Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-02-21
EsPERADo's INFLUENCE
New York World

purposes
A DESPERADo's INFLUENCE
New York World.
Last Saturday application was
made to Justice Patterson in the
Fifty-seventh Street Police Court
for the discharge from the Work
house of John, Clifford, who had
been sentenced on Feb. 16 to six
months for disorderly conduct. The
newly elected Civil Justice of the
Seventh District Court, Julius J. G.
Langbein, supported the applica-
ton, and the magistrate, being of
the same stalwart political faith,
was disposed to grant it. But it
occurred to him to send for the pa
pers, and he put off the applicants
till yesterday. Captain Gunner, of
the Fifty-ninth Street Station, in.
whose precinct Clifford lives, heard
of the application, and yesterday
morning appeared in court in per-
son and rendered to Justice Patter-
son the following record from his
blotter:
January 1, 1879.-John Clifford
arrested for felonious assault by
Officer Hickey. $1,000 to answer"
On this occasion "The Nightin-
gales,'' club whose members are
frequenters of the horse market at
the foot of Seventy-fourth street
and inhabitants of the shanties on
the rocks between Sixty-sixth and
Sixty-seyenth streets, east of Third
avenue, had given a ball in a hall
at Fifth-fifth street and Third av-
enue. Clifford had been a member
of the club, but had seeded and
joined the "Starlights." He was
present and so was John McNight,
an expert hall sneak-thief and a
member of the ''Nightingales."
After the ball Clifford mistoOk Nc.
Night, who was standing on street
corner, for a rival with himself in
the affections of a woman known as
yellow" and rushed upon him
ger. Clifford hid himself in the
shanty of a Mrs. King on the rocks
in SiXty-seventh street. Officers
surrounded the house and Clifford
ran out by the cellar door and was
in fair way to escape when Officer
Hickey shot him in the back and
brought him on his knees. Nc
Night and Clifford were both sent
to the Roosevelt Hospital, and for
several weeks it was thought that
both men would die. They recov-
cred, however, and as Mcknight re-
fused to make any charge against
Clifford, the latter was discharged.
Hickey's bullet had gone nearly
through Clifford and was taken out
just below his breast bone.
"June IA, 1879, arrested for disor-
derby conduct; six months on the
Island.
august Is, 1879, arrested for bur-
glary; discharged.
august "a, 1879, arrested for dis
orderly conduct; one year on the
Island.
January, j, 1880, suspicious per-
son; discharged.
February Is, 1880, disorderIy
conduct; six months on the Island"
1t will be noticed that whenever
Clifford is sentenced to anything,
he promptly gets out of Jail. 1t
may be added that he voted at the
last election, though apparently con
the Island"
In addition to the charges furn-
ished above by Captain Gunner, he
has been in the Penitentiary for
grand larceny and was few months
before the Mcknight stabbing sent
up for participation in stabbing
atfray in a Third avenue saloon.
In some unexplained way he con-
trived to get out in time to register
for the election of 1878, after having
served only q month. In Novem-
Der, 1878, Detective Wilson, then |
of the Fifty-ninth street police, ar
rested Tommy Dodd, alias "Pig
Murphy" in a stable at Sixty-third |
street and Third avenue. At Six
tieth street and Third avenue Cliff |
ford, who was friend of the pris- |
oner, assaulted the detective and |
ordered him to release Murphy. |
Wilson drew his revolver and put /
it to Clifiord's head. Clifford swOre,
turned and ran to a blacksmith |
shop, exclaiming: "Give me a
sledge- hammer ~ and being refused, I
returned, but did not like to assault
the officer empty-handed, Three
weeks latc~r he was arrested for be-
ing drunk and was fined $40 in the
Fifty-seventh Street Police Court.
When the police visited his fathers
house in their search for him for
stabbing Mcknight, Mr.. Clifford said
his son had not E.ept at home in
four years and he would be very
glad to have him arrested and sent
up for five years.
Captain Gunner told Justice Pat
terson that CIifford's gang was
large and that il possessed consider
able political influence, which he
to use to secure his release
whenever he got into trouble,
Justice Patterson did not see his
way clear to liberating the prisoner
under the circumstances. Some
other Justice will within q month. 1