Star.
London, England, 1813-08-04 00:00:00

1 THE LifTE MURDER OFE. CLIFFORD.

Yesterday the further investigation of the murder
of Edward Clifford, perpetrated at the bottom of
Grey's Inn-lane, on Sunday, the 25th uk. was pro-
ceeded in, at the Police Office,. Hatton garden. But
befor: we ewer into the evidence that was taken be-
fore the Magistrates, we hate to correct the state- '
meta given in our Paper of yesterday relative to the
confession of James Leary. It was there stated rl►at;
he had made a full and open confession of the
der ; that he had informed Mr. Adkins, the Gover-
nor of Cold Batli,fields Prison, where he had deposi-
ted the money of which the deceased had been rubbed,
and of other particulars. The follow irg
is of a very different description : he therein accuses
the unfortunate widow of the deceased of having
committed the horrid deed, and says that he was only
a witness of the barbarous act :
JAMES LEARY'S CONFESSION.
" August 1.
a On Sunday morning, between three and four
o'clock, Edward Clifford came to my lodgings, and
called me up. I got up, and opened the door, and
asked him what business he had nut so early in the
morning ? He told me he did not go home—that he
did not want to go in sight of his wife—but wanted
to get away on the Sunday night if he could. Sa) s
he—' I shall lay myself down here and sleep a little;'
I then laid three chai►s together, and put some wrap-
, pets on them : he the:► Lid himself down, and I put
my great coat over bi). lie shpt there for two or
three hours, and then got up, and asked me if I
would go with him to her house, to get his clothes
which she had got locked up, and to request her to
give_ him them. I did not go with him. He theft _
went away himself, I believe between eight and nine
o'clock. A little while after he was gone, his wife,
accompanied by William Slattery, came to out house
to enquire after him, and them they stopped talk►ng
till he came back, which was, I think, between n►ne
and ten. When Clifford came up stairs, WiUiaat
Slattery was sitting opposite the door, and his wife
went behind it ; he did not see her t►ll she took hold
of him, pulled him in, and shut the door : she locked
the door, and said that he should not leave her. They
' quarrelled together, and he said it was of no use, as
he would go back to Ireland. He then offered her a
silk handkerchief, which he said he gave 9s. tor, if
she would let him have his great coat : she would
neither have it, nor give him his great coat. He then
opened the window, and was going to throw himself
out, but she caught hold of him, and held him fast
till the window was pulled down. After his wishing
the door to be opened, my wife opened it, and he WAS
going down stairs, Clifr:rd's wife snatched at his hat,
and pulled it off his head ; he then went away. She
said she was determined to go after him, and asked if
we would buy what things she had to sell Between
five and six o'clock in the afternoon, I and my wife'
went to their lodgings, with an intention of buying
the beds and other things they had to sell. Cliff,,rd,
his wife, and children, and Slattery, were there at the
time we went in they were getting their dinner
ready, and she asked Slattery to fetch half a gallon
of beer, for which she gave him the money bet re he
went out ; and, as he was going out, I said I thought
he had better bring a gallon, and I would pay him
for the .other half gallon. We all dined togetht r, ex-
cept Clifford, who drank with us. They seemed to
agree with each other, and we did not say a word
about buying the beds, &c. All the time we were in
the room, Cliff ,rd kept by the dour, holding a shoe-
maker's hammer in his hand.

