(1) VIDALIA MURDER MYSTERY AFFAIR.
Man’s Body Found Buried in Toombs County, With Bullet Hole in Head-Left His Home Thursday Last, To Sell an Automobile.
Vidalia, Ga., Feb. 25.-Investigation of a fresh mound in a cow pasture near Johnson’s Corner, in the southern part of Toombs county lead to the discovery that a body was buried there.
The body was later identified as that of Burley Phillips of this place, who had been conducting an automobile livery and trading business here for the past several years.
Examination of the body showed a bullet hole in head behind the left ear.
Deductions show that the body had been buried before the rains which occurred on Sunday night, but a fresh footprint in the mound and a log laying across the grave gave rise to the conclusion that the place had been visited yesterday morning and the log thrown across the fresh ridge in hopes of concealing the place. The body will be sent to Vidalia for interment.
Mr. Phillips left here on Thursday presumably to sell his car, it being his custom to buy cars here and carry them to perspective markets.
A message is said to have been received here yesterday morning, with a Jacksonville date line and over Mr. Phillips’ signature, saying that the car had been sold and that he would be home presently. The message came only a few hours before the body was discovered and identified.
The fresh mound was discovered yesterday morning by a farmer on whose place it was located. He scrapped about with a stick to see what was buried there. A few scratches disclosed the feet of the corpse. The sheriff was immediately notified before any further exhuming was undertaken. The sheriff noted the fresh footprints and the log, also a fresh automobile trail leading close to the mound and later, it is said, witnesses were found who remembered seeing a strange car coming to the road near the place.
(2) Had $100 on his Person.
Vidalia, Feb. 25.-A murder mystery was revealed yesterday with the finding of the body of Burley Phillips, a well known livery automobile operator, buried in a pasture near Johnson’s Corner, in the southern part of Toombs county. There was a bullet hole in the head.
Phillips left home last Thursday, telling his wife he was to take a party to Johnson’s Corner. He said he would return the same night. Friday his wife received a telegram signed with his name from Claxton, Ga., stating that he had sold a car to a Jacksonville, Fla. party and would have to drive the car through to Jacksonville.
Phillips had $100 on his person and this was missing when the body was found by a farmer.
Source: Daily Times Enterprise, Thomasville, Georgia, Wednesday Afternoon, February 25, 1920; Pg. 7
(3) YOUNG WHITE MAN ARRESTED FOR MURDER.
Lee Curry, Charged With Killing Burley Phillips Near Vidalia, Is Arrested by Policeman at State Sanitarium.
Lee Curry, a young white man was arrested Tuesday afternoon by Mr. J.A. Hawkins, policeman at the State Sanitarium. Young Curry was from Vidalia, and it is charged that he killed another white man by the name of Burley Phillips in Toombs county last Thursday. He was in an automobile at the time he was arrested, having brought J. L. Blackshear on a trip to the Sanitarium. The officers here had been notified to look out for him.
Policeman Hawkins brought Curry to the city Tuesday afternoon and turned him over to Sheriff Terry. Sheriff McCloud, of Toombs county, came after him and carried him back to Vidalia.
Source: Union Recorder, Milledgeville, Georgia, Tuesday, February 24, 1920; Pg. 1
(4) WITNESS IN IMPORTANT CRIMINAL CASE THIS WEEK.
Mr. Gaither Banks, assistant cashier of the Exchange Bank, is a witness in an important criminal case being tried in Toombs county this week. It will be remembered that Lee Currie, a white man, was arrested at Hardwick several months ago on the charge of a murder committed in Toombs county. Currie is charged with murdering a citizen of Toombs county, and burying the body. After committing the crime, Currie came to Baldwin county in an automobile, and sold the machine to a citizen of Baldwin county, who gave him a check on the Exchange Bank. The check was deposited at the bank by Currie, and it is to this fact that Mr. Banks was called to Toombs county to testify.
Source: Union Recorder, Milledgeville, Georgia, Tuesday, August 17, 1920; Pg. 4
(5) JURY IN CURRY CASE UNABLE TO AGREE.
Lyons, Ga., June 14.-The jury trying Lee Curry for the murder of Burleigh Phillips which occurred more than two years ago was deadlocked at 10 o’clock last night, and Judge R. N. Hardeman ordered them to retire for the night and resume deliberation until to-day at 9 o’clock.
Reports indicated that the jury stood eight to four, the majority favoring a straight verdict of guilty which would mean the death sentence while the minority were in favor of recommending Curry to the mercy of the court.
A plea of insanity was entered by the defense which took the state completely by surprise. Dr. J. K. Hall of Lyons and his brother, Dr. J. L. Hall of Alamo, testified that in their opinion Curry was insane, while Dr. G. T. Gray of Lyons told the jury he believed Curry was of unsound mind but that he was of the opinion that he knew right from wrong.
The evidence introduced was practically the same as that produced at two former trials of Curry which resulted in straight verdicts of guilty and the imposing of the death sentence. New trials were granted in each case.
