The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1901-05-22
A NEW YORK SENSATION.
A Catholic Priest Supposed to Have
Been Murdered.

The body of man found late Thurs
day night In house In Ninth avenue,
New York, has been identified as
that Of Father Edward s. Philips of
st. Gsbrieps Catholic church, Hszsl
ton, Pa, who're cently had conference
with j. Pierpont Morgan in reference
to the threatened strike in the iron aud
ctal regions of Pennsylvania. Kirk
Stanley, a massage operator in whose
rooms the body was found, is under
arrest as a suspicious person. Deocm-
position had advanced so far when the
body was discovered that q curSory ex-
summation was not sufficient to reveal
the Cause Of death.
Stanley was arrested at midnight.
The prisoner seemed TO be suffering
from the , fl, Cts cf drink or drugs. His
manner was that Of man who was
badly dsz d. He ssid his name was
xxx Stanley, aud that he had come to
that city about year and a half ago.
lie said they called him doctor but he
had TO diploma. He was q message
operator and intended to open ar eff &c
here.
Coroner Bsu,ch visited Stanley in his
cell and there, after much percussion
the prisoner told the following remark
able story TO the cornoner:
1t is tue | knew the priest and
this is the way became acqu.in ted
with him. left my home about mid
night May 8 aud walked over to the
coroner Of Ninth avenue and Fiftieth
street. There | saw standing on the
corner the priest, talking with two
girs. He was somewhat intoxicated
aod SO was |, for | had been drinking z
10 my rooms. The priest WAS in good
humor and so were the girls they all
accepted the Invitation, and In a few
mluutCs We were seated In my sitting
room dring whi, key.
The glTls remained with US about
two or tn c. hours and then left, say
ing that they ad to go home After
th,y left bo,h the priest and | were
taken Ill. | don't know whether the
gIgls had put any thirg in our drinks
or not, but we were nausested. The
priest took small bottle of medicine
from lis vest pocket aud swallowed a
LITTLE and then told NE to do the same.
| did SO, and in little while we both
felt better.
1T was then the priest told me he
was Roman Catholic clergyman from
Pennsy lvania and offered to financially
back me in my cure. lie did no, tell
ne his name.
As dawn was breaking | 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, l should
say, two hours later.
When l got back the priest was
gone. That was tho last time | ever
saw him. The dead man in the room
which Capt. Donohue showed me was
not the priest knew. The dead man
looked like Negro"
Stanley could not describe the two
girls, nor would he admit having had
woman there whom he called his
wife.
DR.. A. s. Dough erty of Ashley, Pa. ,
nephew Of the priest. said:
1T may be that Father Phillips was
lured to S,anley's place for the pur-
pose of robbery and that he died there
that night. | don't believe that the
murder theory is tenable. | have
known Father Phillips for % years and
this is the second time l have known oi
his going out on spIes.
Shortly before he left Hazleton fol
New York my mother visited him ant
she told me after her visit that she die
not fad him to be the same man tha
he was formerly, that she feared hi.
nervous system was giving way anC
that he was decidedly unstrung."