Earl Phillips was married by twenty, separated by twenty-one and divorced by twenty-three. In February 1959 he and Jim Nelson were fined $10 after they were found drunk, stripped to the waist and fighting on East Washington street at 4 o’clock in the morning; in April 1959 he was beaten by three unidentified men on Kurtz street, near the Morella dairy bar; and in March 1961 he was involved in a fist fight with Patsy DeFrank in Dempsey’s bar on East Washington street.
The incident involving assault and battery that resulted in his mug shot being taken in 1958, when he was twenty-four, is not recorded.
Sources: New Castle News (2 July 1955, “Notice”; 9 April 1957, “On Court House Hill”; 3 Feb 1959, “On Court House Hill”; 21 April 1959, stub; 30 March 1961, “Counter-Charges Filed”
Small Town Noir 
Interesting way to have found a picture for the family tree. For anyone looking Earl died in Cook County, IL back in 1988.
Glad to have been able to supply a picture — I hope it wasn’t too much of a shock to come across him on a website full of mug shots… And thanks for the information about his date of death.
Surprise yes, but I had read the stories in the paper long ago. I remember him well, and even though he sounds rough and tough, he was a gentle hearted man, who had very bad mojo for picking the ladies and his company. Hence, the reason he was married, separated, and divorced in such a short span. He was also in the military during that time. I will be looking to see who else you may uncover. Thank you, again.