St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-09-19
CRONIN'S MURDEREBS
1t Is Alleged That They Were
Agents Of the English
Government.
Evidence in the Form Of
Many Letters From Miss
lie CaPon.
She Says Cronin Was Killed
While Defending Himself
From Robbery.
lie Caron, Cooney and Kirby
Will Testify Against
Burke ct Al.

to be in possession of evidence showing
that the murdererS of DR.. Cronin were
paid representatives of the English
government, who had been duped by
Cronin, who was supposed by the
British authorities to be one of their
American spies. The form this evil
dence has taken and in which 1t will be
presented at the trial on behalf of
the defense is a number of letters
written by Miss LIE Caron, daughter
of the notorious witness in the London
Times-Parnell case, to her affianced
husband, who is well-known and prom
inent young Irish American of Chicago.
These letters have been written by Miss
LIE Caron, from London, at brief inter-
walls ever since she joined her father in
that city last winter, after he had APP
peared as witness before the Parnel
commission. The letters from Miss lie
Caron after the disappearance of DR..
Cronin alluded frequently to him, and
intimated that the writer knew that the
doctor was
VICTIM OF A VILE CONSPIRACY,
of which she knew the particulars. But
she never gave any detailed account of
the information, which she left to be in
ferred that she had obtained from Der
father, till after the arrest of Coughlin,
O'Sulllvan and Beggs. Then she be-
came more definite. LIE Caron, after his
arrival in London, had warned Cronin
and advised him to save himself by COM
plying with what was expected of him.
lie Caron was cautious. In his letters
he did not indicate from whom this dam
ger to CrOnin was to come. Miss lie
Caron, in her confidential cOmmunica-
| lions to her lover, was not so discreet.
In one of them she writes:
There is one man who got away and whom
they should have arrested. Why didn't they
arrest Birmingham? They might have learned
| great deal from him.
The story outlined in the series of
letters, of which there are very many,
is to the effect that lie CarOn and Bur-
DR.. Cronin, in his intimacy with them,
soon learned their real character, and
| in order to obtain from them fuller in
sight into their plans and duplicity and
| the designs of the English government,
| he permitted them to think that he also
was Yenal and could be hired by their
employers. They made the proposition
| that he enter the American branch of
| the secret service of Scotland Yard. He
| apparently accepted. He obtained all
their information without giving any in
return. They became suspicious and
sought to obtain from him certain pa
pers which they had given him in his
! SUPPOSED CHARACTER OF SPY.
He refused TO give them up. Mean
while lie Caron was summoned to Eng
| land RI fnCtifU aOainSf Darnal
suggested to CrOnin that he would be
called on later for the same purpose.
| Birmingham, the other representative
| of the British service in Chicago, was
told to look out for Cronin and obtain
at any price the documents which
would have revealed the close cOnnec-
ton between certain high American
officials and the London detective SyS-
| TEN. Cronin refused to yield and
threatened the exposure of the English
| practices in America. The Scotland
Yard people grew desperate. 1t was
resolved to rob CrOnin of the papers,
aud it was in that attempt that
the doctor was killed, the conspirators
believing that he always carried the
| much-wanted papers on his person.
Birmingham, who it is alleged in these
letters should be watched, sold out his
drug store at North Clark and Oak
streets for very low price and dis
appeared. The Journal has the same
story in substance. and adds: In OPP
position to the above it is claimed that
at the proper stage of the Cronin trial
the prosecution will produce as wit
nesses II. j. Kirby, Thomas LIE Caron
and Patrick COoney. This, it is said.
has been made possible by the efforts of
Messrs. Hynes and Mills. of counsel
for the state, with the aid of the Pink
ertOn detectives. Kirby, as agent of
the British government, was in Chicago
for months before
THE MURDER OF DIR. CRoNIN,
prying into the secrets of the Clan-na-
Gael. He was very successful, and re-
turned to London full of information,
not only about the WORKINGS of the
order, but with full particulars of the
plot against DR.. Cronin and the manner
in which it was carried out. 1t was the
intention Of the British authorities to
put Kirby on the stand in the Parnell
case, but it was concluded that the EVIL
dence of LIE Caron Tor Beach, would he
strong enough, and that no good would
come of disclosing Kirby's identity and
the nature of his errand to America
until absolutely necessary. By keeping
Kirby off the stand the British au-
| luOllGlCS hOulO UC dUl0 W uS6
him to good advantage in other
cases. After the trial Kirby went to
Canada, and was lost sight of until 10
Gated few days ago by the detectives,
He was told what was wanted of him,
and for long time refused to have any.
thing to do with the case. Finally the
matter was put to him in such a light
that he consented to come to Chicago
and appear as witness for the proSecu-
ton when required. LIE Caron has re-
Vealed to the American detectives the
names of certain men on whom SuSpi-
cion has not heretofore rested, and like
Kirby, will be on hand to testify when
wanted. 1t may be well to state that.
lii order to avoid any mistake about
Kirby and LIE Caron showing up when
wanted, they have constant companions
in the shape of some of Pinkerton's
most argus-eyed employees.
Industrious researches to-day by a
Times Reporter produced the young
man correspondent of Miss LIE Caron.
His name is George E. May. He is a
clerk in sporting goods establishment,
and was an intimate friend of the LIE
CaronS while they lived on La Sale
avenue. After good deal of reIuct
ance Mr.. May finally admitted that he
had been the recipient of letters from
Gertrude LIE CarOn.
II have received in all four or FIVE letter.
from Miss LIE Caron," said he this evening
! Three while they lived in New York, the
rest since they have been on the continent
nate TO have my name brought into thi
? | thing, but pledge you nv word that there il
not even reference made to DR.. Cronin il
all the letters"
: May claims that the family left Chi
, cago some time in March and then liveC
in New York city until about June 1
: This, it is pointed out, would not har
monte with the supposed dates of thu
q letters. Mr.. May was certain Miss Il
> Caron had no other gentleman friend il
Chicago with whom she correspondent
) though he was aware she was writin;
! to certain Miss Richmond.