The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-07-27
THE SCAFFOLD.
WIFE MURDERER,s END.
Execution Of James Jeter. Philips at
Richmond, va.-A Tragic Story OF
Love and Murder.


throughout that State an interest OF excite
ment that can be in any way compared with
that created by the Drinkers farm murder, the
perpetrator of which paid the penalty of his
crime, in Richmond on Friday last by death
on the scaTold. The deed for which he for
feited his life was committed more than three
years ago. To realize fully the guilt of the
murder, and the circumstances OF the crime,
It is necessary for the reader to 60 back few
years to the days when WEI was still shedding
its baleful light over the whole Southern coun-
try, when every Virginian was soldier, and
the State was one great battlefield.
SEVEN YEARS, AGO. e.g sa.
One spring day, in the year 1863, . weary
Confederate soldier, travel-worn and footsore,
stopped at the door of a farmhouse IN the
County Of Essex. He was young man, hard
beardless face, no less than his hollow che eks
and feeble step, betokened the presence OF
disease in his emaciated body. He dragged
himself up the steps, and then almost eXhaus-
ted-too weak even to knock-sank upon
bench in the porch. But there was no need
for knocking; lady to whom the dingy rebel
gray was dear as the Uniform. worn by dead
auu 6ufIuB luoIileii uiaooi.eu niin .pnS
fore he reached the gate, and now opened the
door to. give the soldier welcome. In kind
words she babe him enter and receive the hos
mother were glad to extend. He did enter,
and under that humble roof be, fingered for
months-for on the very night of4lis arrival dis
ease obtained the mastery OF his body. He was
=, SICK ALMOST UNTO DEATH,
and while the fever ragged he was carefully and
tenderly nursed by the same kind woman
whose thin hand had clasped bis as be crossed
the threshold on that May eFsping. She was
ever at his bedside, administering the cooling
potion and the soothing draught, bathing. his
burning forehead, excluding the too bright
sunlight from the room, adjusting the wrap
pings about his form, and reading TO him when
he was convalescent and able to hear These
kind Offices under God, saved the life OF Jas.
Jeter Phillips. His preserTer was Mary Emily
Pitts
A NATURAL RESULT.
She fell in love with her patient, and he, ap-
parently, with his nurse. She was nearly ten
years his senior, and there was but little trace
OF youthful beauty in her face-she was passee.
But then she was intelligent and well read; she
had better mind and warmer heart than her
patient; she was not homely, and she had been
so kind to him during all those weeks Of suffer-
ing Just drawing to an end So thought Phil
lips, and he did what many other men would
have done. Hardly was he strong enough to
walk about, before the sick soldier fell upon
his knees and swore he loved her beyond all
else on earth And she She did what most
women would have done under the same cir
cumstances; the patient blue-eyed boy had
won her heart. She listened to his words OF
love, accepted his offer Of matrlmony. On the
18th OF July, 1865, q minister was summoned,
and James Jeter Phillips and Mary Emily Pitts
were, by the simple ceremony Of the Baptist
Church, made husband and wife.
AFTER MARRIAGE.
For short time all went well; but only two
months after marriage Phillips became rest
less, and talked of doing something Tor: llV-
ing, and, in truth, he was now well enoughtto
work. His wife and the members OF her fami7
" begged him to stay In Essex and carry on
the farm. But no, he had g father and mother
In Eastern Virginia, near Richmond, and he
would 60 and consult them about his future
business. So one night he packed up his
clothes and .he next morning started of, prom
ising to come back In few weeks But weeks
and months, nearly year, passed before ne
was again seen in Essex; and meantime his
she said she often heard from him, people be-
gan to whisper deserted" when her name
was mentioned. Gr
THE RETURN
But he did come at last and remained in
Essex until February, l867-six months and
more. Then, to her great Joy, he proposed to
take her to his own home, which, he said, was
in the County of Henrco, not far from Rich
mond. On the 10th OF February They lett the
old homestead in Essex and took the cars m ior E
Richmond. Cn Saturday evening they arrived
In the city, and put up at the Virginia House,
second-class clearinghouse near the Capt.
tol square. To the landlady Phillips intro
duced his companion as his wife, and they
occupied room together. The next morning
they took breakfast together, and were seen
at the table by several of the hoarders. She
spent the morning In her chamber, complain
ing of being unwell he went out, and did not
return until after dinner. She was sitting with
the landlady in the parlor, when footstep
was heard on the porch, and she ran out, ex-
claiming, There's Jeter now." She was never
seen again at the clearinghouse, and the only
clue to her whereabouts was remark made
a few moments before, to the effect that her
husband was going to take her to the country
to see bis relations, with whom she was uuac-
quainted.
A DEAD WOMAN IN THE WOODS.
Just eleven days after that Sunday, an old
gentleman of Henrlco County, walking through
hts wooded property, found the dead body OF a
woman lying almost Immediately In his path.
| The spot was an unfrequeuted one, loug dis
tance from the farm house, but not very far
from o negro cabin. No attempt had been
made to hide the body. 1t was lying upon Its
face, and the damp garments were decently
smoothed out One hand was under the head,
and the other, stretched out at full length,
tightly clasped a tuft Of grass. There were
bruises about the eyes; the nose was broken;
there were finger marks about the throat and
the arms; legs and abdomen seemed to have
been beaten with some heavy, blunt instru-
ment; on the ground, just beneath the breasts,
| was pool oil what appeared to be blood and
| water.
AN INQUEST HELD.
The finding Of the body having been report
ed to the nearest magistrate, an inquest was
held, and the jury found that deceased came
to her death by violence ut the hands Oh some
person or persons unknown, WheRupon tne
body received pauper's burial. But the iacts
being published in the newspapers OF the day,
created an excitement almost unparalleled, the
officers of the law were aroused, and every
effort was made to discover the perpetrator OF
murder committed under such mysterious
circumstances, and upon young and appa-
rently respectable woman. But all enorls
seemed unavailing, and when after two
months the murdered woman had not Deen
identified, new sensations took the place OF
this and the "Drlnker's Farm Murder" seemed
forgotten by the world.
ARREST OF PHILLIPS.
Meanwhile jealous magistrate and an ex'
| pert detective were at work, and four months
after the finding Of the body the community
was startled by the announcement that young
| mon hitherto or unblemished reputation, and