New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-05
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
AN ASSASSIN FOH.ED.

4 COURT OFFICER ATTEMPTS To SHOOT DEPUTY
CONTROLLER PARIE--UNPAtD CLAIMS HIs GRfEv-
ANCR--IIIsroRY or THR wouLD-BE MURpERfR.
A daring but unsuccessful attempt was made
yesterday to kill Deputy Controller Abraham l. Lafe III
the main Office Of the Finance Department on the second
floor Of the County County Courthouse Inc assai
ant was james Duffy, who IL i3 years OF age and re-
sdes az the Boulevard and One hundred spdhfthst lie
has been employed by sheriff Conner since JAM ], 1879
TO drive the van which conveys prisoners from the
Tombs 20 the Courts of Oyer and Terniiner
and General Sessions. when NJ T. Bren-
nan Was Sheriff he furnished the horses
for and 10 receive 800 per month for this
He cls,ns that for portion Of 1872 aud 1873 there Re
st him 81 100 ON several occasions he has called
Oh the Controller and Deputy Controller and asked for
payment and has received he claims no satisfaction
He called at the Mayors Office on Friday last 10 epocs'or
10 obtain redress he informed that tho Mayor
could not interfere in a matter of this kind
Yesterday Duffy went to the Controllers once ana
loered around the entrance He asked Officer DAVIS OF
the 28h Precinct, who duty there, u the ION
troiler was expected arrive soon, and repeated ue
question eeveral times The officer told him the oon'oF
Ter WIS not In. and finally Duffy walked into the mann
office aud aceospg Deputy Controller Earle, asked what
progress had been made toward the payment OF bis
claim Mr. Earle told him TO call agoin that he had not
time 70 converse with him The subject and turned TO
leave the Office accompanied by Thomas g. Sanford al
acquaintance. Duffy was understood by MI Esric 10
CAV THAT won't do words 10 that eAoot and OF once
drawing q Smith wesson revolver be cooked II ana
aimed it full Mr. Earo's head and pulled the trigger
The weapon was not discharged, aud MI Eare
ran IN the outer corridor, pursued by Duffy Find
ing that the latter gaining on him. hr'
Earle turned and grapped with his assaiiant ana e
latter sgsn snapped the pistol ard again failed 10 eA
pLde The pair struggled aud fell, and MI SANFORD an"
WIN H. Ricketts, Cier OF the supreme Court seized puhy'
whopOnted his weapon as them. Oncer DAVE also Came
MD lust Al this time and the assaiant was secured and
Che pieto taken from him Duty was taken 10 the Sy
Hall pclice station. He spoke rather incohereny ana
declared that II he got ont OF that difficulty ne wouio
@go for the Controller" The weapon used by Duhy was
q small seven-ohanbered smith Wesson revolver
Three Of the chambers empty and four loaded An
examination showed that csch time that Duffy attempted
70 DISCHARGE the weapon The hammer struck an empty
chamber, and u this fact MI EaIie prou
Ably owes his life. The news OF the attssK
on the Deputy Controller spread through the
various departments with great rapidity and was the
topic OF conversation tor the remember OF the day In
the afternoon Duffy taken before Justice Sherwood
81 the Toombs Controller Green, Deputy Controller
Earle, Auditor Jackson, and several witnesses OF the
assault present Deputy Controller Earle made
formal oompaint retn2 in brief the circumstances OF
the attempt his life, and The prisoner was committed
80 await trial. in default OF 5000 bail While IN Inc
ststion-house Duffy vas very communicative He sad
that had applied several times TO the Controller aud
Deputy Controller 70 know when his claim was hkeiy 20
were suffering accOunt Of the refusal Of the Controller
10 paw his claim He asserted that he remembered nothing
OF the attempted shooting OF Mr. Earle He added that lie
was not in tie habit Of carrying pistol tut knowing
that be had dangerous prisoners IN take from lne
Touhs 10 the Court he had borrowed the pistol from
Can't HcClOsiey, who commended the court ofcels lie
Adns that he had drunk to excess during Monday night
and Yesterday morning and he had the appearance OF
having done 80 when Ia the station house and before me
magistrate. Duffy that be Joined the Hetropolitan
Police IN August 1857, and served In the Fourteenth
rreciuct uuti beginning Of the Of the Rebellion
when he Joined the lst New-York Cavalry, and
gradually rose 10 the rank OF hrstheutenant.
regiment which for time attached 10 the Metro
pOlitan Brigade raised under the auspices or the police
force of this city aftorward known as the l4h New
York Cavalry and served with II major At the close
Of the war again Oined the police force and served IN
she Thirty Precinct until retired account OF phvsi
cal disability Since that tune he hls been In the ell-
plOyment Of Shertfis Brennan End Conner.
controller Earle says that Duty has AZ present
valid claim against the city and county for the hire OF
his fheT1h Brennan charged the county II 20
each prisoner conveyed 30 the courts from the TOmbs
and tie Particularly Sheriff Brennan has suits now
beorp the for the recovery Of these claims the
courts decide that his claims legal the Controller VIII
paw n the touTts decide adversely 70 Sheriff Bren-
nan then Duly would have claim against the CITY
The assertion Of Duty that he family are IN want MT
Earle believe for the reason that Duy mas been
paid monthly by Sheriff Conner, and there Is now IN
the FINANCE Department warrant Tor W.,
services alleged 10 have been rendered by Duny as
Constable ia the Court Oyer and Torminer during the
month Of March, Duffy in the TOmhs Police Court denied
that the warrant intended for him. hut II Ia alleged
that his signature the warrant corresponds Wth tnat
on Others On file In the Finance Department.