THE MURDER OF BEADY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 7976, 30 January 1897, Page 3

THE MURDER OF BEADY.

SENSATIONAL CLIMAX. PHILLIPS CONFESSES HIS GUILT. (Melbourne Argus.) The mystery of the murder of William Brady has been cleared away. William Myles Phillips, the youth round whom the detective, forged a chain of circumstantial evidence, stands self-confessed as the perpetrator of the crime, and tells the whole story of his life, and the circumstances which led up to and followed the deed. The confession came suddenly, and makes a fittingly starting climax which was almost unique m the annals of Victorian crime. The real or assumed callousness of the youth lasted till Tup*- j day. Then ■ a letter from Ins lather broke him down and he shed tears. " If you are guilty of this crime, my son," the letter ran, " say so, and let ns know the worst. It is better that we and the world should know the truth." The father's pleading accomplished what nothing else had been able to do—not even the sight of the body of Brady, with its bullet wounds, its throat gash, {(nd its horrible, evidences of violent death. The youth utterly collapsed, and asked his legal adviser to tell his father and the world that he was guilty of the crime, and to add a few particulate of the circumstances which, in his opinion, led up to the murder. The confession and the statement were reduced to writing by Mr Frederick J. Pitcher, managing clerk for Messrs Fink, Best, and Hall, who were the solicitors for the accused, and in accordance with the request of Phillips and his father were placed in the hands of the chief commissioner of police. It was shortly after noon when Mr Theodore Fink, M.L.A., and Mr Pitcher

waited upon Mr Chomley. Mr Fink explained that his firm had been retained to defend the accused, and that Mr Pitcher, in whose hands the case was placed, had written out for Phillips a confession and statement, which they were desired by the youth and his father should be given to the police. In accordance with that request the documents ■were produced, to be used by Mr Chomley as he thought fit

Mr Chomley said the documents would be given due consideration. Thus formally terminated an interview of no ordinary importance. The confession is appended : — " I, William Myles Phillips, now a prisoner on remand in Her Majesty's Gaol at Melbourne, charged with the murder of William Brady, late accountant to the firm of Messrs Cooper and Sons, of Elizabeth street, Melbourne, hereby openly, freely, and without reservation or qualification, and of my own free will and volition, confess that I am guilty of the offence so charged against me, audi authorise my legal representatives to make public this my confession. " Dated this 19th day of January, 1897. (Signed) "William Myles Phillips. "* v -« Witness — Frederick J. Pitcher, —managing clerk for Messrs Fink, Best, and Hall, solicitors, Melbourne. The story of the prisoner's life, as told by himself after making the confession, is a most remarkable one. He commenced work at Messrs Cooper and Sons at the age of 14, and being thrown into the companionship of a fast set, he soon acquired loose habits.- To keep up appearances he abstracted small sums of money from the till. At the end of. five years he began to neglect his work, and Mr Cooper told him to look out for another position. Phillips left, but still remained intimate with Brady, and visited him in the office occasionally.Onenightßrady handed him a piece of paper stating that the amount stated had been stolen by Phillips. The latter at first denied it, but subsequently admitted taking small sums of money. An appointment to talk the matter over was made for the following night and Phillips tells the story of this inierview with his companion as follows:— " He was in a very ill-humor, and was sneering and caustic in what He said I would have to pay him the £20 at once. I said I didn't owe more than £1. He said -I would have to get the £20 somewhere, from my father. I said 1 couldn't do so, and didn't owe it. He became more sarcastic and offensive in his manner, and said very hotly, I would have to get it or lie would put the matter into the hands of the police. ' I was roused to an excited state at this, and swore I wouldn't pay it, as I didn't owe it. I said it was unfair and unjust. He then said, in as calm a manner as he was hot before, and in a fearfully sneering and sarcastic way, that I would have to find the money at once or go to gaol . " I was stung into . most • violent passion by his words and manner, and so shocked at the fearful altc-.i. tivc lie placed before me that I lost all control over myself. A mad impulse seized me, and plunging my hand into my coat pocket, where, unfortunately, the loaded revolver was lying, I pulled it out and instantly fired it fit him. He was shot in the head and ML The -.hole occurrence occupied only . moment from the time of the mad impulse seizing me and my firing. Even if the revolver had been one requiring cocking, the short delay in having to cock it might have saved we, '""" I was overcome with horror md apprehension at what I had done, m<l immediately started to run out of the shop. When I had got as far as the front door I heard the office door open, and Brady j rushed out and made towards the front door. The fearful consequences of my act then burst on me with full force, and I became desperate. I rushed towards him frantically, and fired again and he fell. He was in full view of anyone passing in the street, and in a frenzy of despair and partial madness, I dragged him farther into the shop. He was still alive, and breathing hard. I was mad with horror, fear, and apprehension lest he should revive, and my eye lighting upon a packet of knives, with one outside shining, I rushed madly across to it, and pulled it out of the packet, and cut his throat with it." By this time I was mad. I did not know what I was doing. I have no recollection of what occurred after this for some little time. At last I became calmer, and able to collect my thoughts. I was afraid to go out into the street, and only did so upon hearing someone entering at the front door. I then went OUt the back way. During the time I was in the shop. Bnd aEter I had become calmer and able to collect my thoughts, I reviewed my position. 1 examined my clothes, ai.'d found blood on them. I washed them in the lavatory, and obliterated all traces of blood as well as I was able in my then state of mind and hody, for I was in a condition of collapse. When I got outside the fresh air revived me greatly. I then drew the remaining four cartridges from tho revolver, and threw them into the Elizabeth street gewer. I went home about 9 (.clock. In making the above confession and statement I am impelled by the worknlg of my conscience, aud horror of the burden I bear and the remorse I feel. I do not seek to excuse in any way the enormity of my act, but merely set down for the judgment of those passing sentence upon me, after reading my confession, those facts and circumstances of my unhappy and miserable life that seem to have led me into my present awful position ; and I solemnly declare that there was not the slightest premeditation in my act. Up to the very moment I fired the first shot, L possessed only the greatest friendship and admiration for Brady, and looked up to him for advice and guidance, and 1 feel that but for the unfortunate fact of my carrying the revolver with me, the fearful idea of killing Brady would never have jumped into my brain, although in the mad passion I was in at the time I might have done him some other violence. Begarding the statements that were made as to the lad's callousness, the accused in the course of an interview paid :—" They gay I am callous. Do

th"v know whatl have suffered? they appreciate how 1 have had to light to mv. .n-e an appearance oi' calmnos in ilie hope that 1 mi. ht delude mv people into ihe belief that 1 was innocent .' Here in . aol 1 havo had the greatest difficulty in the world to restrain mv hysterical desire to scream ami yell." Sheer force of will lias carried im; through hut all along I. have been braced up by the thought that I was in some fashion serving- the interests of my father and mother. The struggle was wearing mc out, and on Tuesday I felt I was 'beginning to lose control of myself. I was getting weaker and weaker, and I knew I would not bo able to hold out much longer. 1 feel my position as keenly as a man can feel it. J. cannot say more ou that point."