Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-09-08
PHIPPS COMING BACK.
THREATS THAT HE WILL TELL ALL

THREATS THAT HE WILL TELL ALL
Tho Books Missing ana Probably Destroyed
-Phipps ~ tho Victim Of Many Others
High In Authority.
From fresh developments it would
seem that ex-Superintendent OF the Aims.
house Phipps has not fled SO far as Cana
da, and that he can be produced at short
notice. 1t was asserted by people who
have hitherto been associated with him as
his private advisers. that the only thing
which had made Major Phipps sscret
himself was the fact that he did
not know where to get the
amount of bail necessary in case he
was again arrested. "Thc major thought
that number of charges might be brought
against him." said gentleman yesterday
closely allied with him, in legal matters,
''and as he has been made target to re-
ceivc the balls from present foes and past
friends, he first thought Of getting security
to keep him from being locked up. He
feared that the amount might be too large
for any man to 60, and as bis time was
short for such purpose, the major took
as l understand it, the course of leaving
the jurisdiction. "If," concluded the
speaker, we can got tho amount of bail
which will probably be fixed, there need
be no fear that Major Phipps will not re-
turn to the city. flo will not only face
his calumniatOrs, but he will put IN cleo
trio light on tho conduct of some other
people,"
1t would look as though the abscondins
major has burned many of the bridges
behind him, and that he has made away
with considerable that could have been
used as evidence against himself and those
who were in cOllusiOn with him. Thursday
morning Councilman Grim and Superin-
tendent Scarborough Of the almshOuse,
began q search at that institution for q
number of tho books that were produced
at the recent cOuucilmaniac investigation.
Among those wanted wcro tho books
showing the receipts o: the house, the
amount of money and valuables upon
the persons Of inmates when they
enter the place, books containing q
record of paupers whose board and
maintenance are paid for by other coun.
ties, also the books of the stOrekecper and
chief clerk and several others, which
would show the amount of goods received,
from whom aud when. A prOtracted
search was made, and tho assistance OF all
persons who could possibly know anything
Of the whereabouts of these important
documents was called in. After spending
three hours at this business tho scarchers
gave up, and concluded that the books
had either been removed or destroyed.
This will cause serious embarrassment to
the investigation now in progress, and will
result in tho protection Of many persons
who otherwise would have been impli-
Gated. Tho books of the storekceper are
Of interest, but they have also gone the
road OF the others. In tho place of those
destroyed Major Phipps had set of small
ones, (which could be conveniently carried
around in ones pocket. The writing in
these appeared to be fresh, and their con-
dition evidenced the fact that they had
been cooked up recently for . purpose.
These facts were communicated to the
gentlemen having the prosecution Of the
case in charge, and they will use all en-
deavOrs to secure tho return OF the books
If they are in existence.
Tho belief that Phipps may he induced
to return is founded upon the course pur-
sued within few days by few of Phipps'
closest and most intimate friends in max
ing confidential statements to members of
the Committee of One Hundred condoning
his offenso and accusing members of the
old board of guardians of deliberately
tempting him to do what he did and then
leading him Cd to ruin. When urged to
become a witness as to conversations that
took place between them, one of Phipps'
friends, acting in his behalf, said that he
would think Of it, but desired to know
what would be the attitude Of tho com.
mittce in case Phipps should como back
himself and tell everything. The state
ment, made privately to one of the most
prominent members of the Committee of
One Hundred by man whose name is
familiar to tho public and whose relations
with Phipps were of the most intimate
and confidential character, reveals now
phase of the almshouse rOttenness.
The man who made the statement is
himself loser by Phipps' departure, but
his desire for remaining unknown at pres
ent is that he knew for years all that was
going on, but, he says, could not have
stopped it if he had wished to do so. Ills
statement as given to 4 member of tie
Committee of One Hundred is substan-
TALLY rs follows !:
For four or five years have known that
continuous and extraordinary acquisitions
for money were made upon Major Phipps
for political and other purposes have
also known that members of the board of
guardians Of tho poor and other persons
have been regularly furnished by him
with all the meats, provisions, fur
niture and household articles they
needed covering period of several years.
In lato years ho was worn down with
trouble and melancholy, Notwithstanding
his cheerful appearance, and he has often
told Mo that if he did not have me to con-
fide in 8: he would BURST" He often used
to say "What is all this coming to?
How is it all going to end: wonder how
it is going to turn out. Iknow something
dreadful is going to happen, but I can't
do anything now but see it out" Day
after day have seen him and night after
night he has told me of moro cOmplica-
tiOns that have occurred, and llc has said
to me 81" It's no use talking, Pm going to
be ruined and disgraced and every day
am getting deeper and deeper into the
miro" He usel to consult ME as to how
to get out of some of his worst troubles,
and anyone who had been brought in con-
tact with him at that time could not have
done anything but pity him. His financial
embarrassments went over from one year
to another and coiled themselves around
him like an anaconda, growing greater
and stronger and getting him moro tightly
oncoiled each year.
He had to borrow money from all sorts
of people to meet tho urgent demands Of
contractors and keep them quiet, having
already spent the money intended for
them in other ways. Whenever one of the
guardians wanted $50. 800, or even $500,
he went and asked Phipps to lend it to
him, and Phipps knew he would never get
r. hooL HI 1vaC olrooIu IN thu tr;IC ond