River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-09-05
THEIR LIVES AT STAKE.

coughIin. O'suilivan, Begg, Burke and
Kunze Placed on Trial at ChioHgc.
Charged with the Murder Of DIR. Cronin
Jurors Subjected TO n Searching Ex-
aminatiOn-The Prosecution Relying on
CircumstantiaI Evidence for Conviction
CHICAGO, Aug. 81 The Cronin trial has
begun Tie tactics OF delay so skillfully
employed by both sides have been ex-
hausted and the actual work Of selecting
jury has begun When Judge Mcconnell
opened court yesterday morning both
sides announced their readiness TO pro-
coed with the trial A special venire for
fifty jurors was issued. and an adjourn
ment was taken until > o'clock p. n.
At the afternoon session the prosecution
appeared for the first time in its fall
strength, Messrs Hynes, Mills. Ing
ham and Assistant States Attorney
Neeley entering the room with
Judge Longenecker and taking their
seats with him on the States side Of
the lawyers table. Opposite them were
Messrs. Forrest. Donahoe. Foster, Ames.
Senator Kennedy and Judge Wing. while
behind them were the clients the hve
prisoners on trial. Coughlin. BeGgs and
kunze in the front row OF three chairs and
Burke and U Sullivan bringing up the rear
When the court came 70 order it ap-
peared that forty eight men had been sum
moned 70 act as Jurors Thirteen OF this
number were excused for various reasons :
This preliminary examination over the COX
was filed by twelve men Judge Longe-
necker was about TO test the qualifications
OF the twelve for Jury service from the
States point of view when Mr. Donahos
made an objection to the appointment
OF Messrs Mills. Ingham and Hynes
as associate counsel for the State on the
ground that they had been engaged bv
private parties 10 appear in the case. and
had received money OF the promise Of
money from these private parties
who We're anxious TO secure the
conviction of his clients He fur
ther objected 10 Mr.. Hynes on
the ground that be was acruated nv
motives of enmity to his clients. all Of
which be offered TO prove by the testimony
OF the three lawyers themselves and others
Mr.. Forrest for Coughlin and Senator Ken
nedy FOR Burke also objected States
Attorney LOngenecker protested that IL was
too late for these objections, which had not
been entered at the time he asked Tor the
appointment Of the counsel. and now that
jury was in the box 10 Try the cause the
court could not try another issue
Judge Mcconnell agreed with him
and overruIed the objections, 10 which
ruling the usual exceptions were entered
Eight jurors were examined by the State.
four Of whom were accepted and four re
iected The court a3iourned al 30 y. IN
The case has gone far enough TO indicate
pretty conclusively the inc Of evidence
u'on which the prosecution will rely II
the questions put to Jurors on the examina-
ton point TO any thing they point 10 the
conclusion that circums tantial evidence
and that alone is relied on for
"a conviction. Woodruff and his con-
Tessions seem to have dropped out
OF the case as a factor in it. Al
any rate. whatever he knows OF can tell
viii be used rather Us corroborating the
circumstantial evidence adduced than as
being direct testimony TO the murder
or the conspiracy OF which il Eas a
part Every man in the iury-b3x that
was examined by the State WIS ques-
toned closely as TO whether he believed in
crcumstantial evidence. ANY hesItaucy on
the part Of the prospective juror 10 clearly
express his confidence in this sort of evi-
dence was the initial point Of a search
ing examination 10y the States Attor-
ney A principal question with
Nj. LOngenecker. who conducted the Eek
animation Of jurors on behalf Of the State,
wss. ''SuppOsing il should turn out in the
mainly circumstantial. if It conyinces you
beyond = reasonable doubt OF the guilt Of
these defendants would you feel it your
duty to lind them guilty Just the same as If
the evidence was direct."
While the State is evidently relying on
circumstantial evidence To procure a con
viction, there are not wanting indications
that it expects to present a convincing ar
ray of circumstances proving the
guilt OF the defendants II some Of
them The question OF conscientious
scruples about the death penalty
Is gone into with each Juror. Nor Is
any faltering on this point by Juror al
lowed The juror who satisfactorily an
sweIed the questions as 10 circumstantial
evidence and the death penalty then had
coordination o. the two thrust at him. To
be a safe and sound Juror in the ewes
of the prosecution he must be willing
TO infiict the death penalty upon
proof of guilt by circumstantial ev-
idenee under the same conditions
that he would if gui.t were proved by di-
rect testimony II doctrinally sound on
the purely intellectual questions Of evil
dence and penalty. the juror was ques-
toned as TO his past life, associates and
business and social connections. 70
see that no warp or bias had engen-
GELEA IN Nun aLih "a LAuSt pre- Aft4CtH
or crotchets which render the sound
est intellectually unreliable. Where the
Juror was born, where he lad lived, his oc-
CupatiOn for years past. and the societies,
secret or otherwise, TO which he belonged,
or had at any time belonged. were not sec
ond even to the inquiries a. 10 his acqUaint-
asce with any Of the prisoners or their
counsel
Acquaintance with Alexander Sullivan.
Lawrence ,. Buckley, Thomas Murphy OF
Harry Jordan was a matter To which
seduIous attention was paid by the State
OF the Jurors who were examined none
would admit acquaintance with any OF
these men except one. He was member
Of the Irish-American Club and was intro
duced TO Alexander sullivan on he oc-
rasion OF the reception rendered TO Patrick
Egan last spring.
Court adjourned before the state had
rendered any jurors to the defense Their
line of examination can therefore only be I
con iectured