THEORIES REGARDING THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE MURDERED MAN'S CLOTHING--THE
HAND OF PROVIDENCE MANIFESTS ITSELF--FORTUNATE DISCOVERY OF THE LAST
BLOODY EVIDENCES OF THE CRIME--DR. CRONIN'S APPAREL IS FOUND--IT HAD
BEEN SECRETED, WITH HIS CASE OF SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, IN A CATCH-BASIN,
ADJACENT TO THE ONE IN WHICH THE BODY WAS DISCOVERED--SHOES, JEWELRY AND
PURSE MISSING--COMPLETE IDENTIFICATION BY HIS FRIENDS--THE SEARCH
CONTINUED--A PIECE OF CARPET FOUND--THE CONSPIRATORS' PLANS THWARTED.
"God moves in a mysterious way;
His wonders to perform."
No stronger exemplification of the truth of the old familiar hymn, which
commences with the above lines, and which for generations hasn sung,
Sabbath after Sabbath, in churches of nearly every denomination
throughout the Christian world, had ever before been grafted in the
record of a criminal case.
With the arrest and extradition of Martin Burke and his incarceration
with the other suspects in the county jail, attention was attracted anew
to the question regarding the disposition made of the clothing of the
murdered physician, and of the case of surgical instruments which he had
taken with him when decoyed from his home. What was supposed, or claimed
to be, a thorough search of the sewers and inlets in the neighborhood of
the man-hole in which the body was discovered, had been made immediately
after the latter event, without, however, bringing anything to the
surface which was calculated to shed additional light on the great
crime. It was, therefore, nothing but natural that, having in mind the
international character of the conspiracy as evidenced by the dispatches
from Toronto, regarding the alleged presence of Dr. Cronin in that city,
the friends of the murdered man, as well as the prosecuting officials of
the county, should arrive at the conclusion that, in a geographical
sense, the conspiracy was intended to cover a still wider field. It was
upon the failure to find a single trace of the murdered man's apparel,
taken in connection with the fact that on the eve of his sudden
departure from Chicago, Martin Burke had employed the tinsmith Klahre to
seal up a mysterious tin box, and his unwillingness at the time that the
contents should be revealed, that laid the ground for the suspicion,
which worked itself into a general belief that the tell-tale articles
had been shipped across the Atlantic, and that when, in the opinion of
the conspirators, the proper time had arrived, they would turn up on the
banks of the Seine in Paris, or of the Thames in London, mute evidence
of the fact that, as had been claimed, the missing man had actually left
Chicago, appeared in Toronto, thence gone to Montreal or some other
port, and embarked for England or the Continent, and, further, that, for
some cause or other--it mattered not that the world be left in doubt so
long as the aims of the conspirators were accomplished--he had consigned
himself to a watery grave and left his clothes behind as convincing
proof of the fact. But for the discovery of the body, such a programme
could, without question, have been carried out in its entirety, and the
case would have gone down into history as one of the many mysteries for
which no tangible explanation was to be found. After the recovery of the
body, however, any proceeding of this kind would have been worse than
useless. But the question still remained as to the disposal of the
clothing which had been stripped from the bleeding and battered body in
the Carlson cottage, and it was not until after a lapse of over six
months and while the trial of the accused men was in progress, that the
question was satisfactorily answered.
A STARTLING DISCOVERY.
Strangely enough, as in the case of the body, the mystery was solved by
employees of the sewer department. On the afternoon of November 8th
complaint was made at the Lake View offices that some obstruction
existed in the sewer underneath the man-hole at the corner of Evanston
and Buena avenues. This point was a mile and a quarter southeast of the
catch-basin where the body had been found in May, and about a quarter of
a mile from the ditch in which the trunk with its rolls of blood-stained
cotton had been thrown. Three men, Michael Gilbert, foreman of the
cleaning gang, Michael Reese, and W. W. McMillan, the foreman of the
flushing gang, were sent to the place with orders to move the
obstruction without delay. The three men raised the cover of the
catch-basin and Reese was lowered into it. He had barely reached the
bottom when he shouted out that he had found a wooden box that contained
something that sounded like iron or tin. He was quickly hauled up,
bringing the box with him. It was an oblong affair, about a foot in
length, seven or eight inches deep and nearly as broad. In spots it
evidenced that it had once been highly varnished and polished. The
brass handle in the centre of the cover indicated that it had been
carried as a satchel is carried. Gilbert forced open the case while his
associates looked on with eager eyes. A single glance at the contents,
covered though they were with the filth that had leaked in through the
opening, was sufficient, and the three men exclaimed almost with one
breath,
"THAT IS DR. CRONIN'S BOX."
