The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-11
ANOTHER MYSTERIOUS MURDER.
A Sixth Avenue Jewelier Shot and Mortally
Wounded by acknowledgements Encoun-
ter with the Murderer-He Makes His Es-
cape. Leaving His Hat Behind Him.

Al fifteen minutes to nine O'Clock last night
Charles ii. Phelps, jeweler. doing business at the
corner OF Sixth avenue and Thirty ninth street,
was shot In his own house by burglar and NOR
tally wounded, the bullet entering his left breast
about half an inch below the left nipple in the re-
gIon OF the heart.
representative OF the HERALD last night. calling
at the house OF Mr.. Phelps who occupies
the upper portion OF the store as dwell
ing house, ascertained from John Il. Palmer,
young man who occupied a furnished room
in the house, that few minutes before nine O'Clock
he was abont proceeding to his room, the entrance
To the dwelling house being Thirty ninth street.
AS he was about entering the door he saw two sus-
pioious-ooking characters standing in the doorway
of the adjoining house. and heard them exclaim
400 1o2 and 104l" Upon placing his latchkcy in
the door he found it to be unlocked, and surmisng
all was not right, stepped from the hallway the
store on the ground noor facing on Sixth avenue
and communicated his suspicious to Mr.. Phelps
who seated in the rear OF the store conversing
with friend named A. M. Coffin, OF the Clifford
House. Mr. Phelps, in company with young Palmer,
proceeded up the stairs, which are very narrow,
the latter passing up to his room on the third noor
front.
AS Mr.. Phelps was proceeding along the hallway
to the front OF the house the second floor. facing
Sixth avenue, he discovered two men hid behind
projection that led from the hall under the stair
way leading up stairs One was small and the
other a large one. Both were huggng the wall in
order TO escape observation, as there was no light
burning In the hallway on that floor. He no sooner
discovered the burglars than the smallest one OF
them rushed from his place OF Concealment and
seized hold OF Mr. Phelps. short struggle ensued,
during which the burglar succeeded in getting
away rom MIR, Phelps, and. making his way down
stairs, edcd into The street and made his escape.
As the larger one OF the two emerged from his
place OF concealment MIR. Phelps grabbed him, but
the former pulling revolver from his pocket, fired
one shot at Mr.. Phelps the bail penetrating his
body AZ described above.
Young Palmer who had entered his room on the
floor above, hearing the sculing and the report Of
the pistol ran down stairs in the wake Of the bur
glar, who was making rapid Roadway down the
first flight OF stairs. AS the burglar reached the
hallway on the ground moor he turned round and
fired a shot nc Palmer who was nearly up to him.
The ball however, missed its intended victim and
lodged in the stairway
Az the burglar leaving the door the
! Thirty-nnth street side Palmer tripped him. and
they both fell on the pavement Palmer landing on
top While in this position the burglar again
cooked his revolver aud fred one shot, without its
taking eilect. by some unaccountable means the
burglar, who IS described as q powerfully built
man, succeeded in reganng his feet,
and started on run towards Broadway leaving
his hat, which had fallen or his head during the
poyed as coaChman for Mr.. Kelly, being near the
place, entered the house, but unable to render
any assistance, As the thieves had made their
escape.
Oncer Morgan, OF the Mounted Squad of Police,
being in the ncighbohood hearing the cry OF stop
thicfln and seeing the burglar running in his bare
head, gave chase and followed him as far as the
corner OF Madison avenue and Forty second street,
where he lost track OF him. Roundsman Curtis, of
the Twenty -ninthth precinct also joined In the
chase, but was unable TO capture the burglar and
murderer.
Mr. Phelps. after being shot rushed down stairs
and was met at his shop door by his clerk Mr..
Bcndick, who noticing his excited and weak con-
dtion, led him to a chair, In which he sank down,
cXclaming, I'm shot, I'm Killed. He was SUBJ
sequently removed to his bedroom on the second
floor and physicians summoned, who prObcd for the
ball, but were unable To md 1t. They ex-
pressed 1t their opinion that he would
not live through the night. owing to internal hem
sent for to take the ante-mOrtcm statement Of the
| dying man, who was engaged in making his viii at
the time the HERALD representative left the house.
M he believed he was about to die. Mrs. Phelps,
who was on visit to syracuse at the time, was
telegraphed for and will probably arrive here
/ to-day.
Their only Child a young lady, about seventeen
years of age, who was absent at boarding school
was sent for. and deeply dcpored the sad mlsfor-
! tune her father had met with. Mr. Phelps was
about forty-four years of age, and had been In bust
ness on the same block where he Is now located FOL
the past ten years.. He formerly kept jewery
store on Sixth avenue, near Fourteenth street, and
Is of the oldest dealers IN the city. lie wal
born in Bristol II. /.
Captain Burden and Sergeant Taylor. upon hear
ing of the shooting, took possession OF the house
| AMI will endeayOr. IT possible, TO find the guilty
| parties, although neither Mr. Phelps nor Mr.. Palmer
| Is able to give any description OF the parties,
| the former not being able to tell
whether they were white or black men.
felt orc, is in the possession OF Captain Burden OF
1 the Thrtieth street station house. At an early
| hour this morning the wounded man was sinking
rapidly, although still retaining his consciousness.