Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-04-18
OVER THE JORDAN.
William Philips Hanged for the Murder
Of His Father.in-Law in the
Indian Territory.
A Load Of Lead Sent Through tho Old
Mans Brain as He Lay Wrapped
III Peaceful slnmber
The Prisoner Dies Game, Asserting His
Innocence to the last Other
Launchings.
nv KILLED a,s wrrns FArnKR.
Sas,aclOl

HE htLLED HAS WtfH'S FATHER,
special
FORT SMITH, ARK, April AZ. or
the live men who were to be executed
here to-day for raurders committed in
the Indian territory only one. VIII
liam Phillips, was called upon to re-
spond 10 the demands OF the law, the
sentences Of the other four having
been commuted to imprisonment for
life by thelpresident. SO confident had
Phillips been that he, too, woald be
commuted that he had made no prep
aration TO meet his fate until early
this morning; when he began to
weaken and sent for Rev. j. L. Hend-
rickson OF the Methodist church and
also requested that an artist be sent
for to take his picture. Both the min
lister and the photographer responded.
At 9 o'clock Dispatch was received
from Washington which shut out
every ray OF hope, the president declin-
ing to interfere. Phillips took the
matter with GOODNESS and shortly af-
forwards
PARrooK or his LAST MEAL
on earth with apparent relish, q flrst-
class dinner having been sent over IL
him by one OF his attorneys. The
time OF the execution having cen act
for o'clock, Phillips spent the few
hours left him 10 talking to
his friends and In religious
exercises until the time arrived when
the death-warrant wes read, after
which he bid farewell TO the prisoners
and walked firmly TO the Rallows, MS
cendlng the steps with tremor. Rev.
Hendrickson offered fervent prayer,
after which Phillips stepped forward
on to the trap. His legs and arms were
pinioned, the black cap drawn and the
rope adjusted, and In this attitude he
repeated the Lords prayer to the
words "Thy will be donc,n when the
trap waa sprung and the body shot
through the opening
WITH A DULL THUD.
His neck was broken. His body
will be taken 10 Ozark, Franklin
county, for burial tomorrow morning.
He maintained his innocence to the
last and died game, never evincing the
least sign Of fear or nervousness.
Among those who witnessed the exc
cution was Bob Hill, the young man
whom Phillips says committed the
murder and who Ia son OF the muir.
dered man.
ON the gallows he handed the fol-
lowing note TO Tailor Burns, to be given
to Mira. Phillips:
MARY. my slipeIs Is TO title. want
you to take them OIL tick night and lay
them In the coffin. II liz the laet re-
guest can make Of you. Don't fail 70
take me back tomorrow. Long fare
well
Before noon he sent sealed state-
ment 10 Marshal Boles, emphatically
denying his guilt, and saying that
Bob Hill did the killing with Jockeys
gun.
HISTORY or THE CRIME.
The deed for which this man atoDed
to-day was one OF the most atrooloup,
c9wardly murders ever recorded In the
annals OF crime. He was convicted en-
the Goth day of January, 1886, Of MUIR
dering William Hill. his father.in-
law, a harmless old man, respected by
all who knew him. He first induced
the old gentleman's daughter, fourteen
years OF age, TO run away with him.
They were married and located In the
Cherokee nation, just opposite this
city. The old man, In order 10 be
near his Maynard daughter, moved
: from his home ia Franklin county,
this state, 10 where Phillips was living,
. and the TWO rented land and went to
farming. Phillips became 70 dis
agreeable and oyerbearlng that the
, old man was compelled 10 rent
another place short distance from
! Phillips and move his family TO Il.
One day shortly afterwards he went
over TO get some forming tools. PHILLIP
abused him and ordered him out 81
the field and upon the old man con-
tending for his rights the irate son.iD-
law assaulted him, and AZ Hin rsn
across the field PhiIlips shot at al q
wounded him In the ankle. For this
the old man had him arrested. and he
: was Indicted 10 the United States
court for assault with intent 10 kill,
He gave bond, and going back over
the river made repeated and violent
threats against Hill IN accordance
with these threats, on the night 81
September s, 1884 he sneaked up %
the old mans humble abode 10 the
darkness and, peking shotgun
through a crack near theo!d msu's bed