Evening star., 1934-04-26
WOUNDED WOMAN
LINKED WITH GUN
FIGHT IN CAPITAL
Victim of Darby, Pa, Shoot
ing Says She Was Kid
naped From D.. C.
FRIENDSHIP WITH SLAIN
GUNMAN ESTABLISHED
Police Believe She May Be Sub.
ject of Photograph Found
on W. B. Phillips.

A 3l-year-old woman, who declared
she was kidnapped from Washington
to prevent her from telling what she
knew about the recent police Staying
of William B. Phillips, an escaped
District Reformatory prisoner, was
found critically wounded early today
on the steps of a house in Darby, Pa.
The woman, according to Associated
Press dispatches from Darby, a sub
urb of Philadelphia, described Phillips,
who was shot in gun battle with
Policeman John A. Cation at Adams
Mill road and Ontario place on April
II, was a friend of hers.
Possibility that she may have been
the one whose photograph-auto-
graphed ITO My Yankee Sweetheart"
was found in Phillips pocket was
seen by Washington detectives, who
Joined Justice Department agents and
Philadelphia police in an intensive
hunt for members of "a dangerous
underworld gang"
Detectives to Quiz Woman.
Immediately on receipt of word of
the Darby shooting. Inspector Frank
S. w. Burke, chief of detectives. sent
Detective Sergts Floyd Truscott and
Elmer Lewis to Philadelphia with in
structions to question the woman as
extensively as her condition would
permit.
Police said the woman named her
assailant. A warrant was issued for
his arrest, but authorities refused to
reveal his name
The woman's condition was so
serious that blood TRANSMISSION was
performed. Policeman Philip Buhley
was the donor
Authorities said she gave them a
detailed statement describing the at
tack. The warrant charged assault
and battery with intent to kill.
Identity of the woman was not
definitely esta blished. but Philadelphia
police said she was known in Darby
as either Mary or Elizabeth Fontaine.
An attractive brunette, she was
sprawled on the steps, screaming.
I'm dying" She was clad only in
paJamas.
Outside the house, which the wo-
man and two men had occupied since
few days after tie Phillips killing,
police found an automobile with blood
stained cushions. Inside the house, the
Associated Press reported, were a
loaded pistol and a shotgun, neither
Of which appeared to have been fired
recently.
The woman, according to Philadel-
phia police. asserted the men took her
to Darby two or three days after their
escape from Washington.
See Murder Attempt.
Although there were some indica-
tions the woman may have shot her.
self, most investigators were inclined
to believe her companions had at
tempted to murder her.
She was shot in her bed-possibly
while asleep-the .38-caliber bullet
piercing her chest and passing
through the mattress. The slug was
found on the floor, beneath the bed,
and trail Of blood led from the room
to the steps on which she was found.
Investigators offered the opinion
the woman'S assailants tried to make
their getaway in the car parked out
side, but changed their minds, locked
the doors and fled in another ma
chine or afoot.
Police quoted the woman as saying
her abductors were known to her as
Red Nichols and Robert Mays.
Since no police records could be found
for those names, however, it was
thought the men may have been the
two who were with Phillips at the time
he was slain. One of Phillips COM
panions was identified from photo
graphs on file at police headquarters
here as William Davis, ss-year-old
safe-cracker and escaped District Re-
formatory prisoner.
Investigators said they had learned
Phillips companions had been hiding
out" in Darby. but, until this morn
ing's shooting, had been unable to
learn the address of the "hide-out."