
On the last day Of FebruaIy-eleven days
Cif1r Mrs Phillips was last seen-a farmer
residing few miles below Richmond found the corpse
Of woman lying about 20 yards from an old military
road his lands. There was bullet wound on the
right side of the head the throat blue with prints OF
fingers and OF the shoulders was broken The body
Law face downward one hand cluching the earth and
leaves The dress that of neat country girl Blue
eyed, with fair complexion and light hair the victim
had been a woman of no little personal beauty. The
body was carried to the farmhouse of Mr. George Idr
ner where Philips boarded. 1t the body OF his
murdered Wife But while it lay in an thouse that
night Phillips seemed quite unconccrned, ate lis supper
ms usual and retired without exhibiting the slightest
interest the matter. He, however, carefully avoided
looking the body. No one identified the murdered
woman and the corpse brought 10 Richmond where
IL visited by thousands Of persons the discovery OF
the murder having created great excitement
II is remarkable circumstance that the
body and clothing positively identified as those OF
their daughter by the parents Of Miss Jenny Edwards
and of Miss Slaughter both then missing but as these
women proved 70 be living and clue to the muir
dercr could be obtained matter passed from the
public mind.
After the murder Of his wife, Phillips wrote several
her parents representing that he and she had
taken a farm and were doing well, and inventng kind
messages from her to her father and mother For
time il seemed his fearful crime would 90 undls-
severed But though the public had forgotten the mat
ter the detectives had not for the letter from Phlpss
wife 10 his young lady friend was ferreted out the pa
rents of the victim communicated with, and the
whole affair brought to light
Philips was arrested on the 18th OF June, 1867, While
crossing field short distance from the spot where his
wife was buried On being told that he was charged
with the murder Of his wife, he exclaimed, "You shock
me have no wife" In his trunk were found several
articles Of female apparel, revolver and olghoh
which presented the appearance of having been rubbed
in the earth Three chambers OF the revolver were
emptv At the FIRST trial Phillips the jury disagreed
and il was confidently believed that he could
not be convicted. On two occasions, parties
OF prisoners escaped from the Jail in which he
was confined and invited him to so with
them but he refused and awaited his second trial 1t
took Mace lime Is 1865 and resulted in his conviction.
In answer 10 the question OF the Clerk whether he had
ANYTHING TO say, he replied, Nothing, Sir. No more
than tls-I am innocent before Almighty God and man.
He received his sentence with a GOODNESS OF manner
amauutiug 10 stondity his way back TO prison
seemed DC in Inc spirits. Since his trial. Judge IN
derwoods rulings under the Reconstruction acts and his
prn'on Of the legality Of tie state Courts have
put off the execution two years, during which
lime the prisoners execution has been appointed
70 times. and he has been many times respted.
H1d cE'I 10 ltcl Qiltt edic5 diI NAouSH WIN" MT
,,cnc,dLc had procssoda change of heart yet after
several ID, tcs he commenced sending little love letters
,e1nc saloon girls the neighbOrhoOd Of the prison
vial ad sem him better food than the Jail afforded.
J.nes JetcI Philip, was most respectfully connected
IN Eichro~G. All The witnesses for the defense gave
Iina most lolt character one OF the most curious
plts OF the evidence was the ,timony of a witness
III said Philips always said lis prayers, and that he
"a thoa The night tie body Of bis murdered wife was
I,ug Tin oo,house near him and has said them ever
SAGE In rsnal appearance he was not unprepossess
ing. o. mc..im hight, with fair complexion, brown
cinc Lar and regular features, he possessed in add
f.la good .dClcss which rendered his presence agree
abb. II oc.JpanOns in the city those known as
"nico young men, and his habits were regular and
40 =.
I.e murdered woman. formerly Miss Mary Emily Pitts
OF Essex County was years of age at the time
oi her marriage with Phillips. She had been school
t,a,L,r and was a woman of intelligence and respeca-
De position. Her love Tor Ter murderer seems TO nave
sIf 70 her 70 Know if She was Philiips's VIE She
C,eelng it his sister who inquired wrote as fol-
ed litter from Jet;T with your ti, morning , s and as wish
:! av 5h t Ie.1Ta m' h9e io wa '1 S 70 1 be apd
o cSa -,
married bis Wife, woman several year las senior, ana
without special attraction, but VINO Dad tchder rove Or
while sick; that tired OF her and determined to
get RI O. her that he brought her 70 Richmond with
with her 20 tc suburbs II the city be procured vehicle
and took her the spot where size was killed and there
after getting lcr Cl the vehicle pretense
fired go her behind, aud farg t. XIII her he eapcd
upon her and sIauccd her 70 death her shoulder being
broken iu violent struggle fOT lifc.
The defense admittc PLlps5 marriage, and that the
dead body found that OF his wife. They tried 10
prove 0J hat failed having accounted for every day
except the fatal 18th Of February. They cOntended that
Mrs Phillips had QudIrelcd with her husband ana left
hiI, aud was afciward murdered by prowlcrs Phillips
himself one night lille returning with the Sheriff from
his trial 10 prison. turning the OF TWentyfth
st, said, Oh, tHeIC Is where last my dear WIFE,
All the theories failed before his letter. written after she
had disappeared, saying She with him and well and
lapDs. few days ago petition signed by more than