EVIDENCE FOR THE STATE--THE STORY OF THE CRIME RE-TOLD--A LONG LINE OF
WITNESSES--SENSATIONAL DISCLOSURES AND MISSING LINKS SUPPLIED--A
MASTERLY GROUPING OF THE TESTIMONY AGAINST THE PRISONERS.
Just as soon as the State's Attorney had resumed his seat, and the
announcement had been made that the defense would postpone its reply
until the end of the trial, the task of examining the witnesses was
commenced. Report had it that the defense would contend that the body
dragged from the catch basin had not been satisfactorily identified as
that of Dr. Cronin's, and so the prosecution at once set out to prove
the corpus _delicti_. A large array of witnesses, including ex-Captain
Francisco Villiers, James Boland, Mrs. Conklin, James P. Holland, a
reporter; H. F. Wisch, the barber; Stephen Conley, who had identified
the body by the front teeth; Maurice Morris, by the Agnus Dei; and
Joseph O'Byrne, by the broken finger of the right hand, were examined on
this point and gave conclusive testimony. The story of the discovery of
the body was next retold, and the medical men who had examined the
corpse testified regarding its condition and the marks of violence which
appeared upon the head and other portions of the body. There was a
dramatic scene on the second day at the conclusion of the examination of
Dr. D. G. Moore, who had assisted in the autopsy. It was developed in
the course of the cross-examination that he had, but a few hours before,
read the newspaper reports of Dr. Egbert's testimony of the previous day
upon the same points. Thereupon Mr. Forrest demanded that the entire
testimony be stricken from the record.
A DRAMATIC SCENE.
Judge McConnell, to the amazement of nearly everybody in the room,
sustained the motion. A dramatic scene followed, and suppressed
exclamations of surprise burst from the audience. Mr. Forrest, with a
triumphant smile, walked hurriedly past his associates and sipped a
glass of water. For an instant the public prosecutors were dumbfounded.
Mr. Hynes was the first to contest the ruling. His face was crimson with
excitement as he drew his massive form above the table at which he was
sitting and in a loud voice declared that if such an unprecedented
ruling were followed, the trial might just as well stop then and there.
Raising his arm so that his clinched fist was on a level with the bar of
the court, Mr. Hynes challenged Judge McConnell to show authorities to
sustain such a ruling. Beside the big lawyer was Luther Laflin Mills,
pale with emotion. Almost before Mr. Hynes had finished his thundering
attack, the clear, resonant voice of Mr. Mills arose above the noise of
the street and the mumbling of the auditors. He, too, declared that it
was time to stop the case if the testimony of the rest of the State's
witnesses was to be excluded for the reason that they had read the
testimony of witnesses who had preceded them on the stand. State's
Attorney Longenecker nervously watched the fight being waged by his
associates. Hurrying down the center aisle were Mr. Ingham and Mr.
Scanlan, who were on their way to the State's Attorney's office for
authorities. Judge McConnell sat in his chair with his head in his hand.
Before him were Mr. Hynes and Mr. Mills, the first red and valiant in
attack, the other almost startling in his pallor. The prisoners leaned
forward and watched the struggle with intense interest. The prosecutors
had scarcely resumed their seats to watch the effect of their first
volley, when Mr. Forrest arose and intimated that Dr. Moore had been
called at the eleventh hour to patch up the holes in the testimony of
Assistant County Physician Egbert. This was a taunt that brought Mr.
Hynes and Mr. Mills to their feet again and called forth a censure from
the court. Judge McConnell, speaking in a low voice, then said that if
such a ruling was enforced in its spirit there would be no reason for
continuing the case, but he did not contemplate such a course. Mr.
