East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1922-12-05
Husband Suspected of Aiding
Wife in Jail Break; Bars of
Cell Sawed Through, Bent.
MURDERESS CLIMBS OUT
WINDOW, DOWN LADDER
May be Headed for Mexico, Of
ticiaIs Make Thorough
Search of all S. California.

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 5.--(A. r. j.
Clara Phillips, sentenced to from
10 years to life imprisonment
for the hammer murder OF Mrs. Al
berta Meadows escaped about a. III.
from the woman's section of the coun-
ty Jail where she was held pending an
appeal. The bars of the cell were
sawed through with steel saws, prob
ably with the aid of other inmates.
said the sheriff. After crawling
through the window she dropped to
the roof of the adjoining building,
climbed down the fire escape, and dis
appeared. The matron making the
rounds found Clara's bed vacant, and
discovered the sawed, twisted bars.
LOS NGELES, Dec. 5.--(U. P.)---
Sheriff Traeger declares that an elab-
crate Jail break plot allowed Mrs.
Phillips to escape the county Jail.
Three bars We're sawed from the win
dow on the alley side of the Jail build
ing. a ladder was placed against tho
wNll, At first 1t was supposed the
escape was effected during the confu-
sion attending the release of Mad
alynne Obenchain, but the night mat
was in her cell when the usual in
spcction was made at two o'clock.
The escape was not discovered until
after seven a. m. A deputy sheriff re-
ports that he noticed an automobile
near the jail about / a. IN. Authori-
tics are rounding up everybody asso-
ciated with the Phillips case All
roads and desert trails are closely
guarded, the general opinion being
that Clara is headed for the Mexican
border
Mrs. Phillips cell was the middle
enc of three cells on the third floor.
one side was vacated by Madalynne
Obenchan last night and the other
occupied by u negro girl accused OF
killing her sweetheart. She declares
she heard nothing and knew nothing
Of the escape. Clara squeezed through
a hole 10 by ION inches, Tracks of
bare feet on the roof of the Jail and
adjoining buildings indicate that she
slid down the drain pipe the length OF
one floor. II Clara is headed for Mex
leo IN. an automobile, she was probably
over the line before escape was, dis
ovcred as she had five or six hoursit9
cover Inc l1U miles OF good rouuS. II Il
Husband Her Aide
Police believe that Armour Phillips.
Ciara's husband, aided her to es-
cap'. Hc packed their belongings and q
lCft the apartment house last night.
A tur niece Mrs. Phillips wore during
the trial was found in an abandoned
car at Long Beach near where Peggy
Cnffce. states witness had been living.
Prints 81 bare feet were found in the
car. Deputy sheriffs identified the
fur.
Armour Phillips, husband of the
woman, disappeared yesterday from
his local stopping place and efforts 10
fird him today were unavaiiing. An
showed that at least
three persons aided Mrs Phillips to
fscapc. at least two aided her on the
roof and one or two more waited for
them in an automobile on the street.
Los ANGELES. Dec. 5.-No saw
nllng were found beneath the saw
ID bars. leading to the bclief that the
bars Were sawed several days prior to
The escape. a dragnet has been plac-
- over all southern California.