Wichita eagle., 1889-05-24
DARKER THAN BEFORE.
The Cronin Case as Mysterious as Prior to
Finding the Remains

CHICAGO, May 23.--Tonight, thirty hours
after the discovery of DR.. Cronin's corpse,
the mystery of his death has deepened,
not cleared. The manner of his death Is
now the darkest secret of all. 1t has been
almost conclusively shown that contrary
TO appearances his skull was not cloyen or
even fractured. There is absolute GER
tainty that the man was not strangled.
The doctors are completely puzzled.
The beginning of the post mortem took
place early this evening. In preparation
the morgue was cleaned of idlers and
curiosity seekers and the physicians began
the post mortem examination. This ex-
animation was most carefully made and
kept half dozen doctors at work nearly
three hours DR.. Todd, county physician,
and his assistant, DIR. Eggert, directed the
examination. The skull was cut open and
the brain removed. After the scalp had
been taken off the physicians discovered
that the bones composing the skull had
scarcely been marked by the claws of the
sharp instrument which it was thought
caused his death. There was no sign Of
congestion about the brain, but the lungs
and pulmonary cavity were filled with
blood. The physicians said that this
might have resulted from the fact that
Cronin's body was placed head downward
in the catch basin. A cut one and half
inches deep was found upon the neck and
several bruises upon the limbs. The the
pry that. he was choked Ito death
was easily exploded. The doctors found
no signs of suffocation and discovered no
bruises about the neck such as would re-
suit from strangling man with towel
or rope.
al fal a
on finding there was no fracture of any Of
the skull bones or small bones about the
face. Even the inner table of the skull
was unfractured. DR.. Todd was of the
opinion that the cuts in the skull must
have been made with a knife or some
lighter weapon than AMI ice pick or hatchet,
but could not laccount for cause of death,
except from contusions resulting from
severe blows. Other physicians could
not agree as TO the cause
of death, although all We're
of the opinion that Cronin might have
been killed by blow at the outer corner
of his left eye. Even this blow was not
hard enough to fracture or splinter the
bones under the skin.
The teeth were carefully examined by
Dentist Hays. He said there was no mis-
take in the Identification of the body, be-
cause the plate found in the lower jaw
was one he made for Cronin over year
ago 1t supported six false teeth-two in
front and four on one side. The dentist
also identified the gold filing in one of the
upper teeth.
When the post mortem was finished the
physicians left the station without con-
Guiding the written statement, which they
will hand TO the coroner ut the inquest.
Meanwhile a number of gentlemen and
friends OF Cronln met IN the front Office OF
the station and discussed details of the
funeral. 1t was decided to hold funeral
service Sunday and bury DR.. Cronin in
Cavalry cemetery. An undertaken took
charge of the body when the post mortem
was finished.
John Cronin, brother of DR.. Cronin, ar
rived from Arkansas and reached the
station in time to see the remains before
the physicians commenced their work. He
positively identified the body as that of
his brother. Mr.. and Mrs. ConklinC
with whom Cronin resided for years,
alighted in front of the station this after
noon and passed through the crowd. Mrs.
Conkling took n seat within the wire
railing surrounding the sergeant's desk
and for over an hour looked steadily out Of
the window without moving her head.
She sat with her back to the people in the
court room anG did not speak 10 any one
except her husband. Permission was not
asked for her 10 see the body. 1t was her
first vlsi5 to the station since the finding
of the body.
WOODRUFF SAYS BE CAN SOLVE IT.
~ can unravel this trunk mystery
in forty-eight hours, and when you
clear that up You clear up the Cronin
mystery" This is what Frank Wood
ruff, or Black, rs he sometimes calls him
self, said to reporter in the county Jail,
where he is a prisoner.
"Why do you say that?" asked Ike re-
porter.
Because know it. Iwon't give anv
reasons, but l know it. If the police had
acted on my suggestions and not thought
me a liar, the whole affair would have
been cleared up a week ago. III admit
that know more than l have thus far
told of this whole business, but If don't
tell what know and the officers run il
down, I'll still be held for horse stealing. -
The reporter here suggested that the
friends of the doctor would see him
through this horse stealing business if he
would clear up this Cronin mystery.
Perhaps they would" Woodruff an
swered slowly, "and I'll tell you what I'll
do. If the police will send two men
dressed as citizens to accompany me on
my Investigations, leaving me apparently
free, agree to turn up such evidence as
will clear the mystery in forty-eight
hours. ! ask for no reward except
my liberty l maintain that if the body
found was that of Cronin he must have
been killed later than the date on which !
hauled the trunk. y close examination Of
the body will no doubt reveal this"
Woodruff said all this very slowly and