Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.) 1838-187?, 1874-02-20
Rob Roy Ofthc mississippi.

was called the Rob Roy of the
Mississippi:
Alonzo Phelps was a native of
New England. According to his
own photographed confession
(drawn up chiefly by himself, bit
I'm my own presence, few days
fore his death, while detained
er,) he had, in fit of
slain rival lover in his
"inage secreted lhe-hody
rot his victim in nelghborinS
mill-pond, and fled to the Valley
of the Mississippi, He had here
been a Wanderer for many years
seldom entering a human habita
ton, and subsisting altogether on
the raw meat Of squirrels and
other wild animals, which he had
captured in the chase. He Lad
long infested the banks Of the
Mississippi, had committed eight
murders and more than sixty
robberies, and had a dozen times
broken Jail and escaped the pun
lShment Of the law. Strange to
say, he was ripe and accurate
scholar, and when taken prisoner,
a few weeks subsequent to the
preparation of his last murder,
had, as | personally know, a
pocket copy Of Horace in his pos
session, which he read with great
facility, and with far more relish
for the rare beauties ofthe poetic
friend and protege of the great
MMceDas then Lord Byron re
ports himself to have at any time
done.
His appearance at the trial was
very striking and impressive.
He was a muscular, we'll shaped
man, about five feet eleven inch
es in height, and evidently pos
essed Of great vlgor and activity.
He had particularly fair complex.
ion, good deal treckled from
constant exposure to the air.
His hair was blood-red, was much
inclined to curl, and his crispy,
snake like locks stood sti11ly up
over and about his Uranium with
singuIarIy grizzly and menac.
ing aspect.
He was convicted and sent to
await his execution. Mr.. Foote
says be was summoned to the
prison to aid this man in the
preparation Of his confession, a
document afterward published as
his autobiography. Before the
writing Of it was completed | had
to leave cksburg for one Of the
courts in the interior ofthe State.
| Jeff on the table where | had
been writing, a leaden inkstand
for Phelps use, and out Of which
| had been myself writing.
Alter 5cribbling some twenty
or thirty pages Of manuscript III
addition, he closed by the decla-
ration that he did not intend to
be hung; that he had once been
a soldier, and he intended to die
the death Of a soldier. Afterthis
he asked that a preacher of the
gospel should be sent for, to min.
lister 70 him the last spiritual con.
ISOLATION. The Rev. Mr.. Marshall
then, as now, a resident Of Vicks.
burg, was sent for and came. In
the meantime, PheIps had pre-
pared himselffor the performance
OF an extraordinary feat. He had
contrived in some way to saw the
manacles which bound his hands
almost in two, so that, with a
strong effort, he could burst them
asunder and free himself.
He had put the Ieaden inkstand
in a stocking, and stood with it
grasped in both hands behind the
door when Mr.. Anding, the jailor
opened 1t and conducted in Mr.
Marshall. With a single blow he
knocked down the jailor. Mr.
Marshall had time to fly into an.
other room which he saw open,
and had sufficient presence Of
mind to lock himself up therein
securely. By this time Phelps,
having made an unsuccessful ef-
fort to disencumber his hands,
snatched a large knife from the
belt Of Mr.. Anding, walked out Of
the door Of his own cell, closing
the door behind him, and advanc.
ed to the outer Jail.
By this time the alarm had |
been given, and Mr.. Howard, the
Sheriff, rushed to the jail-yard |
with a number Of attendants,
many Of whom were armed. The
outer door was forced open by
order Of the Sheriff, by use of AK
es. The first man that entered |
saw blazing before his face the
uplifted knife of Mr.. Anding,
which Phelps held firmly in both
of his iettered hands. The door.
opener recoiled, and Phelps
marched forth. The crowd in
continently gave way before him.
He strobe few steps toward the
gate of the prison-yard. The Sher-
if struck him a severe blow over
the head with heavy gun which
he held in his hands, which