The Portland daily press., 1889-05-24
DID THE ClANNA-GAEl DO ITp
The Mystery of the Awful Death of
Cronin, the Irish Agitator.
Rumors of Great Conspiracy Flying
About Chicago.
A Crlme That May be a Great MIsfor-
tune to the Irish Cause.

CHICAGO, May 23-The coroner this after
noon ,empanelled n jury to make an inyesti-
cation into the cause of the death Of DR..
Cronin. The jury adjourned until Tuesday,
pending the result of an investigation by the
police. This investigation may be produc-
tive of startling results, such as will have a
far reaching effect DR.. Cronin WAS former
ly of st. Louis. When he first came to Chi
cago from st. Louis he became identified
with the local branches Of the Ancient Order
of Hibernians, as well as with the Clan-na-
Gael. The Clan-na-Gael, the Tories Of
England have always insisted to be society
organized on purpose to further the cause Of
Ireland by dynamite and the dagger.
Friends of the Clan-na-Gael deny this, and
say that its methods of work in the cause of
Ireland are legitimate. Not long after he
Joined the Hibernans and Clan-na-Gael, DR..
Cronin became involved in factional fights in
each but in the society soon rose to distinc-
ton. He was an enthusiastic society man.
very popular, and constantly in conventions
and councils. He believed that the chief Of
ficer of the Clan-na-Gael was making a
questionable disposition Of the funds of the
order, and he antagonized that lea
der's policy Ma, Many ss other !rish%en M T
min did, bet preferred to drop
out rather than engage In fight. CroniD,
however, who was combative, urged that an
inquiry be made, and he was at length ex-
PEELED, together with others who felt as he
did. With these friends, DR.. Cronin organ
ized new branch of the clan, which grew
in power so rapidly that the old organization
was compelled to recognize 1t, and at con-
vention held in Chicago in 1888 an effort was
put forward to consolidate the two divisions
1t was then learned that Cronin was In pos
session OF evidence strong enough TO convict
the chief officer of treason to Ireland's cause
and also of emhezzling the funds Of the Clam
na-Gael. As his terms OF union with the
old society, DIR. Cronin insisted that joint
committee of three from each branch should
against the chief executive Of the
parent branch. The joint COM
mittee was appointed, it canvassed the
evidence, and, IL Is stated, arrived at de-
eision, finding the chief guilty as charged.
At the convention to be held at Philadelphia
this report was TO have been submitted, and
was expected to have the effect OF utterly
crushing a popular idol, as the accused offi
eial had many friends. Pending the report
of the joint committee, Cronin was en-
trusted with the documents which slbstan-
tiated his oft-repeated charges. For his
work in this prosecution it was often stated
that his life had been threatened, he even
declaring as much in public meeting on
one occasion in the presence OF the men ac-
cused. However, he often said that If any
papers in Lawyer Hynes's safe
that would fasten the crime Of his
assassination on the guilty man.
Something has happened; DR.. Cronin has
been most foully murdered; and 1t Is be-
lieved by many that when the mystery Of his
daa th il unravallad IL will hq f0und that a
faction of the Clan-na-Gael Is back Of it,
When DIR. Cronin took action against the
leader of the order, his enemies were furious.
They had long ago determined to remove"
him and ne knew it. Here Is q motive Tor
the horrible crime which was committed on
Saturday, May 4. Last year his enemies
sought to detach from his side all whom they
could influence by fear or favor. One man,
when he refused to believe that the Doctor
was not acting for the best interests OF the
order, nearly lost his life.
The sensational charge is made that wide
and deep political conspiracy has for some
time been in operation in this city, embrae-
ing the public departments and portion Of
the press, and taking in the greater part Of
the police force DR.. Cronin, who by his
courage, his talents and his spotless honesty
was the one man best fitted to fight the con-
spiracy, and who did fight II, was especially
marked out for destruction. There are 9TH
er men who were also sentenced, it is as
serted.
Woodruff, man arrested not long ago for
another offense claims to be able to throw
light on the crime.
NEW YORK, May 23-Edward L. Carey, a
prominent Irishman of this city said last
night that he had been convinced for some
time that Cronln was foully dealt with. Mr.
Carey said that DIR. Cr0nin's death would be
great loss to the Irish cause, as he was one
of the most earnest workers for his native
land in the country.
Col. O'Byrne. another prominent Irishman
said: "The crime could not have been COM
mitted by the Clan-na- Gael or any Irish So
ciety. There; is no society which admits Of
such measures" he said, "and / can state
positively that DR.. Cronin had no dealings
with the dynamite class of Irish agitators
l have been talking the Cronin matter over
with many of the Irish patriots Of this city
the idea that he had been victim to any
plot involving the Irish cause"
II cannot admit for m0mentthat the Irish
cause had anything to do with DR.. Cronin's
disappearance. There must have been some
personal matter about 1t. There Is some
quarrel or personal enmity, you may be sure.
1t now becomes the part of every true heart
ed Irishman to help along the solution OF the
mystery of Cronin's death, because 1t is a
melancholy fact that unless the mystery Is
solved his death will be charged to the Irish
cause to the end Of time. 1t is one Of the
greatest misfortunes that could have be-
fallen our cause"
LATEST.
CHICAGO, May 23.-Tonight, thirty hours
after the discovery Of DR.. Cronin's corpse,
the mystery has deepened, not cleared. The
manner of his taking off is the darkest secret
of ALL 1t is almost conclusively shown that
the skull is not cloven or even fractured. and
there is absolute certainty that he was not
strangled. The doctors are completely
puzzled.
Black Hens Eggs.