Benjamin Franklin Phillips
Kentucky Post, Thursday, 5 November 1903, page 5
INQUEST-Coroner M Higgins, Wednesday in Newport, held an inquest on the death of Frank M Brown, who was killed on the Central Bridge by Policeman Ben Phillips, on Oct 24. The jury was composed of John Borches, J A Winter, John J White, George Senior, John Murphy and George Kuechler. The verdict was as follows:
"We find that Frank Brown came to his death by a gunshot wound inflicted by a revolver in the hands of one Benjamin F Phillips, Oct 24, 1903." Brown was shot by Phillips during a fight in the collector's office of the Central Bridge on the date mentioned. According to the evidence Brown provoked the quarrel and Phillips shot him. It was also shown that Brown struck the first blow.
*********
Kentucky Post, Saturday, 7 November 1903, page 5
NEW CHARGE-When the case of Ben Phillips, charged with the murder of F M Brown, a bridge collector, was called in the Campbell County Court Saturday, County Attorney Yungblut and the defendant's attorneys, Col. George Washington and Howard Benton, agreed to release a warrant for Phillips, changing the charge from murder to manslaughter. This was done and Phillips rearrested and brought into court and released on a $2500 bond, signed by William F Donaldson and C F McHenry.