ig When I and my wife agreed about returning
home, he went down stairs before us ; I met some
acquaintance, and they asked me to go with them : I
said no. Then my wife and I went down, and I met
some friend; (Michael Harrington and his wife) ;
we talked together a little, and we agreed to go to
Griffiths's public-house, which is in Church-street.
We had four or five pots of beer together; Clifford
came in tfter us, and partook of the beer ; my wife
was nearly tipsy, and she wanted to go home. We
then went, and Clifford said he wbuld convey us part
of the way. As he was coming along, he complained
that he was hungry, and was sorry he did not eat
some at dinner. l svid to him, if you come along
home with me, I will give you something to eat.
Accordingly he did, and he had slim bread, mear,
and cabbage: as near as I can judge it was about
nine o'clock. %V.:len he had done eating, his wife
came in, and they began quarrelling again directly.
,Then Ciiffird, his wife, and I, went out, and called
at a gin-shop, tin, corner of Union-court, and had two
glassesof gin; I had one, Clifford had one, shehad none.
We then went to the Union Arms, Union-court, and
had a pot of beer. I sat between them, and acciden-
tally hit my left elbow against her, and felt signething
hard like a piece of stick ; I took no notice of it. We
went out then into Holborn, and came up towards
St. Giles's : as we came near Gray's-inn-lace, she
complained of being ill ; that she did ILA with to go
against all the people up Holborn, as they would be
pushing against her, and she requested Clifford to
come another way, as they would hair a better op. •
portunity of going through the squares home. We
came to Gray's-inn-gate, when I think the watchman .
was crying ten o'clock, where I thought they were
going through ; and I said, It h almost time for me
to be going home, and I wish you a rod night,
Mary.'--• No,' says she, am very ill, and lor GOD'S
sake come along with us a little farther, for if I am
taken Worse, this man will be of no use to me, as he
knows nothing.' I went along with them, and she
turned down into the brick-fields in Gray's-inn-lane ;
and as we were going through the field, they began
• to quarrel again; and he said he should be gone in
the night—that he would not stop by any means. In '
about five minutes afterwards, she slipped her cloak
off her head, and took the hammer from her side, and
struck him on the head : he fell immediately, and
began to bleed directly ; and, when down, she
struck him two or three times, and said, Hah 1 in
my sight.' Then I moved a little nearer, and looked
at him, and saw the blood flowing from him. I said,
Now, Mary, lam hung as well as you.' She did
not speak to me afterwards. I lett her with the de.
ceased, and I walked away, right across.the field,
and made my way home as well as I could—l think
about eleven o'clock : my wife was fast asleep in bed,
and I undressed and got into bed. About three
o'clock in the gorning, Mary Clifford came up to
our door, and asked, g Are you at home, Mr. Leary r
I got up and opened the door : being stark naked, I
get into bed directly. She did not come into the

I

(Arno nor speak one word, but, I suspect, put this
anninter just within the-door, as I left it on Saturday
niaja At the end of my box, which is on the other tide
of the ; she went down stairs again without
speaking one word. I thought she would have come
in. When I got up, I found the hammer just lay the
door, which made me suspect she bad put it there--
At halt-past five I went to work, and took this ham-
met' with me, and a pair of lines I had in the house;
Is-ook them with me into the shed, when I went to
work. I came home to breakfast at eight o'clock,
when my wife said Mary Clifford had been there, en-
quiring after her husband. I went to work again ;
• and, returning at twelve o'clock to dinner, I met my
wife at the end of Nevr.court, Saffron-hill, and she
said, • Oh. Jem ! Ned was murdered (or killed) last
night,' I don't know which ; I think she said, she
hoped Thad no hand in it: I said, • Well, if lie is, it
can't be helped' After dinner, I went again to work, till
about three o'clock, when the officers took me away.
The great coat I had on when the murder was com-
mitted, my s ife bought of Dennis Martin; it was not
paid for ; there might be some blood on it, for aught
I know, as the blood spirted.from him ; I threw the
great coat off when I got home, and have not seen it
since that time, except at the office in. Hattim-garden.
(Signed) •• JAMES LEARY."
The prisoner Leary being put to the bar, the first
witness examined was
Thomas Mar:hall, of Upper King-street, Blooms.
bury, who deposed to the tellowing effect :—•' On
Monday, the 26th instant, ;Abut four o'clock in the
morning, pissing through the brick •field where the
.murder was said to be committed, I observed a mas-
euline-louking woman, with a blue gown and. black
head-dress, sauntering about. between the pit where
the body was discovered and Hunter-street.., When
first I saw her she might be about thirty yards from
the pit, I afterwards saw her go towards Gray's Inn-
lane I think I should- know her again, as she was
not above twelve yards distant from me ; what made
Me rake such particular notice is, afterwards hearing
of the murder, it made an impression on my mind."
Here Mr. Ttoerota, the Magistrate, ordered him to
go out to where Mary. Clifford (the wife of the de-
ceased) was, that he might see.whether l,e thought
she was the woman.

On his return, be said, " she was by no means like
the woman." He then, by Mr. l'ottoN's direc-
tion, went out to look at Leary's wife, and on his re-
turn, said, " neither is She like the woman."