Hynes, seeing that the court was retreating, now leaped to his feet, and
with a burst of rhetoric that came very near provoking applause in the
benches declared that with such a ruling as that delivered from the
bench, the testimony of honorable men who would appear for the State,
and who could not be influenced by newspaper reports would be excluded,
while the testimony of perjurers who would swear that they had not read
the newspaper accounts of the trial would go on record. As the big
lawyer sat down, Mr. Ingham and Mr. Scanlan returned with law books
piled high upon their arms. But the battle was now over, and the
prosecution had won. With much deliberation and a gratuitous encomium on
the press for its enterprise and influence, Judge McConnell reversed his
previous decision, and ruled that the testimony of witnesses who had
read the newspaper reports of the testimony of other witnesses was
competent, and that it must be admitted.
Liveryman Dinan, who was put on the stand after this episode, repeated
his former statements regarding the hiring of the white horse and buggy
by Coughlin, and added, as something new, that, after he had unbosomed
himself to Captain Schaack, the detective, meeting him on the street,
had remarked to him: "I'd hate to trust you with anything; you're a
clear case of weakener."
INSIDE OF CAMP TWENTY.
The inside history of the now famous Camp 20 was next taken up, and
numerous witnesses were called to testify regarding its inner workings.
Among them were Junior Warden Michael J. Kelley, Recording Secretary
John F. O'Connor, Andrew Foy, Patrick J. Ford and Stephen Colleran.
By these witnesses it was sought to show that over two months before the
murder of the physician a secret committee had been appointed by Senior
Guardian Beggs, on the motion of Coughlin, to investigate the charge
that Dr. Cronin had read, in another camp, a circular antagonistic to
the triangle, and that this committee had been ordered to report to the
Senior Guardian alone.
This was the story as it had been related to Grand Jury, but on the
stand most of the witnesses resorted to all manner of strategy to hamper
the prosecution, and even the most inconsequential details of the doings
of the camp had to be wrung from them. Colleran admitted, on being
closely pressed, that he had seen Coughlin and Burke together in the
central part of the city about the time that the plot to murder Dr.
Cronin was reaching its maturity, and he also gave conclusive evidence
regarding the intimacy of Cooney "The Fox," with Coughlin and Burke.
No inclination to suppress the facts, however, was manifested by Thomas
F. O'Connor, when he took the stand. This intrepid Irishman, who had
been a member of the Clan-na-Gael for twenty-four years, was a captain
in the organization, as well as a Fenian captain, and who had, moreover,
distinguished himself as a staunch supporter of Dr. Cronin in the
latter's merciless war upon the triangle, told his story without
reserve. He said that at the meeting of Camp 20, on February 8th, Andrew
Foy, in a speech, had declared that if there were yet four British spies
in the Clan-na-Gael organization, as Le Caron had sworn before the
Parnell Commission in London, the order ought to be destroyed at once.
To this the witness, arising and facing Senior Guardian Beggs, replied
that the camps should look to the triangle for traitors, as he was
possessed of positive information that Le Caron was the agent of that
body. A scene of wild confusion ensued, a score of members leaping to
their feet and demanding the source of Captain O'Connor's information.
This he refused to give unless it was insisted upon by Beggs. While the
uproar was at its height, a motion was made by Coughlin that a secret
committee be appointed to investigate the source of O'Connor's
information, which was generally understood to be Dr. Cronin's camp.
There was no doubt but that this committee was appointed, for another
witness, Dennis O'Connor, who had been in the Clan-na-Gael order for
twenty-one years, testified that at a meeting on May 3d, he had heard
somebody ask the Senior Guardian if "that secret committee had
reported," although he could not recollect the reply. This deficiency of
memory was supplied by the next witness, Financial Secretary Patrick
Henry Nolan, who had heard Beggs reply that the committee would report
to him alone.
