Morning journal and courier., 1880-08-11

victim was Sadie J. Grover, an attractive girl of Is, wha formerly lived with Phelps as his wife, but whether she was ever legally mar ried to him is in doubt. According to one report she was affanced to Phelps some three years ago. but afterward mittened him, and since then he has constantly besought her to marry him, and on her persistent refusal, has now taken her life. Another report is that Phelps married the girl when she was only 13 years of age, she being induced to wed him by her family contrary to her own wishes Their married life was extremely unhappy, and some time ago the girl-wife left her husband and has since resisted all at tempts on his part to induce her to return to him. When she went away she left all her clothing, except that she wore at the time, and Phelps has doggedly refused to give it up to her, and has used every means to pre- vent her gaining possession of it. She has since been obliged to earn her own living, and, upon the opening of the SpirituaEstic camp meeting at Lake Pleasant last week, se- cured place to work in a restaurant there. Phelps, learning of her whereabouts, drove to the camp ground Sunday afternoon, called upon her, and again used his utmost persua- siohs to induce her to return to him. She steadfastly refused to do so; whereupon, ap- bearing to give up all hope of winning her, he told her that if she would ride home with him he would surrender her clothes, and that, if they must they would part as friends. She gladly acceded to this proposition, and they drove together from the camp ground to Phelps fathers house in Shutesbury about
 o1.1HA Tl,-L II. Phelps told the poor girl that her clothes were at the house of one Tilson, half mile farther on. Between Phelps house and Til sons the road passes through dense pie ce of woods, where it seems that Phelps had deliberately planned to take the life of the woman who had been so weak as to tr ust him, The spot Is a deserted one, and the scene there enacted was witnessed by no mor- tai eye, but Phelps subsequent confession told the whole story. Stopping the horse, he ordered his wife to alight, which she declined to do. He then lifted her bodily out of the wagon. Seizing her by the arm, he dragged her into the deepest and darkest part of the wood, near brook which flows through the forest. She begged him not to harm her but he made no reply, and she was powerless in his iron grip. At the foot of tall tree he re- leased her, and instantly drew from his pocket @ revolver. The terrified girl, then knowing her fate, fell on her knees, and, while the tears streamed down her face, begged him not to kill her, promising to live with him, to slave for him, to do everything he desired, if he would but spare her life He pitilessly raised the pistol, while with sobs she still be- sought him, and, clinging to his arm, tried to turn the fatal barrel away. He fired, and she fell back gasping. He fired again she only quivered. Twice more he fired, and not even a moan escaped her. All four balls had passed through her hrnocf hoI her Ia then composed the body decently, and, leav- ing his dead wife in the thick of the for est, went back to the spot where he had left his horse. There he took box of cartridges from the wagon and deliberately reloaded his revolver to take his own life. Returning to the spot where his awful crime had been committed, he lay down beside his wife and completely emptied the pistol into his own body, three balls passing through his lungs and four through his bowels. Expecting ev- cry moment to die, he drew his wife's head upon his bloody breast and there awaited the end. It was then six o'clock, and at eight o'clock, when it had become intensely dark in the forest, Phelps was still alive He then, though faint and bleeding, stumbled his way through the forest back to his wag- on, and, driving to Tilsons, told the family the whole of his horrible story. The dead body of the woman was found Monday morn ing, precisely in the spot which he had de- scribed. At last accounts Phelps was still alive but, as there was no chance of his re- covery, no steps had been taken for his ar rest