Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-17
rsprc1A1 rr1renAM TO THE DISPATCH,

CHICAGO, November 16.-The defense
fred its first gun to-day by putting ex-Cap-
tain Setback and Police Lieutenant Koch
on the stand to impeach Mrs. Conklin's
story about her final Identification of Di'
nan s famous white horse. The Burgomaster
seemed to feel uncomfortable in the novel
he delivered his replies to
Mr.. Forests questions in a Short
jerky way that made big Dan Coughlin
grow red with anger. The Captain admit
ted that he took the white horse from Din
ans. 1t was raining and the rain increased
in volume every moment until he returned
the horse to the barn. Setback repeated
such portions OF his conversation with Mrs.
Conklin as he could remember, but there
was nothing Of any significance in them ex-
cept that the lady declared that Dinan's
horse was not the one that she saw on the
night of May 4. After he returned to the
station Setback met Coughlin and told him
he was
A LUCKY MAN.
"Why?" the big detective asked. "Be-
cause, replied Setback, "Mrs. Conklin did
not identify Dinan's horse"
Forrest wanted to go into the details of
conversation between Setback and Dinan
relative to the man who drove the horse
away, but as the Captain had forgotten his
notebook, the attorney decided to postpone
further examination until the witness could
produce it in court
Lieutenant c. G. Koch, of the old Lake
view station, was a tartar for Mr.. Forrest.
1t was he who drove the horse the night
Mrs. Conklin saw it the second time. He
baf f6a had
been radically changed by its exposure to
the rain; also that Mrs. Conklin had not
been given fair chance to view it from her
position in the bay window.
Didn't you tell me" Forrest asked in
considerable heat, "that the horses appear
ance had not been changed by the rain?"
"No, sir; 1 told you the wet made it look
differently" was the prompt answer. That
released the witness from further ques-
tioning.
A REPORTER ON THE STAND.
The first witness called was James Clancy,
correspondent of the New York Herald, who
testified on behalf of the prosecution. He
said that he was sent here by the Herald in
MAY to investigate the Croniu case. He
called at O'Sullivan's house on the morning
of the day that Cronin' body was discovered,
but before the discovery had been made.
pressed belief that DIR. Cronin would turn
up all right, as he (O'Sullivan) didn't be-
lieve he was murdered. He then continued
his testimony as follows:
81 called late in the evening of the same
dav, after hearing that the body had been
found. l asked O'Sullivan if he had heard
the news; he said No. Then there was
pause. Then ne said: There was a report
L heard while I was down town that
a body was discovered in the lake |
this morning, but it has been identI- |
fed We were both standing at this time. |
1 said: L heard nothing about that 1 |
body of DR.. Cronin has been found He |
turned pale and said: What the body of |
DR.. Cronin found? Is it true?' I said: |
of course, 1 don't know for certain; 1 |
heard it was discovered in the catch-basin |
and is lying in the police station about a |
mile from here. I have cab at the door; |
will you accompany me and identify the |
body at the morgue?' /
A STRANGE RELUCTANCE.
"He shook, and sank into the char and |
said: No; l could not go-I could not |
identify him; it would be useless for me to |
co. L said: 'Mr. O'Sullivan, you told |
me this morning you knew DR.. Cronin very |
we'll. 1t is only short distance. Come |
along and identify the body. It may not be |
DR.. Cronin's body; let US make sure He |
said: No; could not go; if I met him in
the street might know him, but 1 could |
not identify his body 1 said: That is
strange 1 urged him again, and he made |
no effort to move out of his chair, into which |
he had sunk when 1 first broke the news to |
him.
Mr.. Clancv's cross-examination was of a
sensational nature. He admitted that he |
was in prison in 1868, having been arrested |
for completely in the Fenian conspiracy. |
He spent ten years in prison. He told this
story of his arrest and confinement:
HE WAS AN INSURRECTIoNIsT.
''I Joined the Irish Republican Brother
hood in England, in 1852 think it was. 1
was rather active in propagating the priDci-
piles of the Irish Republican Brotherhood
in London, and subsequently, in the army.
In 1866, L received notice from James
Stephens, who was then at the head of the
to leave the army and come
on with what men 1 could, go to Ireland
and take part in a projected insurrection.
Ny instructions were to go TO London and
wait for further orders. / went to London
and received orders there to wait still
longer. Finally was informed that the
rising would not take place.
"T again entered into journalism and re-
mained there until 1 was arrested, in 1868,
as Fenian. Two policemen effected my
arrest; and we had tussel and 1 shot at
them, and that formed the groundwork of
the accusation against me, and upon that 1
was tried and convicted at the Old Bailey
in London in 1868 1 was sentenced to
penal servitude for life."
The sentence was aiterward reduced to IA
years and Clancy got four years off for good
behavior.