Nolan had also met Burke and Cooney at a saloon on the day following the
murder and noticed that both were well supplied with funds. There was a
straining of necks in the Court room when the name of Patrick McGarry
was called, and the athletic opponent of the triangle stalked past the
jurors and up the steps leading to the witness stand. He was asked what
he had said in Camp 20 when he made his bitter attack on the triangle
and turning his honest face toward the jurors below, he replied:
"I referred to the unity that ought so exist among members of the
organization and the members of the Irish race altogether, and the
other gentleman had referred to it also. It was about the time that
Le Caron had testified before the forgery commission in England and
had referred to spies getting into the organization, and the other
gentleman had referred to Irishmen coming to this country and the
coming American citizens ought to educate their children, educate
them first in the principles of American constitution, also educate
them to have a love for their forefathers' home, as there was
nothing in the Irish race--nothing in Irish history--that Irishmen
ought to be ashamed of in America. I said it was all very well to
talk of unity and I wanted to see unity among the Irish people, but
there could not be unity while members of this organization would
meet in back alleys and in dark corners and villify and abuse the
man who had the courage to stand out and take traitorism and
robbery by the throat and strangle it. I said I was raising
children and educating children, and as long as God allowed me to
be over them I would educate them first as Americans and also
educate them that if ever there should come an opportunity to
strike a blow for Ireland's freedom they should do so. I said they
could not be too particular about getting members in the
organization, and that I had been investigating Le Caron's record,
and I said there were men in this organization that were worse than
Le Caron. I said that the man who gave Le Caron his credentials to
go into the convention was a greater scoundrel than ever Le Caron
could pretend to be. I said I had found out that Le Caron's camp
did not exist in two years, did not have a meeting in two years,
that the junior guardian given in the directory had not been in the
town of Braidwood for over two years. I stated they must have known
that such a camp did not exist only on paper. That was about the
substance of my remarks."
A roar of applause, which the bailiffs vainly endeavored to suppress,
came from the audience, as McGarry concluded.
"Did John F. Beggs make a speech in reply to yours" asked the
State's Attorney.
"Yes" was the reply. "Beggs said that the visiting members should
not be coming in there violating the hospitality of that camp, and
that it would have to be stopped. He said that it was not right;
that it was cowardly. I wanted to interrupt him, but the presiding
officer, the chairman at the time, would not let me. I wanted to
interrupt him when he used the word cowardly. He said they came in
there attacking Alexander Sullivan, and it was cowardly to attack
any one behind his back. Why did they not say so to his face if
they had anything to say? He said Alexander Sullivan had strong
friends in the camp, and he slapped his breast, and said, "I am one
of them." That was about all that passed. I wanted to get the floor
to reply to him, and I did get the floor afterward. I said the
gentleman had said it was cowardly. I wanted him to understand that
I was no coward; that I would tell Alexander Sullivan, either there
or anywhere else, what my opinion of him was, and every man who
knew me knew what that was. I said, 'Why did you mention Alexander
Sullivan's name? I have not mentioned it. I have not heard it
mentioned here till the senior guardian of this camp mentioned it
here.' I stated and I repeated that the man who gave Le Caron his
credentials was a greater scoundrel than ever Le Caron pretended to
be. That was all I said, and I should not have mentioned his name
only it was brought out. I should say, that when Beggs said that
Alexander Sullivan had stout friends in this camp and that he was
one of them, he also said that he (Beggs) was for union and unity
among the Irish people if it took war to make it."
The witness went on to tell how, when he heard that Dr. Cronin was
missing, he had gone to O'Sullivan's house, and, in the presence of
several witnesses, told him that his association with the mystery looked
suspicious. One of the men suggested that perhaps the Ancient Order of
Deputies had made away with the missing man, but McGarry replied that
the crime was much nearer home, and that it would be found that his own
race had killed him. When the reference was made to the Deputies,
McGarry, suddenly turning his head, had seen O'Sullivan make a grimace
as a sort of admonition to the other man to say nothing more. In
concluding his testimony the witness told how Dr. Cronin, some time
before his death, had been called to attend the supposed victim of a
serious accident. He went up a flight of stairs, but upon entering the
room, did not like the appearance of the man in the bed and with the
remark, "My God, did you bring me here to murder me," went down the
stairs several steps at a time.