The contents were an assortment of extension splints with which the
Doctor had provided himself in anticipation of having to treat a
fractured leg when he had reached Iceman O'Sullivan's house in Lake
View.
[Illustration: THE BOX AND ITS CONTENTS.]
Reese was again lowered into the catch-basin and after a few moments
exclaimed that he had made a further find. This time he passed up the
broken frame of a satchel, its coverings entirely consumed by the foul
waters of the sewer, a second satchel and a bundle of clothes covered
with black, slimy refuse. After a hurried consultation the men decided
to notify the police, and a call was sent to the Lake View station.
Within a few moments the patrol wagon--the same one which had driven Dr.
Cronin's naked body to the morgue--was on the scene. Very quickly the
instrument box, the leather satchel, the bundle of clothes and the
rotted satchel were loaded on a stretcher and carried to the Sheffield
avenue station.
[Illustration: THE LOAD ON THE STRETCHER.]
Information of the discovery was telephoned to the Central Police
Department, and Chief Hubbard responded with an order that the things
should be brought down at once. One hour later the filthy packages were
spread out on a rubber tarpaulin in the Chief's private office, and the
leather satchel, having been washed under the running hydrant, was
opened. The first article that was taken out was a book that had swollen
to more than twice its natural size. The Chief opened it. On the fly
leaf, partially covered with dirt, was the name "Dr. P. H. Cronin,"
written in the bold hand of the man who had once owned the book. In one
of the pockets was a package of business cards in a good state of
preservation. They read as follows:
DR. P. H. CRONIN,
Physician and Surgeon, Chicago.
Office, 501 Opera House Block, Residence, 468 and 470
North Clark street.
Office Hours: Office Hours:
11 to 1 p.m.; 2 to 5 p.m. 9 to 11 a.m.; 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Nothing more than this was needed to prove that the articles were really
those that had once belonged to the physician, and the Chief gave orders
that the dirty mass should be taken to the Chicago avenue station and
thoroughly cleaned. By this time, however, the developments of the day
had reached State's Attorney Longenecker, who was conducting the trial
in the Court House, about half a-mile away, and by his instructions the
order was countermanded, and the things were taken to his private
office. Mrs. Conklin was sent for, and upon her arrival the bundle of
clothes was unrolled. Lieut. Schuettler separated the different pieces,
handling the revolting articles as coolly as an ordinary man would a
towel, while Mrs. Conklin looked on endeavoring to be more cool and
collected than any one else in the little group. The first thing held up
was a light spring overcoat of a fashionable pattern. It had been slit
up the back by a keen edged knife, and the sleeves were torn clean up to
the collar.
IDENTIFYING THE CLOTHING.
Mrs. Conklin's eyes filled with tears, and for a moment it was thought
that she would swoon. Quickly recovering herself, however, she said
quietly:
"It is Dr. Cronin's coat."
[Illustration: SOME OF DR. CRONIN'S CLOTHES.]
The next garment taken from the foul smelling pile was an ordinary coat
of black diagonal cloth, answering perfectly to the description of the
one which Mrs. Conklin had said Dr. Cronin wore when he was driven away.
This, too, was almost cut to pieces. Mrs. Conklin bowed her head to
indicate that she recognized it. Next the vest was produced, then the
trousers, then the drawers, then two white shirts and a collar, and
finally the physician's under vest and his big military slouch hat.
Every article, except the latter, had been cut up very neatly, as though
a very sharp knife or pair of scissors had been used. The few men
present grated their teeth and set their jaws firm at these evidences of
the bloody butchery, while Attorney W. J. Hynes, bringing his fist down
on the table, exclaimed in passionate tones:
"The fiends must have cut the clothes from the body after they had
finished their murderous work."
