The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-07
JOHN p. PIIAIR::
His Execution for Murder
Stayed Till May 4.
N E w WIT N E S S.
Probability Of Proving an Abb in the
Convcts Favor



ops or those events in real life which abourds In
thrilling details and circumstances rarely found in the
most startling romances, was developed In this city
to-day, and just the s'nick OF time" 10 save
. possibly innocent man from the pain and
disgrace OF . death the scaioId. man has ap
peared here who thinks he provo an abb In tho
case or John Phair convicted for the murder OF MIS-
fruzc, and though the was to have been hung TO-
day Governor Fairbanks at once ordered him to be
rcprievsd I'll Maya.
tn. CRIME REVIEWED.
The history OF the crimo with which Phair Is charged
as follows:--
on Tuesday morning. juno Q. 1874, about half-past
seven o'clock the house occupied by Mrs. Annie
Trcizs dissoiuto woman on Forrest street. was dis
covered be fire in the second story IN the
room occupied by her rs sleeping room.
In . few moments the flames burned through the
noor and the scorched and mutilated trunk OF hu-
man body came falling through. An examination was
made, when, to the horror of all present. q huge
wound found, extending from ear to ear, CON-
petey severiDg tho Iarnyx. and four stab wounds in
the right side OF the neck, thrcc OF which struck
tns vertebr@, while the fourth passed behind
and severed the muscles In the back part OF
tho neck. Tho lungs showed that death en-
sued before sufocaton could have taken place.
II was thought very naturally, that robbers had COM
mittsd the horrible crime, as the woman was known
20 have money, jewery and some valuable clothing in
her rooms, which were missing.
PHAIR's FLIGHT.
Suspicion was directed to one John r. Phair who
vas at that time In the employ OF Manedeld Stin-
con, machinists, at Rutland, and who was known
to have been q frequent visitor at her
house; also having been seen in her
company publicly the streets On the Saturday be-
FORE the 6th he accompanied her to Barnum's circus
and afterwards went home with her. He was not at
his boarding house after Sunday, tho 7th.
until Tuesday morning, tho 9th, when he
len Rutland the 4:30 A. NJ. train for
Boston from the Berwick House, and arrived there in
the afternoon and registered his name as "E +.
Smith," st. Adams, VI He then went to
broker named Abraham and pawned lady's
watch and chain for $35, giving his
name and residence the Same rs at the
hotel He stayea at the Adams House
that night and next day pawned to one Pierce
An opera glass, shawl and rings. one OF which
was torn from her finger In closet OF the room he
occupied At the hotel found half shawl, which
he had evidently forgotten, which was identified
- one which Mrs FREEZE owned and wore
HIS ARREST.
He len Boaton on the evening train Of June 10,
which due Rutland the morning OF the llth.
and At Cuttingsvillc, . few miles from Rutland, he
was arrested and taken to jail AT the
examination no proved TO be the person who
registered The name OF Z. +. Smith, and also by the
brokers as the one who pawned the watch and other
ar:icles
FOR xURDER.
In the September following he tried At
the County Cour. at Rutland. Judge H.
Wheeler presidnsl and was ably defended
BY William G. vcazcy. The jury, after
short elaboration, rendered verdict Of equity
saken 1 Sy his COUNSEL and February Z, 1875, the
came before the Supreme Court and
new trial was denied; phair wa: present IN
Of the decision which swept away his last
hope Of new trial and sealed his doom,
exhibited all through the trial. lie was then
sentenced by Judge Pierpo,nt to DO hanged,
and four O'Clock r. NJ. An effort recently
made Tor repreve, which the Governor could not find
sunicsns reason r ior granting ars,v,,xr
Phar yesterday mado full statement OF the case.
70, his ms OF the r Of the
his entire innocence, and claiming that at
the time he was sworn 70 have been
clothing and jewels no in Providence, r. l., look
ing for employment This was published in the papers
eager readers Among these was N. D. Downing, OF
the Novelty Manufacturing Company. No. SO School
street.
After reading the statement, Mr. Downing jumped
out Of his chair and exclaimed, my God they have
got the wrong mani This man IS innocentP HIS
words and excited manner astonshed his associates,
to Providence on the morning OF June 10, 1874,
and returned upon train which left Providence IN
mo forenoon and reached Boston about noon on that
lay. His memorandum book was referred 10 al once
and the time found to be correct. On that train
coming 70 Boston he met and talked with a man whom
nc firmly believed to be Phair. and, on reading the
sbove statement of Phairs, he saw how important
INK he might possibly supply The reader VIII re-
member that the muroer was upon June O. 1874, and
hat Phair claimed that he Providence the
evening OF tbat day, and left there the forenoon
81 the 10Th, arriving in Boston noon. This led
In.
OF the trip, and his recolections Of the iacls are
follows
THE TRIP PROM PROVIDENCE
Mr. Downing lett Boston BY the early train and
came back the forenoon, as stated, being anx-
ious to keep appointment with gentleman In
Boston IN the AFTERNOON in important business mat
tsr Stepping INTO q smoking cur at Providence,
he rode 70 that . aa,'i he haa nn'sned
Tho man whom he now sopposes 10 be Pnair sat IN
sea, alone. Taking a seat by mis- side, Mr.. Downing
soon entered into conversation with him. The man
said be hailed from Vermont, whercupon Mr.. Down
ing. who himself was born and raised in Vermont, IN
IL am from Rutland" said the man. 81
came down yesterday and tried TO get work
OF the screw company in Providence, but 1t is
dull could not and am gong back 10 Rutland"
This led to further conversation. Mr. Downing was
IN a limo OF business which he employed good
many agents, and being lavoraby Impressed Win the
mans appearance and his evident intelligence, lie
told him II he did not find any work no had
better take agency for Rutland and vicinity for
his gcoda The idea did not seem TO impress the man
avorabiy so the subject was dropped. Neither knew
" inquired the name Of the other They talked
general topics aud separated. MIR. Downing paid no
particular attention to the report oil the muir
Ter the trisi and read neither. OF course
could not have known that Phar tho
nan he had met, nor had any circumstance
r evcnt called the matter 10 mind until read
:har's statement yesterday. Thinking u very i'm
probable that Two men had left Rutland, Junc .. 1874,
and applied TO the Screw Company Tor work and took
The train for Boston, June TO- 1874, he concluded
that Phair light have been the man.
WHAT SHOULD DIX DONE. D
When be bad reached tins conclusion II was nearly
twelve O'Clock, and Phar was 10 be hung about
hours. Burdencd with the thought that hc might
possibly be able to furnish evidence that would go
good way toward proving Pha:r's innocence.
ne Immediately started to- find way let
the Governor OF Vermont know oil els Impressions be-
fore II was late he rushed to the Office oil the
chief OF police and ADVISED 10 telegraph TO the
f;ovcrnor In pursuance OF tins advice the following
despatch was handed IN 10 the telegraph ofhce:-
BosToS April g. 1877