THE BLOODY TRUNK PRODUCED.
Additional evidence was submitted to prove that neither Coughlin nor
Beggs had entertained any kindly feeling toward the physician in his
lifetime, but that on the contrary, they hated him with all the
intensity of their strong natures. It was shown, for instance, that in
saloons on the North Side of the city, not only Beggs and Coughlin, but
also O'Sullivan, had repeatedly denounced Dr. Cronin in the most
vituperative language, and that Coughlin in particular had remarked
little more than a month before the murder that, "a prominent North Side
Catholic would be done up if he could not keep his mouth shut." The
attempt was made on cross-examination to show that the man to whom this
language had reference, was John F. Finerty, the noted Irish orator and
editor, but on this question the witnesses disagreed. As a matter of
fact Mr. Finerty lived on the south side of the city. From this point
the purchase of the furniture and trunk for the Clark Street flat, and
which was afterward removed to the Carlson cottage, was taken up.
Hatfield, the salesman, repeated the testimony which he had given before
the coroner's jury. The trunk itself, with the stains of Dr. Cronin's
blood plainly visible on the outside was offered in evidence. So was the
batting saturated with the life blood of the physician, and which was
found in its interior when it was first discovered in the Lake View
ditch. Cross-examination of the salesman failed to shake his opinion
that the goods found in the cottage were those he had sold to the
much-wanted "Simonds." Branching off, the prosecution took up the
threats that had been made against the physician at different times
prior to his murder, and "Major" Sampson, an individual not unknown in
the criminal history of Chicago, told how he had been approached by
Coughlin, who had asked him to meet Dr. Cronin some night and give him
an "infernal good licking." Coughlin had also suggested that he might
take another man with him in order that the job might be the more
complete. Instead of complying with the request however, Sampson had
gone to Dr. Cronin and acquainted him with the fact that he was in
peril. The renting of the cottage was gone into detail. Mrs. Carlson
told her story, and when she had finished, Mr. Mills turning his face
toward the line of prisoners, asked the witness if she could recognize
in the great audience before her, the face of Frank Williams. The
silence was oppressive as the woman's eyes rested upon the prisoners.
THRILLING SCENES IN COURT.
"Do you see the man?" asked Mr. Mills, in an emphatic tone.
"Yes sir," replied the witness.
"Where is he?"
Mrs. Carlson leveled the index finger of her gloved hand at Burke. The
latter chewed viciously at his tobacco and his eyes rolled wildly. The
other prisoners did not dare to look at their companion. The witness
went on to tell why it was certain that she had made no mistake in her
identification. She knew Burke by his restless eyes, by his mouth, by
the general contour of his face. Burke turned pale as the terrible
ordeal proceeded. Dramatic in the extreme was the identification of
Burke by old man Carlson. When asked to pick out Frank Williams from the
hundred of faces that were turned toward him, he glanced about
earnestly, but did not utter a word. The request was repeated, and
again the old man scanned the audience without discovering the face.
Burke, his countenance rigid with determination, sat with his frightened
eyes riveted upon the witness. Carlson was asked to leave his chair and
walk among the people below him. Taking his soft hat in his hand, he
walked slowly past the jurors and the lawyers. His eyes were fastened
upon the prisoners. He began with Beggs. Then his gaze passed from
Coughlin to O'Sullivan and thence to Burke. The two men were but a few
feet apart. With a grunt of satisfaction Carlson shook his old hat at
the pale-faced prisoner.
"Is he the Frank Williams you saw?" asked Mr. Mills.
"Yes, sir," was the emphatic reply, and the painful silence which had
prevailed in the court-room was broken by a prolonged buzz.
