Evening journal., 1895-01-14
UNEXPLAINED TRAGEDY.
Suicide and Attempted Murdes
at a Family Gathering.
he FIRST SHOT HIS BROTHER


Shot John, and Then, In the Presence OF
Ills Aged Mother Turned tho weapon
to His own Head and Fell Dead.
AvoNpAIE, N. T., Jan. 14.-Mrs. Alex.
ander Phillip is as white as the snow that
fell In front OF her home yesterday Sun.
day, the day Of family gathering when
her children who had loft the parental ROOT
came to visit her. She saw another Wis
itor arrive yesterday and her puny strength
was helpless against his might She saw
one Of her SONS fall dead at her feet dead
BY his own hand. Mrs. Phillips hair can
not become whiter but the blight has
reached her old heart.
Probably no one will ever know what
impulse prompted Alexander Phillip to
attempt the life Of his brother John and
then Kill himself when his mothers grasp
was still fresh upon his hands. He utter
ed no word Of explanation, but stood in
silence SO terrible as to make her shrink
from him. Thon his end came swift and
sudden.
+. Tho Phillip home Is an old fashioned
house ia the Boulevard, short distance
from the bridge that crosses the Pasaaio
river at Avondale. There the Phillip fans
| lily has lived for years-eyor since, In facA
| the children who are now grown TO mid.
| die age wero boys Their father was Alex
ander Phillip owner Of the famous Phil
4 lip brownstone quarries Of Avondale, we'll
| to do and once member Of the New Jer-
i sey Legislature.
| He died several years ago. His widow
| and the eldest son, Richard, have lived In
| the home since then. Every Sunday the
| other children, who are married and To-
| GATED In othor parts Of the state visited
| tho homestead John, the youngest, keeps
a glassware establishment at IN Halsey
street. Newark Saturday night he took
his wife and young son and went to his
mothers to spend the day.
sudden AIurderous Impulse.
After dinner ho and bis brother Rioh-
ard were IN the sitting room. The latter
was reading book. and John took oom-
Portable position, with his feet resting on
the rail Of the stove, and became absorbed
In newspaper About clock In the
afternoon Alexander entered the room.
IIe lived at Little Falls, where he was SUE
perintendent Of the steam stone works OF
his Uncle Stanley.
He entered through rear door, just as
ho had done ever since boyhood, crossed
the wide veranda which runs around the
house went through the kitchen and into
the sitting orom. He walked to within
few inches of his brother Johns chair and
stood for an instant
Tho brothers were about to look up and
greet him whom be suddenly pressed the
muzzle Of a revolver 70 Johns bead near
the left temple and fired. The bullet
glanced Off and plowed Its way through
tho flesh under his cye and down the right
side Of the nose, lodging somewhere in
that member.
John sprana from his chair and ran up
stairs 70 his wife and mother Richard
( ran outside and shouted and ran for help
Johns wife was badly scared, and after
getting him safely In a room locked all
3 tho doors. Not So however, with the
mother Of the boys. She Is about 20 years
old--one Of those sweet old fashioned
mothers.
my N.Y. she exclaimed as she went
down stairs to SEQ what Ga earth waa
; the matter with Alex.
She found him standing erect near
whore John had been sitting and half a
dozen feet from the foot Of the stairs down
which she came. without a tremor she
went up to him and asked: Alex. what
is the natter What have you doneg
There was no answer, but he moved his
right hand, which still held the revolver.
She caught him by the wrist and held II
for few seconds. But she was as an ip'
fant opposed to him. His hand slowly
camo up. There was a wild look in his
eyes, too, and as her strength failed hel
she relaxed her grasp. My God, don'tV
she exclaimed as she retreated backward
toward tile stairs. Her foot had just
touched the bottom step when there wa
an explosion. Her fnce was turned away
First she heard the revolver fall to thu
floor Then heavier body followed it
She turned and saw him lying there, will
a bullet hole In his right temple. Th'
missile had gone almost through his head
The firing attracted several neighbors
and a hotel keeper named Kehoe took pos
session OF the revolver. IL is an old fash
Toned bone handled affair and rusted iron
lack Of use.
ii Dr. George b Philhower Of Nutley wa
"a summoned He was unable to extract tn
TO bullet from Johns face, but said that th
o. wound was not dangerous
No Known Cause For the Deed.
* 1--WE had little difference nearly tw
years ago over a family matter" sal
IS John, but that was all fixed up and W
rt had met many times since on the mos
"a friendly terms. There has been no ba
r feeling between us, and / can't accoun
Up for Alexis desire TO kill me.
DO Alexander was an excellent workma
and had figured on some Of the bigges
n brownstone contracts in the country
y Mr. Stanley, lis employer, said, however
" that OF late Alexander had acted an
ds spoken queerly, and that it was probabl
Us that domestic trouble had unsettled hi
al mind. Alexander and his wife have tw
d. children, aged 3 and 2 years. They di
NJ not live happily together The cause {
ia this the family would not tell, but the
"a did say that Alexander and his wife hav
on not lived together for some time Thoug
ial not divorced, they were legally separated
n and the wife who is now living som'
70 where near Morristown. n j., had posses
be sion Of the children. Alexander was pa
nd sionately fond Of his children and FRI
'ul quently visited them. but brooded a grea
deal over his trouble
He left his uncle house In Little Fal
Saturday afternoon after dressing himse
carefully saying that he would go 10 Mo
no ristown TO see his children and also go
the family homestead at Avondale to spen
VI Sunday Whether he went to Morristow
)a- or not no one in the family knew la
1t night. but it is believed that he did. an
be ] that the visit so troubled him thnt b