Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1889-10-19
BOLD JURY BRIBlER =.
a SENSATION IN THE CRoNIN CASE
A Plot to Secure Jurymen Pledged to
Vote Against the Conviction of the Five
Prisoners Now on Trial in Chica 3o-Six
Men Under Arrest.

Men Under Arrest.
TChicago telegram.1
The latest sensation in connection with the
Cronin murder case is the discovery of q bold
plot to corrupt the jurymen whose verdict
depends the guilt or innocence of the five pris-
Oners now ON trial.
One day last week George Tschappat foreman
OF the Page Lard-rehning Company at A Erie
street, was summoned as juror After being
summoned and before he had been examined
Bailin Mark L. SoOman, with whom he
well acquainted met him and invited him out
to have cigar. This civility extended Solo
man asked Tschappat if he didn't want to make
some money. Ischappat answered atfiTmatively.
Very well, then" responded Soloman, you
get on the jury and stick for an acquittal and
you shall have II, 000"
Soloman further told Tschappat that the ar
rangements could be carried out with his wife,
The money could be paid to her and if paid by
certain day she should appear in court wear
ing certain colored dress. If it were not paid
to her she should wear different dress.
Tschappat replied that he not that kind Of
q man, TschGppat on examination was ex-
cused for cause, he having said that he could
not give the defendants a fair trial. Tschappat
told these circumstances to his employer, Mr..
Page who went to the court room and repeated
the statement to Mr.. Mills with whom he is in
timately acquainted. Mr. Mills held an
interview with Tschappat who repeated
the story as he had told it to Mr.
Page. Tschappat was then invited down
to the States Attorneys office and seated
in the ante-room. Bailf Soloman then
called in and closely questioned. He denied
everything. He was Immediately confronted
with TschappGt, and, realizing his position, he
broke down and made full confession, in which
he implicated several persons. SolOmans con-
fession is that he was handed list of corrupt
or cOruptible Jurors by Bailiff Alexander i.
Hanks, who said If we get u man on this jury
to fix it, or if you fix man, it means - 900,
half of it for the juror and the other half for
Further, SolOman was to approach the venire-
men he knew and Hanks those he was
quainted with.
Immediately on Solomans confession Hanks
arrested, and he too produced % list of
talesmen which Tailed with Soloman's Each
man whose name WIS on these lists was lnne-
diately sent for, and carefully questioned, the
information thus obtained being such that the
States Attorney called for the immediate sum
moning Of eCial grand jury to investigate
the matter. This grand jury composed of
prominent business men of Chicago, eX-Mayor
John A. Roche being foreman. After an eXami-
nation of witnesses lasting eight or ten hours
the grand jury returned indictments for con-
spiracy and attemptedjury bribing against the
following persons
Alexander L. Hanks Mark L. Soloman.
Frederick W. Smith, Thomas Kavanaugh,
jeremiah ODonnell, Joseph konen.
These six men were immediately placed I'M
der arrest and from closely questioning them
further information has been ELECTED which
may result in the arrest and conviction of ~
half dozen more None of those now under ar
rest are the principals in the conspiracy, but it.
is hoped to gather information sufficient to
catch them.
The connection of the men indicted with the
bribery conspiracy will probably be best under
stood by statement OF who and what the men
are.
Frederick w. Smith is ostensibly q hardware
manufacturers agent at 135 Lake street He
comes from Connecticut. His father-in-law is
james Reynolds, and it is thought he is no
other than the James Reynolds Of New
Haven who is ex-1reasurer of the Gamma Gael
triangle This, however, Smith denies Mr..
Hynes says Smith was indicted for perjury at
Oshkosh.
Thomas Kavanaugh another of the indicted
IN Vqg nj hp tN TT1gu
Asylum during the Doodle DAYS, and his name.
and management at that institution figured fire.
quently in the investigation of that institution
made by the State Board of Charities in NOvem-
Der, 1850. In January OF that year he assaulted
DIR. Herman because of some structures made by
the Doctor on his methods of heating the asy-
lum He was arrested and tried by u jury in
Justice Lyon court 1t is said the jury was
packed, AT any rate it was of SO bad character
that Justice Lyon removed two of the jurors.
The places of these two, however, were taken
by employees Of Brown & Tubman now XIV
anaugh Brown. Kavanaugh on this trial was
defended by Alexander sullivan Kayanaugh is
II member Of the Clan na-Gaal and seems to
have been furnished with ample funds for his
latest exploits. He has been active in spread
ing the report that CrOnin was u spy He be-
gan public life as a labor agitatOr Later on he
became II Democratic politician and narrowly
escaped Indictment with the "boodlers.'
Jeremiah Donnell is u recently appointed
| United States Storekeeper at South Chicago
He was for number OF years q street-car con-
ductor on the West Side. He sHys he met Kav-
auaugh on the street one day, and was asked by
him ii he would assist in acquitting the defense
by securing u juror who would vote that way for
money. kavanaugh promised to pay the money
out of his own pocket. ODonnell remembered
Il friend he had out in Calumet and struck Il
bargain with kavanaugh, He then approached
his FREUD, who is not much moro than Il
boy, expressing his own views the Cronin
case, instructng the young man how to an
sWer the lawyers questions, and promising him
$1,000,
Alexander L. Hanks is an old appontee in the
Sheriff office. He has had little or nothing to
/ do with summOning jurors. He has been one
of the bailitfs having immediate charge Of the
! prisoners He sat every day just behind Cough
! lin. Hanks, like SOlOman, approached Jurors
/ whom he knew. One of the men on the baili1s
/ list said Hunks had been to see him and told
him he could get ~ 600 for a verdict for the de-
! Tense. Hanks further told him how to answer
questions and that "the defense is fixed all right
and will understand you"
One Of the first questions asked after the dis
coyery of the conspiracy whether the at
t0meys for the defense Wero aware of it. At
first the ATTORNEYS for the State were disposed
/ to eXonerate them from all knowledge OF it, but
later there was II disposition to Withdraw this
acquittaI Tom kHvauaugh. though bC refused
/ to say who supplied him with money, is said to
/ have reported to Mr.. Forrest. The statement of
. the man approached by Bailin Hanks, that the
batlid said "the defense is fixed for YOU, points
/ to the same thing. So does the apparently uni
form method Of insructiug the approached
/ jurors as TO their method Of answering ques-
tions and their demeanor in the jury box
Mr., Foster said; "lt the charge of jury fixing
is made against me there viii have TO be an in
vestigation. / know my own innocence L
. court the fullest inquiry and l will not submit
| to any nspersiOns on my character"
Mr.. Foster and Judge Wing were equally em-
phatic The lntter wanted nm agreement with
the States Attorney tina, the record in the jury
. bribing case should be made II part Of the
. record I'm the Cronin cnse i'm order TO do Justice
to tho attorneys for the defense as well as for
the protection Of the Jurors already secured.
later dispatch says; Further Investigation
Of the Cronin Jury bribery case has resulted in
the arrest and indictment by the October Grand
Jury Of John Graham, confidential clerk in the
office of Attorney A. S. Trude Smith in his
confession implicated Graham, and the arrest
and indictment speedily followed. Graham was
attTwHrd released on bonds of $1,000, signed
by Fred Trude and Alderman Whelau Graham