It was Coughlin's turn to turn pale when John C. Garrity was placed upon
the stand. This witness told how on one occasion Coughlin had asked him
if Sampson could be got to do a piece of work. When asked what it was,
he replied that he wanted to have a certain fellow "slugged." Garrity
asked what he wanted done to him, and Coughlin replied that he wanted a
man to get a club and break his nose and knock his teeth out or
disfigure him for life. Mortensen, the expressman, forged another link
in the evidence by positively identifying Burke as the man who had hired
him to cart the furniture to the cottage. When the witness pointed
directly at Burke, the latter showed more anger than at any time during
the trial. His face was flushed, his jaws set, and he glared savagely at
the Swede. Edward Spelman, of Peoria, Illinois, the district officer of
the Clan-na-gael, was another witness, but his memory was exceedingly
treacherous. In fact, he could not remember any of the circumstances to
which he had testified before the Grand Jury, and it turned out that, in
the interval, he had visited the office of, and conferred with,
Alexander Sullivan. The only fact of importance to which he testified
was that he had seen Coughlin and Kunze together in Peoria, and that
they appeared to be very intimate. The witness admitted that the
following correspondence had passed between himself and Beggs:
"CHICAGO,
Feb. 16, 1889.
"MY DEAR SIR AND BROTHER: I am directed to call your attention to
the following subjects: First, it is charged that the S. G. of the
Columbus Club (Dr. Cronin's camp) at a recent meeting read to the
assembled members the proceedings of the Trial Committee. Second, I
am directed to enter the protest of Camp No. 20 against the D.'s in
Chicago electing or initiating men until their names are presented
to D. No. 20 and the other D.'s for their consideration. The old
rule by communication has become a dead letter since the formation
of the Central Council, and I am informed that said council has not
held a legal meeting since its formation. Good discipline calls
for an investigation of the foregoing, which I feel you will attend
to. Fraternally yours,
"Don't forget our reunion February, 22."
"J. F. BEGGS, S. G., D. 20."
"PEORIA, ILL., Feb. 17, 1889.
"FRIEND BEGGS: Yours of yesterday to hand and contents carefully
noted. Will you kindly refer me to that section of our law where I
am empowered to inflict a penalty on an S. G. for disclosing the
proceedings of a Trial Committee? Under the constitution I called
the S. G. and J. G. together [meaning Senior Guardian and Junior
Guardian] for the purpose of forming a council. If they fail to
perform their duty I would like to know how I can remedy the evil
you complain of. While I admit that no person should be admitted in
Chicago unless his proposition should come before the council or
the D.'s in your city, on accepting the position of the D. O.
[District Officer], I felt that I should be able in my own way to
effect a reconciliation of our people in Chicago. But I must
confess to you that I am greatly disappointed. My position is this:
That if any person who is a member should violate the law, he
should be tried as provided by our constitution. What is the fact?
Members who know a wrong go around the street and go from one D. to
another and talk about such an offense. Then they report, and the
D. O. is a figure head. I will take no notice of any complaint
unless made to me, and if I have authority under our laws, you may
depend I will be on hand. I thank you for your kindness, and
discipline is our only safeguard. If you see where I can act, I am
at your command. My term of office will expire at this month, and
God knows I am glad. I am disgusted with the conduct of men who
think they should lead the Irish people. But I think it is
dangerous for decent men to associate with such scamps. Thank God,
proxies no longer prevail.
"Fraternally yours, D. O. 16."
"CHICAGO, Feb. 18, 1889.
"DEAR SIR AND BROTHER: Yours of the 17th received. I have not the
constitution before me, and therefore can not point out the section
that would cover the matter complained of; nor am I prepared to say
that the act mentioned was a violation of any written law; but that
it was very unwise, and such conduct as is prejudicial to the good
of the order, no man in his right senses will deny. It is just such
acts that keep us continually in hot water. Why, in God's name, if
men are sincere, will they insist upon opening old sores? The
majority of our men believe the parties charged to be innocent of
any criminal wrong, and to have the charges made continually that
they are guilty, creates a bitterness and ill feeling, and the man
or men who continue to bring the charges are not the friends of
Irish unity. What earthly good is done in continuing the old fight.
