The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-12-19
FROM CHICAGO.
THE cRoNIN TRIAL NEARING ITS cor
oLUsIoN. AND IN THE HANDS
OF THE JURY.
JUDGE MooNEELL's CHARGE.
Points In the Evidence-Intense Anxiety
to Hear the Verdict, But the
Jury sHn Out.

CHICAGO, December 1S.-Every available
foot in the court room, which has for four
months been the scene of the Cronin trial,
was thronged to the utmostby the bustling,
eager crowd that congregated this morning
TO witness the closing scene IN this sensa--
tional drama. States Attorney Longe-
necker made the closign argument on be-
half of the state, owing the illness of Mr..
Mills, to whom that task had been as
signed.
LArER-The jury in the Cronin case has
retired.
At the close of Judge Longenecker's adj
dress Judge Mcconnell read his charge to
the jury. In opening his instructions to
the jury Judge Mcconnell, after defining
murder and its accessory, circumstantial
evidence and conspiracy, said, in regard to
Beggs, that 1t was not sufficient for them
to find that the resolution was adopted for
the appointment of a secret committee in
Camp 90 on February 8, but 1t must fur
ther appear beyond all doubt that such a
committee was appointed by Beggs and in
furtherance of conspiracy TO commit
murder.
If the Jury believed any or all of the de-
PENDANTS had conspired to kill DIR. Cronin
they were lguilty of murder whether the
identity of actual murder be established or
not, or whether such defendants were present
at the time of the killing or not. Whether
Burke rented and furnished Carlson cot
tage or not and Notwithstanding that the
jury might believe that DR.. Cronin was
murdered in the cottage, yet they would
not be justified in concluding that Burke
was party to the alleged conspiracy un-
less Burke's acts were intended by him to
assist in the murder.
The same applied to O'Sullivan's COR
tract The jury could not legally convict
upon the mere doctrine of chance and
probability, and if, after careful considera-
ton, they did not feel morally certain of
the guilt of the defendants, it was the jury's
duty to acquit them.
After the retirement of the jury and be-
fore the prisoners were escorted back to
the Jail, there was considerable discussion
over the question as to which of the articles
offered in evidence should be taken to the
jury room for the inspection of the jury.
This discussion lasted fifteen or twenty
minutes, and in the course of it the coun-
sci for the defense formally renewed vari-
GUS motions made against the introduction
in evidence of those specified articles, con-
sisting mostly of the trunk, the valise in
which the clothes were found, the instru-
ment case, the OSullivan cards, the trunk
strap, tho doctors memorandum book
etc.
In short the only articles which were Of
Iereu IN evidence Wnlcn were not taken 10
the jury room were the doctors clothes,
and had the state insisted these would
probably also have gone to the jury, but
Mr.. Longenecker did not press the point
and as the defense objected it was decided
that the clothing should not go to the jury
room unless it was so requested by the Jury
later in its elaboration.
At 4:35 p. m. the court adjourned until
p. m.
AT 500 Judge Mcconnell emerged from
his private chamber and elbowed his way
through the crowd to the clerk desk, where
he paused for a moment, the cynosure of
all eyes as if awaiting messagel from the
jury messenger before rapping the court to
order. 1t was expected that had the jury
succeeded in arriving at verdict by this
hour, messenger from that body would
be in waiting upon the court to inform his
honor that the jury was prepared to make
communication.
No such messenger made an appearance
and the feeling became prevalent that no
verdict would be returned at least at this
hour. A few more minutes of anxious
waiting minutes that the feverish anxiety
of the audience heightened into hours
and it becoming apparent that the jury had