Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-11-01
THE CRONIN TRUNK IN COURT.
Maj. Sampson Denies Being Hired to
Slug the Doctor.

In the Cronin trial yesterday the trunk in
which DR.. Cronin's body was carried away was
brought into court Hatfield, the dealer, after
examining it, testified that it was identical
with the one sold to Simonds. On cross-exam-
ination he said tina. he could not swear that it
was the identical trunk, because the firm kept
such ON hand always, and perhaps other
dealers did also. II came ont that Mr.. Forrest
of counsel for the defense had bought just
such . trunk from the witness. Il could not
be sworn to positively that the furniture in the
Carlson cottage was the same furniture sold to
Simonds; it was precisely like il, however.
When the court resumed its session the Jury
was excluded and the matter Of striking out
Witness McGarry's evidence as to what was
said during his visit to O'Sullivan's house on
the Sunday following the murder, was taken
up. The court finally decided to exclude all OF
Cronin. This was not satisfactory to the de-
Tense, and another fow of eloquence was the
result Finally the crosse Examination Of Nc
Garry was resumed.
John W. Sampson, generally known as
maj. :" Sampson. was next called, and denied
that Coughlin tried to hire him to slug" DR..
Cronin. The witness, on cross-examnation,
admitted that Coughlin had arrested him three
or four times; once for robbery; that he had
been convicted for passing counterfeit money;
that that. ne was gambler by profession, but
Michigan when he was making speeches there
last fall. or Gov. Hill or Senator Thurman for
the purpose Of picking pockets. He said he
went to some of these places for the purpose OF
securing reporting privileges. He naively ex-
planned that he was playing De Shells" which
Is variation Of what is known as three card
monte.
William Lynn, who was with Sampson when
ne met Coughlin. and was asked to 'slug'
Cronin, testified to the fact that the two men
had conversation, the purport Of which he
Joseph O'Keefe, Dr. Cronin's tailor, said that
he attended meeting Of camp 20 in Septem-
Der, 1888. After the meeting he had a CONVEX
satlon with defendant Beggs about DR.. Cronin
and Alexander Sullivan. Said the witness: "We
were speaking first in reference to the union
OF the two rival factions of the order and John
+. Beggs said he did not have much confidence
IN the new executive that was elected. Then
the trial committee came under discussion, and
he said that DR.. Cronin was not the proper
man to put on the committee to try Alexander
Sullivan. l said DIR. Cronin did not have as
unsavory record as James Rogers Of Brooklyn,
another one of the trial committee. John F.
Beggs then told me that Cronin had admitted
Coughlin as a member Of camp Sc, without a
formal initiation, and had furnished him with
passwords. i told him did not believe it. I
told him that CrOnin was too sincere a patriot
to DO anything OF that kind. / told him fur
thermore that l would ask Cronin in reference
to 1t and give the authority, and then he said
Cronin was not At man to belong to Irish So
cieties."
On cross-examination it was brought out
that Beggs objected to Cronin being in the
committee to try the triangle because he was
an enemy to Alexander Sullivan. A number
OF other witnesses were examined on minor
points
An afternoon paper says that soon after the
disappearance of DR.. Cronin tho state put
spies upon camp 20, and that man was con-
cealed in the hall during some of its meetings
and took notes of it's proceedings.