What is the reason for it? I confess I can give no answer. If we
are true men, as we profess, we will rather conciliate than keep up
a war which can only lead to further disunion. The rank and file
are sincere. They want peace, and the time is not far distant when
they will have it, even if it has to come to war. I am anxious for
a better understanding among our people, and will do anything in my
power to obtain unity. The matter I wrote of, I would let pass if I
could, but I was ordered to notice it. Personally I think it better
not to notice such things, but I am only one. The men who are the
power will in time realize the motives of those who are continually
breeding disorder in their ranks, and a day of punishment will
come. I am very much discouraged at the present outlook, but hope
no trouble will result. Fraternally yours, J. F. BEGGS."
Of testimony against O'Sullivan, there was an abundance. Justice Mahoney
told of being present when the contract for professional services was
made between the iceman and the physician, and Mrs. Addie J. Farrar
testified that the iceman had said to her, after the disappearance, that
Dr. Cronin was a British spy, and that if he had given away any of the
secrets of the secret organization he ought to have been killed. Editor
R. T. Stanton, of the Lake View _Record_, showed that the particular
card of O'Sullivan's that had been used to entice Dr. Cronin from his
home had been printed for and delivered to the iceman two days before
the murder. The first evidence connecting Kunze with the murderers, or
their different places of rendezvous, was given by Willie James, a
sixteen-year old stenographer, who swore that he had seen Kunze wash his
feet at the window of the Clark street flat in the month of March, while
Mertes, the milkman, positively identified the little German as the man
who had driven a big broad-shouldered man to the Carlson cottage on the
night of the murder, and likewise identified Coughlin as the man he had
seen run up the steps of the slaughter-house and disappear behind the
front door. Kunze rocked to and fro with fury during this testimony, and
glared wickedly at the witness. Coughlin's gaze never left his accuser,
but his face flushed and his deep set eyes blazed.
SURPRISES FOR THE DEFENSE.
From a medical point of view, the testimony of Microscopists Tolman and
Belfield, and Chemist Haines, of the Rush Medical College was
exceedingly interesting. Stains from the floor of the Carlson cottage,
the hair found clinging to the trunk purchased by Simonds, the hair cut
from the head of the murdered man, the single thread of hair discovered
on cake of soap in the kitchen of the cottage, and fresh and dried blood
from the trunk itself, were the articles on which the experts had
experimented. The chemist had been requested to determine whether the
reddish stains were those of blood, while the task of determining the
probable origin of the blood and the relation of one hair to the other
was assigned to the microscopists. The evidence of all three experts was
conclusive. Chemist Haines had subjected the stained chips from the
floor of the cottage to four experiments, three of a chemical nature and
the fourth with a microscope, and the result furnished indubitable proof
that the stains were those of blood, while Microscopist Tolman, by other
tests, was equally well satisfied that the blood had come from a human
body. Additional tests had been made on a strand of hair found on the
cake of soap, and which was lighter in color in some portions than in
others, while Dr. Cronin's hair was brown. The fact that the single
strand appeared light in color to the naked eye seemed to indicate that
it could not have come from Dr. Cronin's head, but it was demonstrated
by the experts that hairs placed on soap or other alkaline substances
became bleached in a manner similar to the color of the single strand.
This evidence was of vital importance as it linked the hair found in the
trunk with the hair cut from Dr. Cronin's head, and went far toward
proving that one of the murderers had washed his hands with the soap
after the diabolical work in the parlor had been done.
A surprise was in store for the defense at this juncture of the trial,
in the form of several witnesses whose identity and testimony had not
before been made public. One of these, William Niemann, who kept a
saloon a block and a half south of the Carlson cottage, swore that on
the night of May 4th, between ten and eleven o'clock, O'Sullivan, the
iceman, with two companions, one of whom strongly resembled Coughlin and
the other Kunze, visited his place and drank several glasses of wine.
