Butts-Whitfield County GaArchives News.....Phillips Homicide in Whitfield May 1877
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Butts Argus May 1877
Phillip’s Homicide in Whitfield

Rome Courier

From Job Rogers, who returned form Dalton last Tuesday night, we learn the 
following facts in regard to the recent homicide in Whitfield county.  The 
murder was committed in the neighborhood of Gordon Springs and some ten miles 
from Dalton.  The man killed Mr. O. C. Phillips, is no relation to the Farrell 
family, and Charley Farrel had been at work for him on the farm and they were 
perfectly friendly.  On Friday afternoon Alfred(?) Phillips and Charley went 
in company to a still house about a mile from Mr. Phillips’ farm, where they 
got a bottle of whiskey from a Negro, and both commenced drinking pretty 
freely.  They then started for the residence of Mrs. Gray, about a mile 
distant to get some tobacco.  Mr. Phillips was riding a mule and Charley was 
walking.  A short distance before reaching Mrs. Gray’s there is a for in the 
road, and Charley says he told Mr. Phillips to ride and get his tobacco and he 
could stay there till he returned.  Mrs. Gray say Mr. Phillips came to her 
house about sunset, got some tobacco, and after sitting some half hour she 
heard someone call Mr. Phillips.  He said, “the boys are killing me, and I 
must go,” and immediately left the house.  She heard shooting, Charley says, 
that shortly after he had called, Phillips heard several pistol shots and 
cracks, and he ran.  He went to the house of Mr. Capehart, and tried to get 
some one to go back with him at   once and investigate the cause of the 
shooting.  But he was somewhat under the influence of liquor, the Capeharts 
refusal to go.  One of the young men, however, went on with him to the next 
neighbor’s Mr. Jones, from which place they sent over to Mrs. Phillips, and 
learned that Mr.  P. had not returned home early Saturday morning..  Charley 
went to Mr. Phillips house and there learned that the mule had come home but 
Mr. P had not.  He took the mule, and after getting a friend to go with him, 
started to search for Mr. Phillips.  Just before reaching Mrs. Gray’s they 
learned that Mr. Ross, son-in-law of Mrs. Gray, had found the dead body of Mr. 
Phillips in the road not far from Mrs. G’s house.  They went on to the body 
and found it nicely laid out, with the tobacco he had bought in the bosom of 
his coat, and a six barreled pistol lying empty on his person.  There were two 
bruises on his head, and a pistol shot wound on the side of his nose near one 
eye, that ranged downward.  There were a good many tracks around the body.  
Charley went to town for the coroner and attended the inquest.  He was greatly 
astonished at learning that any suspicion rested on himself, yet showed no 
uneasiness or disposition to get away.  The grand jury is in secession.  On 
Tuesday, after a long deliberation, they found a true bill against Charley.  
His friends urged an immediate trial, but the solicitor refused to go into 
it.  We know Mr. Rogers, our informant, to be a truthful man and the above are 
the facts as he learned them.

Butts County Argus – Butts County Ga.
Week of May 17, 1877


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