The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-20
BELIEVE CLIFFORD Is
. SHIELDING WOMAN
District Attorney Is Said to
Know Why Boy Is Keep
ing Silent.
HAS VISIT FROM MOTHER
Young Man Accused Of Murder
Breaks Down for First
Time.

AbBAN0. april lcs-hItcT uNS udyS VI
imprisonment, during which he has been
subjected to severe grilling, Malcolm
clifford, the son OF the wealthy machinery
manufacturer. who is charged with the
murder Of Frank w. Clute, an Albany
chauffeur, on the night of April 1. 1913,
shows no signs OF weakening He Is still
determined not to talk about the case 10
any one, and all District Attorney Harold
Alexander, who caused his arrest, has re-
ceived from him is two words
I'm innocent
There was a fearful meeting between
tho young man and his mother. Mrs.
Madalene clifford. at the Third precinct
station to-day. Mrs. clifford intended to
como to Albany to sec her son tomorrow.
but when she learned that he was to be
removed to the county Jail and subjected
to tho Same discipline as other prisoners
she came to-day In order that she might
SEQ him In less sordid surroundings.
Mrs Clifford was accompanied by
woman about her own age. in the neigh
borhood OF so. When she announced that
she was the boys mother Capt. coogan'
who IL in charge Of the station. accom-
panied her to the detention room. where
the boy was sitting. He was reading IA
magazine when the party entered. but az
soon as his eyes fell on his mother he
arose and walked quickly toward her. his
arms extended.
Mother and Son Meet.
"Oh. my dear old MOTHER he cried,
trying to hold back his tears. The mother
was much affected by the meeting. but
the two We're soon talking calmly. not
mentioning the murder charge. The
woman companion and the police captain
stood near by for half an hour while the
mother and son talked. Then the woman
and the captain withdrew from the room
For twenty minutes the mother and son
were closeted in the detention room alone.
When the woman emerged tears were
streaming down her cheeks and she
walked out Of the station sobbing. The
young man was affected by the meeting
and asked to be left alone for a while.
Neither he nor his mother would say
anything after the meeting.
The silence maintained by young Gif-
ford since his incarceration has had the
effect Of making all the more puzzing the
mystery surrounding the case. He Is os.
tensibly keeping quiet on the advice OF
counsel, and the District Attorney is won
dering tonight If he intends to 20 to
trial without even making an attempt TO
prove an alib
GiHOrd's Case Helped.
His case was helped greatly to-day by
the discovery of the fact that one OF the
points upon which the District Attorney
obtained his Indictment has been erased.
" was contended by witnesses before the
Grand Jury that on the morning after the
murder young Clifford was the 'iSst per
son up at the Boardman residence, where
he was stopping during his stay In Troy
about the time of the murder. and that
after ne had read an account OF the muir
der in the morning papers he remarked:
'Isnt II awful to he murderer"
II developed to-day that the story Of the
Clute murder was not printed In the
morning papers Of April 2, 1918. The
body was not found until O'Clock. three
hours after the morning papers had gone
TO press. The story of the crime was = (
published in the afternoon papers. ,
Another development which strips the
case of one mysterious phase is that the
police and detectives in the employ Of the
District Attorney have been unable to
find a revolver. Before the Grand Jury II
was brought out that young Clifford ha
exhibited revolver to friends, remarking
that he had used 1t once. The father Of
the boy and other persons who knew him
declared that the young man had never to
their knowledge owned n revolver. The
bullets which killed Clute are In the pos
session of the District Attorney. and II
has been contended that they were fred
JFVUI an dutoI1dtlC TcNolNrT. IlOW tUIS
could be learned Mr.. Clifford and the at
torney for the boy. Judge Samuel q. Cot
fin. do not understand.
Analysis Of the evidence at present
leaves but three pegs upon which the Dis
trict Attorney might hang his case against
the boy.
I. That he taiiies with the description
State street.
!. That he was absent from his COM
panions in Troy about three hours on the
night OF the murder. between the hours Df
Z 80 and midnight, and returned covered
with mud and showing evidences that he
had been in a struggle.
.. That he stopped at the Boardman
home In Troy and occupied room within
arms length OF where the pocketbook
containing the chaureur's license and
ssrds were found.
The belief that a woman figured in the
oHse has been entertained since the time
Of the murder. and II has been stated
that the District Attorney has evidences
that will involve woman. Some Of the
police believe that Clifford is maintaining
silence to shield married woman.
John p. Stanchheld may be retained to
defend young Clifford. A conference is
TO be held tomorrow, ut which the selec-
ton OF counsel will be made.
Young Clifford will he taken to the
county jail tomorrow. The District
Attorney believes that under the strict
discipline of the county Jail the boy may
break down and reveal what he IL sup
posed to know OF Clutes death.
The boy II an enigma to the police.
clean cut, polished quiet of manner,
fluent OF speech. sharp mentally and con
Ncrsant with practically every type Of
daily discussion, this young man, who
displays above everything else the effect
OF rearing under refined influences, has
= surround"d himself with mystery. The
police who are in daily contact with him
declare that from one end OF the day to
thd other he never makes a remark or
DOES sin,le act that would give an
inhlinR that he Is worried or depressed
He will talk about anything but the crime
for which he was indicted The only
emotion he has shown in the five DAYS
he has been in Jail was when his mother
visited him to-day.