[Illustration: TWO VIEWS OF DR. CRONIN'S HAT.]
Nearly all of the garments were stained with blood. There was blood on
both sleeves of the cut-away coat, blood on the vest and blood on the
trousers. One of the white shirts was literally soaked with it, while
the other was slightly stained. There was blood on the undershirt and
on the drawers, which were made of fine wool, and even upon the rim of
the hat. Six months' immersion in the slime of a sewer, where they had
been exposed to the influences of repeated storms, had not been enough
to eradicate the evidence of the terrible deed which had been committed
in the little cottage.
A MURDERER'S SHIRT.
But there were no cuts or rips in the second white shirt, and the
conclusion was quickly formed that it had belonged to one of the
murderers, who, fearing detection, must have discarded it before leaving
the cottage and starting on the long and lonely trip with the body in
the trunk through the streets of Lake View. It was closely examined for
a mark that would lead to the identification of its owner, but not so
much as an initial could be found. On one of the cuffs of the undershirt
was a large blue enameled button, of which, so said Mrs. Conklin, Dr.
Cronin had been very fond. The second button and cuff were missing. The
physician's neck-tie was next held up, but the pin, one which he had
worn for very many years, was gone. A button bearing the insignia of the
"Royal Arcanium," of which Dr. Cronin had been a very active member for
several years, was found in the lapel of the cut-away coat. The pockets
were searched for the gold watch and chain which the physician had
carried, and the well filled purse that he had taken out on the fatal
night. Neither were found.
[Illustration: DR. CRONIN'S POCKET INSTRUMENT CASE.]
"The watch and chain are gone, also the doctor's purse," said George
Ingham. "Now will these fellows claim that they murdered Dr. Cronin
through patriotic motives. Some people will be uncharitable enough to
believe that they intended to commit robbery."
[Illustration]
The clothes were temporarily laid aside at this point and the contents
of the leather satchel were over-hauled. Mrs. Conklin at once identified
it by several marks, as one the physician had carried for several years.
From its recesses the doctor's prescription book was first produced,
then his call book, and then a street guide that Mrs. Conklin had
purchased over two years before. After this came still another book with
a list of drugs and medicines, and explanations of their uses. All the
pages were badly soiled. A tiny knife was fished out from the bottom of
the satchel. It was a pretty toy, one which Dr. Cronin had received as a
present from a little girl. Tears started to Mrs. Conklin's eyes.
"Let me have that," she said, and she reached for the knife.
It was silently passed over.
A tiny thermometer, such as surgeons carry to test the temperature of
patients was now brought out, and then in rapid succession a roll of
plasters, a small pocket instrument case, a handkerchief, a double
stethescope, a lot of minor surgical instruments, including a keen
bladed scalpel and a box of hypodermic syringes. This latter attracted
considerable attention, on account of its beauty. It had been a present
from W. M. Bagnall, one of the most intimate friends of the physician,
and on it he had placed this inscription:
PRESENTED BY
WILLIAM M. BAGNALL
TO
DR. P. HARRY CRONIN.
[Illustration: BAGNALL'S PRESENT TO THE DOCTOR.]
All of this, however, except the last line, had been erased. There were
two letters and a postal card in the satchel, each bearing the down-town
address of the physician, together with a comb and a piece of paper, so
saturated with blood that it was difficult to tell whether or not it had
contained writing. The wooden box contained several silver extension
splints, which are used in case of fractured limbs. The other valise,
the cover of which had been eaten away, was apparently about eighteen
inches long, quite large enough to have contained a bundle of clothes.
When found by Reese, the overcoat and trousers were clinging to the ribs
of it, which was taken as evidence that it had contained the whole
bundle when it was dumped into the sewer. Salesman Hatfield, when sent
for, said unhesitatingly that he had no doubt but that the valise was
the one he had sold to the man Simonds, and which had been taken from
the Clark street flat to the Carlson cottage. The hat was also
recognized by the tradesman of whom the physician had been a regular
customer.
