Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-08-15
ORDERS CONFLICT.
PETERSBURG AND RICHMOND MILL
TARY UNDER ARMS.
To Attend the Phillips Exscution-The
Richmond Command Finally Goes
Phillips Statement.
rcorre.uoud.nco Of the Richmond Di,p.tch.l

mart Of the Governor and Adiutant-Gen-
oral ne to the military guard which should
attend the prisoner to the place of execu-
ton.
Cap.ain Francis X. Lassiter. command
ing the Petersburg Grays, acting upon IN
structions received previously IRON GOV
| ernor McKinney. issued an e eroer un .e
assist Sheriff Jones, OF Mecklenburg. IN
carving the condemned man to Boydton:
Atbougb this involved the breaking up OF
the encampment at Ellerslie, the men
nyomntlv assembled and were in readiness
TO perform the duty assigned to them
The first mail train from the North, how
ever, brought detachment OF military
from Richmond-aboutt thirty men OF Coinc
panies A. b, and C-under the command OF
Captain Bossieux. and the men were siue-
TRACKED nj the upper depot. while Captain
Bossieux awaited instructions from the
Sheriff of Mecklenburg and Sergeant
Eanes, of this city.
INA DILEMMA.
The fact that the Grays had been ordered
To take charge of the prisoner and tnat
CAPTAIN Bossieux and the Richmond MILL
tary had been instructed TO do the Same
service by the Adjutant-Genera OF the
St0te TAlSeu III lIlitltStiilg
command was acting upon direct orders
and before the issue could be settled IT was
necessary to ask for further instructions.
The fact was that in the absence OF the
Governor from Richmond the Adlutant-
General had acted according to the au-
thority vested in him. while the Governor
through one Of his aides had duly COM
missioned Captain Lassiter's command 10
be present at the execution.
ASKING FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS
Appreciatine the condition of affairs
Cantains Jass,ter and Bossieux, after con-
sultation. determined TO ask for additional
instructions and the Acknowledgement, IN
replying TO CIty-Sergesnt Eanes, stated
that the Governor had instructed him TO
send Richmond detachment as guard
in the event that the Petersburg Grays
were in encampment at the time. There,
fore Captain Bossleux's command had
been detailed, and his authority was TO be
recognized by the City Sergeant. Later
in the afternoon Adjutant Mcdonald tele-
graphed TO Captain Lassiter TO the same
effect. This decided the matter, and at 3
O'Clock the Richmond detachment, escort
ed by the Petersburg Grays. marched 70
the Jail. and there the prisoner was duly
turned over to Sheriff Jones and Captain
Bosseux.
OFF TO BO1DIOS.
At4:30 p. Nj. the prisoner was taken 70
the upper depot and the party left on the
freight train from the North for Belheld,
where connection was made with the
Atlantic and Danville railroad for Boyd
ton. One of the reasons assigned O. send
ing military detachment along with the
prisoner WAS that large number OF negro
excursionists will be present at the exc
cution tomorrow from Danvlle, Norfolk.
and the North Carolina border. and the
county authorities desired protection III
tho event of IN attempt to rescue the
prisoner.
STATEMENT by THE PRISONER.
John Phillips was seen in his dungeon
cell by the Dispatch correspondent to-day
and asked if he had any statement TO make
in reference to the charge of which he had
been convicted. Phillips was perfectly
stolid, showing no evidences OF fear. lie
was neatly dressed in new suit OF clothes
that had been furnished him. He SAID :
Il was in bad fix yesterday after l. LETT
the office. where had been called to hear
the decision of the Governor | came very
near falling to the floor with the blind
staggers after returning to my cell, but al
ter praying felt much better. l slept bet
ter last night than during any night since
have been in prison.
DREAM.
II was dreaming this morning and was
| awakened bv the town-clock striking the
hour of O'Clock. / dreamed that was
out in the county and saw all my people IN
| the patch picking cotton. ! thought the
boss called to me that he wanted me TO
maui some rails, and left the cotton patch
and went upon the side OF MI ana cur
down large white-oak tree, and after cut
| ting it down mauled fifty rails. The boss
had lust called to me to come around the
house when awOke. Ihave not eaten much
since Wednesday. This morning did not
eat any breakfast, but ate some oranges
| that Sergeant Eanes had sent me. feel
very well indeed. and am perfectly ready
| to die. | have been preparing tor death
ever since | struck Captain Overbey, as
something told me that L would not be
saved.
STORY OF THE CRIME.
"When / struck Captain Overbey was
not drink. although | had drank little
whiskey. land John Irwin had been up TO
a store, where bought twenty cents worth
of whiskey. and was coming back when
| Captain Overbey told US that we would have
to respect him, as We were on his own
premises. l told him that if he treated me
| Ike a colored man | would treat him like a
white man. Captain Overbey had then fol
| lowed me from the woodpile to spot
more than one hundred yards from the
house. As Irwin and myself were goin g
along. Irwin told me TO curse hun a
| little. as he would not let white man
| talk to me in that way. Captain Oyeroey
overheard what was said, and asked me
what | said / told him that did not say
ANYTHING, but that the other man had
spoke. Captain Overbey then said that he
| heard me. and struck at me with STICK.
He struck me on the shoulder. L then
| told Irwin not to let him kill me. and got
| and he took my hand and put 1t on the
| pistol in his ip-pocket. Captain Overbey
| then SAID if he could not whip me In one
| way he could do so in another. He put MS
| hand IN his pocket for his pistol. holding
| the stick IN his other hand. put my foot
| on the stick, which knocked it out OF his
hand and then picked 1t up and struck
| Captain Overbey. He did not fall until
| few minutes after i had struck HIM.
then walked OH. and John IRWIN sad %
me: L believe you have saved tho
| old coon.' l did not then know
where I had struck Captain Overbey; lie
| laid on the ground and told Irving had
better 90. 1 gave him my overcoat. Jusl
as soon as had struck Captain OverDey
burst out CRYING, and John Irwin told me
not TO fear, that did it in self-defence, anc
| that he would swear to it:
| Il then went of into the woods and sat
down on an old log, and after crying for
some time l went to sleep. Some boys
had brought me pair of shoes and were
| irving TO wake me up when the officer:
heard them. When woke was running
and what awoke me was some water that
l had stepped in. was then arrested.
| II want to say something when go &c
i the train. The people here have been very
kind to me and love Petersburg. l feel
Just like / am going on long journey"
An immense crowd Of negroes assembled
In the courthouse square and along Syca-
more street to get q view OF the condemn,
ed man az he was brought from the jai
and many hundreds of them followed tC
the depot to see him of.
Phillips will probably DO hung at ar
early hour. The scafold is enclosed by Q
close plank wall twenty-five feet high.