Imperial Valley press., 1922-07-15
WOMAN CALM
IN CELL
Alleged Slayer of Rival
With Hammer Can
Still Smile
DENIES GUILT CHARGE
L. A. Police Trace Clues in
Husbands Relation to
Girl Victim

TUCSON, Ariz., July 1j-Mrs. A.
t. Phillips, held here for extraoItion to
Los Angeles, Calf, on a charge OF
beating Mrs Alberta Meadows to death
with a hammer, defied the third de
gree today.
'Ill talk when I get back to Los
Angeles, was her only reply to ques-
tions
The woman, accused of deliberately
killing the girl whom she considered a
love rival, sits calm and smiling III her
cell here. She even denies that she is
Mrs Phillips.
81 m ready to go back to Los An
geles," she said placidly when inform
ed Sheriff Traeger of that city was en-
route here to take her in charge.
Confronted with letters found in her
hand bag signed with the name Clara
Phillips, the alleged ''hammer murder
ess'' remained undisturbed and smil-
ingly insisted she was not the person
wanted - for the staying.
"Perhaps,' - and 81 don t know
were tranquil replies to the questions
fired at her by police i'll cross eXamina-
tiOn.
Police Search Phillips Record
LOS ANGELES, july l5.-Thorough
investigation of the relations between
the principal persons involved III the
Los Angeles hammer murder today
occupied police, who are piling up a
fearful arraignmcnt against Mrs Clara
Phillips, 23, former chorus girl who
viii be brought here from Tucson,
Ariz., charged with the crime.
Events just previous to the murder
were being scrutinized most carefully,
investigators endeavoring to learn the
exact whereabouts of Mrs. Albert
Meadows, 20 year old widow, and A.
l.. Phillips, whose wife accused them
of misconduct, the night before the
gruesome hillside combat.
Mrs. Phillips spent the night before
with former chum, Mrs. Peggy CAT
fee, who before the grand jury, asserted
she WAS an eye witness to the encount-
er in which Mrs. Phillips beat Mrs
Meadows to death with Il hammer.
Phillips, however, says that hc had
never seen Mrs. Caffce, who had not
been aSsociating with his wife for sew
eral years. And it was learned that
Mrs. Meadows was not at her home
when Mrs. Phillips and Mrs. Caffee
called there and left word for her to
meet them next day,
New Tangle in Case :.
Under Sheriff Eugene Biscailluz to-
day admitted he had discovered several
minor discrepancies in the different ac-
counts of witnesses and was closely
=.
of Mrs Meadows.
Phillips himself, condemned by many
for his action in betraying his wife,
was in consultation with his attorney.
puzzling angle of the case develop
ed when it became known that Mrs *.
l.. Smithley of Glendale, who viewed
the body of Mrs. Meadows at the un-
dertakers before identification had
been made, had eXclaimed:
"Why, ! know her. That s Peggy
Caffee L met her with that oil man
from Taft.
Police are endeavoring to learn
whether Mrs Meadows could have used
Mrs. Caffee S name while in company
with Phillips or some other man.
Phillips refused to comment on the
report that Mrs. Meadows, five hours
Delofe her ucath, lau q long telephone
conversation with Il man she called
Daddy" and arranged to meet him
that day.
Officials of the Eirst National Bank,
where she was employed, and her init
mate acquaintances said they could not
believe She had been guilty of miscon-
duct with Phillips.
Both in Vaudeville Chorus
The stage life of both Mrs. Clara
Phillips and Mrs. Peggy Caffee was
told today by Pauline Williams, show
girl.
"We were all in the chorus in Bob
Albright s show now playing mt Pan.
tages theater We played for while
in Long Beach and in San Francisco, -
said Miss Williams.
g. knew both of them well, Clara a
little better for she and her husband
lived at the same house with my mother
iand myself for some time.
''She was jealous of her husband
then and did not like to see him talk
ing with other women. But | never saw
him do anything by word or act that
would justify her jealousy. | consider
ed him perfect gentleman.