Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-12-26
CRONIN'S SLAYERS.
The Great Trial Ends In q Compro-
mise Verdict.
Oesulifvau, Coughiin and Burke Sentenced
For Life. Kunze Gets Three Years and
Bexgs ACCOMPLISHMENTS In the
Court Room.

For Life. Kunze Gets Three Years and
Bexes Acquitted-scene In the
Court Room.
CHICAGO, Dec. 17.-One of the most
memorable trials in the criminal his
tory of America closed yesterday after
noon when the jury, impaneled three
months ago, rendered its verdict in the
Cronin case. That the return of this
jury is a verdict and not a disagree
ment is the source of much congratula-
ton in the public mind, and, although
there is naturally much division of sem
timent on the question of approval Of
the verdict, the sense of relief which is
experienced at the final elimination of
the case is unanimous.
Hardly breath was heard as every
eye in the vastaudience turned to John
F. Beggs. who led the procession of the
five prisoners. The face of the senior
warden of camp 20 was pale with
anxiety, but his eye was full of conf
dence, as it boldly faced the stare of
the audience.
Dan Coughlin affected his usual in
difference, but his restless, furtive eye
betokened the terrible mental suspense
the ex-detective experienced as he
awaited the dread announcement of
the penalty to be melted ont to him by
the law.
Hardly a person in the vast court
room succeeded in catching the eye of
Patrick O'Sullivan. The piercing black
eyes of the ice man sought the floor,
and whatever emotion he felt at this
moment was invisible save in the gray
ish pallor that overspread his features.
Martin Burke flushed for moment
as he approached his seat, but mo-
ment later his features regained their
natural appearance, and with affected
nonchalance he resumed the chewing
of gum rs has been his wont during the
course of the trial.
The elated air of John KunZe was
absent, and for the first time since his
arrest the little German now seemed
to fully appreciate the gravity of his
situation as he awaited the verdict of
the jury.
The jury soon filed into the room
amid a profound silence.
After the usual formalities the FORE
man of the jury handed in the follow
ing verdict:
I'VE the jury. find the defendant,
John F. Beggs, not guilty.
I'VE. the jury, find the defendant,
John Kunze, guilty of manslaughter,
as charged in the Indictment, and fix
his punishment at Imprisonment in the
penitentiary for term of three years.
I'VE. the jury, find the defendants,
Daniel Coughlin, Patrick O'Sullivan
and Martin Burke, guilty of murder in
the manner and form as charged in the
Indictment, and fix the penalty at i'm
prisOnment in the penitentiary for the
term of their natural lives"
Mr.. Forrest of the defense at once
requested that the jury be polled and
this was ordered by the court.
To each of the jurors the question
was put by the clerk of the court:
''Was this, and is this now, your ver-
dict?' Foreman Clarke was the first
man to rise and answer firmly i'm the
affirmative. The eleven men followed
in turn and gave the same answer.
Simultaneous with the announce
ment of the verdict Coughlin, O'Sulli-
van and Burke turned deathly pale,
while Kunze started suddenly from his
seat, and d moment later dropped his
Hchu oPoA his DIcdSt anu DuISC lIlIO
tears.
Beggs' face was luminous with joy,
and crossing to the jury he thanked
them and shook hands with them.
AS he shook hands with the jurors
each man bowed his head in acknowl-
edgment of the grateful words of the
liberated man. The only sound that
broke the stiffness was the deep sobs of
the little German, KunZe. He burst
ont with:
81 am innocent. God knows I am
innocent. God knows that never was
out to J-akeview that night. LOnge-
necker bought two witnesses. am sure
of that, they went out and bought
farms with the money. Him and
Schuettler did it.''
O'Sullivan was the only one of the
other three prisoners who found refuge
in tears. For moment they trickled
down his cheeks, but moment later
his black eyes flashed with defiance or
revival of courage, and dashing his
hand across his brow he braced up and
cast a long glance around the court
room. The only evidence of terror to
be perceived in Coughlin was
the increased pallOr that over
spread his face as he fully
realized the significance of sentence
to life Imprisonment, and his lips
twitched nervOusly during the colloquy
that followed between the attorneys
and the court relative to the motion
for new trial.
Martin Burke was unquestionably
the least affected of all the prisoners.
1t was not until the afternoon that
the Jury finally came to a verdict, and
then it was that the juror Culver, who
had been voting for acquittal for all
the defendants since the jury went
out, consented to a compromise. The
other jurors were for hanging Burke,
Coughlin and O'Sullivan, while he was
for letting them all off.
Liberality In Brazil.
LISBON, Dec. 1.-THE Brazilian
Consul here has received a telegram
from Rio de Janeiro announcing that
a decree has been promulgated declar-
ing all foreigners residing in Brazil |
citizens of the Republic from the date |
on which the Republic was proclaimed |
and thof oil foroinporc -, .,b.,n |