Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-11-07
THE CRONIN MURDER.
Proceedings at the Trial of the
Five Indicted Men.
Witnesses Give Their Testimony for the
Prosecution - The Inside Methods of
Camp go Notwithstanding at
the Bottom Facts.


OConnor, recording secretary of Camp
3d. of the United Brotherhood. or Clan
na-Gael. He had been a member Of the
order for six years, and now belonged to
the branch known as Camp 20, or the
Columbia Club.
Fright here on the threshold" said
Mr.. Forrest, II object to any thing re-
lating TO the history of the Gamma
Gael
Mr.. Foster. counsel for Beggs said
that ION behalf OF the defendant Beggs
we want the record to show that no OBJ
lection is made on his part 10 the intro
duction of this testimony"
Mr.. O'Connor proceeded. He said
John F. Beggs was senior guardian OF
Camp 20. Martin Burke, Dan CoughliD,
Patrick Cooney and Patrick OSullivan
were members. There was a meeting
Of the camp on the night OF February 8
Captain Il. f. O'Connor was there and
made few remarks, but witness did not
hear him say there were spies among
the members: that the triangle needed
investigation, and that they were vast
ing or embezzling the funds of the order
point a secret committee TO investigate
the question as to whether the report
regarding the trial of the triangle had
been received in another camp, but he
had no knowledge as TO whether or not
the committee was ever appointed.
At the afternoon session the first wit
ness called was Andrew Foy. lie said
he belonged to Camp 30. lie was at the
meeting on the night of February and
made few remarks. Captain r. f.
0'Connor had said that InfOrmer
LeCaron had been engaged by
the executive body of the order for some
object in England and Ireland and
there was some money given to LeCaron
by the executive--he thought it was
$3.50 LeCaron was at that time testi-
flying before the Parncll Commission.
Witness spoke concerning this. He
said that If there were spies in the camp
they ought to be driven out Judge
Longenecker asked him if O'Connor
accused anybody of embezzling the
funds. He said by implication he ac-
cused the triangle, but made no direct
charges He knew Burke. Coughlin.
o'Sullivan and Cooney. and they were
all members of Camp 20.
Andrew j. Ford, past guardian Of
Camp 20, was not present at the meeting
of February s, but attended reunion
February %. None but members of the
order were present. He heard Patrick
McGarry and Richard Powers. visiting
members, make speeches. Senior
Guardian Beggs also made a speech.
McGarry and Powers made speeches
attacking the triangle that is,
the executive, saying they had
wasted the funds of the order and be-
trayed it. Beggs, he said, defended
Alexander Sullivan i'll warm speech
in fact, the speakers on both sides were
pretty warm. Beggs said there must be
peace or war. The witness would not be
sure whether Beggs used the word
"war'' or blood" Beggs acted the part
of peacemaker, counseling harmony.
CHICAGO Oct 3l.-At the Cronin trial yester.
dag Dennis O'Connor, member Of the Gamma
Gael for twenty one years, testified He heard
Captain r. i. OConnor's speech in which he
said he had been in DR.. Cronins camp and heard
read there the minority report of the commit
tee which tried the executive body. Witness did
not know who were members of the executive,
1t being rule of the order that the personnel
Of that body should not be known by mem
bers. After Captain O'Connors speech a
motion was adopted to appoint secret com
mittee TO investigate the matter alluded to by
the captain. He could not tell who composed
the secret committee.
Patrick Henry Nolan testified that he was
financial secretary Of Camp % Coughlins
eys, gil; OSullivan's, 356 and Burke's, 332 in
she camp. Witness was at a meeting on the
night of May 8 John +, Beggs presided Some
one asked If the report of the committee
appointed at the meeting of February had
been made. and Mr.. Beggs said that the com
mittee was 10 report to him alone On cross
examination by Mr.. Foster witness said he had
taken no deeper interest in this prosecution
than any other Irishman should take. He had
only been member Of the Clan ma Gael for a
year. He first told Of Beggs saying that the
secret committee would report to him alone
shortly after the disappearance of DR.. Cronin.
He told it to Offlcer John Collins. He did not
know at the time that Collins was interested in
the case.
Captain Thomas F. OConnor was the next
witness He has been member of the Clan
ma Gael for twenty five years, and has belonged
10 Camp 30 for fifteen Or sixteen years. Was at
the meeting of the camp on the night OF Febru-
aryS. In December and January previous 10
that meeting he had visited DIR. Cronin's camp.
At the meeting Of Camp 20 on February wit
ness made a speech following one made by
Andrew Foy. FOy in his remarks stated
that after the disclosures of LeCaron in London,
the organization, as an organization, was no
more; that there were four British spies in the
organization and 1t should be organized and
given q new name. The witness continued: II
got up and said that had had positive informa
ton that the organization was run by parcel
of rogues who had been robbing us of our funds
70 the extent OF 100000 and had sent some of
our best men across the seas to be i'm
prisoned In English iails / said could state
that had positive information that the exeeu
tive body had done these things. Dan Coughlin
moved that secret committee be appointed 10
find out the source Of my information. There
was quite turmoil then, and Mr.. Beggs raped
the camp to order, saying: I'll hear no more OF
this subject, but I'll appoint the committee"
On cross examination by Mr. Foster the witness
said that in his speech he did not say it was
DR. Cronin whom he heard read the report. He
merely stated that he had heard the report in a
Clan.na- Gael camp He said there were ether
persons in the camp that knew where he had
heard it, The committee as he understood it,
was not appointed TO find out the truth of his
Information but TO learn where he had gained
HIS knowledge Of the matter
OMtH " ltHuti kaft sunni 11AtHoAANAhA
evidence He swore that Friday March !, at
the FIRST meeting after the reunion meeting,
and after Beggs McGarry and Powers had
made speeches, he met Dan Coughlin. Dan
took him aside and told him that information
had been received from England that there
was q confederate in the order in Chicago.
Dan then said that the indications were
that Dr. Cronin was the British spy referred
to- This was the first direct evidence
that had been brought to light to show that DR..
Croain was regarded MS a spy by his fellow
eiansmen The witness said he stopped him at
that point, and said that the men among whom
20 look Tor l.eCarons confederatcs were those
In whose interest LeCaron had been used TO
pack conventions ana cast fraudulent votes.
Coughlin said no more on the subject.
Police Officer John r. Collins another mem
Der Of Camp ~, was the next witness. He said
he was present at the meeting OF February \
and he corroborated former witnesses regard
ing the speeches made by Foy and Captain
O'Connor, adding that upon their CON
:lusion many present jumped TO their
feet and Kissed. in the midst OF which
confusion Dan Coughlin said something about
appointing a secret committee. AT the meet
ing Of February - witness heard Beggs, after
McGarry and Powers finished speaking, declare
that the insinuatiOns against Alexander Sui
Ivan must cease at once or there would be
war Cross examined by Attorney Foster wit
ness acknowledged that most meetings OF the
camp were characterized by more or less
wrangling and that when Beggs denounced
the casting Of reflections on Alexander sui
livan he also pleaded Tor peace between the
factions. even II war were required TO secure il.
Patrick McGarry took the stand and said that
in his speech on February y he indors' the
wish that unity might prevail but degiar 4
that II could not so long as certain members