New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-05-15

former had induced her to write declaring that the
torn letter was forgery. This statement was d.
rected 70 the Dstrict-Attorney ard read In
court.
THE STORY OF A PRISON SPY.
There was a marked increase OF spectators
Mt the Smith murder trial in Jersey City yesterday,
when some new and important evidence was eAPecteu
from the prosecution. The testimony however ala ho'
proceed rapidly on the previous day. ana IL WIS
late in the afternoon before any developments were
made in the case for the prosecution Much time III the
morning was consumed In bringing out further proofs
ofintimacy Covert ID. Bennett and MIS- jennie
r. Smith, the prisoners. Martin j. Cummings, VINO was
the manager a drygoods store III Ncwfork last year.
testified TO seeing man who resemDlcd Brhhett Iiuins
on streecar in Jersey City about IL O'Clock on the
night when Onlcer Smith murdered. The car was
going in the direction OF Smiths house. Cummings
picked out Bennett after his arrest from number OF
persons the jail, the man he had seen on the CA"
ExJudge Hoffman, OF Benefits counsel. led the VIZ
ness through long crOSsexamlnatOn, ana mucA
amusement was caused by the attempts to mpeach MS
testimony. ..,,... .,.i.
Various witnesses then called to testify to thelr
ability 10 identify BENEFITS hadwritlng DissIlclAS
tOrney NcGil lad previously asked ihat Mrs. Mary T.
Phillips, witness IN the case. snOud DE brought rom
the jail. There was sensation ih tue t W.
"a slender, far-naIrcd woman, with Angular ana suu-
what repulsiye features, stepped 10 tHo witness S:
This was the woman VINO presented herself az foice
Headquarters ia Jersey City about month aitet Tue
Smith murder, and said she had come 10 surrender heI
sent 70 tie county IAN qua gwen room near % @
pied by Mrs. smith. The Grand Jury dd MOI buiot yer,
and liberty after she had secured Tor inc
DstrlcAttorney some CORRESPONDENTS p' h, 70 te
and Mrs. Smith Size was afterward cent PACK 10 the
Jail and kept there as witness Tor the STATE III te
Smith case. she has since been called the woman de-
tecuye and many persons have believed that her CON
iessOn of murder a trick by which the police set
spy upon Mrs Smiths movements in jail Ii Il knoWn;
however that her infant son dd die from me eec's Oh
an overdose OF morphine, aud Mr. Wlnneld. VINO ap-
peared before the Grand Jury III Eer behalf mas gwen
different theory for her subsequent conduct ne pc
a. ma
ons If murder and that she was led To play the part
of a spy after her Imprisonment.
In answer to questions by the District-Attorney
yesterday, Mrs Phillips testified tnat while she was III
the TAIL IN September last she saw Mrs smith receive
letters written on thin paper Mrs. smith up these
letters when Sue had read them ana threw the nag
ments away. one OF these letters was composed OF
eight sheets Of wr!tiDgpaper sine watched MIS- Smlll
when this letter was torn up ana thrown away, ana
wnen an opportunity offered she secured the fragments
aud gave them 10 John Allen, r the under-keeper d
Jail permitted to leave the jail on October
o. but soon atterwald was sent Dack as witness.
Alter to the Jail she told Mrs smith OF the
Mrs smith wen and said that the letter might be The
means Of hanging Mr.. Bennett by whom II had Deen
written. Mrs Phillips said she tod Mrs. smith that
she was sorry what she had DONE aud offered to do
all in her power to make matters right Mrs. Smlth
proposed that she should write a letter stating that
Bennett's letter mad been manufactured by Mr. Allen
Mrs Phillips SAID she agreed 10 TINS proposal, ana
Mrs smith took Mrs. Smith said afterward that she
had given the letter TO Mr. tlemming one OF hef
lawyers.
CURIOUS BIT OF CORRESPONDENTS.
At this point in the examination OF the witness,
Dstrict-Attorney McGnl asked that Mrs Smiths
should produce the letter referred to- and after
some objections had been made by Mr. Winfield, the
letter was produced. Mrs. Phillips recognized the
letter as the one she had 1t Was addressed to
DstrictAttorney McGill. in Of Messrs. FIemmng
and Winfield. and read as follows:
HUDSON COUNTY JAIL. January 15
Mr.. McGnL,
never go a witness stand TO have 20 swear to a
lie This the last shan write, aud am going to
| hail 4lla IN lac
here before for the nurse or my BABY Boy; Johnny
m SOUGHT be o SIy a Iov when
he lie had 1t he was not satisfied with that
he might have spared for never done him or his
any harm. But / forgive hun and hop God will for
give him for What ne made me 49, Mr. t MeGllI
am putting down here Johnny was all ways alter me
and he wanted me TO get one OF Mrs SMITHS letters.
to but couldn't one DAY johnny came up to me
and he called me in my and asked me If could do
for him and In return for il he would get
of any trouble. Aud If the Grand Jury dd indite me
he would get out any way for he had the keys and
void never out of tLis jail into another 30 prom
void take the letter he void give me and say 1t was
Mrs. Smts and then give 1t back to him and that
she, Mrs smith. had thrown II away. Wen dld ana
got OF here. was only tow nights at home when
! 90 to Mr.. McGill's house for few minutes and
| my Brothers and my Father and my Mother
SG h 9Sau Ta 5 But he lad tie say and Went W
| him. When we got 10 your house, do you remember
RST "a fs he did was Re
was afraid would finch from what he made me do.
nave told Mrs. smith what have done, and she for
| for it, for she knows how was led. In the
note sent to you SAID that the person that got me
IN this troubled would suffer the most BY that meant
that Johnny void bring trOubel on himself, Tor when
| he used come up my rOOm Mrs Smith overheard
hun something that of itself alone would send MIN
to prison never knew any thng about Mrs smith or
Ben EFT, and all knew about notes was, day was
the gate and woman gave me tow slips of
paper to give Mrs Smith, aud dd give tnem To her
She wrote something, and | gave II TO the woman.
don't know what It This Is the truth, the whole
truth so help me God, whom scall lace, and
IsignedI MRS. MARY F. PHLLIps.
/ confess that I murdered my Baby Boy, and
was not punished for 1t VIII TO meet Creator
and be punished there. Mr.. McGill. / hope you Will
forgive for any trOube may nave caused you by my
| falchOOd TO YOU MRS. FRANCES GHilLIfs.
lSlGnedI AYE twenty years
OTHER LETTERS OF THE WITNESS.
While this letter was being read in Court, Mrs. Phil
Ups leaned her head on hand and smiled as If she
enjoyed the reading Bennett and Mrs Smith glanced
al each other and witness with flashing eyes Mr.
McGil produced letter sent to him January
Ii by Mrs Phillips, which tho latter testified had also
been written at Mr. Smiths request and partly at her
dctaton. This letter declared I'm substance that the
writer would die rather than appear as witness
against Mrs. smith, Mrs Phillips also testified that be-
fore writing either Of the letters had had Il consul
| tation with Mr.. Flemm,nS and Mrs. Smith. Mr. FEM
had asker her ~ she were willing 10 help Airs
smith out trouble and she replied that she was. MIR
| Flemmlug lad said he would what could he done
| and would send Mr. winfield TO She had not re-
! ceiVed visits from either lawyer hfterward.
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| MULDOON THE UINNER