The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-05-23
DR.. CRONIN's BODY FOUND.
IL Was Discovered In a Catch Basin by a
Gang of Workmen

Nhi'ACD, NAY - ne DogY OF III
J. II. Cronin, the Irish agiiaior, VIII,
disappeared from his home two week
ago, was found this afternoon at ) o'clocl
in q caich-basin on Evanston avenue. 4
towel was wrapped about the head. bu
the rest Of the body was stark naked
The Catholic charm, called the "Agnu,
Del, which the Doctor always wore mex
10 his skin, suspended about his neck,
was untouched On the head were the
marks left by dozen deep cuts. which
have severed he scalp and indenied the
skull. It is the opinion Of the police that
Cronin was foully murdered, and by
some man who could not bring himself
/ TO disturb Catholic charm.
a gang Of lab0rers in tie employ of
the Lake View City Government have
been clearing the bitches along Evanston
avenue during the week To-day. fore
man Henry Roesch and two men were
working north on the east side Of Evans
ton avenue towards Fiftyninth street.
As they neared the catch-basin at the
corner they noticed a strong smell of
purifying flesh, and Roesch pried off
the top Of the catch basin with
his spade and uncovered the body
of Dr. Cronin. II had apparently been
thrown into the basin. for the head was
down and the feet and legs were in the
sewer opening
The come of -'iftyninth street and
Evanston avenue is about three hundred
yards from the Argyle Park station, on
the Chicago and Evanston branch Of the
Chicago, Milwaukee and ST. Paul Rail
road II is but two or three blocks from
the lake. and about nine-tenths Of a mile
north from the corner OF Sulzer street
aud Evanston avsue, where the empty
trunk was found on the day after Gro
nin's disappearance.
There are four catch-basins at the
intersection Of the streets, and the body
was found in the one on the southeast cor
ner. II seems altogether remarkable
that II was not sooner discovered, for the
Lake View police started out TO search
all the catch-basins in the city the week
after the blood-stained trunk was found.
Immediately upon taking the body out
of the BASIN, Foreman ROesch notified
the Lake View pOlice-sta'ion and sum
moned the patrol wagon.
The body was stretched out on the
Lake View mOrgue, which occupies the
front room in the basement under the
station. Telephone messages were sent
10 the city police, and an hour after the
finding OF the body dozen of Cronin's
friends were al The station.
John f. Scaulon, Mortimer Scanlon
and John f. Scanlon were among the
first who arrived They Identified the
boly as that Of Cronin upon first sight
Later it was more positively identified
by r. +. Conklin, the saloon keeper,
with whom Cronin lived and 10y James /
Boland and Patrick McGarv
In the evening Dr. j. Il. Brandt, presi !
dent of the Cook County Hospital staff /
carefully examined the body, and posi- /
lively identified il as that of CrOnin /
He discovered upon the head the follow !
ing cuts and bruises: Over the left /
temple cui four inches long, !
through the skull and into /
he skull. over the left parietal bone. n /
,ui one and half inches long which /
ilsO marked the skull. also a cut one and /
4 half inches long over the frontal bone /
At the junction of the left parietal: a cut /
hree inches long through The scalp and /
marking the oc"ipetal bone, anOfher two /
inches long, also marking the 0ccipeial /
)one, q large bruise on the forehead on /
he right parielal bone, and near it two I
,uts each an inch long bruises on the /
eft leg and several c0niusiOns, apparent /
Y made by bIudgeOH, on the forehead /
The doctor said that the blows must /
nave been made by some sharp iHstru- /
nen' perhaps an icepick He said if
he instrument had not been sharp the /
kHll would have been fractured. whereas
{ was only indenied or marked by the
ilows. DR. Brandt examined the hair
ouud in the trunk on Evanston avenue,
md stated tonight that il was
Dr. Cronin's hair There are
,thcr reasons for believing that
ronin's body was carried in the
runk. There was cotton found about
he feet and under the chin of the
orpse, of the same quality AS tde cotton
Ound In the trunk. and the threads of
10th found In the cotton in The trunk cor
esponded I'm appearance with the threads
f the towel wrapped about Cronins
cad. When this towel was removed
art of CrOnin's mouslache came with il.
howing that decomposition had already
Ar advanced.
The body was much swollen owing 10
long lay under water in the basin.
Iowcyer. there can be no mistake as to
he identification.
1T is Cronin's body said John +
canlOn. 81 knew il the minute | en-
cred the room. and was as certain then
3 am now, af,er making most care
ll examination. If / had nothing else
D 90 by ! could recognize it by the
seth Cronin had too large front teeth .
amaining on the upper jaw, and the left
ye-toOlh gone His lower teeth were
ark in color, placed quite far apart,
nd rouned in shape. can identify the 4
ody also by the shape of the forehead, I
y the expression of the mouth. and then {
y the hair, which remains, and the {
lustache and goaiee believe that be
'as the victim of ,he lOulcst Of murders
] believe that the fact that the "Agnus
'ei was untouched Is most significant
believe that the suspicion We have all
long entertained as To- the manner Of a
is death was well grounded, and ex- q
ect 70 see the perpetrators Of the deed I
roughi TO justice.
Cr0nins friends and fellow workers
in spare no money or pains to bring
bout such result. aud will not stop {
ntil the instigat0rs as well as the perpe c
atOrs of the crime are discovered :
Dr. Lewis, the dentist who last work !
on Cronin's teeth. reached the station
tie in the evening, and also positively $
entified the body as did c. O'Keefe, /
no, for many years, was Cronin's tailor. 2
r. Scanlon intended at first to send for
rs. COnklin, but later il was thought
Money Made by the Detroit Club. ,
Detroit. MfcH., May 22.-The stock !
)lders of the old Detroit National
.1ffl. flafla rod