Walter Gray, solicitor general, who made the opening argument for the prosecution and Attorney G. W. Lankford who concluded for the state made pleas for a straight verdict of guilty and asked that the Mosaic Law of “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” be applied to the defendant.
At times Curry showed signs of emotion but during the greater part of the trial which started Monday morning, he had shown little interest in the proceedings and when the prosecuting attorneys were pleading for his life, he was immovable.
Attorney E. J. Giles who defended Curry asked that the jury find his client insane and commit him to the asylum for the remainder of his life.
There was another large crowd on hand yesterday but the interest manifested has not been as great as at the previous trials.
Source: Daily Times Enterprise, Thomasville, Georgia, Wednesday Afternoon, June 14, 1922; Pg. 8
(6) Lee Currie Is Again Sentenced To Hang.
Lyons, Ga., March 4.-The jury in the case of Lee Currie, charged with the murder of Burley Phillips, returned a verdict of guilty at 10 o’clock Thursday night, after being out four hours.
After opening court Friday morning, Judge Robert N. Hardeman sentenced Currie to hang April 22. The prisoner showed no emotion when the sentence of the court was pronounced. This is the second time Currie has been sentenced to hang.
Source: The Post Search-Light, Bainbridge, Georgia, Thursday, March 20, 1921; Pg. 1
(7) LEE CURRY WILL HANG.
Lyons, Ga., July 19.-Lee Curry’s fourth trial for murder yesterday resulted in conviction followed by sentence to hang on September 1. The jury was out about fifteen minutes. This is the third time he has been convicted of murder in the first degree and sentenced to pay the extreme penalty, the other trial resulting in a failure of the jurors to agree.
Curry killed Burleigh Phillips about three years ago. They are alleged to have disagreed about moonshine money. After Burleigh was mortally wounded it was charged that Curry buried his victim before he was dead, and he then took Burleigh’s automobile and escaped, to be captured some time later at Milledgeville.
The members of the jury that tried Curry here yesterday were J. F. Murchison, foreman, Wade Mitchum, Fate Mosely, J. P. McNatt, P. G. Wheeler, A. H. Hardy, B. S. Tlexander, F. L. McCullough, B. C. Anderson, M. C. Collins, M. J. Rattray, Bill Murchison.
Curry, who appeared to be much weaker than before almost collapsed when the sentence was passed. A new trial motion will be argued at Lyons the first Monday in August.
Source: The Daily Times-Enterprise, Thomasville, Georgia, Wednesday Afternoon, July 19, 1922; Pg. 6
(8) MAN ARRESTED HERE TO DIE ON GALLOWS.
Lee Currie, Taken Into Custody In Milledgeville Three Years Ago, Found Guilty of First Degree Murder.
Lyons, Ga., July 19.-Lee Currie, for the third time in four trials, was today sentenced to hang for the murder of Burleigh Phillips, which is alleged to have taken place near here three years ago. Currie was found guilty by a jury in the Toombs Superior court here early this afternoon of first degree murder. His third trial recently held here resulted in mistrial. His first and second trials brought the death penalty, but in each case the supreme court granted the defendant a new trial.
Currie will be taken tonight to Savannah for safe keeping. The court sentenced him to hang on September 1. A motion for a new trial was immediately filed by his counsel and the court set the fourth Monday in August for the date of hearing, which will be held here.
The defendant was on the verge of a nervous collapse when the verdict was returned. The jury only deliberated fifteen minutes.
Hid Body in Woods.
The state charged that Currie hired a taxi cab the property of, and driven by Phillips. When the auto reached a place about 17 miles from this city, Currie is alleged to have shot and killed Phillips, burying his body in the woods. Currie confiscated the automobile and proceeded on his journey. A few days later some hogs uprooted the body of Phillips and a general alarm was spread for Currie. Currie was arrested in Milledgeville with, it is contended, the automobile said to have been the property of Phillips. He was brought back here and later on taken to Savannah for safe keeping.
Source: The Milledgeville News, Milledgeville, Georgia, Friday, July 21, 1922; Pg. 1
(9) TO FACE FIFTH TRIAL.
SAVANNAH, Ga., Lee Curry is scheduled to go on trial for the fifth time in Toombs county superior court October 1 for the alleged murder of Burleigh Phillips. He has been convicted three times and each time the supreme court has granted him a new trial. His fourth trial resulted in a deadlocked jury. Curry has been held in the Chatham county jail here but will be taken to Lyons for trial.
Source: The Banner-Herald, Athens, Georgia, Thursday, September 27, 1923; Pg. 1
Add’l Info: Burley Phillips
ACCIDENTALLY SHOT FRIEND WHILE HANDLING HIS PISTOL.
Special to The Georgian.
Vidalia, Ga., Nov. 3.-L. Pharr, express agent at this place, while carelessly handling a pistol yesterday, shot and seriously wounded Burley Phillips, the ball passing through his breast. Doctors say the wound may prove fatal.
Mr. Pharr is overcome with grief, as both are young men and friends.
Source: The Atlanta Georgian, Atlanta, Georgia, Saturday, November 3, 1906; Pg. 17
