St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-10-27
The WHITE HORSE.
He Cuts Considerable of a
Figure in the Great Gro
min Trial.
Evidence Showing That a Less
Conspicuous Nag Was
Wanted.
Judge Mcconnell Makes a
Ruling Regarding Read
ing Newspapers.
The Court Has No Power TO
Keep witnesses from Pc
rusing Them.

CHICAGO, Oct. 26.-The CrOnin trial
was resumed at the usual hour this
morning. The first witness was County
Physician Todd. He testified that only
DR.. Egbert, his assistant, and himself
had the combination to the vault IN
which the plate with the false teeth
taken from DR.. CrOniBis mouth was
kept. He Or. Todd had not entered
the vault since DR.. Cronin's death. DIR.
j. {. Moore, who was present at the
autopsy, was called and described the
wounds and the marks of Identification
Of the body. After Dr.. Moore had testi-
fed at great length and minuteneSs as
70 the wounds on DIR. Cr0nin's body.
the defense moved TO exclude his
testimony on the ground that he
had read the verbatim report
of the trial made by the Associated
Press in this mornings papers, which
gave the entire testimony Of DR.. Eg-
bert. They argued that the physician
read this, knowing that he was to tes-
tify, and that the order Of the court eX-
cluded witnesses while testimony was
being taken, yet the reading Of the tes-
mOny had precisely the same effect as
the hearing Of it. Judge Mcconnell
said he thought the evidence should be
excluded, when there was a storm OF
objections from the prosecution and
clamOrs TO be heard. MeSsrs. Hynes
and Mills protested against such 4 rul-
ing. and said they could DOT produce a
witness who had not read all about this
ease, and that the judge might
JUST As WELL ADJOURN
the case ow. if he was going to hold to
any such doctrine. After considerable
-rgument on both sizes The judge ruled
- follows: The rule of exclusion evil
GENTLY is for the purpose OF preventing
me witnesses from knowing what the
witness on the stand said, either for the
purpose OF affirming or cOntradicting
their testimony. But that rule was
probably conceived at the time when
most OF the rules pertaining to the jury
were cOnceived-befOre the newspapers
took such pains 10 publish all the pro
c~eedings; and l can easily see that If |
should enforce the rule in its Old spirit.
criminal trials and a great many civil
cases could not be proceeded whit
would be impossible. That rule was
WISE III lis lltlE anu tEidy III hlCG "
some extent yet. but IL cannot be
possible to make it operate to prevent
witnesses from teStitying TO offences
against the state or testifying 70 mat
tiers of defense. ! do not believe that !
can enforce the rule. If It were posi-
bic Tor me to ask the praprietors of
newspapers not 10 publish these ac-
counts. [ should unquestiOnablyd do that,
but, of course, no such request would
be respected. In this day OF wide news
paper circulation and verbatim reports.
/ do not see that the our can do more
than simply exclude the witnesses from
the room. and the court appreciates
that that does not amount TO anything
at ALL The motion was consequently
cverruIed and the doctors testimony
stands. Tie next witness was Patrick
Oman, the livery stable keeper.
He testified to the facts in regard
TO the hiring of a horse and buggy
from him by Dan C0ughlin, II Of the
prisoners. on the day DR.. Cronin was
murdered. substantially as they have
heretofore been published. The wit
ness said that Coughlin told him he
wanted the horse for a friend. This is
the buggy and
WHITE HORSE
which carried DR.. CrOnin to the Carlson
cottage, where he was murdered.
Oman continued by saying that a
stranger came at about Z that evening
and asked for the horse which COughlin
had hired for him. He was given the
white horse. The stranger objected and
asked for another. but the witness re-
fused TO give another. Then the
stranger wanted the side curtains of the
buggy put on. but Dinan told him it
was dark and that nobody could recUg-
niZe him if he wished 70 be disguised.
The stranger gTumbled a little. but goa
into the buggy and drove north, or in
the direction of Conkiin's house, where
DR.. CrOnin lived. The stranger wore
a light-cOlOred or faded OveTcOat and a
small, soft, round hat, the latter turned
down over his eyes. The man had a
week or ten days growth OF beard on
his face. of a sandy color, shading TO
dark at the lower part. The witness
had not seen the nan since. On the
following morning. early, a policeman
came to his stable to know whether or
not ne had let any one have a white
horse the night before. Witness, sus-
peeting something wrong. went to the
police station. There he met Dan
COughlin, who cautioned him to say
nothing about his (Coughlin's) having
hired a horse the day before. because it
was known that he and CTOnin were o
good friends and il might get him
fCOughlin( into trouble. After q long
and sever crOsS-eXaminatiOn of Oman
by Sir. Forrest, of counsel for the de-
Tense. in which the witness was not at
all confused, the court adjourned until
Monday morning.