The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-05-30

the rumor Il was also stated that another
arrest will be made to-day.
NEW York, May .3-John Dewey had
heard Of the finding Of DR.. Cronin's body
when seen by a reporter last night Il am
not surprised to have my fears that Cronin
was murdered verified Continuing, hs
said:
.sThe dented skull and the many stab wounds
show conclusively that DR.. Cronin was savage
~ murdered. I think know who the murderers
are. or at least who the instigators Of the crimo
are. Cronin' death is the result OF conspr.
acy by certain men who were accused OF EN-.
bezzling large sums Of money from the Parnell
fund that had been collected in Chicago and
elsewhere. Cronin, myself and others knew Of
their dishonesty, and, as they feared exposure.
they resolved TO enforce silence by murder, and
Cronin is the first victim. Now that the scoun-
drcls have gone SO far with their dcyclsh
work hope and trust they will soon be apprc-
hended and NEE: the fate that their crimes de.
serve
Mr.. Dewey mentioned no names but
seemed to be confident that he could easily
call the roll ON the guilty parties
saturday, May 4, at 7:D p. m. Dr.. Cronin
was busy with several patients in the ONCE
rooms Of the fat he occupied in the Windsor
Theater Block with Mr.. and Mrs. 4. 7. Conklin.
Sor.ebody raped on the outer door OF the
Hat. Mrs. Conklin opened the door. A man
asked hurriedIy IL DR.. Cronin were in. Mrs.
Conkln said he was busy. The stranger
said II was . matter Of life and death. Mrs.
Conkin called DR.. Cronin. The stranger told
Cronin in Mrs. Conkln's hearing that y work
man Of the Sullivan Ice Company had been run
over and crushed and that sullivan, WHO was
out OF town, tad left word that CTonin should
be called in case OF any accident. The doctor
said he would go at once. The stranger said
he had horse and buggy. Cronin prepared
his instruments and bandages, and went down.
stairs with the stranger. At the bottom they
met Frank 7. Seaman, Jr.. OF No. "a Bellevue
place. who had called TO accompany
Cronin to q business meeting at the latter's
downtown office In the Chicago Opera-H
building Cronin explained the situation.
and said he didn't know how soon he could
get down town. He got in beside the stranger
and they drove north on Clark street at q
RAPID gait. This was the last seen Of d..
Cronin by his friends until the discovery OF his
body. Late that nght his friends became
alarmed. r. O. Sullivan said he had not
been out OF town. none OF his men had been
hurt, and he knew nothing Of the stranger in
tho buggy. Csonn's friends at once pro-
claimed their belief that he had met with foul
play.
Next day the Lake View police found a large
trunk in . grove of trees near Evanston av-
enue and Suzer street. The trunk was
smeared with blood, and there were cotton
batting, such as doctors use. and several
locks OF hair ia ii. The trunk and the dis
appearance were At once connected. Una
vaiing efforts were made TO trace the trunk
Thursday, May 8, man named Frank Wood.
run was arrested for horsc-stealing. and was
50 frightened that he volunteered q statement
to the effect that he had left the trunk in
Lake View, acting under the directions OF
three men. OF whom Cronin was one.
He said the trunk contained the body OF o
woman, which was taken out and buried. He
gave the names OF his companions rs King and
Fairburn. Steps were taken to test his story,
with the result that not much confidence was
placed in II.
Saturday, May II, dispatches from Toronto.
Ont, were published saying that Cronin was
in that city. These were followed by long in
terviews purporting to have been held by one
G. +. Long with the fugitive. Three days
later IT was definitely settled that the dis
patches were '.fakes," and Long admitted as
much.
The doctors fr lends acted from the start on
the theory that he had been murdered. An or,
ganization was completed, and rewards offered
for the recovery Of his body and the arrest.0
his abductors.
It is admitted that DIR. Cronin had no per-
sonal or professional enemies. He was man
OF temperate virtuous disposition and habits,
inclined 10 the devotional. He had no in
trigues with women. He aroused no domestic
jeaious.cs. In American politics he was q
Republican,, but not bitter partisan. His
relations in the Roman Catholic societies to
which he belonged were pleasant. His on'y
antagonisms and troubles grew out Of his
| connection with the so called Irish National
societies. He was member OF the Irish
National League which is an open organiza-
tion. He was also member OF the Ancient
Order Of Hibernans and OF the Clan.na-
Gael, or Irish Republican Brotherhood.
Both the last named are secret, oath-bound
societies. II Is well known that Cronin
| has waged relentless war on somc OF
| the former leaders of these societies. not
on personal grounds, however, tut from .
| patriotic Irish standpoint. He was one OF the
leaders OF the seeding section OF the Ancient
| Order OF H .bernians three or four years ago
and when the discord IN the organization
was smoothed over he became lead
1 er in the reorganized fraternity,
while those who accused him Of trea-
| SON were driven out in disgrace. In the
| kindred organization-the Clan-na. Gael-he
won the hostility Of the self-same leaders. He
was expelled from their organiza-
| ton at their behest. He was branded as o
| traitor. His name was written on the
| blackboard OF every Claa-na Gael camp
| n the country rs q traitor to Ireland. When
the Clan-aa-Gael Society passed from
the control OF Cronin's ;r.sh political cne-
mics Cronin was restored and the record Of
1 his so-called treason was blottcd out.
1 He was thoroughly yindicated. Instead Of
being tae accused he became the accuser
| lie presided as chief officer OF the Irish
Clan-na-Gael convention held in Hershey
| Hall in this city last June. He formulated
/ charges on that occasion against q former
leader OF the IRISH societies. The subject mat
| ter Of these charges was acrimoniously de-
bated. They included charges Of malfeasance.
treason, perjury and murder. The consid-
| GRAFTON OF these charges was referred TO q
committee, OF which Cronin was . member.
/ The committee met in New York, convicted
| some Of the leaders who had bounded Crouin
for years and failed to acquit others, leaving
open the charges against the latter.
/ DR.. Cronin In order to arrive ut satisfac-
| tory conclusion as to some OF those charges
| made independent Investigations In con-
| ncction with Mortimer Scanlan, OF this city,
he made discovery which estabI shed be-
/ yond question the theft OF $4,000 OF Ir sh
secret society funds-not Land League
/ or National League funds, It should be remem-
| bered. He established the theft, he collected
the evidence against the thief He was pre-
pared to present IT ut the approaching conven-
| tion OF the Irish societies. II removal was
necessary to protect certain parties from etcr-
nal disgrace.l