Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1889-12-19
GALLONS CHEATED.
Not One of the Cronin Suspects
to be Executed.

/ MOI One OF the SIOllll SuSpeClS
to be Executed.
LAST ACT IN THE TRAGEDY.
CHICAGO, Dec. 17.-Judge Mcconnell
made his appearance in his private
chambers at 1:50 o'clock. \ rumor
found its way from the other side of the
building that the jury had at last agreed
upon a verdict. Extraordinary precau-
tions were at once taken. Orders were
issued that no one but representatives of
the press and counsel engaged in the
case should be given admittance. and to
the fifty or more reporters that occupied
| the benches there were as many or more
police officers on hand. Some slight
delay was created by the absence
of Counselor Forrest and special mes
senger was dispatched for him. On his
arrival, at 2:25, Judge Mcconnell took
his seat upon. the bench and the court
was declared TO be in session. A mo-
ment later the five prisoners were
ushered in over the iron bridge leading
/ from the jail. Lawyer John F. Beggs,
with deathly pallor on his face and his
blue eyes staring as though protruding
/ from the bleached bones of skeleton,
headed the line Behind him came Dan
Coughlin, with a half-nervous, half
cynical smile on his face. 1t was ap-
parent TO every observer that he had
nerved himself for the ordeal. Next
came O'Sullivan. his jaws compres ed
and the fingers of his right hand tug
ging nervously at his mustache. Martin
Burke, close behind him, had the same
/ look of stolid indifference that he had
worn throughout the trial. Little
Kunze, the last in line. was, as usual,
/ the comedian of the prisoners and smiled
and waved his hands at the officers and
newspaper men as he entered the room.
Guarding the Pris, nerS.
As soon as the defendants had taken
their seats three deputy sheriffs took up
a. position behind each chair. and at the
same moment about fifty officers entered
! the room by the main door and formed
a complete barricade between the pris-
oners row and all means of exit from
! the room.
At 2:29 o'clock the iron doors leading
to the Jail were again swung open, and
while the word went around the audi
ence, Here they come, the members of
! the Jury filed into the room. Every man
had on his overcOat and carried his hat
/ in his hand, and this was at once accept
ed as conclusive evidence that verdict
| had at last been reached. The twelve
/ ,rool taI 70 thai-
seats and the roll was called. Perfect
usually calm and collected, nervously
mopped the
Perspiration from HIS Brow.
The prisoners maintained the same de-
meanor which they had worn when en-
tering the court room. except that Burke
chewed with redouhled energy at his
quid of tobacco. while O'Sullivan ran his
fingers into his hair with desperation
that threatened to tear it out of the
roots. The voice of Foreman Clarke
came out clear and distinct and with a
triumphant ring in it when he announced
I'VE have, in response to the question
of the clerk of the court as to whether
he and his colleagues had agreed on a
verdict. Rising in his seat he handed a
| folded paper TO the clerk. The stiffness
at this moment was not merely oppres
sive. but painful. Every eye was turned
on the five men whose fate in another
moment would be determined.
Forrest cast glance of encouragement
| towards his clients, as much as to say.
| BE brave" Foster, from his chair a
couple of feet distant, threw few words
| in a whisper to Beggs. In another mo-
| aF fl,o IL oil a,,l
distinct, rang out ON the air.
Besgs, Not Guilty.
''We find the defendant. John F.
| Beggs. not guilty as charged"
There was buzz in the court room
as though thousand bated breaths had
been let loose The blood rushed to the
face of the lawyer prisoner and in a sec
ond it was a carmine hue. His right
arm which had been resting on the rail-
ing, fell to his side, and his entire frame
shook like that of a man afflicted with
the palsy. All this was but the work of
| a moment. Again the voice of the clerk
rang out:
1--WE find the defendant, John Kunze,
guilty of manslaughter. and fix his pen
atty at three years in the penitentiary."
| The little man simply smiled and
showed his teeth. To all appearances
| the verdict at the moment suited him as
well as an acquittal.
Burke, O'SulIivan and CoughIin Guilty.
There was pause before the clerk re-
sumed. No doubt remained but that
the three remaining defendants had
either been condemned to die on the
scaffold. or to suffer living death. The
eyes of Coughlin, Burke and O'Sullivan
were riveted on the reader, while the
convulsive movements of the Jaws
showed that each man was making a
superhuman effort to control his feel
ings. For the third time the clerk
cleared his throat and proceeded:
1--WE find the prison 4rs, Daniel Cough
lin, Martin Burke and Patrick O'Sulli-
van. guilty of murder as charged in the
indictment, and fix their punishment at
imprisonment in the penitentiary for the
terms of their natural lives"
The suspense of the auditors found
vent in a half suppressed shout, and the
| demeanor of the three men passed unno-
ticed in the wild scampering of the
newspaper men and officers from the
room.
Over 2,0G0 people were congregated on
| the outside of the jail, and the verdict
was received with satisfaction hy the
large majority.
| Motion fer a New Trial.
Attorney Forrest, in behalf of Cough
| lin, Rurke. O'Sullivan and Kunze. i'm
mediately made a motion for new trial.
Why hey Came to an Agreement.
1t is stated on undoubted authority
that but for the fear of Juror Culver go
ing mad in the jury room the other
eleven would have stood out indefinitely
for hanging Coughlin, Burke and O'Sul-
livan, twenty-one years imprisonment
for Beggs and fourteen years for kunze.
Beggs Discharged.
As soon as the verdict was rendered
the deputies clustered around the pris-
oners and effectually prevented any at
tempt of communication with them.
Chief Hubbard stood at the rear of the
deputies with several officers in citizen
clothes, while Sheriff Matson stood at
the right-hand corner of the bench, close
to the judge.
The court then thanked the jury, and,
| tIlrDiDp tn the Stata'S attorney said. "A G