The Indianapolis journal., 1889-06-23
BURKE WAS ONLY A TOOL.
An Ignorant Enthusiast Who Thought He Was
Doing Right in Numbering Cronin.

CHICAGO. June ga special dispatch
In my mind" said Chief McRae, this morn
ing, that Burke was used as tool by the
gang which planned the Cronin murder,
and that he is really the one who committed
the foul deed. don't think from what /
have been able to Judge of him that he
would be likely to have concocted the con-
spiracy, or have committed the act on his
own behalf. He is. an ignorant man. and
doubtless an Irish enthusiast, who fancied
that in committing such deed he was aid
ing in righting the wrongs of Ireland"
Did you caution Burke when you ar
rested him that any thing he said would be
used against him in evidencep
Il did," said the Chief. but the prisoner
was so thoroughly scared that / believe if
had chosen to pump him. could have got
complete confession"
II suppose he did tell you something i'm
portant," was suggested.
II don't wish to answer that question:
said the Chief. II will doubtless be called
upon to give my evidence in court"
Are all the necessary witnesses hereW
1.-Two others are coming from Chicago, as
well as the indictment against Burke, aud
some papers. The Chicago police know ex-
actly what is wanted, and they will take
the precaution of sending all the evidence
Then you have no doubt about Burke's
extraditionp
"None whatever
man who claims to be an important
witness In the CrOnin case turned up in
Chicago last night. He is Geo. L. Brooks,
news agent running on one of the rail-
Brooks. who is a small man. about twenty
three years old, is intelligent-looking and
good talker: His story is to the effect
that, on the night Of May 4, he was driving
that, happening along Ashland avenue he
saw three men loading the trunk into the
wagon at the Carlson cottage, and that
about half an hour later he saw the same
into the catch-basin in. which the body
Of Dr.. Cronin was found. He also
says that he saw the men dis
tinctly;, that he will be able to identify
them; that his female companion also saw
them, and that she. too, will be able to
| identify them. He 10 ready to produce the
young woman as soon as the authorities
want her.
Brooks's explanation of his failure to tell
his story before is that he was afraid of
losing his life, as he believed the men con-
cerned in the murder were SO desperate they
would kill anyone who they thought might
turn mp as witness against them. He said
the knowledge ne possessed had SO weighed a
himself any longer, and believing it was a
| dnty he owed himself and the community,
he had at last decided to tell all he had
seen. He first stipulated that he be given
told his story to Chief Hubbard, with
| whom he was closeted for over two hours
/ late last night. He described the three
| men whom he saw. and his description of
| one is said to tit Burke, the Winnipeg sus-
! pect.
The statement is published that the police
have recovered the lost clew to the move
ments of Patrick COoney. COoney is sup
posed to be the man who passed under the
| name of j. b. SimOnds, and who bought the
furniture which was put into the fiat oppo-
| site Dr.. CrOnins office, and which was sub
sequently taken to the Carlson cottage, in
which Dr.. Cronin was murdered. 1t is
| given out that the police expect to capture
Cooney. possibly within few hours.
| From the day Burke's name was men,
| toned in the case Lieutenant Elliott has
| been working industriously OH Burke's
| record. Il have found that he will prob
| ably have to account for more than the
crime of numbering Cronin." said the Lieu
| tenant.
,.y DO you think he has committed murder
"From what have discovered, / should
say he had; but can give you more par
| ticulars in few days."
This afternoon Frank Woodruff COM
menced in the Circuit Court, o suit for
|
prietor of dime museum who has on ex-
hibition a wax "6gger" of the horse thief
as one of the accomplices in the murder.
An order was given to-day on the coroner
for certified copy Of the evidence taken
The order came from lawyer Collier Office,
and was given on receipt OF a cablegram.
presumably from Mr.. SOames. solicitor for
the London Times. The transcript will
cover LOO typewriter pages, and will cost
at least $3.50.
new arrest was made this afternoon in
the Cronin case. The prisoner is Michael
Walsh. plumber, who has been
Burke, the Winnipeg suspect. in Chicago.
Burke, it is reported, turned up in Joliet
the day after the Cronin tragedy. and
remained with Walsh, practically
penniless. until June O.. when il is
thought a money order came to
the Winnipeg man from Chicago.
Observation-Disclosures would be that Walshs
arrest was due to desire on the part of the
police to elicit anything of value that he
may know regarding Martin Burke. the
supposed Frank Williams, with whom DR..
Cronin drove of on the night OF May 4,