New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-29
"Couldn't Say How Many
Times He Hit Mother"
Says Boy Witness.
MOURNED ALONE
OVER BRUISED BODY
Accused Man Also Weeps as He
Denies Abusing Dead Wife
and Tells of His Love.

is on trial for his life, Danny Clare.
yesterday took the stand and in a
childish. pitched voice told one
of the most horrible stories ever heard
in the Queens County Supreme Court
his version OF the death OF mamma,
Mrs. Ida Clare.
As between his sobs the little boy
went on with tale Of incredible cruel
~. James J. Clare, accused Of the muir
der of his wife, slumped back in his
chair. and his hand went nervously to
his throat. For two hours his eyes
hardly left the small, tragic figure on
the witpess stand. Little Danny's
voice trembled and his round cheeks
we're smeared with tears as he wiped
his eyes on the sleeve of his Norfolk
Jacket. but he did not waver once.
mo, sir. nobody told me to say this;
I'm Just telling the truth he assured
the counsel for the defence.
Boy Tells Simple Story.
For the most part. Danny was LETT
alone 10 tell things in his own way,
and he did it with simplicity and
directness.
81 couldn't say. sir. how many times
my father has struck my mother ne
said. at was too many for me to re-
member. He would knock her down
and kick her. The morning before the
day she died he kicked her. here, and
here. and here. and most all over her
body. He used to slap and beat her
until she got all black and blue. Then
she would go to my grandma's and stay
until she got better. A week before
she died she came home from there
one Of those times. You back" my
papa said. and he knocked her hat OIL
and pulled her hair, and kicked her,
and hit her until her face was all over
OF blood.
Eyes. sir. remember March l6 and
H." and Danny was overcome by MS
sobs. THAT was the day my mamma
died. and the day before. On Wednes-
dav night, March Is, mamma and
went 70 the movies, and when we got
home papa told her that he was going
out She asked him not 10, and he
told her 10 mind her own business,
and he cursed. lie gave her some
money. but that was after ! went TO
bed. He got home about o'clock IN
the morning. and their fighting walked
me UP. Papa pulled mamma out OF
bed. knocked her down. kicked her and
said: Give me back that money, you
BUM But he didn't give her chance
To get 10 the dresser 20 give II TO him.
He lust kept knocking her down and
kicking her. and pretty soon she got
away into the other room. and got the
money for him. but IL fell, and he
kicked her again. Once he said: III
YOU don't give me back that money
III kill YOU Pretty soon he went
in the parlor, and sat in the rocking
chair. and said: Bum. bum. bum,
bum 70 himself; just nothing but
that"
Found Mother on Floor.
Danny said that when he got home
from school his mother was lying or
20 his grandmother's, and when he got .
back his mother still lay on the floor !
IL spoke TO her. and she wouldn't I
tai. 10 me-" said Danny. sobbing. 81 /
got her glass OF water, and she .
wouldn't drink il. tried to help her up |
but wasn't big enough. asked papa /
to do il and he said: II go up there .
III kill her didn't ask any one else. /
because she hadn't anything on. just /
put a blanket over her and then ! went /
20 bed
"The next morning went in and /
she was cold At noon | saw that her /
lips were blue, and | knew she must .
be dead. SO | told papa. and he hol; /
Tered and said: She's taken poison 7
She's taken poison They'll think | /
did IL What shall | do"
Danny said that he had seen his
mother drinking whiskey, but only once /
or twice. He admitted that he had not
told his story when he was questioned +
about the matter at the time of his
mothers death. but said that when he
saw her in her coffin he had cried, and /
said, 1--WE told lie
A few hours after the little boy fin I
ished his account, James J. Clare took |
the stand. and, with sobs far more IN |
trolled than those of the child had I
been. cried out that he had never IN his /
life abused the woman whom he Is ac- |
cused of numbering. and for whom he /
wore a mourning band. He declared /
that he had loved her so that she /
could do anything she liked with him. /.
Clare Denies Striking Wife.
ITS ridiculous TO say that | struck 7
my wife" protested Clare, with the F.
tears streaming down mis- cheeks. F.
when she put her arms arouid me
she had me licked, and she knew X. /
But she was drunk, drunk. drunk all
the time. Until a year ago we got
along like two kids. She thought that
everything | did was just right. But
her drinking got worse. She slept IN
my arms for fourteen years. Every
night she would promise 10 try and do
better; Every day it was just the
same"
Clare. who is a big. sandy haired
man. with the powerful, well-knit form
Of the pugilist that he formerly was
and the shrewd eyes OF the politician
that he has been. stopped for a mo-
ment, overcome. Then. with a dramatic
gesture. he went on 10 the story Of his
wife's death. declaring that it was due
20 her falls, during intoxication.
THE last two years her drinking was
something terrible" he said. and told
Of having found whiskey hidden away
in teapot and a coffee pot a shoe, and
an India rubber boot. lie had had
locks put on the bar. he said, so that
she could not steal the liquor. on the
Saturday night previous to her death she
had come home from her mothers, and
had said tina. she was going 70 stop
l.. l.. l.. L. IL LII. lc Z =.