Palatka daily news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1919-1994, 1922-09-12
Slayer Used Hammer to
Batter Out Brains of
Pretty Girl
AWAITS COURT VERDICT
Idle Tongues Started the
Jealousy of Mrs.
Phillips

Los Angeles, Sept. II. - That
neighborhood gossip figured promi-
nently in the Staying of Mrs. Alberta
Meadow, 19-year-o widow, near Los
Angelez, July II, which resulted in
the indictment for murder Of Mrs.
Clara Phillips, wife of Armour L.
Phillips, local oil promoter, was the
assertion of investigators assigned to
the case.
Mrs. Meadows body was found
late in the afternoon of July u
alongside an unfrequented road on
hillside about two miles from the
business center of Los Angeles. The
skull had been crushed in several
places and the features mutilated.
| Nearby was the handle of hammer,
the head of which had been broken
off. Close to the victims head was
large bloodstained rock.
Twenty-four hours elapsed with no
clue being discovered as to the iden-
tity either of the slayer or the victim
when Phillips walked into the office
ioI Sheriff W. l. Trae@er and told a
story which resulted in his wife's ar
rest. According to the sheriff, Phil
J lins said his wife had admitted to
MIN that she killed Mrs. Meadows at
the place where the body vas found,
and that he had put her on a train for
Ell Paso, Texas. Mrs. Phillips was
arrested at Tucson, Ariz., and
brought back to Los Angeles two
days later,
Meanwhile the husband of Mrs.
Peggy Caffec appeared at the police
station and said that his wife had
witnessed the tragedy Mrs. Caffee
Immediately was summoned to the
station as a witness, Her testimony
at the inquest was to the effect that
she went with Mrs. Phillips 20 a store
on July II, and saw the accused
woman purchase a hammer, and that
evening went to Mrs. Meadows
apartment, but did not find her there
| Mrs. Caffee's testimony also
brought out that she was an eye
witness to the tragedy.
The next day Mrs. Caffee ard
Mrs. Phillips waited for Mrs. Mead
ow@ at a parking station where she
! kept a motor car while the latter
was at work in a downtown bank, &C.
cording to the testimony. Wher
Mrs. Meadows came for the car, Mrs
Phillips asked Mrs. Meadows to drive
her 20 her sisters home.
| The three women entered the can
land Mrs. Meadows, under Mrs. Phil.
lips direction, drove to the hillside
where the body was found later ir
the day.
Mrs. Phillips, Mrs. Caffee test,
fled, asked Mrs. Meadows to stop and
get out.
Then she asked Alberta if Mr.
Phillips ddi not give her the tires for
her automobile and a wrist watch,
Mrs. Caffee went on. Mrs. Mead
ows denied this and Clara said he
certainly did, and struck her with
the hammer, which she pulled from
under her cape"
. Mrs. Meadows started to run dOwr
the hill, but Mrs. Phillips pursued
and brought her back, the witness
said Mrs. Meadows was beaten tc
the ground with repeated blows. Mrs
, Caffee said she herself ran from the
scene, and looking back, saw Mrs
: Phillips continuing to strike the
lprostrate victim. Presently Mrs
Phillips came down the hill, driving
( Mrs. Meadows car, and told Mrs
r Caffee to get in. The women parted
e. at a downtown street intersection
: Mrs. Caffee said Mrs. Phillips sale
: 10 her then: Don't you dare tell o.
= this. You are in it as much as l."
!, A woman guard was assigned t,
, remain with Mrs. Caffee until tn,
trial. Another was placed with tn,
7 woman who sold the hammer.
1 Mrs. Phillips was indicted for mur
; der before she reached Los Angelo
). from Tucson. She greeted her hus
J. hand affectionately at the count,