Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-12-22
PHILLIPS SAYS He WASN'T THERE
NOT NEAR THE SCENE or THE
TRAIN RoDBERY.
no Beg.sed Hard for Chance 10
Keep out of jail, He says-rhe
other Two rrisoners Decline TO
talk About the Case. --4--l

Tho three men In the Tarrsnt county
saii charged with the Benbrook train
robbery were seen yesterday by re-
porters for the first time.
Phillips was seen first. He is a slight
souns man. "a years OF age. with Hight
hnir and blue eyes. with an apparent
expression OF dlsmay al the lx he was
% which he manifested by a pleading
profession OF Innocence, and n WISH
10 be let alone, rather than resolute
defiance OF his nocusers, though he ga
not fan to state some facts IN ms
behalf with an air OF sincerity anu
earnestness. Determination he hid not
seem to possess. except in very great
desire to keep from saying anything
which might prejudice his case. Tor
ne exhibited great distruet OF newspa-
pers-
one OF the FIRST things he said was
TO call attention 10 misEtatement
no claimed had been made In regard
20 him by a Dallas newspaper. The
Statement In question he said In effect
waa that he had known he had no rel-
n1ves at IsOngview when he went there
after the robbery az Benbrook. lle
explained that he went there expecting
10 meet his mother, whom he MAD not
ueen for Feveral years.
when the subject Of the robbery was
preached Immediately afterwnrd no
became cautious and shy, and when
asked point blank " he was at Ben
brook the afternoon Of the robbery,
he replied after a moments hesitation
that he was.
lie was asked II he was near the
Mnry's Creek crossing on the evening
~ the robbery, and replied he was not
within mile or two Of the plnce. AZ
ser some rambling talk In which he
again reiterated his desire not TO make
q general statement for publication
lie was asked II there was anybody
that knew he was not near the scene
% the robbery when 1t occurred. He
replied with n show Of confidence that
he had not been within q milo or two
OF the place. and had plenty Of witt
nogse5 to prove Il. Continuing ho add
I'd that he Ind worked on the public
road and was n citizen Of the county,
end had a right TO travel on II when-
eyer he pleased though lust exactly
what he meant by this remark he did
not see 81 to explain
Al ono point In tho rambling COM
nulcation which had preceded these
femarlis he had spoken momentarily OF
his arrest ana how be had begged
1irat not 90 be put Ia Jail, and then
for preliminary examination.
Ho was asked again IN regard 20
begged Tor a preliminary examination
and paid " had been denied him. It
was HIS first time IN jail. he said
and he had tried hard to keep from
hoing put in and had begged for
chance, no said. Then, OF his own ac-
cord, he continued TO express az some
length his confidence In u nnal ac.
quittnl and 0yow his innocence Of the
crime charged against him, uaying
he felt sure he woGld again DO q free
man. and would get out OF Jail. either
az the trial or before, referring 20 tho
question OF making q bond. He nl-
mittea being with Ward and Sullivan
The dny OF tho robbery. lie said he had
nton doing farm nnd dairy work near
W al his lie. but had once worked
on section up the Fort Worth and
Denver railroad few month";, several
Years ngu This, he nald, was All the
railroad Wort, he had ever done In hia
RE. 10 said Ia reply 20 question
Ward admitted this also when seen
BY the reporter but Ia his own words
lie 'didn't have 20 talk aud he didn't
do IT. lie referred 20 his lawyer and
rlid he was taking care oil his cngr.
lte 10 large robust young man wogh-
ing apparently about 200 pounds, hav-
ins dark eyes. a ruddy complexion and
dark brown mustaChe. While lac
-.
= was evident that he had plenty OF
nerFe and was not languiahing TO any
extent. While he did not say anything
MS demeonor bespoke dcnaaec when
Rhe subject Of the train robbery wnR
ineniianed and a sarcastic smile played
AROUND his lips az though he felt that
~ might tank without hn4loty IL he
Jaw proper to DO 30.
sullivan was more communicative
than Ward but very cautions ana np-
peared a tribe anxious when aakra IL
he had worked In Dallas county for "A
certain man and II he had lived In
Georgia both OF which dueailons rotate
% matters with which he IS supposed
70 be eonvcrsant and which n In aaid
are not 10 his advantage. lie SAID he
mad lived near ncnbroolS Il few months
1nd admitted being with Ward ana
3'hililps on tho day of the robbery. i'd
~ ~ years OF age, rather small In
stature with a brown mustacho and
nluDble beard and blue eyes. He ia
tioop shouldored. more slow and prr-
cent In his speech than either OF tbr
nthefs ana evidently knows n greaf
ueal more than either OF thpm.
nrnt,t.