Daily Arizona silver belt., 1907-08-11
LED DUAL LIFE
 IN G|LA COUNTY
Remarkable Story of Harry Clifford, Who Lived for Years in Valley and Then Went Back East to Serve Term in Penitentiary for Shooting.


 valley for nearly thirty years, respect ed and enjoying the full confidence of his fellow men, and accommodating q handsome competence by thrift and hard knocks, word has been received in the city to the effect that Harry Clifford is now serving term in the lpenitentiary of Indiana, to which state Mir. Clifford removed about four months ago with his family and settled near the scenes of his boyhood.
 There are conflicting reports regard. ing the circumstances leading up to Mir Clifford s imprisonment. One story is to the effect that it was on a bigamy charge and another that he is paying the penalty for a shooting scrape in which he is said to have participated in the Hoosier state more than thirty years ago. If the story of the impris- onment is true he is probably serving time for the shooting incident, although there is possibility that the bigamy story may be true. Close friends in the valley, however, discredit the story that he has two living wives. The Indiana information regarding his recent arrest and conviction on an old charge is de- eidedly meager and Mir. Clifford s many friends here are hopeful that it is not true. It is reported that a daughter of MT. Clifford addressed a letter to friend near Stafford, stating that her papa was in the penitentiary, serving ten-year term. Just who received the letter the Journal has been unable to ascertain, but in all of the rumors flying around this incident is quite generally repeated.
 The Journal learns from reliable sources that the real name of the man known here for thirty years as Harry Clifford is Isaiah Bedding In 1877, so the story goes, Bedding, with three other young men, were arrested in Indi- ana on charges of being implicated in shooting scrape. They were confined pending their respective trials in a poorly constructed jail, from which they escaped early in 1878. Bedding showed up in Coehise county, this territory, the following year, and assumed the name of Harry Clifford. For some little time he was engaged in the stock business in that county, but it is said that neigh bors learned of his antecedent history, and for this reason he was forced to move. Some time along about 1880 Clifford came to the Gila Valley. His hair was long, flowing over his broad shoulders, giving him the appearance of a wild and woolly cowboy, and for some time he was looked upon by the natives of Stafford and vicinity as a bad man. But his actions soon dispelled this idea, and soon after reaching here Clifford had succeeded in winning the confidence of the people. He was a hard worker and soon accumulated a little cash, which he invested in farm ing lands. After living here five or six years he married a highly respected lady of the valley. As result of this union number of children were born and with the assistance of the wife Mr. Clifford accumulated considerable property. During his career here he paid number of visits to his old home state and there was never a shadow of general suspicion regarding his past history, but, as matter of fact, sev- eral old-timers knew that he was living here under an assumed name and assert now that they knew all of the early circumstances of his life.
 About six months ago MT. Clifford made a trip to Indiana. Upon his re- turn he announced that he had decided to sell out his holdings here and take up permanent residence in his old home. A sale of his property followed thiy announcement and in April last Mir. Clifford, with his family, removed to Indiana. The only significant fact de- veloping after his departure, until the news of imprisonment reached Stafford this week, was that Mir. Clifford did not receive mail addressed to him at his home in Indiana. Valley friends were later advised to address all mail matter: "Harry Clifford, care of Isaiah Redding," and since that information iN''""S" HDic @"i' ciinoru hdS been re- ceiving mail regularly.
 It is stated that before leaving here Mr. Clifford consulted with a close friend regarding the advisabiity of as. suming his real name when he returned to Indiana. The friend advised him to retain the name of Clifford, but it seems that the gentleman did not &C., cept the advice and returned to within thirty miles of the scrape of his alleged boyhood scrape and was known by ihs right name. People familiar with the circumstances of the tragedy of 1877 state that had Bedding, alias Clifford, remained in Indiana, he would have been exonerated.
 Mr. Clifford has led an honorable, straightforward life during the thirty years he resided in this valley, and the reported story of his trouble is univer- sally regretted. It is hoped that the report of his incarceration will prove false, and simply a story born from an expose of his having led dual life while in this territory. Had MT. Cliff. ford left a wife in Indiana at the time of his flight it is not at all likely that he would have returned to that imme. diate quarter to defy the law and lay himself liable to prosecution and inn prisonment, thereby casting shame and ls..a.- T.