The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-11-03

lips of Boston.
At about 7.30 O'Clock last night a
murder and suicide occurred In the lodg-
ing house of Mr.. Littlefield, SO Pearl
street. Alonzo g. Phillips, q litho-
grapher, who lived at 33 Clarendon
street, Boston, shot and instantly killed
his wife. Fannie Phillips and then shot
and instantly killed himself.
The woman, who has been appearing
on the stage of the Palace theatre during
the last two weeks as variety actress, un-
der the name Of Hattie Marston, had quar-
relied with her husband about ear ago
and had refused to live with him since
Phillips followed the woman to Port
land, and in fit of jealousy or anger
fred the two shot which terminated the
earthly career OF both the woman and
himself.
Mrs. Phillips name before her marriage
was Thompson and she was the daughter
of Orville Thompson, a teamster of Bos-
ton. Although the fatal shots were fred
at 7.30 pollock, the tragedy was not dis
covered until 1890 O'Clock, when Eva
Thompson, sister of the murdered
woman returned home from the theatre.
About two weeks ago Mrs. Phillips,
the murdered woman, and her sister Eva
Thompson came to Portland from Boston
and stopped at the Durant house. They
were engaged to play three weeks en-
gagement at the Palace theatre on Con
gress street and were to appear in
vaudeville parts. Soon after arranging
with Manager Littlefield of the Palace.
to play at his theatre, the two women
moved to SO Pearl street, where Mr..
Littletleld resides, and hired a room OF
him for the rest Of their stay in Port
land. Manager Littletield did not know
Mrs. Phillips by her right name, as the
woman had given him the name OF
Hattie Marston when she signed her
contract with him.
Both OF the women were very fair
vaudeville performers and appeared to be
very qui,t and respectable girls. They
each sang a song or two at the Palace at
every performance and appeared in what
is called the "after piece" in which the
entire company at the theatre took part.
While neither of the girls made great
hit with the Palace theatre audiences
they could both sing and dance well an ID
Fl I'D with them.
At the time the two women, Mrs.
Phillips and Miss Thompson were at the
Durant house, Mrs. Phillips wrote
letter to her husband, Alonzo G.
Phillips, at 33 Clarendon street, Boston.
in reply, 1t is presumed. to one she had
received from him few days before In
which he asked her to come back to Bos-
ton, offered to send her money, and also
told her be intended to come to Portland
in a few days If his wife did not return
to Boston.
In this letter to Phillips. written o.
tober 10, on paper bearing the Durant
house stamp, Mrs. Phillips said that
though she was then staying at the
Durant house she did not intend to stay
there long, as she had made arrange
ments to play at the Palace theatre and
would move in few days to Manager
Lltbtou5lU 8 mouse, OS E6afl hbr6eGs Wu6r6
all of the girls playing at the theatre
were supposed to live. She wrote that at
this house she intended to room with
MAY Young" which may possibly be
the woman who claims to be Mrs.
Phillips sister, or who may be some
other woman who is a member Of the
Palace theatre company and whom
Phillips knew. Mrs. Phillips went on to
say in this letter to her husband that she
did not want him to come to Portland,
as she was all right, but that he could
send her the money if he wanted to. She
also added that she would not return to
Boston until her engagement at the
Palace theatre was completed and signed
herself Fannie. The letter commenced
with Dear Lon," and was we'll written,
showing that the woman had fair
education.
Mrs. Phillips at this time also wrote
litter to her mother, Mrs. Orville
Thompson. in Boston, telling her of her
q N pa Of he Doia oI,;