The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-07-29
GETS A DIVORCE.
A. G. Phillips, Of South Africa, a
Free Man.
The Chicago Record Retracts Lurid
Story From Minneapolis and
Pays Damages.

A year ago last winter, the papers
were full of Grant Brambel, Of Sleepy
Eye, and his wonderful rotary engine,
that was to revolutionize the work.
shops of the world. At the same time,
A. G .Phillips, of Johannesburg, South
Africa, was stopping at the City Hotel
in this city, and attracted share of
public attention by visiting Brambel
and Offering to promote his enterprise
for him. Phillips was promoter by
profession and saw an opportunity to
do some business while visiting in
this section. 1t was given out from
Sleepy Eye that he had offered 81, $780,
900 for the invention. No definite ar
rangements were made, but Brambel
gave Phillips to understand that the
engine was being used at place in
New Jersey and elsewhere. Mr.. Phil
lips denied making the cash offer,
having only talked of promoting the
enterprise.
After while the story got started
that Mr.. Allen, of the Allen Steam
ship line, was going to take up the
invention, in connection with other
London capitalists. People claimed
to have seen letter to Mr.. Brambel
from Mr.. Allen, with certain words
cut out. Finally, Minneapolis cor
respondent wrote long article for
the Chicago Record, intimating that
Phillips and the Allen who wrote the
letter were one and the same party.
The story was an interesting one, and
was highly embellished to suit the re-
quirements of the case, but it was not
true.
When Mr.. Phillips saw the article
in the Chicago Record, he instructed
his attorney, w. R. Geddes, to COM
mence proceedings against the paper.
Mr.. Geddes opened correspondence
with the management of the paper,
the result of which was that the man
ager wrote out an absolute retrac-
tion and sent it to Mr.. Geddes for the
latter's approval tefore it should be
published. 1t was satisfactory, and
the Record published it. The Record
also paid Mr.. Phillips 5000 damages,
and as Mr.. Phillips only desired to
vindicate himself the matter was al
lowed to drop there.
Mr.. Phillips, while in Mankato,
commenced an action in the district
court against his wife, Eva Phillips,
of San Francisco, CAL, for divorce, on
the ground of desertion. Mrs. Phil
lips made an answer to the suit and
prepared to fight it, but subsequently
Withdrew her answer and made no
opposition to the granting of the d.
vorce, which was granted by Judge
Severance June 22nd last.
Mr.. Phillips business requires him
to spend his time between London,
Paris and South Africa, and in which
of these places he is at the present
time is not known. He is member
of company that deals in mines and
mining stock, manages mines. assists
in floating new companies, interests
capital in SouthAfrican investments,
etc. He has had varied experience
on the frontier in South Africa, and
has been of assistance to the Trans
vaal government in making peace
with the natives. He is acquainted
with the notables there.
Mr.. Phillips formerly resided near
St. Clair, where he has relatives. He
is middle aged man, pleasant and
we'll posted. His son and daughter
and stenographer accompanied him
to Mankato and remained several
weeks after he left.