, 1873-09-07
ROB ROY Of THE MISSISSIPPI.
a Desperate, Thorouuh. Learned VIII
fA1ns

Ex-senator Footo, in one Of his personal rem~
iniscanccs, gives tho following account OF an out
was cal'ol the Rob Roy Of tho hIississippi:
Alonzo Phelps was nnsiyo Of Now England.
According to hfn own autobiogta aphical confession
{drswn up chiefly BY himself, but In my own
prosence, u few dags before his doath, while de-
natn rival lover in his native vioinage. Bocretod
tho body Of his victim in q neighboring mill
pond, and hed to tho Valley Of tho MiHsssippi. Ho
had here boon wandcrer for many ycars, seldom
together on the raw moat Of squirrels and other
wild animalB, which ho had captured in tho
chaso. uo had long infested the banks OF the
Mississippi, had committed oght murders,
times broken Jail and Escaped the punishment Of
tho law. Strange to Say, bic was ripo and &c
curato scholar. and when taken prisoner, a faw
weeks subsequent to tho repatriation Of his last
copy Of Horace in his possession, which ho read
with great facility, and with fur moro relish for
the lRro beautios Of the poetic friond and pro-
tcge Of the great Mncenas than Lord Byron ro-
ports himself to have At any time done.
HiA appearance at the trial waB vory etrik-
ing and impressive. Ho WAS muscular. we'll
shaped mRn, about five feat eleven iuchoa in
height, and evidently possessed fgrcat plyeical
sigor and activity. He had particularly fair
complexion. good deal freckled from constant
e1posu.e to the air. His hair wAs blood-red, was
much inclined to curl. and his crispy, snako-liko
locks stood sti11y up over and about lis cra-
mum with singularly grizzly and monacing
ASPECT. -.
execution. Alr. Foote Bays he ras " summoned
to the prison to aid this man in the preparation
Of hin confession, document afterward pub
lisaod as his autobiography. Before the writing
one Of the courts In the interior Of tho Stats.
left on the tablo whero had been writing q
loaden inkstand for rholpH' uae, ont Of which I
had been myself writing: After scrbbling aomo
ho closed by tho declaration that le did not In.
toud to bo hung; that ho had once been o soldier.
and be intended to die the death Of soldier.
After this lie asked that preacher Of tho Gospel
should be sent for to minister to him the los.
then, as now, resident Of Vicksburg, was aeut
for and came. In the meantime, Phelps had pre-.
pared himself Tor tho performance Of an oxtraor-
| diuary feat. Flo bud contrivod in soma way to
Baw tho manaolos which bound his hands, almost
burst thom asundcr. Ho had enyeloped the
With it grasped in both hands behind tho
door when Mr.; Anang the ja'!er, opened it, snd
lie knocked down tho jailor. Mr. Marshall bad
timo to-: fy into another room which no saw
open, and had sufficient presence Of mind to
lock himself up thoEein securely. By ths time
| Phelps. having made an unsuccessful effort to
disencumber his hands, snatchcd d large knife
from tho holt Of Mr. Andng, Walked out Of tho
door Of his own cell, closing the door behind him
and adyanced to tho outer door OF sho Jail. 3.
THIS tlme tho alarm hnd been given, and Mr
with number Of attendants, many Of whom wer'
armed. The outer door was forced open, b,
order OF tho Sheriff, BY use OF axes. Tho fret
man that , entered % say blazing before bis ; fee
which phains haid firmly in },nth g