[Illustration: REMAINS OF THE MURDERERS' VALISE]
The excitement which prevailed in the city when the news of the find
became known almost equaled that of the day on which the body was found,
while the friends of the physician were exultant and congratulated each
other upon the unexpected aid that the prosecution had received. Rumors
of what the day had brought forth had found their way into the court
room a little while prior to the adjournment of the afternoon session,
and created a profound impression; the lawyers for the defense were
astounded, while the agitation of all of the prisoners, excepting Beggs,
was apparent to every observer. Only the ex-Senior Guardian of Camp 20
maintained a cool demeanor.
A PIECE OF CARPET FOUND.
On the following day, acting under instructions of the Chief of Police,
a dozen picked men from the Central detail commenced a thorough search
of the Lake View sewers. They were assisted by several experienced
sewer men. Long pike poles were secured and the hunt began, but the task
was by no means an easy one, many of the sewers being too small for the
smallest man to crawl through.
[Illustration: THE SILVER HYPODERMIC SYRINGE CASE.]
Starting at Evanston avenue the gang worked slowly to the lake, but for
several hours nothing was found to reward their efforts. It was not
until late in the day that a find was made by Officer Lorch. Equipped
with a rubber suit and one of the pike poles, he had been lowered into
the man-hole at the corner of Evanston and Graceland avenues, one block
south of the man-hole in which the clothes and surgical instruments had
been thrown, and two blocks south of the street where the trunk was
found. Worming himself into the twenty inch sewer he went through the
filthy main for a distance of twelve or fifteen feet, pushing the pike
pole ahead of him. His persistence was finally rewarded by the bringing
to light of a muddy, slimy piece of carpet about twenty inches square,
and which looked as if it had been hastily torn from a longer strip.
When brought to the surface and rinsed under a hydrant it was found to
be a cheap quality of an ordinary ingrain of a modest dark pattern,
resembling just such a carpet as that which the man Simonds had
purchased at Revells.
[Illustration]
Its many months of contact with the water and slime of the sewer,
however, had destroyed all traces of the color and pattern, and hence it
was impossible to positively identify it as a portion of the carpet laid
down in the Carlson cottage, but in view of the locality in which it was
found, and its proximity to the place where the clothes and trunk were
secreted, there was but little doubt but that it was a portion of the
blood-stained carpet which the murderers had taken up from the floor of
the cottage. The search was continued in the hope that the boots, hose,
watch and chain, and purse, which were still missing, might be found in
the depths of the sewer, but despite the most energetic efforts it was
not rewarded by success.
THE CONSPIRATOR'S PLANS THWARTED.
It was a very easy task to find an explanation of the presence of the
bloody remains of the tragedy in the particular catch-basin in which
they were found. As originally planned, the conspiracy probably
contemplated the sinking of the body and the other evidences of the
crime in the deep waters of the lake. After being accosted by Officer
Way of Edgewater, however, the murderers must have become alarmed at
meeting so many policemen, and had turned around as if to go back to
Chicago. Meanwhile the blood soaked carpet which had been ripped from
the floor of the cottage had been torn into strips by the men in the
wagon.
[Illustration: THE ENGLISH PRESCRIPTION BOOK.]
The expedient of disposing of the body by throwing it into the 59th
street catch basin, which was only half a mile from Edgewater, was a
desperate one; but it was necessary in order to avoid detection. This
done, the murderers started south for the distance of a mile, and having
found it impossible to jam the trunk into a man-hole, had thrown it over
the fence. The clothes, carpet, satchels, and other evidence of guilt
had been distributed along Evanston avenue for the distance of another
half mile, but yet so concealed as to have made it next to impossible
for the police, with the facilities at their disposal, to find anything
but the trunk. This at least was the explanation of some of the
officers, although it was directly antagonized by other officials
identified with the force. For instance, Capt. Schuettler, on the day of
the finding of the carpet, declared that the sewers in this particular
locality had never been searched.
"I went out but once to search those sewers," he said, "just after the
trunk was found. The then detective, Dan Coughlin, and I rode in one
buggy, Captain Schaack and Michael Whalen in the next, Detectives Lorch
and Gardiner in the third. Schaack said that he believed the blood in
the trunk had come from a 'stiff' taken from some cemetery, and we
worked on that theory. As a consequence the sewers were never examined
in that particular neighborhood."