River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-12-19
THE cRoNIN SUSPECTS.

jury no arose from amid the prlS-
oners, walked over to the jury
box, and, during the breathless
lull that followed, shook Fore
man Clarke's hand heartily and
said: Gentlemen, thank you. | trust
that the future may confirm your judg-
ment upon me and that you will never
regret that you found me not guilty Of
this terrible charge" AS he shook hands
with the jurors each man bowed his
head in acknowledgement of the words
Of the liberated man. The only
sound that broke the stiffness was the
deep sobbing OF the little German,
Kunze. He burst out with: God knows
i am innocent / never was in Lake
View that night. Oh, God knows am
innocent, gentlemen"
0Sullivan was the only one of the
other three prisoners who found refuge
In tears. For moment they trickled
down his cheeks, but minute later his
black eyes flashed with defiance or re-
vival of courage and dashing his hand
across his brow he braced up in his seat
and cast longing glances around the court
room. The only evidence of terror to be
perceived in Coughlin was the in
creased pallor that overspread his face
as he fully realized the significance of a
sentence to life Imprisonment, and his
lips twitched neryously during the col
loquy that followed between the attor-
neys and the court relative to the mo-
tion for a new trial.
Martin Burke was unquestionably the
least affected of all the prisoners. His
usually horid face took on a slight pallor
as the verdict was announced, but mo-
ment later his jaws again began the
methOdical mastication of gum as reg
ularly as at any previous time during
the trial.
No crowd of men was ever so surprised
ct verdict as the audience was at this
finding of twelve men selected for their
Intelligence to weigh Chicago's most
famous criminal trial. And of all the
crowd the most surprised were Joel NJ.
Longenecker and w. J. Hynes. The big
Irish lawyer heard the reading eagerly,
and then allowed his massive head to
sink upon his breast. He appeared as
absolutely stunned as though he had
been struck with sand-bag. Mr.. Longe-
necker took it almost as badly. He did
not glance at the jury after the find
ing on Beggs had been read. He
was, though, able to talk back when Mr..
Forrest demanded time to prepare his
argument for a new trial for the four
convicted men. The defense's leader
wanted month to get in shape and
Judge Mcconnell granted the request
after some debate, fixing the date at
January Is.
Before this was done, however, Judge
Mcconnell discharged the jury, thank
ing them for their services in so long
and exhausting trial. The court then
said: 1.-THE prisoner Beggs is discharged.
Beggs Immediately left his seat by the
side of the other prisoners, and was at
once surrounded by a crowd of newspa-
per men to whom ne accorded an inter
view
ing the motion for a new trial Coughlin,
Burke, O'Sullivan and Kunze we're taken
back to the Jail. Kunze was still cry
ing, and as he went out Of the door the
tears were still running down his face
and he was sobbing and muttering TO
himself Martin Burke followed Kunze,
and as he passed he whispered to For
rest and smiled. He seemed entire
ly unconcerned. 0'Sullivan followed,
looking pale and sallow, but not differ
emit from his usual appearance. Dan
Coughlin, the big ex-detective, was the
last Of the prisoners to leave, and as he
stalked out he half turned and looked
back into the courtroom, as il expect
ing TO discover some friend. The doors
then changed behind the bailiff who
brought up the rear and the Cronin trial
was over.
The members of the Jury were be-
seiged by horde Of reporters after they
had been discharged, but none OF them
would talk about the doings in the jury
room, a resolution having been adopted
by the twelve men unanimously to pre-
serve silence on their actions while de-
liberating over the verdict. 1t was
learned, however, that IL was not until
after noon Monday tina: the jury finally
came to an agreement, and then it was
that Juror Culver, who had been voting
for an acquittal for all the defendants
since the jury went out, consented to COM
promise. The other jurors were for
hanging Burke, Coughlin and OSulli-
van, while he was for letting them all
Of. Mr.. Culver finally agreed 10 life
sentence for the three The jury was
practically unanimous on the subject of
Beggs' acquittal. and but little time was
needed to FIX Kunze's term of imprison-
ment. Forty ballots were taken.
u Is stated on undoubted authority