The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-05-29
Hammer Slayer
Returning to Pen
of Own Free Will
Clara Phillips Waived Offer
of Freedom to Begin Bat
tie for Vindication in
United States.
By UniyersaI Service.

Aboard S. S. Copan, En- Route From
Puerto Cortes, Honduras. to New Or
leans. May 2S.-Withln few hours
Clara Phillips. hammer murderess,
will be on American soil She is re
turning voluntarily to pay the penalty
for the murder of Alberta Meadows
having refused at the last moment to
accept her freedom in Honduras. i.
Every pound of steam in the
Copan's boilers is being used in an
attempt to reach the quarantine sta
river before midnight tonight. so the
journey to New Orleans may be re
sumed early Tuesday morning. In
case the vessel puts in after midnight,
the arrival at the Louisiana port will
be delayed until noon.
Aboard this ship. a Cuyamel Fruit
company boat, Is the entire Los An
geles party. composed of Clara Phil
lips, her baby sister," Mrs. Eta Mae
Jackson: Under Sheriff and Mrs.
Eugene Biscailuz and Deputy Sheriff
Walter Hunter.
fptttabh A-fit ptihfbs
Only Jesse Carsen. the erstwhile
protector" OF the fugitive slayer. was
left behind. He Is in the penitentiary
at Tegucigalpa, under investigation
involving alleged revolutionary plots
against the Honduras government.
Dramatic in its every phase was
the departure of the tiger woman"
and her American guards from Puerto
Cortes Saturday morning. For "a
hours before the actual embarkation
it appeared as IL the 10 900 mile chase
for Clara was doomed to end in com
nlete failure.
Freedom was in the fugitiye's grasp
had she cared 10 take IT, But, be.
lieving that she will be able to con-
vince the people Of the United States
and the California courts-that she
was unjustly convicted. Clara is com.
ing back Of her own free Will. to begin
desperate battle for liberty and vim.
dication.
Just before her departure from
Puerto Cortes. Clara signed an af.
fdavlt saying that she waived ex.
tradition proceedings and was willing
to return TO the United States Of her
own solition. The affidavit was sworn
to before American Consul George p.
Shaw This action was the climax
Of "a hours OF heart-breaking anxiety
for the Los Angeles officers. who
knew that Clara had been offered her
freedom.
New Facts Revealed.
Now that she Is out of Honduras,
facts can be revealed that were i'm
possible to tell before on account Of
the strict government censorship over
dispatches. II is now possible to dis.
close how Clara. according TO her own
statements. preferred to return to her
native country and face life term
in San Quentin penitentiary rather
than remain In Honduras as the mis-.
tress Of high Honduran official who
fell in love with her.
So influential was this man at the
very last moment. when the party
was boarding a launch TO be taken TO
the steamer Copan, the small boat
Was neld up while Clara was given a
last opportunity to remain behind. a
free woman. a native police officer,
with several guards. delivered the
message and told the fugitive that the
order for her release issued by the
llonduran supreme court was in his
possession.
While the rest waited IN almost
agonizing suspense for Claras de.
cision, tho prisoner herself fought. in
that brief moment. one Of the sternest
battles Of her life. Finally. she said.
in voice choking with emotion:
Tell Senior - that | thank him
but will not sacrifice my honor for
my freedom. I'm going back to the
United States and right myself in tho
eyes OF the world
Copyright, fa2a)