O'Sullivan paid the bill, and the three men engaged in an earnest
conversation that lasted some time, although they spoke so low that the
drift of what they were saying could not be learned by the
saloon-keeper. This evidence demolished the claim that O'Sullivan was in
bed all night on the night of the murder, and although Niemann was
rigidly cross-examined he held to his story without the slightest
variation.
HEARD HIS DEATH CRY.
But it remained for a poor washerwoman, who was searching for her
drunken husband, to furnish the final link in the chain and discover the
crowning evidence against some of the men who were on trial. She
testified on November 12th, and her story was one of the most dramatic
and sensational of the trial. Paulina Hoertel was her name, and she was
a little German woman, poorly but neatly dressed, with a thin, pinched
face, but with considerably more intelligence than is usually found
among people in her station of life. She wept bitterly at times while
telling her story. For several years, owing to the drunken habits of her
husband, her life had been full of trouble. At one time he visited a
saloon near the Carlson cottage with nearly five hundred dollars in his
pockets, fell into a drunken stupor, and remained in the place four days
and nights. When his wife, after considerable searching, finally
discovered his whereabouts, the saloon-keeper first attempted to shoot
her, and then secured her arrest on a charge of disorderly conduct.
From a long recital of her domestic misery, Mrs. Hoertel went on to
tell, how on the night of the murder she had started out to find her
husband, who, as usual, was away from home. After going some distance
her heart failed her, and she started to return. As she entered North
Ashland avenue from Cornelia street, she saw a white horse attached to a
top-buggy, coming toward her at a lively pace from the direction of the
city. There were two men in the vehicle, and the horse was brought to a
full stop immediately in front of the Carlson cottage. A tall man, with
a black satchel or box in his left hand, jumped from the vehicle, and,
after reaching out his arm toward the buggy as if to take something,
crossed over the sidewalk toward the steps. Mrs. Hoertel was at this
time on the same side of the street and walking in the direction of the
cottage. As soon as the man had gotten out of the vehicle, his companion
lashed the white horse into a gallop, and started back toward the town.
The tall man walked briskly up the long flight of stairs, and, upon
reaching the threshold of the cottage, the door was opened by somebody
within. A bright light was burning in the front room of the building,
and when the door was opened its reflection was seen on the steps. Mrs.
Hoertel reached the front of the cottage just as the door closed. An
instant later she heard some one cry in a loud voice, "Oh, God!" Then
there was a noise that sounded like a blow, followed by a heavy fall,
and again the now frightened woman heard the exclamation, "Jesus!"
The woman stood still for an instant. The light was still shining
through the slats of the tightly-drawn blinds, but all was as still as
the grave, and, thinking that the sounds which she had heard were only
those of an ordinary quarrel, she resumed the journey toward her home. A
block distant, between the Carlson cottage and the little building in
the rear where the Carlsons lived, she saw in the starlight the outlines
of a man who was evidently on watch. Upon reaching her home she could
not open the doors, her husband having changed the locks in her absence,
and she was compelled to sit all night on her door-step. It was not
until three days later that she was able to obtain access to her home.
Told through an interpreter, for the woman's efforts to make her broken
English understood failed almost from the start, this story created a
painful impression in the court-room. Every one within hearing
recognized its vital interest. The white horse that had carried the
physician away from his house had been traced to the door of the Carlson
cottage, and the exclamation, "Oh, God!" must have been wrung from the
Doctor the instant he entered the door and saw that a trap had been set
for him. But it was too late to retreat, and, with a last cry of
"Jesus," he had fallen beneath the blow of one of his assassins, with
the name of his Saviour upon his lips.
