The Omaha morning bee., 1922-10-29
by EDWARD pOHERTY.


Los Angeles. oct. 2s.--Clara Phil.
lips. charged with hammorlng Mrs.
Alberta Meadows 10 death, lost hor
stole polse Friday for the first time
and gave way 10 her nerves.
Her ehum Of chorus girl days, Mrs.
Peggy caffee, was on the stand. tell.
lng the story by which the state hopes
10 hang the defendant.
She Ind described shopping tour
In tho downtown district the day
before the murder. had named tho
articles purchased. She had included
among them "A hammer.
AZ mention of the hammer a my.
sical change came over the defendant
She seemed to surge up from her
chair. II seemed an II she must 20
right over tho counsel table toward
tho witness stand. But she stopped
Her hands gripped the edge OF the
table. The knuckles were white. She
spoke quickly. posslonately. IIer
voice WAS hoarse, like tho growing Of
an animal. TELL the truth, Peggy"
shc said. You bought the hammer"
Witness shuddcrs.
Peggy looked mt Clara and shud.
dered. She drew back "A little, turned
her face away. There was terror In
her voice as she answered Clara:
Clara Phillips purchased the ham
mcr herself"
There were other dramatic moments
N thu lint Tint ao1G
this incident ms u thriller.
Peggy told how she and Clara had
gone 10 the hotel room Of friend
to get Clara drink; how they had
gone 10 Long Beach the next day and
obtained n flask ~ whisky.
THE boys drank most OF H." phe
said, but there was little In the
bottle and Clara asked for Il. She
wrapped II up" lpa
"When did you last see the bottlew
1T WAS on the hill. in the nuto, Just
as we stopped. Clara asked Mrs.
Meadows II she didn't want drink.
Alberta said NO. Clara drank the
remainder OF the whisky In the bot.
tie, and threw the bottle away II
was just before she killed Alberta
Peggy told how, after the murder,
Clara made her wipe away the blood
that covered Clnra's face. ui
"She made mo do II. She gave mo
her handkerchief and ! did II.
"Clara's hands were bloody. Her
gloves were dripping blood. She
rolled UP her gloves and dropped them
into her purse. She made me give
her my gloves-made me put them on
her. She kept one hand on the wheel
while / put the glove on the other"
Pegg' s. recital of the murder Of itself
simple, horrible, vastly effective:
"Clara got out first and then Al.
herta and ! got out last. Clara said:
my husband purchased you this car
and those tires Alberta denied It.
Clara said: He did, and struck her.
She hit Alberta with the hammer, on
the right side Of the forehead. Al.
berta's hat fell off. She ran down the
hill, screaming. ran up the hill, cry.
ing for help. Then heard voices and
/ started back. Clara and Alberta
were coming toward me, armin.arm.
They got to the auto. Clara said: lie
bought you that wrist watch. too
Alberta said she bought 1t herself.
Clara hit her again with the hammer.
Hammer Rose and Fell.
II stepped forward to take Clara
away. to put my arms around her
and mil her aWay Alberta mt her
hands to her forhead, and Clara
swung on me andSsaid: Damn you.
I'll kill you. too
Il ran down the hill, screaming,
until couldn't run any more. I
turned and saw Clara kneeling over
Alberta's body. Her arm rose and
fell. Her arm was red II held
hammer. The hammer rose and fell.
rose and fell. guess l tainted. I
didn't remember any more except /
was picking myself up and brushing
off my skirt. and Clara was right
near me, footing the horn Of the ma
chine. She told me to get In ! did.
She said she would kill me IL ] told
anybody. Her eyes were on fire. !
was afraid OF her"
Attorney Bert Harrington, counsel
for Mrs. Phillips, questioned the show
girl for hours. but did not shake her
story in any particular.