Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-11-03
PEGGY CAFFEE
USED HAMMER,
CLARA ASSERTS
Mrs. Phillips, Accused
Of Murder, Testifies
for Herself.

Los Angeles, Calf, Nov. PEGGY
/ Caffee welded the hammer that beat
the life out Of Mrs. Alberta Meadows
according 10 the testimony given here
Thursday by Mrs Clara Phillips, on
trial for Mrs Meadows Staying.
+ Peggy Caffee was the states star
witness against Mrs. Phillips and was
accredited with being the only eye
witness to the alleged Staying by Mrs.
Phillips.
Mrs. Phillips told of the events lead
ing TO the killing last July, of Mrs.
Meadows alleged statement that she
was preparing to run away with Ar
mour Phillips. husband Of the accused
slayer, and of a fight that followed
between her and Mrs. Meadows, and
said that when Mrs. Meadows was get
tign the best of the fight, Peggy Caffee
rushed in with the hammer
Peggy came with the hammer and
struck ut Alberta and beat her with
it. and everything went black before
my eyes was the dramatic climax of
her testimony.
Weeping and rubbing her eyes with a
handkerchief, Mrs. Phillips gave her
version of events surrounding the slay-
ing.
A Tale of Jealousy
1t was a tale of jealousy and al
legged false accusations which. according
to the defense's contention, caused her
to go into a "brainStorm' the day
Mrs. Meadows was beaten to death with
a hammer
The defendant first related the hap
penings on the Friday preceding the
Staying. That night. she said, her hus-
band accused her of spending the night
whit man at Camp Badly.
She denied this, she said. and told
him she spent the night with Mrs. Ju-
liam McElroy
The next day. Mrs Phillips con-
tinued. she followed her husband to
Mrs. McElroy's house and there heard
him repeat the accusation. but declar-
ing Mrs Meadows was his informant.
Mrs. McElroy. she said, told Phillips
that the charge was not true. that she
herself was with Mrs. Phillips at the
camp.
Mrs. McElroy, who testified to the
same effect earlier in the day. also as
serted she had made accusations against
Phillips concerning his acquaintantance
with Mrs. Meadows. She said members
Of both Phillips and Mrs Meadows
families had begged Armour Phillips
to cease his attentions to Alberta
Story is Corroborated
Julian McElroy, son of the witness,
corroborated his mothers testimony
about the conversation the Saturday
before the Staying, also that he heard
Phillips say he had planned trip"
with Mrs. Meadows. McElroy also as
serted that Mrs. Meadows had told him
she loved Armour Phillips
Mrs. Phillips detailed the circum-
stances leading # the arrival Of her
self, Mrs Caffee and Mrs. Meadows at
the spot where the Staying occurred and
told of how the three talked over the
relations Of Mrs. Meadows and Mr..
Phillips.
According TO her. Mrs. Meadows ad-
mitted that she loved Phillips and was
to go away with him.
''Then she slapped me and we fought. |
and we fought, and we fought" said
the witness. and went on TO tell the
details of the struggle Finally she
said, Mrs. Meadows had the best of it |
and the witness called Mrs. Caffee.
When she had told Of Mrs. Caffee's
alleged response to this appeal, her at |
Lorney halted the direct examination. |
Mrs. Phillips was so confused. how /
ever, that Little Roadway was made |
FOR some time with the cross-examina- |
ion. /