Telegram-herald., 1889-05-23
THELATE DIR. CRONIN
The Body Found in . Catch-Basin
Ia Chicago.
aE VAS CyDOUBIEDLY MURDERED.
Ihs Body saksd-ssysraI severe sa1s on
.lA- aesa-nls sA<Bas Del tatoashSd
-Ihs Body 4 CadsastsdIy Been IA
the "a ystsFi01s fraak.


2. IL. Cronin, the IRISH agitstor, who
sappeared from his home two weeks
ago, vas found this afternoon at
o'clock IN eateh-basln, on Evanston
ave. A towel was wrapped about the
head, bat the rest OF the body was
stark naked. The Catholic charm,
called the "Agnus Del" which the
doctor always wore next his skin, sus-
pended about hls neck, was untouched.
On the head were the marks left by
dozen deep cuts which have severed
the scalp and Indented the skull. IL Is
the opinion Of the police that Cronin
Was fouly murdered, and by some
man who could not bring himself TO
disturb a Catholic charm.
A gang of labOrers IN charge of the
Lakeview city government have been
cleaning the bitches along Evanston
ave. during the week. Today the fore
man. Henry ROesch, and two men
were walking north on the east side OF
the avenue towards Flfty-ninth-st. As
they neared the catch-basin at the cor
ner they noticed a strong smell of
purifying flesh, and Roesch pried of
the top of the catch-basIn with his
spade and uncovered the body of DIR.
Cronin. 1t had apparently been thrown
into the basin, for the head was down
and the feet and legs were IN the sewer
opening.
Immediately upon taking the body
ont of the basin Foreman Roesch noti-
fed the Lakeview police station and
summoned the patrol wagon. The
body was stretched out III the Lake
view morgue under the station. Tele-
phone messages were sent TO the city
police, and an hour after the finding of
the body a dozen of CrOnln's friends
were at the station. John T.. Scan
lon, Mortimer Scanlon and John
+. ScanlOn were among the
first To arrive. They identified
the body as that of Cronin upon first
sight. Later IL was more positively
identified by l.. l.. Conkln, the saloon
keeper with whom CrOnin lived and by
James BOland and Patrick McCary. In
the evening DR.. J. K. Brandt, president
of the Cook County Hospital staff, care
fully examined the body and positively
identified IT as that OF Cronin. He dis
covered a number of deep cuts on the
of having been inflicted by an
ice pick or other sharp instrument,
and a number of contusions on the
skull from some heavy weapon or club
DIR. Brandt examined the hair found in
the trunk on Evanston-ave., and stated
tonight that 1t was DIR. Cronn's hair
There are other reasons for believing
that CronIn's body was carried in the
trunk. There was cotton found about
the feet and under the chin of the
corpse of the same quality AS the
cotton found IN the trunk and
the threads of cloth found in
the cotton IN the trunk correspOndedi in
appearance with the threads of the
towel wrapped about Cronin's head
When this towel was removed part of
CrOniu's mustache came with 1t, show
ing that decomposition was already far
advanced. The body was much swelled,
owing TO It's long stay under the water
IN the basin.
Ii IS the general belief that Cronin
was foully murdered, and the finding
of the body created great excitement
IN the suburb. Three hours after the
body bad been removed To the police
station, the street IN front was crowded
with vehicles and scores OF people
were Crowdng for admission TO the
basement where the corpse was. Off
GERS We're stationed on the stairwayand
at the basement door, and were once or
twice forced "a use their clubs IN
forcing the crowd back. Until mid
night the tumut continued. and by
that time at least forty who had known
Cronm had identified the body.