The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-12-05
Famous Woman MurdereSs
Saws Her Way Out of Jail.
Escape Not Discovered Until
Lapse of Several Hours.
HELP FROM INMATES INSIDE7
All Persons Connected With
Case VIII Be Questioned.
Was Held in Jail Pending FOr-
mutation of Her Appeal.

Long Beach, Dec. 5.-A fur scarf
similar to that worn by Clara Phil
lips during her trial and believed to
have been in her possession at the
time of her escape from the Los An
geles county Jail was found today in
an abandoned automobile here. Au-
thorities here stated a theory that she
may have put to sea in a motor boat
or may be hiding here.
Los Angeles, Dec 5.-Clara Phil
lips climbed out of a window in the
women'S section of the county Jail and
escaped early today. She was under q.
sentence of 10 years to life imprison-
ment after conviction for the hammer
murder of Alberta Meadows. She was
held in the jail pending formulation
of an appeal.
With the aid of several steel saws
her escape was effected at a. m. ac-
cording to a report to the sheriff by
the jailer. Bars were sawed thru and
after. crawling out the window she
dropped to the roof of an adjoining
building, climbing down the fire es-
cape and disappeared.
Discovered by Matron.
The escape was not discovered by
Jail authorities for several hours. The
matron, in making rounds, saw the
bed in Mrs. Phillips cell vacant and
then upon discovering the sawed and
twisted bars. notified the jailer.
The former chorus girl who three
weeks ago was found guilty of what
prosecuting officials declared to be one
OF the most brut. l murders they have
had to try, effected her liberty with
a tragic suddenness equal to that which
the hammer Staying was revealed last
July. 1t is believed she escaped in
an automobile.
Close examination of the cell win
dows and the sawed bars failed to re-
veal any trace of the saw filings. This
led to opinion by investigators that
the bars may have been sawed thru
several days prior to the escape to-
day.
Orders were issued by Sheriff w. I.
Traeger to bcing into his office all
persons connected with the hammer
murder.
All sheriff deputies were called in
and posses spread in all directions.
All southern California cities have
been notified and authorities at the
border warned in time the sheriff be-
lieves, to prevent the fugitive reach
ing Mexico.
Deputy sheriffs were sent out today
to interview Madalynne Obenchain,
released from Jail last night, after dis
missal of the case involving the charge
of murder of J. Bolton Kennedy.
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
POSSADASI itI huSDdIlOt Armour Pnll-
lips.
Three steel bars across the window
in Mrs. Phillips cell were found to
be neatly sawed thru. There were
evidences that she climbed thru the
window and walked across the roof In
bare feet.
She was last seen at a. m, when
the matron, Mrs J. d. Fisher, entered
the cell on a round of examination.
Deputy Sheriff Couts, on night duty
at the Jail. said that when he went Off
duty. about l a. m, he saw a closed
automobile standing at the curb near
the main jail entrance.
Deputy Furnishes q CIeg.
A deputy sheriff notified the sher-
ifs office today that he saw a Wo-
man resembling Clara Phillips and a
man answering the description of her
husband in an automobile at 10
o'clock N the southwest residence sec
ton about five miles from the Jail.
Deputy sheriffs reported that Philips
packed up all his belongings yesterday
and left the place where he had been
stOpping