24 March 1892, PeirceCity Weekly Empire

INSTANTLY KILLED.

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Henderson Phillips Shot From His

Horse. He Never Spoke Again.

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SHOT IN SELF DEFENSE?

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Cassville Republican.

 For several years past no names have been more familiar or appeared upon court dockets oftener than the Phillipses of White River.  First on one hand and then on another they have been brought up,and the notoriety ____ has made the names of Henderson, Harve and Celia Ann Phillips known to old and young.

Now one of them is no more.  Henderson has gone where law suits are unknown and no appeals entertained from the decision.  The report of his murder Saturday, brought Sunday by his brother Harve, created some talk with but little surprise.  From him but little could be learned save that Caleb Brown had shot and instantly killed his brother and that Brown and Celia Ann were under arrest for the murder.

Sunday night Sheriff Goodnight went to White River and Monday safely lodged the prisoners in jail.  He was assisted by Deputy Constable Vaio Ham--on.

An interview with Brown elicited the following:

"I am 30 years old; was born in BentonCo., Mo., Sept. 12, 1861.  I came to Barry from Saline county in April, 1890, and worked for Charles Grubbs near Cassville for some time.  Last fall I went to White River township where I got acquainted with the Phillipses and during the big snow hired to Ann to work on the farm.  Henderson didn't like my being there and told Ann I couldn't stay there without putting him under the sod, or he would kill me.  About two weeks ago he (Henderson) hid behind a tree and sent John (his second boy) to raise a disturbance.  I wasn't there.  He shot Ann's dog at her door.  He saw me coming across the field with Ann's little _____ Frassy, and met me.  His first words were, G-- d--n you, do you ______ Ann setting her dog on my children?  I said, No, sir, I don't.  She hasn't set the dogs on your children.  He put his hand on his pistol and I looked him in the eye and said, Hen, don't you undertake that at all.  He took his hand from the pistol when I told him I didn't want to hurt a hair of his head and wanted him to go away and leave me alone.  Will Widdick came up about this time and I again told Hen I didn't want to hurt him or get hurt.  He said, By G--, cowards are what shoot, brave men don't shoot!  I told him I didn't want to hurt him and went to the house.  In a short time he came to the house and called me out when he said Ann had not treated him right but wanted to drop the whole matter.  I said I had nothing to drop if he would leave me alone.

"Friday, the day before the killing John passed back of the field and shot twice, and about 300 yards from the house shot again.  When he came up I said, John, what in the world does this mean.  You don't mean to have a shooting scrape with me, do you?  He says, Oh, no!  I said, Well, then, pass on and act like a gentleman.  I don't want any trouble with you.  As he got off about 50 or 100 yards he shot and hollered, then went toward home and shot three times more.  After he had gone I was in the yard cutting wood when Ann said, Yonder they come, all of them armed.  I looked up and saw them -- two boys and four or five women.  The women called to John, who was ahead waving a pistol, Crowd him!  The G-- d--n s-- of a b---- won't shoot.  When they said that I picked up my gun and stepped down to the road and said, John, don't come here.  Don't crowd me for I don't want any trouble with you.  He took a tree on me and stood there.  I didn't crowd him but stood in the yard a while and then went in the house.  After fooling around a while they went home.

"Saturday morning me and Blake Allen were standing in Ann's yard and looking across the field saw three of the Phillips.  Henderson came up and passed on toward Golden, the others remained there until he was out of sight.  Just before Henderson reached us I told Blake he would crowd me.  Blake said, No, I will ride off with him and will stop any trouble, so he started off a little ahead of Hen, who soon overtook him, and went to Golden with him.

"Some time after his daddy passed John came along with a shot gun, remington and pocket pistol, going toward Golden.

"After dinner Ann said we had better burn the brush where we had been at work in the morning.  She said, Caleb, there is a big trouble up from John going up with his gun.  If they get drunk they will do you up; you had better take your gun out.  I said, No I _______ leaned it against a bush.  I was down kindling a fire when Ann discovered Hen and said he was coming and not to have any trouble if it could possibly be avoided.  I said I wasn't going to have any if I could help it.  By that time Hen was even with me and jerking off his hat, yelled, Four rows of teats by G-- and holes punched for more!  Ann started for the house and Hen charged her with his pistol drawn.  About twelve feet from the house she took a tree and kept telling him to go away, that she wanted no trouble but would never take what she had taken.  He whirled back on me and said, There is the G-- d--- thieving son of a b---- that I want.  I was about forty steps from the house.  He had his pistol out and as he got forainst [sic] me he threw it down and I shot him.

"John rode up with Hen and when I shot Hen, John threw his gun on me but Ann threw her gun on him and made him put it down.  John went home and told them I had killed his daddy.  They got their guns and came back.  The boys came up and I told them to let me alone and they went to their daddy.  Hen did not speak after he was shot.  He was shot in the left breast and arm, the arm being broken.  Fifteen shot entered his person from hip to shoulder."

An inquest was held under 'Squire M. H. Robert's supervision and Brown and Mrs. Phillips were arrested.  The jury was composed of W. R. Bryan, Wm. Phillips, Joe McCullough, Parish Martin, Wes Roberts and William Henson.  The preliminary hearing is set for tomorrow before 'Squire Roberts who will hold court at this place.

Celia Ann Phillips,

who is under arrest as accessory to the crime, was born in Burlington, Iowa, and says she is 27 years old, though she looks much older.  Her maiden name was Hunley and was first married to Smith Booth of this county, and later to Harve Philips, from whom she was divorced, but remarried and was again divorced.  She has three children.  Her reputation was not limited to Barry county.