The New York herald., 1879-12-14
SERGEANT FANNING'S AsSAILANTS.

LIVERPOOL JACK AND DENNIS GILLESPIE
HELD YoR OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES CRIMINAL
RECORDS REHEARsED..
Dennis Gillespie. alias James Murphy" and John
Connors handcufed together and looking every inch
the desperadoes they are charged with being. were
arragned before ustice Murray. in the Fifty
Street Police Court yesterday. In their onslaught
upon Sergeant Fauning. when that officer was shot
down and severely handled. they had themselves
escaped with but little injury. and Justice Murray.
commenting their appearance. inquired OF Po-
liccmau Smith il the locust had been applied. The
latter replied that it had hardly been used at all.
"well. it ought to have been." said the magis-
trate ut is for fellows like these the club is in
tended"
Smith muttered that there had been such hue
and cry about the locusts that he did not
to use his.
''rhere is judgment needed in everything" said
HIS Honor, land it seems to me that were myself
engaged with one Of these men and the sergeant in
snch @ m. hx would not have much scruples about
"They richly deserved IT, the policeman conceded.
"ln moment they would have murdered Tanning.
Captain Clinchy. who brought the prisoners to
Court, stated that the sergeant was 30 severely in
jured that he not able to appear against his
sailans. and asked that the settlement OF the
ceded 't' to shs. ~ and 0 the two prsoners ' were
conducted to the Central Office. There
all the ward and Headquarters detectives who were
disengaged-in all. nearly hundred-were sum-
moned to Captain Kealy's Office. where Murphy and
Connors We're submitted to their scrutiny. To
several their faces were familiar those OF
thieves aud "dock rats" and they RENE mbered
AZ forming part OF notorious gang. Supefinten-
dent Waing ordered portraits of each for the choice
collection in the Rogues Gallery, and the pair were
locked up for arraignment to-day.
Nearly year ago Gillespie and pal named Sulli-
van bad slight unpleasantness with "Owney"
Geoghegan. the former being shot in the thigh and
the latter i'll the back OF the head. Geoghegan sub
sequently surrendered himself to Inspector McDer-
mott. but the case was never brought to trial.
short time afterward Gillespie committed to tho
Island for six months on charge Of assault and
battery. While serving his term of imprisonment
he and another convict named John O'Brien
rescued from the guard boat which they
ing in the East River. of Blackwells Island. Tho
keeper. Stephen Kelly. was left to hold
to the upturned boat until he received
sistance from the Island. In the meantime the
two convicts rowed to the Long Island shore.
where a change OF clothes was in waiting for them
Nothing since then has been known to the officials
of Gillespies movements until the attempted
sination Of Sergeant Fanning. Liverpool jack"
for by that name Murphy Is known has been in
State Prison for several years Eight years ago he
was q useful member Of that 1ourishing society
known "Patsey Conroy's gang" They ope-
rated in the suburbs of Jersey City masked
burglars. Liverpool jack arrested by
Detective Dolan. Of the old Sixth precinct, and
Detective Mahoney, of the Fourth, and tried and
sentenced to five years in State Prison He returned
from Sing Sing Prison seven weeks ago.