Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-11-06
CONVINCING THE JURY.
The Clan-na-Gael District Or
ganizer Testifies in the
Cronin Case.
Three Men Frozen to Death in
the Recent Blizzard In
New Mexico.

T.
CHICAGO, Nov. 4.-The first witness in
the Cronin trial this morning was Edward
Spellman Of Peoria, ILL.,. district officer OF
Illinois and Michigan. As the examination
proceeded it became 9. ident that he was
an unwilling witness. and that his testi.
mony was different from that he gave be-
fore the grand jury, and from what the
prosecution expected. He said he met
Beegs on April 2S, who said that the mat
ter referred to in their correspondence,
viz: That the proceedings OF the trial Of the
committee had been had in certain camp
| and in violation OF the rules had been ami.
| cably settled. The witness then said he
knew Dan Coughlin, who, with q man
| named Kunze, had visited Peoria a year
ago and presented letter OF introduction.
He had no conversation with Coughlin
about DR.. Cronin. .. ~. -. ...
This was in direct. contradiction Of Spell
mans previous testimony, and he was
asked by Longsnecker il he had not sworn
that Coughlin spoke to him about DR..
Cronin. There was a long wrangle over
this question which was finally allowed
and Spellman answered: said before the
grand jury that in conversation with
Coughlin in Peoria. that he said Cronin was
a--b, but on reflection and on con-
sideration with two other men present I
sent my attorney to Chicago to notify the
district attorney that was mistaken. Ny
attorney was unable to find Judge Long.
Decker and I came myself specially
to Chicago and notified Judge Longnecker
and other counsel, that il they
asked me that question on the stand
should have to deny it in order to do
justice to my own self and to the facts.
After left the grand jury and went home
and slept I felt annoyed and troubled. Il
felt that possibly had done wrong to |
Coughlin and went Immediately to Pallor |
& Downs and told them what had sworn |
to before the grand jury, and that was
bothered about it. They said: "Spellman
you have made mistake"
mo conversation took place." the wit
ness said in reply to the question that he |
had seen Alexander Sullivan before going |
but he went there because he had been in |
formed that Sullivan was talking very |
harshly about him, and that his visit was |
not in connection with the case.
The correspondence between Beggs and |
Spellman was then read.
During Cross examination Mr.. Spellman |
was asked if Beggs ever spoke to him about |
the charges against Cronin in any case. He
replied that great deal was said about
Cronin, but to place it upon any one mat /
ter at any one period he couldn't do it at
this time.
"Was it not because OF his organization |
of the other camps?"
NO" replied Spellman, "because he was 1
always anxious to prefer charges-he was /
q kind of an agitator; he was an honest L
man; not bad fellow If he could have his
own way. II not"
Mr.. Hyde here objected to any such state
ments, as Cronin is dead and could not re-
spond.
spellman said no charges were made by
Beggs against any individual in the official |
position as senior guardian.
Defense moved to exclude from the
records all questions and answers in regard |
to what " as testified to before the grand
Jury.
A lengthy debate ensued on this point.
In the course of which it was stated that |
Spellman subscribed $500 toward the
arrest and conviction OF the murderer OF
DR.. Cronin, and that he had paid $1G0 OF
this. It was intimated that the testimony
at the grand jury was given when he was in
One frame OF mind, and that the present |
attitude was the result OF consultations
with friends. The court finally said the
authorities might be brought in on the
point at the afternoon session.
Cross examination was resumed and
witness was asked number of questions
regarding the object OF the visit OF Kunze
to Peoria with Coughlin and as to whether
it had any connection with Cronin.
Speelman said he had not as far as he
knew. though he had q conversation with
Kupze there. Coughlin, as yet, had no
connection with Cronin, and q reference OF
the counsel led to the inference that it was
in connection with the fight between q
Chicago distillery and whiskey trust.
John A. Mahoney, justice Of the peace,
testified he was present. at the hall at Lake
view, Mich. last when Cronin instituted
the camp of the Clan.na-Gael. After the
meeting iceman Sullivan asked the witness
about Cronin's standing as q physician,
and receiving favorable reply arranged
for the witness to visit Cronin with him to
for Sullivan's men. This arrangement was
made about the middle OF April, and Sui.
Ivan gave Cronin some of his business
cards, saying if the doctor went when he
Sullivan was out OF town or sick, one OF
these cards would be presented.
At the afternoon session JudSe Neon
nell said he had considered the testimony
of Spellman in the controversy and decided
to exclude it.
Mrs. Annie J. Farrar testified as to the
conversation OF herself and O'Sullivan
after Cronin's body was found. She asked /
O'Sullivan: WAS it not terrible muir
der?"
C;5ulivan hesitated moment and then
said: They say he was British spy"
Mrs. Farrar asked: swell, why should /
thev kill him?"
O'sullivan said: "He gave away the
secrets of the order; If a man did that he /
ought to be killed; if he did that he got no |
more than he deserved"
Three policemen from the Lake View dis |
trict testified as to having seen a wagon |
occupied by three men late on the night OF |
May 4, and as to noticing q trunk or box |
in the body of the wagon.
John Way, another pol cemsn, testified |
that about l o'clock on the morning OF |
May he saw two men walking east toward |
the lake, followed by a wagon driven BY
another man. The witness questioned the |
driver who said they wanted to 60 to Chi |
cago and were looking ior the lake shore 1
drive. The other two men then came back /
from the beach and the policeman gave