William Broushion, a brickmaker, deposed to the
finding of the body in a pool of water, and spoke of
the wound at the back of the deceased's head, and of
the cut over his eye-brow. He saw some blood about
three yards from the pond, where the deceased was
found and his man, Daniel Brewer, found some
brains on the spot.

Daniel BMW?", another heck-maker, resident at
No. 1, Paradise street, Battle-bridge, was sworn, anal
said, " I was at my work on that morning, it might
be about a quarter-past five o'clock ; I heard the List
witness call outs thete was a man drowned in the
pond. I ran up, and found bim hauling tip the boa;
out of the water I assisted him, and after the Lody
was up, I put my hand down the breast, and it was
quite cold. I then went to the Fcrundling, and
brought up the Foundling watchman. When I came
back, I assisted in wheeling the body in a barrow to
the sign of the Prince Regent. I afterwards exa-
mined about the pit, and I saw, about nine yards
from the pond, a spot that appeared to me to be the
place where the murder was committed ; there being
some bhod and brains thereon, and holes in the turf,
appearing as the impression of a hammer, or such
inbtrument, that might have missed the blows in-
tended to be struck at the head."
itobert Shuttlmorih, another brick-maker, said, he
was at work in the brick-field, and went to assist
Broughton and Brewer. He acquainted his master,
Mr. Adams, who d.rected him to take the body to 'Mr.
Price's the s;gn of the Prince Regent, in Sidmouth-
street, it being the next pnblic-house. He tried the
pockets of the deceased before the last witneses,and all
they contained was three halfpence, f: •.r buttons, and
two small iron nails. He saw blood and brains on the
grotaki, and three holes, as if struck with an instru-
ment i'vi.ll intent to strike the head, but missing and
falling on the ground. Tht holes apTeared about the
width of a half-penny, and about two inches deep.—
Ile.picked up a part of the brains on a plantain leaf,
and carried it to the public house, and laid it on one
side of the head of the corpse.
litillitnn Price, the landlord of the Prince Regent
pub;ic house, proved that the body was brought to his
house about half past five o clock, accompanied by
their master, Mr. Adams.

Mr. Sanwel Stephens Um" Surgeon, professionally
described the two wounds, and was of opinion, that
they were indicted by a heavy instrument, and with
the corner of it.
There were three hammers produced, Ist, the
shoe-maker's hammer ; 2d, a ripping hammer, which
is used by bricklayers; and 3d, a small hammer,
such as carpenters use to drive nails ; the first of
those was that produced on the Inquest,,which the
Surgeon did not think of sufficient weight to inflict
the w.qinds on the back part of the head.
Mr. Hahion, the master of Leary, attended, anti-!
said, the largt,t hammer of the three was his; it had
been in his service, and used ever since the murder ;
he did not miss it from his yard.
This hammer Leary, the prisoner, says, is the one
with which Mrs. Clifford committed the murder, and
that he brought it home from his master's yard on
the Saturday night, and took it back OR the Monday
mot ning.
Tin shoemaker's hammer WaS produced, and is the
same that was found under the coals in Leary's
room ; the third hammer is much the smaller of the
three, and the only one with blood on it, and the one
the bricklayers spoke of as most likely to have made
the holes in the earth.
At this period of the business the worthy 'Magis-
trate, Mr. Thaws, wished to adjourn the proceed-
ings Omit nest week.
M. BOURKE% a respectable wine-merchant, who
had been present during the greater part of. the pro-
ceedings, came fot ward and informel Mr. Tuarow,
that he was sh:Futed by a party of Gentlemen to in-
fo=rm him, th.it they had entered into a subscription
for the widow of Clkfrord, and at present it amounted

