The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-03-25
IS CLIFFORD INSANE !?
Dixon Asks For Jury To
Determine His Condition
Brown Sentenced.

Edward Clifford and James K. Brown
were brought from the County Jail to the
Oyer and Terminer Court this r1orhihE
to be resentenced to death. Clifford, for
the murder of Superintendent William G..
Watson, at Weehawken, on March 5,
1876, and Brown, whose right name is
Preston, for the murder of Policeman
Geonardt, in Hoboken, on July e. last
year Justice Lippincott and Judge Blair
were on the bench and the court room
was pretty well filled with spectators
Browns case was disposed of first and
without any argument or delay. He was
ordered to stand up and Prosecutor
WIN moved that sentence be pronounced J.
The Prosecutor submitted the remittitur
from the Court of Errors.
Congressman DAILY, the defendants
counsel, said he had no objection to offer
at this time. Justice Lippincott. in the
usual formal manner, then sentenced hm
TO be hanged on Tuesday, April 1s, be-
tween the hours of 10 A M. and P. NJ.
The prisoner was taken back to the
jail His counsel will apply to a Justice
OF the United States Supreme Court for a
writ of error for the purpose of having
the constitutionality of conviction for
murder by struck jury determined by
the highest court in the land
Clifford's case was not so readily dis
posed of in fact it was not disposed Of at
all. He was broubht into court by Under
Sheriff Heavey and Deputy Sheriff Frank
Hague Prosecutor Erwin moved for
sentence and submitted to the court all
the papers in the case, the first decision
OF the Court of Errors, the dismissal of
the writ of error by the United States
Supreme Court, the recent decision of the
State Court of Errors and the re-
mittur.
Lawyer Warren Dixon. in a long and
able argument. moved for suspension
of sentence and a venire for the selection
OF jury to determine Clifford's present
mental condition. The lawyer claimed
that the defendant has become insane
since his trial and conviction and for that
reason he ought not to bep ut to DEATH
He has been under investigation by a
number of experts in insanity and all of
them agree that he is insane
Inc prisoners demeanor strengthened
the lawyers contention. AS he stood in
the aisle while his lawyer was pleading
Tor him, his eyes wandered about in a
shittless way and he certainly presented
the appearance of a man with an ur I
balanced mind. Mr.. Dixon read the afff--t
davits of the eight physicians who had
examined Clifford.
Ihe experts are Britton d. Evans Medi-
cal Director of the Morris Plains Asylum;
Talbot R. Chambers of this city; James
B. w. Lansing, Thomas Byrne, Max
Wyler, Thomas C. Rhoads, Thoams P.
Prout and Byron G. Van Horne Eacn
of them swears positively that he has
made a thorough examina ton of the pris-
oner, and that have no doubt whatever
that he is insane.
Mr.. Dixon argued that in view of these
afidavits the Court should issue a ven
ire to have a jury drawn by the Sheriff,
testimony taken and the question passed
upon. He admitted that the Court itself
could determine the question by inspec-
ton of the defendant, but suggested that
it would be better to have a jury as the
Court might not care to take the respon-
sibility, the question to be determined TO
be one of fact and not of law. Mr.. Dixon
quoted q number of authorities.
Justice Lippincott, after consulting with
Judge Blair, announced that the case
would be adjourned until Thursday, April
6, when the court itself will hear testi-
mony and determine the question of Cliff.
ford's sanity. The prisoner was taken
back to the County Jail