Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-06-17
Woodruff S Latest.
Only True Confession of Sew
eral Somewhat Similar.
IF TRUE, SOMEBODY WILL YET HANG

For the Murder of Dr. Cronin-The Par
ties Implicated Arc Those Who Are I'm
der suspicion, and the Story Is Complete
rs Fur as 1t Goes-Nothins However,
About the Actual Murderers or the Man
Who Drove on With the victim-A wo-
| man Asserted to Have Had Hand In
the Foul Conspiracy.
| CHICAGO, June 17.-Woodruff, the horse
thief, who is implicated In the Cronin MUIR
der, has made full alleged confession of
his connection with the assassination and in
substance it is as follows:
| First Meeting With the Conspirators.
| He arrived in Chicago ON March 20 last
and soon after made the acquaintance of p
OSullivan, the iceman. He met Detective
Coughlin, whom he had known by reputa-
ton as Fence few days later. The
man Melville, who is supposed to be Ma
roney, arrived in Chicago about this time,
and Woodruff saw him drinking with
Coughlin I'm a saloon. When they separated
Melville said he had to go to McCoy's hotel,
where he was stopping, but before he went
he gave Woodruff few dollars and told
him he would see him again.
| Gets Acquainted with civilians"
| The next day Woodruff met Mike Nc
Dougan and Coughlin, and upon addressing
the former by his proper name was cautioned
TO remember that McDougall's name was
civilians" The latter, according to Wood
rufus confession, is an old Gamma Gael man,
with whom he got acquainted in the raid on
Canada just after the war of the rebellion
just as Woodruff came up he heard Coughln
say, ale Woodruff is just the man want
to see, and the two (Coughlin and McDougalD
had a long talk, after which Coughlin went
| away, aud Woodruff and civilians went
over ON the west side and had several drinks
| together
A Pointer on Money Making.
civilians" asked Woodruff how he was
| fixed, and the latter said he was "busted, :"
| whereupon Williams consolingly remarked
that woodruff was a d-n fool, and asked
him why he didn't go to see Alexander Sui
Ivan. Woodruff said he was not prepared
to be sent off to Europe, whereupon he was
| told-W illiams looking him straight in the
| eye-that he wouldn't have to go out of town
in this case. Williams further remarked ia.
| cetiously that ave seem to be living
| pretty well, and that he had a fiat. in fact
had rooms to rent Woodruff then said he
would 60 and stay with him, and they went
to the fiat on Clark street, where they passed
| the night
|. Had a Deal" On the Programme.
After they got into the room Williams
! said there was something good going ON, and
that conspiracy pamphlet" lying on the
table had something to do with it, but that
Woodruff need not know anything about it.
at is deal and you will not be implicated"
| said he. He then asked Woodruff: "Are
you one of them stillf'-one of the Gamma
| Gael--to which Woodruff replied: AS much
as ever was, II I am paid for it"
Had House in the Country.
When they arose next morning Woodruff
| remarked that there was very little furniture
in the room, and Williams said he had
Odd sight less in house in the country
After having breakfast at a restaurant,
Woodruff said he must go back to Deans
stable, and was told that he could do better,
but should go and Alexander Sullivan
Woodruff went to the stable and thought the
matter over, and then on the pretext of GO
ing to the postoffice went down town again
and called on Alexander Sullivan.
An Unsatisfactory Interview.
He met Sullivan in the hall of the Office
building, and told him that McDougalI had
sent him to see him. Sullivan said "You
mean Williams, don't your and upon receiy-
ing an affirmative reply and the further in
formation that Woodruff wanted something
TO do, said IL have nothing for you. / have
never met you before;n and hough Woodruff
referred to the Canadian raid, Sullivan re-
peated that he didn't know him, but upon be-
ing told that Woodruff would do anything
In Gods world" for money, looked at him
sharply, and said if he found ANYTHING for
him to do he would let Williams know; then
walked away without another word
''Now Pay That Rent"
An hour later Woodruff met Williams and
together they went to the north sids. getting
off the cars just before they got to Division
street. On the way Woodruff told Williams
of his talk with Sullivan. Just after getting
off the cars they met Alexander Sullivan
coming out of a saloon, and the two-Will-
Jams and Sullivan-had talk, during which
Woodruff saw Sullivan take roll of bills
out of his pocket and, giving some to Will
Jams, he heard him say: "Now pay that
rent" They moved further off and engaged
in conversation that Woodruff was sure
was about himself, after which they both APP
preached and Sullivan apologized for what
he had said earlier In the day, and upon re-
ceiving Woodruff's assurance that it was all
right walked rapidly away Woodruff
asked Williams what Sullivan had said, and
was answered that he didn't have much to
say at any time. Upon being asked il Sui
livan was his banker Williams said: "Hes a
good enough banker for me-"
A Cipher Message
On Centennial day Woodruff again met
Williams, but said nothing of Importance,
but shortly after leaving him Coughlin
tapped him on the shoulder ard asked him to
take note to Alexander Sullivan for him
Woodruff then proceeds: "He wrote note
in alphabetical cipher. l understood the
cipher. as it was the same that was used by
the Fenians when was stationed at Niagara
The principle was the employment of every
seventh letter from the one intended He
told me to take it up to Sullivan's office. /
asked him II, in case Sullivan was not in
whether should leave the letter. He told
me no, to tear it up If could not deliver it
to Sullivan personally. 1 did not do this,
and the letter reads: Going up to p.
O6ullivan's'"
The Time for Murder Approaching.
On the Wednesday before the murder
Woodruff met Coughlin on South State
street, and the latter asked what he was do
ing, how he was fixed etc and upon being