Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-06-06
WEAVING TIE nee.

CHICAGO, May 29.-Frank Woodruff.
alias Frank Black, has confessed to Cap.
tain Setback the whole story of his con-
nectfon with DIR. Cronin's murder. Ac-
cording to the statements Woodruff has
made to the Captain, he was not directly
connected with the murder itself, but
simply acted as the driver OF the wagon
which disposed of the dead mans body In
the catch basin where IL was found.
Woodruff has been taken to the scene Of
Cronfn's murder and also to the sewer
where the body was found and the place
whore the trunk was frat seen. He him.
self gave the driving directions to the de-
tectives who managed the reins, and In
every instance located the exact places
where the chief acts In the tragedy oc-
CURED.
According to his confession. Woodruff
was directed by those who had charge Of
that part Of the conspiracy, and whose
names Captain Setback reserves for rea-
sons that arc palpable, to go to Dinan's
livery stable, where he would obtain q
horse and wagon. He had already boon
instructed to drive the outfit to the neigh.
borhood of the Carlson cottage, and he
also knew for what purpose he was to 20
there.
Woodruff arrived at the cottage about
twenty minutes before DR.. Cronin was
driven up and placed his horse and wagon
at q point near the cottage, where he
could keep his eyes on the front steps. He
saw the white horse rig containing DR..
CTonin and his conductor arrive and
three-quarters of an hour thereafter the
man who was known as Williams opened
the front door of the cottage and gave the
signal by stamping his foot on the wooden
porch. Woodruff at once drove up and
assisted by the third man the trunk was
loaded into the wagon.
The two men followed the trunk and di-
rected Woodruff. who continued as the
driver; to drive eastward to the lake to q
certain point which Woodruff has desig-
mated to Captain Setback. The wagon
was headed for the lake and in it's depths
the trunk and its contents would have
been deposited had not the Interrupt
ton come from the Lakeview police
man. This destroyed the original piansr
and immediate steps were taken to
get out of the officials way. This was
done by taking a circuitous route which
again brought them to the Evanston road.
They had now been driving for nearly an
hour with their CHASTITY load and one of
the men suggested the sewer. A stop
was made at the Fifty ninth street inter-
section OF the Evanston road. The top
was taken off the manhole on, the southeast
corner and the trunk lifted from the
wagon. It was then new and unexpected
uL1lCuiGy pT0Soutou ltSclls w Hti0 IL w dS
possible to drop the trunk with the body
into the lake. it became a physical impos-
sibility to thus dispose of the load In the
manhole. It was resolved to take the
body out Of the trunk, drop the body in
the catch basin and return the trunk to
the cottage and burn it.
But when the trunk was to be unlocked
it was found that the key had been lost
Williams said there was no more time to
ho nd ho in, Id Of ho
trunk. The three lifted the body out and
deposited it in the sewer as it was found.
The trunk was again placed on the wag-
on. It was intended to go south for a dis
tance and then to drive north to the cot.
tage and there deposit the trunk.
sRight here" said Woodruff to Captain
Setback, pointing to the exact spot where
the trunk was found, I'VE heard the noise
Of wagon wheels from the south and two
men, one Of whom had been setting ON the
trunk, picked it up and threw it out of the
wagon. was urged to whip up the horse
and drive west When wereached Fuller
ton avenue both men said good night to
me and left the wagon"
BEFORE THE GRAND JURY.
CHICAGO, May 29.-Detective Daniel
Coughlin, Patrick o. Sullivan. the iceman,
and Frank j. Black, alias Woodruff, were
indicted by the grand jury last evening
IOI tu0 Iu6TuoT VI OTs STOHiH Ibis result
was reached after an investigation which
had begun at noon and lasted seven
hours. during which two dozen wit
nesses were examined and a mass of evil
dence considered.
The three prisoners were included in one
indictment. to which there were three
counts-one charging them with killing
DR.. Cronin with a blunt instrument; the
second, alleging the use of a sharp instru-
rnant and the third i'm frnr fc nd
means unknown.
No evidence was introduced to prove
conspiracy and DIR. Cronin's private pa
pers were not placed before the grand
jury.
The witnesses who were called were
those whose stories have been told in gem
eral outline if not in detail in the press
Judge Longenecker thought it advisable
to tighten the coils into which the three
prisoners had already been drawn and
fasten them with indictments. probably
to prevent any effort to secure the release
of one or more of them on bail
The grand jury took only one vote after
hearing the witnesses and that was unan-
imous for indicting all three prisoners.
States Attorney Longenecker said that
no mention of Clan-na-Gael affairs had
been made in the jury room. 1.-THE charge
of conspiracy was not Investigated" he
added, land Mr.. Cronin's papers were
not brought in. Those matters Will come
later, probably before another grand
jury"
The two warrants for Daniel Coughlin
and P. q. Sullivan are not the only ones
that have been issued in the case. Eight
other warrants were placed in the hands
of detectives and taken to different parts
of the city and Lakeview. The detectives
Immediately began to shadow eight diff.
ferent suspects. The warrants are not
intended for use save in such emergency
as would arise from an attempt of any OF
the men to leave the city.
Nobody is any longer discussing the
possibility of the prisoner Coughlin
''squealing." The ex-detective has
plainly defined his platform. Upon being
urged to tell all he knew he replied in
these words: Il nm innocent and know
nothing. But if I were guilty and did
know any thing, 1 would die before ]
would tell it.
Fatal Collision.
BRIDGEPORT. Conn, May 29-Two
freight trains going in opposite directions
collided at Bull Station at 4:3o O'Clock yes
terday morning. Both engines were
crushed into shapeless mass, five cars