Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-30
ALlEGEOCLUE IN MURDER CASE
WIFE OF CHARLES PHILLIPS
MAKES STATEMENT.
Blood-Stained Handkerchief Figures
as Evidence-Phillips Tired
of Staying in Jail.

Mrs. Martha Phillips, wife Of Charles
Phillips, the man held in custody as a wit
ness in the case Of Henry ". Reid, the
saioonkeeper who was murdered and
robbed the morning of January % as
heretofore stated in The Star. has made
a statement to Assistant United States
Attorney Jesse Adkins and Detective
Evans, which has reawakened interest in
the case. The statement attributed to
Mrs. Phillips does not tally with what
she said at the time the murder was
committed or with what she said when
she appeared at the inquest as a witness.
Her statement deals chiefly with the
Identification Of a blood-stained handker-
chief that was found near the body Of
the murdered man. Although the as
sistant attorney and Detective Evans re-
fuse to discuss her statement. It is said.
she positively identified the handkerchief
as the property Of her husband
1t is also said she repeated state
ments her husband is alleged to have
mitted. hut none OF them contains a d.
rect admission Of guilt. DETECTIVE Evans
thinks the testimony OF Mrs. Phillips
will be sufficient to indict the man. but
some OF the higher officials Of the police
department are by no means certain that
it solves the murder mystery. It is
stated that there were no special marks
on the handkerchief by which the WON
an was able to identify 1t. but that she
referred to the fact that it had holes
in 1t.
Her Previous Statements.
Mrs. Phillips had been previously In.
terviewed number Of times by the de.
tectives engaged upon the Investigation
Of the case. but she maintained that she
knew nothing which would assist them
in solving the mystery. How she came
to make the statement to Assistant
United States Attorney Adkins Saturday
was not stated by the officials. 1t was
alleged this morning that Mrs. Phillips
has not called to see her husband since
he was placed in Jail. although. 1t Is de-
ciared. he sent requests to her that she
visit him.
1t IL recalled that Charles Phillips was
arrested a short while after the body Of
Reid was found in front Of 10 r street.
His house was Thoroughly searched a num-
Der Of times by the police and detectives.
but no bloodstains were found on his
clothing or about the premises None
Of the money or the watch taken from
Reid was found. and IL IL known that
he had money in his pocket, although the
bar receipts for that day had been left
in the cash register In the saloon. Phil
lips knew he had left the money there.
and knew he could have obtained a greater
sum from the cash register than from the
man.
Phillips has been in custody since his
arrest the morning the murder was com.
mitted. He talked freely with the de-
tectives while In the police station. and
has discussed the case a number Of times
in Jail. 1t was claimed by the police that
Phillips had never accounted for flft4en or
twenty minutes Of his time between the
time he left the saloon the night Of the
murder and the time he reached his home,
3S Massachusetts, avenue.
1t was stated this afternoon that Phil
lips has become tired OF remaining in Jail
as a witness. and that an application for
his release on writ OF habeas corpus
may be made shortly.