The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-26
1T WAS CRONIN'S DEAD BODY
Many Witnesses Swear the Body Found
in the Catch Basin Was DR.. Cr0nin's.
Nature Of the Wounds Described by Physi-
clans, Who Are Unable TO Say Positively How
Death R~esulted-Devoy and Mr.. Forrest.

CHICAGO, Oct. 25.-The taking of evidence
in the Cronin case was resumed in the Grim
inal Court this morning. The prosecution
continued the presentation Of witnesses,
whose only testimony was as to the indenti-
~fication of the body found in the catch-basin
as that of DR.. Cronin. Just before the pro-
ceedings began the trunk in which DR.. Cro-
Minis body was carried from the Carlson
cottage to the Lakeview catch-basin was
brought from the central station to the
States attorney Office and carefully looked
up in the vault. there to be kept until need
ed in the trial. A large and curious crowd
gathered quickly to see the CORY evidence
of the crime, as it was taken by the guard
of officers from the patrol wagon to the
vault.
The witnesses called for the purpose of
identifying the body were: Nicholas Wal
lenborn, wine and liquor merchant, and a
friend of the dead Doctor; I. T. ConkIIng,
the man in whose family Cronin lived for
ten or twelve years; John F. Seaman, a
member of the Clan-na-Gael and an in
timate friend and partisan of DIR. Cronin;
Frank Scanlan, brother of John f. and
David p. Ahern, merchant ~tailors. who
made the Doctors clothes. The identified
ton was very perfect and very positive.
1t embraced the height. size and general
appearance of the dead man; the shape of
his goatee; the conformation of his face.
particularly his forehead; the shape and
size of his teeth; tn e shape of a once-brok-
en- finger, and the heavy growth of hair on
the Doctors wrists.
The next matter taken up was the find
ing of the body in the catch-basin. The
W cleaners who discovered the
body and notified the police of the fact.
and the policemen who were sent and as
sisted in removing the body were sworn as
to this point, and described the proceeding.
Lawyer Forrest. for the defense, made the
crosS-examlnation on this head very search
ing and rigid, compe ling the witness to 90
over the proceedings in connection with
the removal OF the body with tho utmost
mlnuteness.
The taking of identification evidence
was then resumed. Patrick McGarry, q
boiler maker and a friend of DIR. Cronin,
identified the body taken from the catch
basin as that OF the dead physician. DR..
Il. w. Lewis. a dentist. who had operated
professionally on DR.. Cronin's mouth, also
identified the body. He described the pecu-
~liarities of DR.. Cronin's mouth, the number
of missing teeth, the form of the Jaw, ETC.;
identified a plate, with false teeth attached,
as one he had made for Dr.. Cronin, and
said that q cast of the mouth which he had
made fitted that of the corpse. DR.. j. X.
EEgbeft, assistant county physician iden-
as the one he had taken from the mouth of
DIR. Cronin on the day after the body was
found: A recess was then taken.
At the afternoon session Mr.. Egbert con-
tlnued his testimony. de proceeded to
state the facts revealed by the autopsy
which he made upon the body the day fol-
lowing its discovery. He described the
wounds at great length, and gave it as his
All of the wounds were upon the head.
The skull was not broken. except that
a small piece of bone was Clipped off
at the corner of the left eye. The
witness then described the condition of
the internal organs. and exhibited the
stomach and its contents to the lawyers
and the jury. DR.. Egbert said that the
stomach seemed to contain only vegetables.
Among them he distinguished corn, and
there were others which resembled cabbage
and carrots. In his Judgment the Doctor
was killed within three hours after having
eaten.
oped that none of the wounds on the corpse
were such as would necessarily cause
death. 1t was impossible, also, the Doctor
admitted, TO say whether the wounds were
tried TO ascertain. but was unable to do so.
He had not ascertained that the wounds
affected any importantant nerves Or
arteries. and he could not swear that
death had resulted from the skull Wounds.
1t would, in all probability. have been
caused by conclusion of the brain. The
usual post-mortem evidence of snch q re-
suit, the heart and lungs being filled with
blood, was not found in this case.
The question was put to Dr.. Egbert: us
it not true that the dead body as examined
by you physicians-is it not scientifically
true that you physicians found no evidence
IN that body that were certain and on
elusive of the form of death?n
DR.. Egbert replied: THAT is true"
DR.. Egbert was of the opinion that death
had occurred through excessive loss of
blood, but there was no certainty of it. he
said.
Dr. Charles F. Perkins. who, at the re-
quest of DR.. Egbert, assisted at the post
norton. testified that. in his opinion. death
did not result from blood-letting, but from
conclusion of the brain. The latter organ.
however. was too ~decomposed to afford any
information.
The last witness of the day was the I'M
dertaker who removed the body after the
post-mortem. and who testified that it re-
NAMED In his charge until buried.
John Dewey Gets Mad at MIR. Forrest.
CHICAGO, Oct. 25.-John Dewey is out in
a card, to-day. replying to an interview
with attorney Forrest. in which that gen.
tleman is alleged to have said: There is
informer Dewey. informer McCahey. in
former Luke Dillon and / don't know how
many other informers." Mr.. Dewey takes
exception to this and says:
IF Mr.. Forrest uses these words he il
guilty of q direct Indictment to the assassi-
nation of the three men named. If Mr.
Forrest does not deny having used them, j
shall hold him responsible so far as they
apply to IN {. He cannot pretend tomlsunder.
stand the full meaning and significance OF
the word infOrmer.' as used among Irish.
men, and especially the men who pay his
fees and instruct him. The expression
can have but one object. 1t is notice served
on all Irish witnesses for the prosecution by
the CHIEF assassins who employ Mr.. Forrest
TO defend their dupes. that their testimony
concerning the murder of DR.. Gro
min and the organized system ot
thievery of which that murder
was the direct result will be given al
the peril of their lives. 1t is part of the
system of intimidation of witnesses which
has formed q prominent feature of the
tactics of the defense from the beginning OF
the Cronin case. If the case were not now
pending in court i would treat Mr.. For.
rests statement, If left uncontradicted, al
i would that of any other ruffian made oul
of court. As it is. / think it sufficient fol
the present to call public attention to Its
murderous Significance