The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-06-11
FOR KILLING Watson
Ex-Detective Clifford on
Trial for a Cold B1ooded
Murder.
STORY OF AN EYE WITNESS
Conversation in The West Shore
Railway Office That Preceded
the Shooting.

murder eff William S. Watson, Superin-
dent Of the West Shore Railroad. The
killing IA done in Superintendent Watt
sons office in Weehawken. on March 8.
The Court House was filled when Justice
Lippincott and Judge Hudspesh took their
seats upon the bench. A few women
were in tirs audience. A number of
prominent citizens and lawyers were IN
| attenla nee.
Prosecutor Winfield represented the
State n ~ex-Judga Hoffman and William
II. Speer. Jr,, the defence. There was
very little trouble in selecting a jury.
Clifford had been brought over frcm the
Jail and occupied the same seat which was
occupied by Mackin and GEM. He looks
well. but is somewhat pale. This is
doubtless the result of his Imprisonment.
A map CT the scene of the murder was
on a stand.
Wncn Richard Allen was called as the
first juryman, Judge Hoffman said he
desired t. ask him some questions in
order that he might be &hle to letercrne
whether he should challenge him per.
ensn:c:ily.
Mr.. Winfield objected. Judge Hoffman
submitted the questions which he had
written out on paper to the Court ard
tAAS = -ul. w llutlStu. MI. which, SILL
objected, and the Court sustained the oh
j%eetions. Judge Hoffman took an ex-
ception. The same process was gene
through with all the other jurors.
Some of the struck jurors were very
anxious to be excused, and gave a variety
of reasons why they should be excused,
but they were unavailing.
The jury selected are:-Robert Allen,
VITflliarn1 T r;-1 VNr:l1so-- - Ef-.J-1
Henry Albers, Frank B. Jones, Joseph
w. Kidd John J.. Voorhees,, Thomas j.
Daily, Frank Q. Cole. Jefferson McWill-
Jams. Frederick E. Tilden and John
Holmes.
Mr.. Winfield, in his opening, gave a brief
recital Of the facts of the shooting.L He
said:-"This man stands indicted for the
murder of William G. Watson, VINO died
in the Roosevelt Hospital in New York
on March 10. from a pistol shot wound
in the abdomen, inflicted by Clifford, on
Thursday. March 5. Mr.. Watson was
Division Superintendent of the West
Shore Railroad. CLIFFORD was in the en-
ploy of the company as a detective. For
some reason satisfactory to Mr.. Watson
or his superiors, Clifford was discharged
on the 4th of March. After making var
ious threats as to what he would do, Cliff
ford, on the morning of the 9Th, about II
O'Clock. went TO Wattson's office and
asked if ne was in. He was told no,
that he had gone to New York ON bust
ness Clifford went away, but returned
after a while, and again asked
if Mr.. Watson was IN. lie
was again told tina ne was not.
Mr. Watson came over from New York
in the ferryboat Kingston, which reached
Weehawken about 81 P. NJ. He went to
his office. Clifford entered the office short
ly afterward and took a seat outside of
the railing which separated Mr.. Watt
sons desk from the main office. After
reading his mail Mr.. Watson turned to
Clifford and asked, What can I dc for
you?' Clifford stood up and walking inside
OF the railing took a seat near Watson.
on him, and pulling a letter from his
pocket asked what it meant. The letter
was Clifford's discharge. Mr.. Watson
said that the letter meant Just what IL
said. Clifford again accused him OF hav-
ing kept tabs on him. Watson denied il.
and said that ne had received complaints
that Clifford had neglected his duty and
had failed Ito make his reports. Clifford
then stood up, n drawing a revolver
from his pocket leveqed it at Watson,
n Sn "a H ;mms Is ny III, rep "21iffo Watson ssoa st 4%sd
IA htCQ. Lite
bullet. entered Wattson's abdomen. He
grappled with Clifford and another shot
was fred. Watson fell on the floor, with
his head under the desk. Mr.. Bean, Mr..
Wattson's secretary, who was in another
room, ran IN and exclaimed, What nave
You done? Clifford pointed to Wattson's
PROSTATE body and said something which
Mr.. Bean didn't catch. Clifford walked
downstairs and surrendered himself to
a policeman at the door. An ambulance
was brought over from New York and
Watson was taken to che Roosevelt Hos
pital, where he died five days afterward."
Architect Broome was the first witness
premises, which he had made at the re-
quest Of Prosecutor Winfield.
Charles Deronde. pilot of the ferryboat
boat on which Watson came over from
New York arrived in Weehawken.
Christian Maybe. 2 telegraph operator
was called to testify about a telegram he
had received just after the shooting. but
Judge Hoffman objected and the objection
ly desired to fix the time of the SHOOTING
as nearly as possible.
Charles ". Bradley, general superin-
that he heard of the shooting while he
was in New York. He saw Watson every
DAY after he was taken to the hospital.
in Kingston. N. z.
Herman Nelson, a nurse in Roosevelt
Hospital, testified to the reception Of
s w at IL 1CSDlJdi[
DR.. Oestler, chief of staff at the a1ospi-
tai, testified to the character Of Wattson;s
wounds. the abdomen and intestines were
perforated. The patient was unable To re-
tain any food. After twenty-four hours
he was fed through the rectum. For 4
day or two he held his own, but in a day
or two he began to fail and died on the
10th. The immediate cause of death was
starvation.
On cross-examination Judge Hoffman
tried to make the witness admit that
Wattson's death was fastened by adj
ministering God through the reotlfm in
stead of some other way.
h witness said no, that on the con-
trary 1t prolonged his life.
Charles Anderson. the station house
keeper, testified that Clifford was brought
in by Officers Bowes and Findlev. elf
ford handed him the revolver and he
was searched and locked up.
John B. SHANE, the clerk in Wa,ttsor,s
office, who was the only eyewitness Of
the shooting, testified:I know Clifford
BY sight. Watson was in New York
previous to three o'clock on March 8
Clifford came to the Office after Watson
had gone away in the morning. 1t was
eleven o'clock. He asked me If Mr.. Watt
son was in. I told him no, that he had
gone over to the city. I told him he
would not return before four or five
o'clock, Clifford said he wynld can
again. He came back at two o'clock and
told me to tell Watson that Detective
Clifford had been in to see him twice and
he would be back again. that he wanted
to see hni sure Wattson came ii
shortly after three o'clock, took off his
nat and cvercoat and sat down at his
desk. In a few minutes Clifford came
in and sat down outside the railing.
IT1tf onn mo T Ali