The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-05-24
7HE CRONIN MYSTERY.
The Body Of the Doctor is IdeH-
titled by His Brother
TWO MEN ARE IN CUSTODY
Who Arc Supposed to Know Some
thing About the Tragedy-A Pris'
oner who oners to Clcarupthc
Mystery ir Given Liberty.

mystery II GIVEN LlDerIy'
CmcAao, May 2s.-The discovery o
DR., Cronin's body Is thought by the po
lice to be the first step in uuearthipg a
mysterious and great crime as evel
went down in the police annals OF Chi
cago,
twill be their first object to have Q
number Of suspicious assertions ex'
planned; assertions made by supposed
friends OF the murdered man, 1t will
be no surprise II a number Of well
known Irish citizens should be arrested
before night on suspicion,
Mention has already been made in
those dispatches OF the alleged motive
for Dr.. Cronin's murder. Briefly, tits as
follows, as stated by those who claim to
be in the best position for knowing all
the facts: When Dr., Cronin first came to
Chicago from st. Louis he became identi-
fed with the local branches OF the
Ancient Order Of Hiberniaus, as well as
with the Clan.Na.Gael. In both he be-
came involved In factional fights, but IN
the latter society he soon rose to distinc.
ton. He was an enthusiastic society
man, popular and constantly In Conyen.
tons and councils. He believed that the
chief officer OF the Clau.Na.Gael was
making a questionable disposition OF the
funds Of the order, aud be antagonized
that leaders policy,
Many other Irishmen OF the better
class believed rs Cronin did, but prefer
red to drop out rather than engage in q
tight. CrOnin, however, who was com.
batiye, urged that an inquiry DO made
and he was At length expelled, together
with others who felt as hG did. With
these friends DR.. Cronin organized new
branch Of the Clan, which grew in power
so rapidly that the old organization was
compelled to recognize 1t, and at q con-
yention held In Chicago in 1883, an effort
was put forward to consolidate the two
divisions. It wAs then learned that
Cronin was In possession OF evidence
strong enough to convict tho chief Otli-
Ger OF treason to Ireland's cause, and
also OF embezzling the funds OF the Clan.
na.Gael. As his terms OF union with
the old society DR.. Cronin insisted that
Joint oomBittee Of three from each
branch should be appointed to inVesti-
gate the charges against the Chief Elk.
eCutive OF the parent branch. The joint
committee was appointed;it Canvassed
the evidence, and 1t is stated, arrived at
decision finding the Chief guilty as
charged. ~
At'the conyention TO be held during
the present month In Philadelphia this
report vas 10 haye been submitted, and
was 10 have the etEeat oi utterly crush.
ing q popular idol, as the accused otIl.
cial had many friends. Pending the re-
port OF the Joint committee Cronin was
intrusted with the documents which
substantiated his oft repeated charges.
For his work in this prosecution it was
often stated that his life had been threat
ened, he even declaring as much in u |
public meeting on one occasion, in the
presence OF the man accused. However,
he often said that II anything should
happen to him there were papers in
Lawyer Haynes safe that would fasten
the crime Of his assassination on. the
guilty men. -
wooDRuFr's STORY.
'I can unravel this trunk mystery in
fosty.eight hours, and when you clear
that up you clear up tho orOnin mys-
teryhf
This is what Frank Woodruff, or
Black, as be sometimes calls himself,
said TO a reporter last night In the
county Jail, where he Is q prisoner.
When asked to explain his statement
that the body In the trunk was that OF q
woman, and that Dr.. Cronin was at the
barn when he got the trunk, Woodruff
said: when the trunk was carted
there was a man called "Docp in tho
barn. 'Ut course, ] do not pretend to be
positive that 1t wGs woman'g body in
the trunk"
"The Doctors body was wrapped in
Gotten when found, the body In the
trunk was wrapped In cotton. Besides,
the trunk was found within a stones
throw Of where the Doctors body was
found. How does that strike you as
reiutation Of your thSory7A
For several moments cunning Mr..
Woodruff remained silent, stroklng his
very thin mustache and putting his ci.
gar. "Well, II looks odd, and | don't
believe the body Is that Of Cronin," he
said desperately.
"But It Is the Doctor's-proved so he.
yond doubt" '5a
~ can clear the trunk mystery up in
forty.eight hours" repeated Woodruff"
and when ] do that clear Up the Gro.
min mystery. Tho TITO are idGhtical.f
"why do you say that2"
"Bechuse | know 1t, TYonit give my
reasons, but ! know 1t, II tho POLICE
had acted on my suggestions, and not
thought me liar, the whole affair wopld
have been cleared up a week ago. III
admit that ! know more than / have
thus far told OF this whole affair, but
even II I do tell all l know, and the Off.
GERS run II down, I'll still be held for
horse stealing"
The reporter here suggested that the
friends n the Doctor would see him
through the horse stealing business II he
would clear up the Cronlh mystery,
"Perhaps they would" Woodruff an.
syered slowly, land III tell you what
| III do. II tGc police will send men
dressed d Gitiy yehs, 70 accompany me on
my investigations, leaving mo apparently
| free, Ill agrep to turn UP such evidence
as will clear the mystery III torty.eIRliL
hours. Task for no reward exCept my
liberty. maintain that II The body
found was that. Of Cronln he must have
ihos:s Titled later than tho date on which
| hauled the trd1ss. A close cxamIpa;;
ton Of the body will no douSss reveal
this.H
Woodruff said all this very slowly, and
seemed ~ though making dhand weigh
ing carefully every word llo uttered,
Ono OF tho strongest points against the
prisoner was his description Of Dr. Gro
min. Il was, In fact, tho only accurate
description furnished Of the Doctor wher
last seem When Woodruff stated tha
the man he claimed was tho Doctor Wort
goatee, the friends Of Dr. Cfohlr
laughed d. the statement and said tht
Doctor never wore a Roatee, yet whet
the body was found Yesterday there wa
q goAtee Of only few weeks growth
Tic conclusion Is drawn that, II Wood
ruff had not seen Df. Cronin before thl