The New York herald., 1879-03-18
WAS HE MURDERED?


THE LIrELrss body OF MAN FOUND IN CEDAR
CREEK, LONG rsrAND--sUPposED TO BE JOHN
CLARK, OF ROCKVILLE CENTRE, AN M
PoRrANr WITNESS IN SUIT NOW PENDING,
lBY TELEGRAPH TO pHE HERALD.l
Frrrronr. L. T., March IT. 1879.
Long Island Railroad trackman ntned Daniel
Carpenter found tho dead body Of a man in Cedar
Greek. half mile east of Merrick, at haf-pass six
o'clock this morning. bridge stretches across tho
highway. and on the east side the body was found.
The right shoulder showed above the water and
attracted Carpenter attention. The creek is usedfor
the propagation of trout. the bay backing up into
it at very high tide When the corpse dragged
ashore it found to be that of very large mali.
apparently English. who, from the texture and cut
Of his garments. had not been long in the
country. The body was clothed in brown
overcoat, black cloth coat. waistcoat and
trousers. CATERS, English knit stockings, white
shirt. kid gloves and felt hat. The man
could not have fallen sverboerd. there are guard
rails either side of the bridge. standing fully six
feet in height he mood not have been drowned un-
less by his design or that Of an enemy. Tho
body had been in the water but short time. Cor
oner McCarty arrived at noon and had the remains
removed to Thomas Seaman's stable, but did
found two cents. There was nothing by
which tho body could be identified. As
nf eTs "t 1 o
by Charles Smith were positive that the remains
were those Of John Clark. supposed to. bo some
neighbors at Rockville Centre. where he pr'ctced
as veterinary surgeon up to about Fobrnary .sIs.
telegram from Coroner McCarty to District Attor-
ney Downing says that the remains arc Clarks. His
wife has not been found.
THE o'BnIEN CASE REVIVED.
inn n he
proved to be those of Clark. the famous John d.
s. Drien will be recalled most yiyidly to tho
the criminal courts of Queens county for more than
two years, having been frequently in Jail on two
has been prcSsned by tho Absence from the the
county of John Clark. The facts are thesc:-
Cove, baker. and at his demise married his
widow and located in business at Rockville Centre.
In March, 1877, building belonging to tho estate
offered 5000 for the conviction of the In
caused the arrest Of a pedler named James Bright.
man for arson. On tho examination, before Judge
Losee at Baldwins John Clark. Henry Raynor and .
man leave the building through window Just be-
fore the fire. stand near by until the alarm was given
Brishtman had becS elected from the building. and
this supposed to be the motive Brghtmans wife,
several times threatened to burn the building Tho
pavfe looked bad for Brightrian. The District
Attorney prosecuted it. Raynor was shown to have
been pretty drunk on the night of tho fire. and no
reliance could be placed on the evidence Of Rhodes.
his mind being disordercd. Clark was, therefore.
tho man upon whom the burden OF proof rested. aud
h- maintained his part we'll. Before the termination
OF the case, which extended over several weeks
and excited the country for twonty miles.
Raynor states that he had been paid a barrel
OF four. and promised two tons Of coal and q suit
of clothes for testfying Clark weakened. and con-
tossed under oath that he had been paid two tons of
coal and barrel of flour for tcstifying. Rhodes
would not admit anything of the kind. Aside from
this, Brightman established an albi. Then camo
forward Brghtman's wife and confessed that she
had been brbed by OBrien to falsely. She
had also. she said, been bribed TO falsely accuse
and arrest her husband for .felonious assault.
This she did three times pending the arson
investigation. O'Drien was indicted in October.
complaint He was subsequently indicted on sim
liar charge on complaint OF Mrs. Story. Brighfman
for S 1 Msp:S os
demanded to be tried released his rccogni-
zance. The District Attorney was not ready to pro-
Of the country. O'Bren denied IT, and the Court
ordered him to be examined. r
DAMAGING LETTERS.
Tho District Attorney produced the following
letters to Counsellor Mott. which the burden OF
O'Brien's examination:-
IrvEsroos, M.I.AsD,s ASIs srIg,sc,s
ssT T. write yon esnssTns % oRrsn and wha, he .s he;
ssf.a % % and f' Sd n no, 1sasssr Know IL IN
is ss sSsaS EsD Msn osar sa % %So w. ' aray s
As gave her Mrs Clark two loads Of coal and pecs q
given one dollar sInce came away. iIc took
to Mobiles once Long Island City. II drunk and did
not known what was doing. lc gave 81 and 81 and
.y,sid amy stccrage passage TO Liverpool Hc said he
BAG s% ssss ss
s :@s
Dccember n, at pier ", New York There you will find
Tho namo John j. simon, instead OF John Clark.
The following letter came at the same time for
Clsrk's wfe-
LivKRrooi. Fob. IA, Is7a
DEAR WIvE-I think il very unknd Of you TO write
few lines even II you could not send the pound.
1t has kept here half starving while might have been
NJ work. think Of goiny to London Tnerc is work
there for the OBren has sent that
money and am going como right down on him. OBricn
told he Of coal half hog and $40.
You he has only let have III since came and
he has You right down him.
Mrs. Clark acknowledged all that the letters con.
tain. She wrote to his relatives and her own in
Liverpool, hut could get no word OF him. District
Attorney Downing prepaid his passage homes; but
the steamship company's agent failed TO find him.
The Court refused to discharge OBren; his bail sur
rendered him. and for time he was locked up.
New bail was found. O'Brien is under Indictment
for sending Clark ont OF the country. There seems
10 be no doubt whatever but that the corpse 10
Clsrks. He In said to havo been near Mcrrick.
yesterday avoiding scrutiny and apparently waiting
for some one.
The inquest will be held tomorrow.