ee nearly *5O t that the persons whom be wpresentecl
were exceedingly anxious that this sum should be pro.
perly applied, and for that purpose he had called on
the Magistrates for their advice.
Mr. TURTON politely informed Mr. Bountte, that
this horrid transaction was yet involved in pleat mys-
tery, and begged him tar the present to withhold his
assistance, and that he (Mr. Turton) would under-
, takep see the widow and children taken proper care
of, though, for certain reasons, he believed he must
I,e under the necessity of placing Mrs. Clifford under
the eye of those on whom he could depend.
Leary's confession was then read over by.tbe Ma-
, gistrate,.but not publicly.
Mary Clifford, the unfortunate widow of the de.
ceased, was then called in. From the nature of the
charge, it became the bounden duty of the Magis.
trate to commit her, which, with the greatest tender-
ness, he planned in the following manner Address.
ing the prisoner, " Nuw, my good woman, as your
husband is dead, and your money taken away, and
yourself so near your time, I would advise you to go
where I can give you ;n alder to lie in, (meaning
the House of Correction ). This Gentleman, Mr.
Adkins, will take good ca e of you ; you kali want
for nothing, and Maur children shall be talc% care of,
and have liberty to see you as often as you like.—
Here is also the Doctor (Mr. Webb), who will look
to you. • You will go along with these Gentlemen."
The poor wom:.n begged to be let remain at home
with her children, particularly as some good Ladies
had taken cou:fortable lodgings for her to lie-in, and
promised to provide for her.
Mr. Totems observed, that he hoped the
would soon arrive, when both she and her children
would receive the assistance of such kind-hearted and
charitable Christians as those in que ition ; but for
the present he, hoped she would comply uith his
request.
She was then committed in the manner ab-ve stated,
Leary's confession not having been communicated to
hear, for fear of the effect it might have upon her in her
present state ; and the prisoner was ordered to be
brought up on a furors: day for farther examination.
The Governor of the House of Correction is order-
ed to read Leary's confession to Mrs. Clifford, but
with caution and tenderness, to observe what effect
•it may have upon her, ani to learn from her the
names of such witnesses as may be necessary for her
defence, to prove her being at home from eleven
o'clock on the night the murder was committed, till
near four o'clock in the morning, when she said she
went to Leary's roam.
One of the Overseers of the parish of St. Pancras
attended, and promised the chosiren should be taken
proper care of during the whole examination.—The
unfortunate woman has five children, the eldest under
twelve, and is ready to lie in at a sixth, all of whom
she has had by a husband with whom she has lived
on good terms.—The behaviour of tne poor woman,
during the whole of the examination, was such as
produced the impression of her being perfectly inno.
cent, of the atannina!de charge.

MAnenottouen-STREET. —An elderly miserable-
looking woman was charged with having stolen an
unfinished frock from a child, on Lisson-green, Pad-
dington, and with stripping another child near the
same spot. This practice has of late been carried
on to a very great extent. The children were of
hard-working parents, and one of them was on her
way to school on Monday morning when the priso-
• nor accosted her, pretended to know her, and de-
coyed her out of. the sight of any person, where she
gave her a halfpenny to go back and buy some cher-
ries. The child had an unfinisht.l frock in her hand
to work upon at schoul:which the prisoner took from I
her until she should return with the fruit, but she had
made off with the frock.—The next case adduced
against the prisoner was by the parents of a child be-
tween three and four years old. l'he child was play.
ing on Lisson-grcen when the prisoner accosted her,
and by the same sort of stratagem of buying fruit
she decoyed her away. The child was missing, but
no tidings could be had of her, until she found her
way home, literally stripped naked, with the excep-
tion of her chemise. The prismer was lurking about
the neighbourhood in the evening, when she was iden-
tified by the child from whom she had taken the unfi-
nished frock, and confese:d her guilt. Lyall, a con-
stable, searched the prisoner's lodgings in Mitcham.
street, and found various other articles of children's
apparel, which had, no doubt, been obtained in a si-
milar manner, and the offender was remanded till
Saturday, to give others an opportunity of identify.
ing the property so found.
GUILDIJALL.—Yesterday, a woman of the name
of Wood, charged J. Maddox, a cheese-monger, with
wounding her severely. She said she went to Mad-
dox's shop, and put her finger on a piece of bacon,
when he drew round his knife, with which he was
cutting out a piece, and almost severed her hand
from her arm. Maddox declared it was done quite
accidentally, and expressed his willingness to make
the woman a compensation ; to arrange the amount
of which the parties retired tpgether.
HERTFORD Assises.--The Home Circuit com-
menced at Hertford, on Monday last. The Calendar
contains only the most trivial offences, and on the
Civil Side the business is much less interesting than
it has been for many years. There are only ten causes
entered for trial, and of these only one was of the least
interest : two only were tried.