The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-08
HIS LAST NIGHT ON EARTH.
Phillips Sleeps Soundly, and Apparently Has
No Dread of His Execution To-Day.

All Of yesterday the morbidly curious sought
admission to the Jail yard to look upon the prep
arations for the execution Of Phillips to-day.
the yard would not have held them. Those who
could not satisfy their eagerness to see the scat
fold, went into the court house yard and peered
through cracks in the high board fence. In these
crowds were people of all ages and conditions,
well-dressed women being noticeably curious,
some of them with their little boys and girls
about them. Colored people formed large por-
ton of the groups that constantly came, saw
and went away, to gossip about the repulsive
sight for days to come
Yesterday afternoon a Journal reporter en-
tered the hall of the cell-room. For minute
or two he was at loss to identify Phillips in the
crowd Of 1ounging prisoners. But, over by the
stove, standing as unconcerned, with two or three
of his prison associates, as if he was to be given
liberty before the morrow, stood the condemned
man. He gave his hand to the reporter with a
pleasant "How do you doW and stepped aside
readily to a quiet place in answer to request
for an interview. Phillips has looked upon his
dreadful end of life with as little fear as
any man can. Some have said he
does not realize his fate; others attribute it to
courage, and still others call it indifference.
This the reporter suggested to him. why" he re-
piled without tremer or the least expression to
indicate that the question was an unpleasant
one, II would like to live longer. but ! realize
my position. The only thing that grieves me is
to leave my poor mother"
"You are ready to der
s'Yes have followed Father Bessoniess ad-
vice. have been all along looking on the bright
side. After all, it Is only to die that one may
live again. Father Bessonies has been very at
tentive to me, and the prisoners are kind. All
of them treat me with respect. For this / am
grateful"
How have you passed your timer
II have taken part in whatever amusement
the prisoners had in playing checkers and
euchre. But great deal Of my time have
been reading about Christ. Father Bessonies
has given me catechism. This have read
books on religion. l have read sermons of DIR.
Moody, the evangelist, and have got great deal
of good out of them. 1 ready to die when
ever the sheriff is ready"
"Do You wish to say anything about your
wife,"
II can say nothing more than / have already
said. Had it not been for her mother we would
have got along all right, think. ! always went
away early in the morning to attend the horses
/ had charge of at the mill. When returned to
the house there would be no breakfast. !
scoded my wife, and her mother took her part
These quarrels increased, and at times the
mother would take my wife off to another part
of the city to let me shift for myself. We could
not live happily together unless l got her away
from her mothers influence. / had reason to
suspect her trueness to me, but never said any
thing to her about it. even when she wonld go
out alone at night and stay until / o'clock in the
morning. The last time we were together, when
| was going to leave her if she would not live
away from her mother, did not think of killing
her until the last moment"
The reporter bid him goodbye, he repeating
the wish as if he were only going away on a
short journey.
Phillips went to bed at 8 o'clock last night and
in q few moments was fast asleep, with two
watchers at his bedside.