The Indianapolis journal., 1886-02-07

One of the Most Complicated Matrimonial
Affairs Record.

One of the Most Complicated Matrimonial
Affairs on Record.
Toledo Special to the New York World.
The detectives are wild with anger to-day at
the uncovering of Chicago scandal and mys-
terry upon which they have been engaged in the
hope of clearing up and concealing from the
public The victim is George w. Phillips aged
about seventy years, a grain merchant OF
Chicago. One year ago Mr. Phillips was pros
trated by severe Illness at one of the leading
hotels there The physicians despaired of saving
his life. Opp0rtunely beautiful young lady
guest heard of his dangerous condition, and vol
unteered to nurse him. To her attention and
nursing he afterwards aEcribed his restoration
to health. He offered her his hand and home.
She accepted, and they were married without
delay.
Their honeymoon was spent at Toledo. the
ladys former home. Upon returning to Chicago
the couple settled down, he to resume his busi-
ness cares, she to enjoy the wealth to which her
marriage gave her access During the last year
Phillips expended on his romantic wife, it is said,
at least $40 900 in satisfying her extravagant de-
mands for dress and Injuries. Last week she
deserted him in Chicago, taking s., 600 in cash.
and valuable jewelry. A day later Mrs. Phillips
arrived in this city with man named George H.
Rice. They registered at the St James Hotel
as George H. Rice and wife Fort Wayne" Mr..
Phillips arrived from Chicago in search of his
recreant spouse, but Rice and the woman had
disappeared, leaving their trunks in the room
which they together occupied The trunks were
attached and warrants quietly sworn out for the
arrest of the guilty pair
Phillips says Rice is the womans legal hus-
band, that they were married before she met
Phillips and that the nursing Of Phillips was
part of conspiracy between the couple to get
into his confidence and plunder him. The pre-
sumption Is that Rice has enjoyed a liberal share
of the 500, 900 which Mrs. Rice Phillips has pro-
cured from her second husband during the year.
It appears that she admitted having been mar
ried to Rice, but assured Phillips that she had
been divorced. After she had fed the records
were examined and no trace OF such decree could
be found
Later in the day Mrs Rice-P Phillips was ar
rested at another hotel where she had gone into
hiding under new name. Rice is supposed to
have returned to Chicago. Mrs. Phillips, ar
rayed ip satin, sealskin and diamonds, was inn
prlsoned in one OF the police-station cells. She
is beautiful brunette about twenty-eight years
old. To the World correspondent she said:
"Phillips is prosecuting me- When / was Mr..
Rice's wife l nursed Phillips during his illness,
and afterwards he tempted me with promises of
luxuries if would consent to divorce proceed
ings against Mr.. Rice, who was poor man but
good husband to me. did go, and when
Phillips tired of me he told me to go, and here
am-cast into filthy CELL Oh, how manly of
him! He ought to be proud of himself"
This evening the scandal was further compli-
Gated by the statements of gentleman whose
name could not be obtained, and Mrs. B. G.
Franklin. The latter lived with her husband at
d w aDdsH avenue tCnfcdgOJ DOarulng mousse In
rummaging through the old closet of their room
one night, Mr. Franklin found among the refuse
a musty old package of letters. and gave them to
his wife. They proved to be the correspondence
of wealthy man to married woman Offering
her ali manner of inducements in the way Of
dress and luxuries if she would leave her hus-
band and live with him. Mrs. Franklin now
remembers that the names were Phillips and
Rice Mr. and Mrs. Rice formerly occupied the
same room and Mrs. Rice inadvertently left tho
tell tale correspondence behind. AS result Of
the conspiracy which Phillips is accused of
having incubated, Mrs Rice, who claimed to
have been married to Rice at Rockford H., in
1880, was divorced in Chicago court on the
ground of cruelty and at Phillips's expense
Now comes the most startling feature of this
peculiar ease. The gentleman informant who
appeared tonight in the plot has known Rice
for nineteen years, and says he was never mar
ried to the alleged Mrs. Rice Phillips, but that
he has wife in an Illinois town whom he
married in 1876, and by whom be has three
children He has always faithfully supported
his family though he has not lived with them
for years. If this be true Mrs. Phillips was
divorced without having been married She has
failed 30 far to procure a bondsman, and Phillips
says he will prosecute her to the end. He Is
q prominent member of the Chicago Board Of
Trade and a noted club man.