The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-12-17
Kunze, Coughlin, O'Sulliyan and
Martin Burke.
THE CELEBRATED CRoNIN CASE
Finally Closes-What Judge Mcconnell Says
About the Verdict Kunze Cries-Burke
Seems Well Pleased.

dered its verdict in the Cronin case. That
return of this jury, with verdict and not
a disagreement, is source of much CON
graduation to the public mind and al
though there is naturally much division OF
sentiment on the question of an approval
of the verdict, the sense of relief which is
experienced at the final elimination of the
case is unanimous. However bitter, too, may
have been the feelings engendered by the
two factions into which the Irish people
have been divided in the case, it cannot
fail to be a source OF congratulation to
Judge Mcconnell that his impartial con-
duct as presiding judge has been such as
to win for him not only the applause of
both of these opposing factions, but the
approval alike of the leading iurists of the
land, upon the validity of his rulings. As
the court convened at 2 p. m. he received
the verdict of the jury. There was a
momentary silence as the vast audience
breathlessly awaited the first words of
Judge Mcconnell, as he mounted the
bench. H%
''The jury is prepared to make return
in this case" said his honor. 'tBut OBJ
serve that Mr.. Donohue, counsel for O'Sul-
livan and Kuuze is absent" ...
II have been requested to represent Mr..
Donahue,n said Mr.. Forest. >
| The court announced his satisfaction
with this arrangement, and moment later
the door leading from the Jail opened and
the five defendants marched in to receive
the announcement of their fate Hardly a
sound was kheard as every eye in the audi
ence turneA toward John F. Beggs, who
led the procession. The face of the senior
guardian of Camp 20 was pale and anxious
| looking, but he faced the stare of the au-
dience boldly. Daniel Coughlin affected
his usual Indifference, but his restless,
furtive eye d oted terrible mental sus-
pense the ex elective experienced as he
awaited the dreadful announcement
Hardly a person in the court room sue
rick O'Sullivan. His looks were
directed toward the floor, and
whatever emotion he may have felt
at this critical moment was not shown
Martin Burke's face flushed for moment
as he approached his seat, but Immediately
after his features regained their natural
expression, and with an affected nonchal
ance he resumed the chewing of gum, as
has been his wont during the course Of the
trial. For the first time since his arrest
the little German John Kunze seemed to
appreciate the gravity of his situation and
his usual air of jaun tiness was absent. As
the audience were contemplating the
prisoners and commenting upon their de-
meanor, noise of many footsteps was
again suddenly heard without, and a mo-
ment later the twelve men, in whose judg-
ment reposed the lives of the defendant,
entered the room, headed by Foreman
Clarke. Every person simultaneously
turned his eyes upon the jurors as if to read
in their impaSsive features the secret of the
verdict, but there was no sign to give them
hope or fear,
1.-THE clerk will call the roll of iurors.n
Every person in the audience started as
the sound Of the judges voice broke the
silence only to add deeper awe to the sol
| emnity Of the occasion. Slowly the jur-
ors answered to their names and the
twelve men were announced to be present.
Gentlemen" said the court 81 under
! stand you have reached conclusion in this
case" With bow, Foreman Clarke took
| from his pocket a large envelope and
handed it to the judge, who in turn handed
it to the clerk.
''The clerk will read the verdict" said
the court. Instantly hush, so profound
that as the clerk tore open the envelope
the sound fell discordantly upon the anx-
ious ears A moment later this anxiety
became painful in its intensity as the So
norous voice of the clerk began reading the
verdict Of the jury, as follows:
We, the jury find the defendant John F.
Beggs not guilty.
We, the jury, find the defendant John Kunze
guilty off manslaughter as charged in the in
dctment And fix his punishment at imprison-
ment in NE penitentiary for the term Of three
years.
We, the jury, find the defendants Daniel
Coughlin, Patrick O'Sullivan and Martin Burke
guilty of murder in the manner and form as
charged in the indictment, and fix the penalty
at imprisonment in the penitentiary for the
term OF their natural lives.
At the request of the defense the jury
was then polled and reafirmed their YER
dict. Simultaneous with the announce
ment OF the verdict Coughlin, O'Sullivan
and BurFr ned deathly pale, while
Kunze sta. lddenly from his seat and
a moment lator dropped his head upon his
breast and b st into tears. Beggs' face
was luminous with Joy, and Immediately
after the polling of the jury he arose from
amid the prisoners, walked over to the jury
box, and during the breathless lull that
followed, shook Foreman Clarks hand
heartily and said: '.Gentlemen, l thank
you. l trust the future may confirm your
Judgment upon me, and that you will never
regret that yous found men not guilty of
this terrible cnarge.n
The only sound that broke the stiffness
following this was the deep sobs of little
Kunze. He burst out with ''God knows l
am innocent. / never was in Lakeview
that night. O., God knows | am innocent,
gentlemen
O'Sullivan was the only one of the other
three prisoners who found refuge in tears.
For moment they tr1ckled down his
cheeks, but minute later his black eyes
flashed with defiance of revival of courage
and dashing his hand across his brow, he
braced up in his seat and cast longing
glance around the court room The only
evidence of terror to be perceived ia
Coughlin was the Increased pallor that
overspread his face as he fully realized the
significance of the sentence to life impris-
onment and his lips twitched nervously
during the coHoquy that followed between
the attorney and the court relrtive to a
motion for a new trial.
Martin Burke was unquestionably the
least affected of all the prisoners. His
usually florid face took on slight pallor as
the verdict was announced, but a moment
later his laws again began a methodical
mastication of gum as regularly as at any
previous time during the trial.
AS the verdict was announced and the
large audience contemplated little Kunze's
grief, Beggs turned to a reporter and said:
sits shame to sentence Kunze, poor little
fellow. think he is as innocent as l am.
It's d. shame to send him to the peni-
tertiary for three years. He had no more
idea of being found guilty than you had"
The comments among the audience were
various. Both Irish factions were well
represented and naturally took opposite
views. Cronin's friends were indignant at
the verdict Its shame,n said Hon. P.
w. Dunno, "a shame and travesty upon
justice.n His sentiment found an echo
from dozen Irishmen near him, while
only a dozen feet away the members of
other factions were congratulating them
selves and the prisoners that the verdict
was no worse and the friends of Beggs
were elbowing their way through to grasp