Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-05-17
Rev. E s. Phillips Probably Victim
Of Foul Play.
RESIDENT OF HAZLE4ON, PENNA
Remains Discovered in House of
New York Massage Operator.
LATTER UNDER ARREST

| NEW YORK. May 1.-THE body of a
| man found late last night in house in
9th avenue has been identified as that of
the Rev. Edward S. Phillips of St. Gabriel s
Church. Hazleton, Pa, who recently had a
conference with j. Pierpont Morgan in ref
| erence to the threatened strike in the iron
| and coal regions of Pennsylvania.
| The coroner says that the Identification
| can hardly be questioned, as papers found
on the body seem to prove it. The police
are working on what may prove to be a
| nIlrder
| Kirk Stanley, massage operator, in
whose rooms the body was found, is under
! arrest as a suspicious person.
Decomposition had advanced so far when
| the body was discovered that cursory ex-
animation was not sufficient to reveal the
| cause Of death, and an autopsy will be
| held.
Stanley has been subjected to a rigid ex-
! animation, and is said to have told con-
! ficting stories. Mrs. Bernius, from whom
! Stanley leased four rooms, in one of which
| the body was found, says that her tenant
| claimed to be from San Francisco and
| called himself DIR. Stanley" He was ac-
| conpanied by a young woman whom he in
| troduced as his wife. The body was dis
| covered by Mrs. Bernius daughter, who
went into Stanley's apartments to remove
| some bedding which was hanging out of
| the window. The police were Immediately
| notified, and search of the body dis
! closed number of papers Among them
was a letter from John Mitchell president
of the United Mine Workers. and addressed
| to Rev. DR.. Edward S. Phillips, Hazleton,
| "a. Inere We're also several kilograms
| from Mitchell addressed to the priest, a
| half-fare railway coupon such is issued
| to clergymen and several receipts made
| out in DR.. Phillips name.
Missing Since April %,
! 1t was made public for the first time,
! after the identification Of the body, that
| two confidential alarms had been sent out
| by Captain Of Detectives Titus for Mr.. Phil
| lips, who, according to this information,
! had been missing from his home in Hazel
| ton since April 2S. The first alarm was
| sent out on May and the second yester-
| day. Detectives from the central office had
| quietly been searching the hotels and hos
pitfalls in this city. for the missing clergy
| man.
| Police Captain Donohue, after examining
| the body, the rooms and effects Of the dead
| man, sent out general alarm for the ap-
| prehenSion of Stanley.
| Shortly after midnight Stanley was seen
walking along 50th street. When he came
| to the corner of 9th avenue half a block
| from his apartments, he stopped A police
| man saw him. Stanley saw the policeman
| at the same moment and at once turned
| and walked rapidly through Goth street to-
| wards Sth avenue. The policeman ran after
him and, touching him on the shoulder,
| SAID the captain desired to see him. Stan
| ley accompanied the policeman, and when
| ne reached the station house was taken at
| once to Captain Donohue's private office.
| he and the captain were closeted together
! 1or more than an hour. The captain then
| took Stanley before Sergt Shible and told
the sergeant to lock him up.
| Inc prisoner seemed to be suffering from
| the e1Iects OF drink or drugs. His manner
q Vuyhn I,, \
he said his name was Kirk Stanley, and
that he had come to this city about a
year and half ago. He said they called
MIN DOCTOR but he had no diploma. He
was massage operator and intended to
open an Office here.
Capt. Donohue was reticent In discussing
the case. All that he would say was that
| the prisoner had made conflicting state
| ments. He had denied knowing the man
whose body was found in his rooms, and
said ne had never seen him before, and
that he did not know that there was a
body until told by the police.
The police are searching for a woman
| who was known as Stanley's wife They
say this woman left the house in Ninth
avenue on May Q and has not returned.
Father Phillips disappeared on May 8.
Stanley is said to have a wife and twelve
year-old son living in San Francisco, and
is said to have resided at the Palace Hotel
In that city; After coming to New York
he frequently received 500 checks from
Alameda, Cal He professed to cure
| rheumatism by the application of air at a
temperature Of about 400 degrees.
Stanley was arraigned In the police court
and was remanded to the custody Of the
coroner. He refused to make any state
ment in court.
Prisoners Remarkable Story.
Coroner Bausch visited Stanley in his cell
today, and there, after much persuasion
| the prisoner told the following remarkable
story to the coroner:
1T is true I knew the priest, and this is
! the way I became acquainted with him:
| left my home about midnight May and
walked over to the corner Of 9th avenue
| and 50th street. There I saw standing on
the corner the priest talking with two
girls. He was somewhat Intoxicated, and
SO was I, for had been drinking in my
rooms. The priest was in good humor and
SO were the girls. They spoke to me as l
approached them, and / stopped. After a
little conversation I asked them to come
with me to my rooms where we would
have some whisky. They all accepted the
invitation. and in few minutes we were
seated in my sitting room drinking whisky
The girls remained with us about two
or three hours, and then left. saying they
had to go home. After they left both the
priest and I were taken i'll. I don't know
whether the girls had put anything in our
drinks or not but we were nauseated. The
priest took a small bottle Of medicine from
| his vest pocket and swallowed a little, and
then told me to do the same 1 did SO, and
in a little while we both felt better.
ut was then the priest told me he was a
Roman Catholic clergyman from Pennsyl-
vania, and offered to financially back me
in my cure. He did not tell me his name
LAS dawn was breaking I told the priest
thought would take little walk as the
| air would do me good, and asked him to
accompany me, but he said he would
rather rest where he was. / went out, and
returned, should say two hours later
When I got back the priest was gone
That was the last time I ever saw him.
The dead man in the room which Cant.
Donahue showed me was not the priest /
knew. The dead man looked like a negro"
Stanley could not describe the two girls,
nor would he admit having had a woman
there whom he called his wife
His Record at Haxleton,
HAZLETON, Pa, May 17-Father Phil
lips has been away from Hazleton for
about two weeks on a vacation. During
his absence he Is said to have attended
the ceremonies incident to the elevation OF
Mgr. MartfnelH to the rank of cardinal.
Father Phillips was pastor of St. Gabrfers
Church. this city. He was born In 1861 at