St. Paul daily globe., 1889-10-30
The Senior Guardian Of Camp
20 Is Running His Own
Show.
His Case Is Being Conducted
Without Regard to the
Gang.
Secret Workings Of the Clique
Charged With Numbering
Cronin.
Officers Of the Famous Camp
Make Some Very Damag-
ing Admissions.

CHICAGO, Oct. 29.-The fact that there
is division of interest in the defense
in the Cronin case, and that Senior
Guardian Beggs, of Camp 20, is having
his case conducted independently of the
others, was shown to-day. 1t was when
Witness O'COnnor was called to testify
in regard to the proceedings in Camp
20 of the Clan-na-Gael. Mr.. Forrest, on
behalf of the other defendants, had OBJ
jected to the admission of O'Connor's
testimony. Then Mr.. Foster, of eoun-
sci for Beggs, said:
ION behalf of the defendant Beggs VIC want
the record to show that no objection is made
on his part to the Introduction of this testi-
mony. Mr.. Beggs does not want to impair
or infringe the rights of the other defend
ants, but his position is that he invites the
fullest and clearest investigation of his con-
nection with the Clan-na Gael, and he objects
to the introduction of no testimony, material
or immaterial, that will forward such investi-
oarion. He made this assertion when this
charge was first made, and he repeats it
now
What does all this mean? Has Beggs
squealed?' was asked of Mr.. Mills. The
eeunsel for the people smiled. To the same
question Mr.. Ames replied: "Wait and see
whether the stale brings any charge Of grav-
ity against him. We claim they can't. If
tucy lIl IL VIC VIII put DSSSS Ou
Mrs. Winifred Dinan, wife of Patrick
Dinan, the liveryman who owns the ia
nous white horse, was the first witness
called this morning. She testified to the
facts about the horse being taken and
driven north on the night of May and
his return at $3.50 o'clock. steaming with
prespiratiOn. as if he had been hard
driven. John +. OCOnnOr, member
of the famous Camp 90 of the Clan-na-
Gael, of which Beggs, Burke, COughlin
and other defendants were members,
was next placed on the stand. O'Connor
was recording secretary of the camp
when Beggs was senior guardian. After
numerous details as to their meetings
and methods of tranSactlng business,
the witness testified that Feb. last, at
a meeting of the camp, Thomas F.
sQCOnnor asked if we had ever heard
the report of this trial committee,
that which is known as the tri-
angle. Mr.. Beggs said he had not.
,O'COnnOr said it was strange that our
camp never got the report when he
heard it read in another camp in the
city; that he heard a man read it, and
would state the name of the camp and
the man who read it if we demanded it.
Then somebody asked who it was. l
did not hear who he SAD read it, but
there was some member there who did
hear, and | asked him, "What did you
say?'' and understood him to say DIR.
CrOnin. The states attorney was evil
IDENTITY of the opinion that the
WITNESS WAS AN UNWILLING ONE,
and sought to have him detail at greater
length the proceedings of the camp at
that time, but without success. Tie
witness said he had no recollection
that man named Foy had made
speech in which he said the camp had
better Investigate the triangle, because
he had heard report charging its
members with wasting the funds of the
order. After long wrangle between
the lawyers, the court admitted the
record of the proceedings of Camp 20
on Feb. g, made by the witness at the
time, and he proceeded to read it, sub
ject to many interruptions in the way
of questions and objections. Generally,
in referring to indv dual members of
the camp. numbers instead of names
were used, and in one case in which it
was noted that certain numbers were
appointed q committee to investigate
the qualifications of an applicant for
membership, the states attorney said
he proposed to show that one of them
was the number borne by one of the
prisoners at the bar. Coming down to
the matter OF the camps action on the
supposed allegations against DIR. CrOnin
in connection with the trial of the tri-
angle in Buffalo, the witness read as
follows:
Moved and seconded that an imperative
demand be made on the executive committee
for the immediate information of the trial
committee. 1t was amended that the senior
gurdian notify district member of the report
by going around, regarding the report Of the
trial committee, right in one of the camps in
this city. Motion was carried. Motion made
and seconded that secret committee of
three be appointed by the senior guardian TO
investigate the rumors afloat regarding the
trial of the ex-executive body. Motion car
ried.
The senior guardian mentioned, the
witness said. was John f. Beggs. one of
the men now on trial. The examination
proceeded as follows:
@. What occurred there before the mo-
tons were made on this committee?
A. As / stated before, it was Tom O'Con-
nor's remarks, and asking if we got the re-
port of the committee that tried the triangle,
as it was called. Beggs said that he had not,
and O'ConnOr said it was strange our camp
never got it; that he heard IL read in another
camp in this city, and that he could tell the
man that read it. and the camp that he heard
it read in. If it was desired.
An effort was made to show by the
witness that there was consultation
between himself and Michael j. Kelly,
a. j. Ford and P. ii. Nolan about the
adviSability of destroying the books OF
the camp, but the defense objected and
the court sustained the objection. The
witness further testified that when Capt.
OCOnnOr moved for the appointment of
committee to Investigate the report
that the report of the trial committee
had been read in another camp, Senior
Guardian Beggs said that the camp had
no power to investigate another camp.
and that the proper thing to do was to
refer the matter to the district officer.
The witness had no knowledge as to
whether or not the committee to inves-
tigate the other camp wd5 ever ap-
pointed.
@. Did YOU hear Capt O'Connor, in any
statement he made in Camp 20 meetings,
mention DR.. Cronin's name that night?
A. / did not hear him pronounce it; but
as said before
The witness was interrupted at this
point by tilt between counsel, at the
conclusion of which he answered that
he did not hear it. The witness. in
answer to further questions, said that
the trial of triangle, as he understood
the matter, took place in Buffalo in Oc-
tober, 1888, and that the members of the
triangle on trial were Sullivan, Feely
stllu DOldlu. ~ Tic OpCuiuS VI tilS dit
ernOon session Andrew Foy, member
of Camp 20, was put on the stand as
witness. Mr.. Foy was very nom
committal witness, and with the great
est pertinacity avoided the giving of
positive answer, even to the most inno-
cent question. IL suppose SC" II guess
sO,' Il can't say" were favorite
forms of reply with him. Finally he
was brought to admit that he made a
speech at ihe meeting of Camp 20 when
the matter of the report of the triangle
trial committee came up. After making
several attempts to explain the circum-
stances under which he made the
speech, and getting the narrative mixed
up with statements as to him self, so
that it was impossible to understand
what it was all about, he said:
"As far as | remember, Capt O'Connor
made certain statement that this LIE Caron,
who was a witness, it seemed, before the Par
nell commission at the time. was paid agent
of the executive body of the Irish organiza-
ton in this country"
Whar die IA eoo obor,f tho f,,pd9