Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-02-07
Thirty Years a Spy.
Remarkable Witness in The
Times-Parnell Case.
LIE CARoNs DETECTIVE CAREER

Leader In Many Irish Movements
Against England and All the Time Keep
ing John Bull Posted-His Connection
with the Invasion of Canada"-Irish-
men Puzzled to See Their Plans Given
Away. but Unable to Find the Leak
LONDON, Feb. during the proceedings
before the Parnell commission yesterday At
torney General Webster read the official re-
port Of the National league convention held
in Chicago, and presented list Of the
leagues accounts including items showing
that the sum Of $27, l0s was sent to Patrick
Egan at Paris and sl2,sos was sent to Mr..
Parnell. He also quoted from a cableTam
sent by Mr.. Parnell advising the convention
to frame a platform which would enable
them to continue to accept assistance from
America, at the same time avoiding anything
which would give England pretext to sup.
press the national movement
Further testimony was given by Beach, or
LIE Caron, with the purpose Of connecting
Parnell with the revolutionary movement in
America. He was familiar with events and
names, and told a straight story, though there
was nothing in it very startling, most Of il
being in reference to the Irish league conven-
ton in Chicago in 1881. During his testimony
he referred frequently to Alexander Sullivan,
Of Chicago
CHICAGO, Feb. 7-Dr lie Caron, alias
Thomas Philip Beach, was associated with
DR.. Bacon, now state senator. in Lockport,
VIII county, immediately after the civil war
1t is said DIR. Bacon was physician at the Jol-
let penitentiary at the time, and that LIE
Caron was a sort of a hospital steward under
him. LIE Caron's young wife, an excellent
lady raised in Nashville, and Mrs Bacon be-
came warm friends and are yet LIE Caron
moved to Wilmington in 1888 or thereabout
and opened a doctors office It was
generally believed that he had taken part
in the unsuccessful Fenian invasion of Canada,
and he did not deny it. Certain 1t is that
Gen. O'Neil, who was prominent in that rid.
visited lie Caron more than once ~ Y lining
ton. After living in tie latter named place
perhaps four years, he moved to Braidwood
iii Braidwood he had a fair practice, which
continued off and on until within three
months, though his family residence has been
for few years in Chicago He owned a
drug store, and later established another. He
was nominated for supervisor, and later for
the state legislature, and came very near
being elected each time
lie Caron was well and intimately known
by almost every prominent Irish American
in this country. He claimed to be a French
man who hated England, and out-Heroded
Herod in his zeal for the cause of Irish liberia
ton. He was foremost among the organizers
of the great Fenian raid into Canada. With
him were associated w j. Hines and John
Finerty, of this city, and up to the receipt OF
the news from London these men regarded
LIE Caron as a stanch and true sympathzer
and friend of the Irish cause.
DR. George 7. Cunningham said yesterday:
II was never more shocked and surprised in
my life. first met Maj. LIE Caron at my
fathers house in Utica, n. Y, in 1864 or 1865
while he, John Finerty, W. j. Hines, and
Others were organizing for the Fenian raid
SO active was Maj. lie Caron that the Irish
Americans called him the Lafayette of the
Irish cause as he was known as a French
man espousing the cause of Irish liberty. NV
fathers warehouse was used as the work
shop to change the Springfield
rifles into breech-loaders and then
they would lie distributed at different
points and secreted. We used to wonder how
their hiding. place could be discovered in a
few hours and the arms taken by the federal
government, and the leaders denounced the
unknown traitors, the major denouncing
louder than any one We know how it was
done now. We used to have that man in our
most secret confidence, and many times have
heard my father and some of the leading
lrish-Americans despair because some Irish
traitor was evidently. selling all the secret
schemes, plans, and movements in America
to the British government"
DR.. L. Birmingham, of ST. North Clark
street, says of lie Caron: He and were in
England together two years ago knew he
made frequent trips to England and knew
he was in the employ of the Brit
ish government, but just in what
capacity of course I did not know. He is
very shrewd and remarkable man-just
such man as government would employ
for such a purpose, and a man who could, as
he did, work for nearly thirty years as the
friends of the very ones he was paid to spy on
and never lie suspected till the hour came to
come out in his true colors. TIL bet he'll come
back to America and live. He's too sharp to
to hurt and isn't afraid of any one