The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-02-11
D0NOHUB Was PRECISE
Amusing Trial Of a Sneak
Thief = Johnnie Was
IS Convicted.

John clifford was tried in the Genera
Sessions court yesterday afternoon foi
burglary. On November Is Thomas Don
ohue, of No. 179 Twelfth street. wa;
awakened by feeling a hand pressing or
his breasts He looked up and asked, 81.
that you, Johnnie Clifford?' Johnnie
Donohue said, instead of answering, lift.
ed Donohue's trousers from the bedpost
and tiptoed way with them. Donohue
said he called out. Come back with my
pants, Johnnie Clifford but Johnnie
didn't come back.
DoEohue, who was a little daft, was
extremely precise as well as prolix in
giving his testimony.
II have known Johnnie Clifford fol-
twelve years." he said. II can't say thai
| ever knew anything wrong about him.
1 know his mother and
wait a minute" exclaimed Prosecutor
Winfield.
Sir to you,'' remarked Donohue, look
ing as wise and solemn as he could.
Just answer my questions and don't
talk so much"
Donehue looked grieved but said moth
ing. He then testified that it was pre-
cisely lis A. M. when he awoke and saw
Clifford in his room. He was positive
about the time because he looked at the
clock. He was positive that the intruder
was Clifford. There were two lamps
burning in the room and Clifford's back
was turned to them all the time he was
in the room, yet Donohue declared that
he could see Clifford's face. He testified
that the trousers had $35 in one of the
pockets and continued
Excuse me if I describe 1t to you.
The W lamps were burning. I was ly-
ing in the bed with my head toward the
west. The trousers were hanging on the
bedpost, not on my head, on the bedpost.
I saw them in Johnnie's left hand. 1
asked, is that you, %Johnnie?' but he tip
toed out of the door. I put on my other.
pants and went to Johnnie's mothers.
Then I went out and the policemen had
Clifford n a man named Lancton in Gus
tody. l met Johnnie in the afternoon
and he asked me for ten cents"
The defendant turned to the witness
with a surprised look, and Donohue ex-
claimed Yes, you did, Johnnie; you
Lawyer Simpson c-ross-examined Dono-
hue and got him all twisted up in regard
to the time. According to his testimony,
ford's rooms. then went down to the
street and saw the policemen and the
two prisoners, and after that went to
Burke's saloon On the corner, arriving
there at lis, just three minutes from the
time he said that he saw Clifford in his
room.
Damaging testimony against the de-
PENDANT was given by Policeman Frank
Monohan. Just about the time of the
robbery he saw Clifford and Lancton
come out of a hallway adjoining the
house in which Donohue lives. Access
to Depohue's rooms could easily be OBJ
tainedN through that hallway from the
rear. When they saw the policeman they
sneaked along in the shadow of the
houses and entered another hallway fur
Their up the street. They were arrested
and when searched at the police station
$3.50 was found on Clifford and so cents
on Lancton. Afterward Lancton was
searched more thoroughly and q $40 bill
was found in his shoe. Donohue's trous-
ers were found in an ash barrel in the
rear of the hallway out of which Po-
liceman Monohan saw the defendant
coming.
clifford denied that he committed the
robbery, and tried to prove an alibi but
the jury convicted him..