The San Francisco call., 1896-03-27
THE STRANGLER AGAIN,
Irene Phillips Assailant Attacks
a Girl on Ellis
Street.
His Latest Attempt Has Satisfied Cap.
tain Lees of the Fellows
Identity.

The strangler who attempted to choke
Irene Phillips in her room on Sutter street,
has appeared in house on Ellis street
and there endeavored to carry out his in
sane desire on an unfortunate woman
named Petit. Both these women tell the
same story and have given the same de.
scription of the strangler to the police
who are now searching for him throughout
the City.
The woman Irene Wilson, as she is
some times called, but whose real name is
Phillips, who has reported to the police
that a stranger attempted TO strangle her
last Monday evening at 304 Sutter street,
was none the worse yesterday for the
alleged choking, She was called upon by
Detective Ben Bohen, to whom, in the
presence of her sister, frankie Phillips, at
81 Quincy street, she made complete
statement of the affair and gave precise
description of the man she believes in
tended her murder. Subsequently, with a
broad silken band about her throat to hide
the f1nger-marks OF the stranger, she de-
parted for the Bay District racetrack in
search of her prey.
The woman is very precise IN her de-
scription of her assailant, saying:
''He is man 5 feet or 8 inches tall,
stoutly built ana about 80 years old. His
medium-slzed face is adorned with
blonde mustache that does not quite hide
his very red lips or his fine set of white
teeth. He wore sack suit of dark mate
rial and a brown derby hat" The de-
scription is completed with the statement
that 1.-THE mans hands are very soft and
velvety. but powerful"
+la- o-,sv -I1n hnd nS-
cape from the murderous clutches of the
strangler.. was Laura Petit, 2l2 Ellis
street, and she is congratulating herself
that another woman was IN an adjoining
room. which saved her from the fate of
Mamie McDermott and Bertha Paradis.
Her description of the man corresponds
in every particular with that given by
Irene Phillips of the man who tried to
strangle her Monday nieht.
He is apparently an Englishman, about
feet 9 inches tall, long blonde hair,
blonde mustache curled, small regular
teeth slightly blackened by the use of
tobacco or opium, large blue eyes with the
whites bloodshot, short neck and appar-
emily so years of age. He is well dressed
in dark cheviot suit, stiff hat and carries
his overcoat over his arm.
The police have been in possession OF
this description from different women
for some time, but, strange to say, he has
not yet been captured.
In speaking of his visit Leura Petit said
last night: ''The man came to the house
last night AS soon as he entered the
room had an uncomfortable feeling that
I cannot define, and somehow his big,
bloodshot blue eyes sent thrill of fear
through me. 1t MADE me watch him mar
rowly.
HE talked pleasantly for a!few minutes.
He invited me to sit beside him, and as l
did so l observed a peculiar twitching in
his fingers. And let me say, he had beauti-
fui hands.
HE put his right hand on the back of
my neck and drew it round to my throat.
| took hold of his hand and threw it off,
telling him not to do that. There was
look on the mans face that frightened me.
Three times he put his hand on my neck
and drew it round to my throat, and each
time | threw it off.
s'I became so alarmed that I told him
had friends in the next room and must go
to them. l rose from the sofa and as / did
so he stood up. His hands were twitching
convuisiveIy and | called out to my friend
in the next room that | would be In TO see
her in minute. She replied, AL right
and suddenly the mans whole nature
changed. As l opened the door and let
him out he seemed quiet nice gentleman.
Il reported the mans peculiar conduct
to Detective Anthony the following day.
II | had be zen alone in the house l would
have run outside and given an alarm as |
was afraid of the man and had feeling
that he might strangle me-"
Yesterday afternoon Captain Lees in
structed Detective Anthony to get an ac-
curate description of the man from Laura
Petit and on comparing it with the descrip-
tion of Irene Phillips visitor the conclu-
sion was plain ii was the same man.