Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-12-06
WOMAN ESCAPES
AFTE R SAVING
8 PRISON BARS
Mrs. Clara Phillips, Under a
Penitentiary Sentence at
: Los Angeles, Found Miss
ing by Matron

Los Angeles, Dec. 5.--Armour Il,
Phillips, whose wife, Clara Phillips,
convicted murderess, escaped from
the Los Angeles county Jail last
night, appeared mt the office OF her
attorney late today and sent word
10 the sheriff's office he was ready
10 be interviewed about the escape.
Phillips later made statement
in which he said he knew nothing
about the escape or where his wife
had gone, lie gave a detailed ac-
count OF his movements for the
past Is hours.
Los Angeles. Dec. 5.-Mrs. Clara
Phillips, a young woman under
sentence to serve 10 years to life
imprisonment in the state peniten-
tiary for the murder Of Mrs. AL
berta Meadows, early today es-
capped from the Los Angeles county
jail. The escape was so well plan
ned and quietly executed that II
remained unknown for more than
six hours.
Mrs. Phillips, after effecting her
escape with the aid of three or four
persons outside the Jail, apparently
went in an automobile, with those
who aided her, and disappeared
from sight.
Steel Bars Sawed
Three steel bars guarding the
window in her cell were sawed
through from the inside. Then a
square of heavy mesh netting was
cut out, and through the two foot
opening thus formed, the young
woman climbed out and made ller
way over adjacent roofs of other
parts of the jail, down through a
trap door, and out to where liberty
and an automobile awaited her.
The sheriff despatched deputies
to points along the western part Of
the northern boundary Of Mexico. !
He also caused the main roads !
out of Southern California to be
guarded placed guards at every
depot to scrutinize outgoing pas
sengers, telegraphed descriptions Of |
the woman and her husband to
nearby peace officers and person
ally led search of those places to |
which it was believed the woman !
might have fled.
Investigation at the Jail indi-
Gated that at least three persons
had aided the woman. Her quar-
ters were on the third floor of the
old Jail building and she occupied
a tank cell overlooking a roof of
an auxiliary structure, a story low
or. Footprints and other marks on
this roof led the deputies who in
vestigated that angle of the escape
to announce that at least two per-
sons aided her on the roof, and
that one or two more awaited them
in an automobile at the street level
The Los Angeles county jail
stands in the main business section
of the city. 1t is within a block of
the federal building, where postal
activities are continuous. Street
cars pass along one side, even in
the quiet hours of the night; taxi
cabs and automobiles ply over the
street. There are always jailers
and matrons on duty and a glare
Of street lamps surrounds it.
The sheriff announced that a
Of persons who were con-
nected with the trial of Mrs. Phil
lips would he sought TO throw what
light they could on the escape, and :
Harry karst, a defense witness,
was the first to appear at the sher-
ifs office.
karst told the officers that at
the request Of Armour Phillips,
husband of Mrs. Phillips, he had
picked the latter up yesterday at
the home Of Mrs. Phillips sisters,
and had brought him down town
and left him at a garage. He said .
he had not seen Phillips since. !
Visited Mrs. Phillips \
Authorities were unable to locate :
Armour Phillips until tonight.
The matron on duty at the time of :
the escape was Mrs. L. u. Fisher. :
long member of the Jail staff. She /
said she visited Mrs. Phillips in her
cell at about $50 last night, found !
her in bed and complaining of i'll
ness. Mrs. Fisher said she then
returned to the matron's quarters q
about 25 feet from the door of !
Mrs. Phillips cell. She said during lc