Age:  28
Served: 3 months
June 2, 1925 to September 14, 1925

Clifford Cornish served our country for six years, joining the United States Army at age fourteen, and participating in World War I in the Coast Artillery.  After his service to our country, he moved to 128 Garfield Street and joined the Cincinnati Police Division.  As a Substitute Patrolman, he and his partner had been working on cleaning up the Clark and Harriet Streets corner of its bootleggers and narcotics dealers. 

On September 13, 1925, Patrolman Cornish, walking the two-man beat alone because his partner took leave that day, attempted to clear the corner of several loungers.  Most of the loiterers moved on, but 28-year-old John Henry Whitefield (AKA Warfield), a bootlegger, drug peddler, and, at the time, an escaped prisoner from Hopkinsville, Kentucky, muttered to others standing there, “If this cop frisks me, I’m going to kill him!”  As Patrolman Cornish approached, Whitefield swung at him.  Patrolman Cornish sidestepped the punches and knocked Whitefield to the ground.  Whitefield pulled a gun and fired several times, striking Patrolman Cornish once through the visor of his cap; the bullet entering his head just over his left eye.  His sidearm was still holstered.  A bystander, David Jones, was shot in the hip.  Whitefield ran down an alley and escaped.  Patrolman Cornish was transported to General Hospital.

Patrolman Cornish died the next day, September 14, 1925, becoming the sixth officer killed in the Fifth District in five years, and the fourth in two years; the previous three being William Klump, William Bond, and Anthony Tekulve.

Patrolman Cornish left a wife (who was out of the country at the time).  He had just lost a step-brother, Henry, two weeks prior and was survived by his father, Lud Cornish, another step-brother, Elmer Cornish, and a step-sister, Sarah.  Funeral services were held on Wednesday, September 16, 1925, at 2 o’clock at 1408 Vine Street with burial thereafter in Vine Street Hill Cemetery.  His escort detail included Substitute Patrolmen Charles Kohl, Frank Drees, Fred Kimball, and Joseph Casey.

Of the two hundred witnesses to the murder, none stepped forward with information.  On September 15, 1925, Detectives Michael McShane and Leonard Hayes received information regarding Whitefield hiding out at 1221 Gest Street.  They notified Detective Chief Kirgan and Detective Sergeant Fricke.  They and Detectives Hall, Ecker, Odensass, and Seebohm hurried to and surrounded the house and found Whitefield hiding under a bed on the second floor.  They also found there the revolver used in the murder and it was loaded with dum-dum bullets.  When questioned, Whitefield told the detectives, “I killed the officer.”   But, when the case went to trial, friends of Whitefield testified that Patrolman Cornish had first assaulted him and the jury found the murderer Not Guilty. 

If you have further information, artifacts, or pictures of this officer, please contact the Museum Director at Director@GCPHS.com.