Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-12-06

jail pending formation of an appeal
With the aid of several steel saws
her escape was affected at 2 a. M
according to a report to the sheriff
by the jailer Belief was expressed
that she had been aided by other in
mates. Several bars were sawed
through and after breaking out thei
window she dropped to the roof Of an
adjoining building, climbed down the
fire escape and disappeared.
The escape was not discovered BY
Jail authorities for several hours The
matron IN making rounds saw the bed
in Mrs. Phillips cell vacant The ma
tron then discovered the sawed and
twisted bars and notified the jailer
The former chorus girl who three
weeks ago was found guilty of what
officials declared to be one of the mosE
brutal murders they have had to try.
effected her liberty with tragic sud
denness equal to that which the ham
mer Staying was revealed last July.
1t is believed she escaped in an auto
mobile.
Bars Carefully Sawed
Close examination of the cell win
dow and the sawed bars, failed to re-
veal any trace of the saw filings This,
lead to opinion by investigators that,
the bars may have been sawed through
several days prior to the escape Tues
day.
Orders were issued by Sheriff W. J.
Traeger TO bring into his office all
persons connected with the hammer
murder IN order to trace all plans of
the jail break All sheriff deputies
were called in and posses rushed out.
Mrs Phillips had several hours
start before the sheriff's office placed
drag net throughout southern Cali
fornia All southern California cities
have been notified and authorities at
the border warned in time. the sheriff
believed. to prevent the fugitive reach
ing Mexico,
Deputy sheriffs were sent out Tues
day to interview Madalynne Obegchain.
released from jail Monday night, after
Dismissal of the case involving the
charge of murder of J. Bolton Kenne
dy She occupied an adjoining cell TO
Mrs. Phillips. Officers also were dis
patched to interview Ola Weaver and
Eta Jackson. sisters of the escaped
chorus girl slayer, and TO locate II
possible her husband. Armour Phillips.
Fled Barefooted
Three steel bars across the window
in Mrs. Phillips cell were found TO be
neatly sawed through. There were
evidences that she climbed through the
window and walked across the roof in
her bare feet
She was last seen at . a. m. when
the matron. Mrs. J. n. Fisher. entered
the cell on the round Of examination
just before she retired for the night
She said that all was quiet at that time
and the prisoner was apparently
asleep.
Mrs Phillips was convicted OF
murder in the second degree on Novem
Der is.
Mrs Meadows was slain July l. last
on a lonely drive in the outskirts OF
Los Angeles where she had driven in
her own automobile with Mrs. Phillips
and Mrs. Peggy Cafe, both ex-chorus
girls. Her head had been beaten with
a hammer and large rock had been
hurled upon her body.
The next day Armour T.. Phillips.
husband of Mrs. Phillips, went TO the
office and made a statement,
after which Mrs. Phillips was arrested
at Tucson. Ariz.. where she was taken
from train bound from Los Angeles
TO Ell paso, Tex. About the same time
Mrs. Cafe went TO the police station
and told detectives Mrs. Phillips killed
Mrs Meadows in a quarrel over Phil
lips. She said Mrs. Phillips accused
Mrs, Meadows of accepting gifts from
Philips and when this was denied, at
tackled her alleged rival with the
hammer.
Defense of Insanity
4 defense of insanity wss oresented
for Mrs. Phillips. but she also went on
the witness stand and said it was Mrs
,'affe who first struck Mrs. Meadows
She declared that her own mind
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