"I heard the far-away cry of Jesus," was the way in which the
interpreter made a literal translation of the statement, and every eye
was turned on the prisoners. Burke's mouth opened, his face turned
scarlet and his eyes rolled wildly around the court-room. Coughlin's
jaws were set tightly, and he glared savagely at the witness. Beggs,
O'Sullivan and Kunze, however, sat like stoics, and did not move a
muscle or change a shade in color. Judge Wing, who was chosen to
cross-examine the witness, occupied over an hour in an effort to confuse
her as to dates and assail her as to character, but the replies were
prompt and unanswerable, and when she left the stand not a word of her
story had been shaken.
THE STATE RESTS ITS CASE.
[Illustration: COONEY, "THE FOX."]
By this time the State had almost exhausted its list of witnesses. John
E. McKennon, of the police department of Winnipeg, told about the arrest
of Burke at that place, and Henry Plainskef testified that on the
morning after Dr. Cronin's murder, Burke and another man whom he
recognized from a photograph as Cooney, entered a store on Clark street
and purchased a cheap white shirt and two collars. Burke, he said, kept
his coat buttoned closely about his throat, and acted in a suspicious
manner. Gus Klahre testified that on May 6th Burke had brought to him to
be soldered a galvanized iron box fourteen by twenty-six inches, and
weighing about forty pounds. He was very particular that the contents
of the box should not be seen, and while the work was being done, talked
freely about Dr. Cronin's disappearance, saying that he was a British
spy and deserved to be killed. The clothing, instrument case and other
articles found in the Lake View sewer were exhibited to the jury and
identified by several witnesses. As a finale to its case, the State
endeavored to introduce the inside history of the Clan-na-gael, with a
view of showing Coughlin's bitter hatred for Dr. Cronin, and ex-Police
Officer Daniel Brown was called to testify on this point. Strenuous
objections, however, were offered by the defense, and argument on the
question extended over an entire afternoon. The State's Attorney
insisted upon his right to show that four years before, Alexander
Sullivan, who was on the Executive Committee at that time, and was
charged with the fraudulent appropriation of funds, prosecuted Cronin,
that Coughlin was on the trial committee, that Dr. Cronin was tried for
reading a circular that reflected on Sullivan's character, and that
notwithstanding this, four years later, Beggs stood up in his camp and
defended Sullivan. To this Mr. Forrest responded that the defense had no
vindication to offer for the triangle, nor any attack to make on it.
They did ask, however, that Coughlin and his fellow-prisoners be tried
for their own sins, and not for those of Alexander Sullivan. So far as
counsel for the defendants were concerned they were willing to say "to
perdition with Alexander Sullivan." They were not responsible for his
acts, they did not appear there to apologize for him, but they did
protest most solemnly as American citizens against the names of their
clients being connected with that of Sullivan, and against the prejudice
that existed against the latter being visited on the defenseless heads
of the poor men who were on trial for their lives.
At the conclusion of the arguments, the evidence was ruled out by the
court. The case for the State was practically closed on November 13th,
and an adjournment was taken until the 16th, when one more witness was
called for the prosecution. This was James Clancey, a staff
correspondent for the New York Herald. His testimony was to the effect
that he had called upon iceman O'Sullivan twice upon the day when Dr.
Cronin's body was discovered and urged him to go and identify it. The
iceman, however, had refused to do so, being greatly agitated and making
several contradictory statements which to the witness, seemed additional
evidence of guilt. On cross-examination it was developed that Mr.
Clancey had been a worker in the cause of Irish liberty in years gone
by, that he had been sentenced to penal servitude for life, for
attempting to shoot two policemen who were about to arrest him for
alleged participation in revolutionary schemes, and that he had been
pardoned at the expiration of ten years through the intervention of
several members of Parliament. When Mr. Clancey left the stand at noon
on Saturday of November 16th, the formal announcement was made:
"We rest the case for the State."
[Illustration: JUDGE S. P. M'CONNELL.]