Phillip Evans

Phillip Evans.

Phillip Evans was a Philadelphia-based businessman who worked with Prudent designing aircraft. He was also the fiance of his colleague's daughter, Dorothy Prudent. When the three along with John Strock found themselves the captives of Robur aboard the Albatross, Evans' desire to openly resist their captors clashed with Strock's more levelheaded plans of pretending to cooperate with Robur only to undermine him secretly. Evans saw this as cowardly and dishonorable. He also saw the intelligent Strock was a competitor for Dororthy's affections, and made at least one attempt to murder his rival for Prudent's daughter.

Nevertheless, after Strock saved Evans' life, Evans agreed to help him in his plan to stop Robur his way, and the two rigged the Albatross to blow up. As they were escaping by sliding down the airship's mooring line, though, Evans hung back and knocked Strock out, intending that his rival stay aboard and die with their enemies. However, Strock recovered and escaped. Despite this, Evans assisted Strock in dislodging the ship's anchor to send it uncontrollably adrift, even as they were shot at by Turner. Both men were wounded, but managed to get the anchor loosened, and sent the Albatross careening into the sea.