The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-11-03
HOW CRONIN WAS SLAIN.
sAND-BAGs AND CLUBS USED AS
he ENTERED THE COTTAGE.

According to the Story of the Winni-
peg Prisoners the Doctor Never
spoke After He Crossed the Thresh-
old, but Was Felled Insensible In
stsntly - His Face Pounded After
Death so as to be Unrecognizable.
CHICAGO, ILL.,, Nov. "A special dis
match from Winnipeg this morning says:
Assistant States Attorney Baker of
Chicago had long interview with Bob
Heffer yesterday, and from him received a
corroboration of many of the details con-
nected with the butchery of DR.. Cronin,
which Gillette recounted Thursday.
Burke. according to Gillette, took quite a
fancy to Heffer at first, and was very COM
municative with him, telling him many
details about the crime. He told Heffer
that Coughlin was the main actor in the
tragedy, and had engaged both him and
Cooney to participate in the crime.
HOW HE WAS KILLED.
"He told Heffer that sand-bags were used
by two Of the assassins, while third welded
a common base ball bat. Burke was under
the impression that DR.. Oronin was being
OONeASC
that he was going to attend the woman
mentioned in yesterdays dispatches. Four
men were waiting in the cottage for him.
They listened for the sound of the wheels,
At last the carriage drove up, and an in
slant later DR.. Cronin hurried up to the
door.
FELLED AS HE ENTERED.
''He knocked loudly as he realized that his
presence was urgently required. Two Of
the assassins stood behind the door ready to
strike, while one Of the others from an inner
room called out in loud voice, "Come in. "
The door was quickly opened and DIR.
Cronin strobe in. The instant he was in one
of the assessins slammed the door, while
the other struck the physician a terrible
blow with the sand bag. The doctor fell
heavily to the floor.
DEALER OF THE FIRST BLOW.
Burke always declined to say who struck
the first blow, and this fact, Baker SAYS.
makes it quite clear that it was Burke
himself, else he would have mentioned the
name. He always spoke about the four
taking part in the crime and pounding the
doctor at the same time. The moment the
doctor was down the whole four rushed
on him, and with sand-bags and
clubs pounded the life out of him.
The poor man struggled and moaned
swfully. Blood poured from his mouth,
and nose and eyes. Nearly twenty minutes
elapsed before he ceased to gasp. Then the
fends stripped the blood-stained clothing
off him, and one of them pounded his face,
so as to make it impossible to recognize the
body.
GRAINED INTO THE TRUNK.
"Coughlin then hauled the trunk over
and the body was crammed into it. One of
the Quartette went out and brought an ex-
press wagon which had been left In q con-
venient place. When they went to carry
the trunk out the blood was dripping from
it, and it ran on the floor and some Of
their boots. The trunk was set down
and these leaks stopped with cotton
batting, which was found in the DOCTORS
instrument case. The trunk and its con-
tents we're then taken to the lake, Coughlin
driving the horse. There was no boat at
the point expected, and they tried to shove
the trunk out into the water, but it would
not work. Anxious to get rid of the body
in some way, Burke suggested that it be
thrown into the catch basin, and the sug-
gestion was adopted"
LoNGNECKER THINKS IT FIsHY.
States Attorney Longnecker and Chief
OF Police Hubbard hold divergent opinions
in regard to Burke's alleged confession Of
completely in the murder of DIR. CronIn as
told by Gillette, the Winnipeg convict.
The former says that during the proceed
ings for the extradition Of Burke he had a
private detective at work in Winnipeg; that
that detective secured written staUements
from both Gillette and Mills, which the
state now has, and that neither of them
gives any hint of a confession by Burke.
Therefore, he considers this last story very
"fshy."
CHIEF HUBBARD LESS SKEPTICAL.
Chief Hubbard, on the other hand, points
out that Gillette could have no apparent
motive In making up the story, and that he
had no means of securing the facts on which
he bases it except from Burke, because the
prisoners in Winnipeg are not allowed to
read the newspapers.
Inc states attorney points out that some
OF the points given by Gillette are inconsist-
ent with the known facts, such, for instance,
as tnat Burke exchanged clothing with Gill
iette before they came out of Winnipeg jail
70 be identified by Expressman Martison
mat Gillette stood next to Burke in the line,
ana that Burke spoke to him while there.
4, Inc facts were, says the states attorney,
snat Burke wore his own clothes; that Gill
.1 .sIIe vas the sixth man from him, and that
sne reporter who stood next to Burke in
Hne did not hear Burke speak word.
Chief Hubbard, on the other hand. points
OUT that Gillette's story covers points not
heretofore mentioned. Among these is
chat OF the woman with whom Burke was
3I9unate. The chief says it is fact that
burke was intimate with woman named
Aizzie Kettler, formerly Lizzie Dinkler,
auo ne believes she Is the woman who was
10 act the part of Burke's sister at the Carl
son cottage, and that the original intention
was TO have DIR. Cronin called to attend
her, as related by Gillette, but that this
pan was subsequently, changed, and that
sl9 snE contract TO attend to O'Sullivan's men
followed.
MURDERED BABY.
,,rS! IN this point Chief Hubbard says:
al hree years ago Burke was boarding with
mrs. Lyvena II. Griffin at No. 13S State
street. While he was there the Kettler
woman applied for a room, and Burke was
1nIs!taPumental ns!a, in securing it for her. Mrs.
ulllnn, attracted to the room one day by an
Unusual noise, found Burke and Mrs. Ket-
Se S,er Gshere, also a newly born babe. Mrs.
bnn bpliLiin saw the finger marks around the
% vpapy throat, but she never learned whether
PuiK RPurKe or Mrs. KettIer had strangled it.
n LUIS naturally gave Mrs. Griffin the i'm
hesslon that Burke was an exceptionally
oo "uCal and ferocious man, and when his
IConhection with the Cronin murder became
,.itn aao"n ste voluntarily offered herself as a
nsst Siess Tor the state in regard to Burke's
ana n morning paper says that the woman is
Nuu mas been for aorna xvaaLa in, oh oroa Of a