The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-05-30
DR.. CronIn,. Assassination.

Gael and some other secret Irish organ
IL atoms. He claimed some time ago
that the funds raised in aid of the Irish
cause by one of the Irish Amt rican or
CARNATIONS had been stolen and misap-
propriated by leaders of the Irish move
ment. The fact that he charged this
fraud directly upon certain men is con-
nected in some quarters with his assas
sination. He had intimated that he was
in peril because of his knowledge of
these secrets, and had freely expressed
the conviction that his enemies would
find some means to take his life. 1t is
singular fact LhSt he was assassinated up
on the anniversary of the Phe1ix Park
murders. Perhaps it is only an acciden-
tai coincidence, but DIR. Cronin's friends
believe it to be significant. There are
three theories regi riding the murder,
One is tina: few men of no prominence
in Irish circles committed the deed be-
cause OF jealousy or in order to keep
some other crime concealed. Another
is that he was put out of the way to PIE
vent discriminating disclosures regarding
financial Encouragement, and TO this
DR.. Crouin's friends adhere, although it
is claimed in opposition that the victim
was too inconspicuous figure in Irish
American politics TO excite the animosi-
ties of the real leaders of the National
League. The third theory seems most
preposterous. 1t is that he was murder
ed by English agents to create a diver
sion here to offset the Parnell investiga-
ton, and that the surrounding circum-
stances have all been carefully worked
up to make it appear that treachery and
murder are at work in the Irish circle.
All speculations, however, seem to fade
into insignific lnce beside an alleged con-
fession of one Woodruff, cont ined in
late dispatches from the Lake city.
Frank Woodruff, alias Frank Black,
has been taken into camp by Captain
Setback and he has told the whole story
Of his connection with DIR, Cronin's MUIR
der According to the statements he
has made to the captain he was not di-
rectly connected with the murder il.
self, but simply acted as the driver Of the
wagon which disposed of the dead mans
body in the catch basin were it was
found,
Woodruff has been taken to the scene
of Cronin's murder and also to the sewer
where the body was found and the place
where the trunk was first seen. Wood
ruff himself gave the driving directions
to the detectives who managed thereins
and in every instance located the exact
place where the chief acts in the tragedy
occurred. According to his confession
he was directed, by those who had charge
Of that part of the conspiracy and whose
names Capt, Setback reserves for rea-
sons that are palpable, to go to Dinan's
livery stable, where be would obtain a
horse and wagon. He had already been
instructed to take the team to the neigh
borhood of the Carlson cottage and he
also knew for what purpose he was to
go there. Woodruff arrived at the cot
tage about 90 minutes before DIR, Cronin
was driven up and placed his horse and
wagon at point near the cottage, where
he could keep eyes on the front steps.
He saw the white horse and rig contain
ing DIR. Cronin and his conductor arrive,
and three quarters of an hour thereafter
the man, who was known as Williams,
opened the front door of the cottage and
gave the signal by stamping his foot on
the wooden porch, Woodruff at once drove
up, and assisted by the third man, the
trunk was loaded into the wagon. Tie
two men followed the trunk and directed
Woodruff, who continued as driver, east
ward to the lake to certain point,
which Woodruff has designated to Capt.
Setback. The wagon headed for the
lake and in its depths the trunk and its
contents would have been deposited had
not the interruption come from the Lake
View policemen. This smashed the ORR
ginal plans of the two men and imme
diate steps were taken to get out of the
nRnar'.- rhia lnpn b,,t L.,
a circuitous route which broght them to
the Evanston road. They had now been
driving for nearly an hour with their
load and one of the men suggested the
sewer. The top was taken off man
hole on the southeast corner and the
trunk lifted from the wagon. 1t was
then that new and unexpected diff
Guilty presented itself. While it was
possible to drop the trunk with the body
into the lake, it became physical i'm
possibility to thus dispose of the load in
the manhole. 1t was resolved to take
the body out of the trunk, drop the body
in the catch basin and to return with
the trunk to the cottage and burn it.
But when the trunk was to be unlocked
it was foun1 that the key had been lost.
Williams said that there was no time to
be lost, and he kicked in the lid of the
trunk. The three lifted the body out
and deposited it in the sewer as it was
found. The trunk was again placed in
the wagon, 1t was intended to 20 south
for a distance and to drive north to a
cottage and there deposit the trunk.
Right here" said Woodruff to Capt.
Setback, pointing to the exact spot
where the trunk was found we heard a
noise of wagon wheels from the south
and the two men, one of whom had been
sitting on the trunk picked up the box
and threw it out of the wagon. | was
urged to whip up the horse and drive
west. When we reached Fullerton
avenue both men said good night to me
and left the wagon.
The remainder of the confession ia de-
voted to Woodruff's wanderings with
the horse and wagon, in his attempt to
sell them. He also states in his confess
sion that there is nothing in the woman
story he had told, The enormity of the
crime never dawned upon him until he
had taken part in it. The names King
and Fairburn were those of two old
friends, and they came to him on the
spur of the moment. They had nothing
whatever to do with the case,
Important arrests have been made and
the whole matter is likely to be sifted to
the bottom. This is an instance of the
truth of the old saying "When
rogues fall out honest men get their
dues, and will have an important bear
ing on the Irish question in England.