Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-04-25

Weather PRoEABILETLss.-For this
rtsinrr light no:titery winds,
coast to.dGE
r rr!1LoF JEFFERSON Phillips
sIIa3 q: George 8. Smith on
~ r;,at OF Ju.v - 1891, Was called
bird titao III tAe Corporation
Court this morning. Deputy Sergeant
Crsieh IN had returned from Lees
Inv, ana l!cility with the following
',sarlemen whom he had summoned
1n- a which nu<nber it was proposed
~ empanel jury G. w. Virts, H. c.
Ssilran. Geo. c. Royston, G. w. Davis,
/ r Rhodes. s. A. Wolfehiemer. Robt.
Wynkoop. D. H. Titus. S. L. Porter,
r.iear Jackson, VIM. S. Jenkins, ]. T.
Thompson. G. w. Chichester, A. i.
b7veil. Jno. X. White. Alfred Staun-
ION John Shumate, Shirley Carter,
Henry Eurr. and Geo. C. Carter About
one.third the space without the bar
was occupied by spectators, who hung
mon the railing or shifted from one leg
70 the other while waiting for the pro-
ceedings to begin. Phillips was brought
in about ten o'clock, looking about as
VEL as on the two former occasions
when he was made spectacle for u
oIpia, crowd. As at the previous
Trials the prisoner had Messrs. Edmund
Burke and 5. Ct. Brent as his counsel
sud the prosecution was represented
by Gommonwealth's Attorney Leonard
lIarbury and John NJ. johnson, esq. Of
course. interest in the case has waned
considerably during the three years
which have elapsed since the shooting,
bn, many of the same persons notice
able in the throng of spectators at the
former trials loomed up again this
morning and sat or stood patiently
awaiting the opening of court. About
an hour and half passed away
while the prisoner and his counsel were
holding consultation, it being sup
posed a compromise was being consid-
cred, by which the. prisoner would
agree to accept six years ;mplison-
ment in the penitentiary.
At half-past eleven O'Clock the coun-
Sci and the prisoner appeared and Ser
geant Smith called the court to order.
Mr. Brent addressed the court, stating
that Mrs. Roland, Il sister of the prison
or. and a material witness for the de
tense. was sick and would probably be
unable to appear in court for week,
and he therefore thought it expedient
to have the trial postponed until she
could attend.
The court informed the counsel that
an affidavit to that effect would be ne
cessary before any postponement OF the
case could be made.
The prisoner and his counsel again
retired and upon their return 4 consul
tation between The counsel for the de-
Tense and the prosecution was
held, it being understood that the
prisoner had agreed to accept six
years confinement in the penitentiary
and waive the new trial granted by the
Court of Appeals. a long delay fol-
lowed. after which the Commonwealth
attorney and SIr. Johnson, represent
ing the prosecution, retired tor con-
su!tation with the relatives Of the late
George :. Smith, and the crowd stood
in eager anticipation of an announce
men, ofsome kind. Upon their return
il was whispered that Phillips had
agreed to plead guilty OF murder in the
second degree, and accept six years
confinement IN the penitentiary as the
penalty for his deed. Il is understood
thar the family Of the deceased had
sgfuiied willingness to allow the case
to be disposed of in this manner. Phi,
lips WAS subsequently brought forward
and Judge Norton read to him the or
der OF the court and at the close passed
sentence in accordance with the
above. he will be taken to the PEN
iteniary immediately
b. ,ais disposition Of the case Phil
lips will escape one year and one
month confinement, rs had his coun-
sci failed to have secured for him a
new trial he would have been COM
peeled to accept the verdict Of the court
ls, May and receive eight years
confinement.