The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-10-21
ANOTHER PLOT IN THE cRONIn CASE.
This Time II is a scneme to Liberate
the Prisoners
BY overpowerlng the na""'s and
HurryIng the men Away.
Two more Men who Say They Were
offered Big Bribes.

CHrcAGo. ILL.,, October 10. = The Daily
News says that desperate piot mas been dis
covered, having for its object the rescLe by
force from Judge McConnelfs court some
day next week. of Martin Burke and Daniel
Coughlin, the Cronin suspects, now await
ing trial with O'Sullivan. Beggs and Kunz.
Rumors to the effect that such move had
been considered were current some time ago,
but States Attorney Longnecker paid no at
tention to them until Wednesday. when ex-
Sheriff Healey of Hancock, Mich, asked
permission to see Coughlin In jail. This,
the News says, aroused Longnecker's suspi-
cions. He granted the request hut had a
shadow" on hand to listen to the interview.
Nothing was learned. however, as Healey
and Cougnlin took pans 10 keep away from
the vicinity of the shadow. Yesterday
morning, when court opened, Judge Long
necker, who had been warned that several
suspicious looking strangers had been OBJ
served in the room for few days back,
looked about and noticed them. Soon after,
one of them was observed making signals,
which, from Copghlin's appearance, were
understood by him. This continued some
time, when the mysterious stranger and
companion arose and left the court room.
The couple were. shadowed by a reporter to
tlChet Oulct, WHel6 Luby were n6dTu luQulr-
ing about tickets to Portland and Vancouver
Is. Y. Returning to the court room the re-
porter witnessed more signalling, this time
between stranger and Martin Burke. The
stranger sat beside an IriShman, known to
be an Intimate acquaintance of COnghlin.
This man was apparently making notes on a
piece of paper. When the reporter worked
his way close enough, he discovered that the
man had drawn a very good plan of the
court, room and its approaches. The man
saw he was being observed, and left the
court room hurriedly.
The News says the plan of the conspiIa-
tors was to be carried out, probably, next
Monday, when the prisoners were returning
to the court room from dinner. The rescuing
party would jump up. oyerpower the half
dozen bailiffs in the court room, make show
OF revolvers and escort Coughlin and Burke
to carriages, which would be in waiting to
carry them away. The plot, which the
News ascribes to the Clan-na-Gael, it says
was gotten up in the interest Of Coughlin
and Burke only for the reason that they are
the two men who must be saved at all haz-
ards, in order to prevent their confessing
ana duplicating men whose necks are
Thought to be worth much more to the clans
1t is stated that Judge L0ngnecker has
good reasons for believing that the mysteri-
GUS strangers are Clan-na-Gaels from Michi-
gan, who came here especially to assist in an
attempted rescue. Elaborate precautions
have been taken by the authorities to pre-
fCut any ouIpilooo, anu dll tll6 stIduStIo dIo
being shadowed.
The mystery concerning the two mys-
terious witnesses who conferred so long with
the State attorney has been solved. They are
Engewood merchants named Wolf and Fran
els, and they told how the alleged briber,
Smith, offered them $1,000 each to vote for ac-
quittal. Neither was venirman, but Smith
said he could easily have them summoned.
The men voluntarily informed Judge Long
necker, and told him that Smith claimed he
was backed by an influential Irishman, who
guaranteed absolute protection from disas-
trous consequences.
1t is understood an appeal to the Irish peo-
pie of the country to conduct the prosecu-
tions will be made. w. P. Rend and other
wealthy Irishmen have already contributed
heavily and it is thought general appeal
will produce good results. The defense has
unlimited means at its disposal, but where 1t
comes from is a mystery.
1t is more than likely that Stoltenberg,
Alexander Sullivan's private secretary, will
be arrested on a charge of perjury. 1t is
claimed he assisted in sending word to Burke
in Winnipeg through banks. The latter ac-
knowledged this. but Stoltenberg denied it
at the inquest, and he may be called upon to
explain that testimony.