General Notes

Murdered By Her Husband. He struck her in the back of the head with a handspike , then tried to get rid of her body by burning her in a woodheap. He was arrested, convicted and hung in Campbellsville Kentycky OCT. 10, 1851. According to S. T. Chandler,a doctor in Campbellsville at the time who made a post=mortem examination of Frances' body  , there were between 5000 to 10,000 people present for the hanging. Was 7 months pregnant with their sixth child at the time of her murder. None of the children lived past infancy.

Commonwealth Case, Taylor County, Ky. 13 May 1851
Commonwealth vs. Phillip Taylor Murphy and Henry Murphy

Phillip T. Murphy of Taylor County, not having teh fear of God before his eyes, but being moved and seduced by the instignation of the Devil on May 7 1851 wounded Frances murphy with a deadly weapon of which she instantly died. Henry Murphy assisted Phillip Murphy in the murder.

Phillip Murphy shot Frances through the head with a rifle valued at $5. The mortal wound was of the dept of 8 inches and the width of two inches. He choked and beat her before he killed her.

Henry Murphy states tha Lydia Murphy is an importiant and material witness for him. On Tuesday ight, the same night of the murder, he was at the home of his father's house, having gone directly from Saloma there. He arrived at his father's some time during the night.  He can prove by other witnesses that he was at Saloma, and can prove by Lydia Murphy what time her arrived home. He and Frances were on friencly terms. Frances had told Lydia on the Saturday befoe her death that she and Henry were best friends and he had always protedted her. By Sarah Johnson he can prove that he was at home at his father's and the Wednesday night aforesaid. He is informated that Lydia Murphy now lives in Bullitt County. She has certainly left this county. She is a material witness for him and he cannnot safely go to trail without her.  He has not had a consultation with his counsel, A. Harding, since his confinement in jail , unitl this week. His other counsel never advised or suggested that it was necessary to have Lydia summoned.

Witnesses: Barbary Oaks, Sarah Johnston, Parthena Underwood, Isaac Oaks, James Childers, John Carlile, Susan Carlile, George P. Workman, David Workman, James W. Overstreet, Jacob R. Oaks, Matthew Headspeth, Robert Whitlock and Lewis Bell.

James P. Childers gave information that suggests that Phillip T. Murphy, Phillip Murphy, Henry Murphy and William Murphy are all guilty of perpetrating the murder.

Statement of Parthena Underwood: I have been living with Murphy sine last Saturday evening, having lived there about five years, but he got mad and drove me off on the folowing Monday. I went back after my clothes. Mrs Murphy was there at the time.  That was the last time I've beeen tere. They had a dispute and I saw him strike her, which he often did with his fist and a stick rod. I have heard him say that he would kill her. It's been a month since he made those threats. I heard on the Thursday fater I left that Mrs. Murphy was missing. I've heard him say that he intended moving in the fall and that he did not intend to take his wife with him. He siad he could kill any person and keep it concealed. Less thatn two weeks ago, he struck her with a gun and run me off, calling me a goddam bitch

Statement of Susan Carlile: She was a Old Phillip Murphy's at the time the search was made of mrs. Phillip Taylor Murphy and that they spole of the search being made and that Henry was not home at the time.

Statement of Lydia Murphy: If Henry Murphy was complaining of the search in anyway, she didn't know it.

Statement of James W. Overstreet: He was in the company with Phillip and Henry Murphy on May 6. They left him about 10:00 last night and they were drinking when they left. It was about 1 1/4 miles from Phillip Murphy's or those log heaps before spoken of.

William Hedgespeth states that bone were found in the log heap