Wichita eagle., 1889-05-26
THE CRONIN MYSTERY,
Every Effort Made to Find the Doctors
AssssSinS,

Livery hH0rL MACE 10 fllQ Jl6 DOCTORS
AsSasSins.
CHICAGO May 25-William Merles, 8
rilkman who lives il the neighborhood OF
the Carlson cottage, in which it is sup
posed that DR.. Cronin was murdered, tells
a story which adds to the evidence leading
to that conclusion. On the night OF the
murder, between $40 and 0 o'clock, about
the hour at which il is supposed that
with the man who came for
him, Merles left his house to visit the gro
Gerry at the corner of Ashland avenue and
Otto street. which is only a short block
south OF the Carlson cottage.
He walked east of Madison avenue to
Ashland and then turned south on the
east sidewalk. AS he neared the Carlson
cottage buggy containing two men rolled
up to the edge of the ditch. One of the
men, whom Merles described as n tall and
apparently athletic man, sprang from the
buggy and ran up the front
stairs of the cottage, the door of
which was thrown open before he even
knocked for admission. Scarcely had the
door closed again when the sound of loud
and angry voices within the cottage star
tied the milk dealer. He looked search
ingly at the man in the buggy, but the
strangers face was shrouded by the brim
Of soft hat and be was unable TO say if
the man was stout or slender. The fellow
whipped his horse into gallop, drove to
Addison avenue and then turned in the
direction of the lake. Nerles says there
was dim light in the front room and that
the man who went up the steps. presuma-
bly, DIR. Cronin, wore long brown over
coat. Mrs. Conklin, the woman at whose
house DR.. Cronin lived, says that the doc
tor wore long brown overcoat on the
might OF the murder.
A morning,paper publishes a story which
duplicates member Of the Chicago police
force in the taking off Of DR.. Cronin. The
officer in question IS Detective Daniel
Coughlin. The story published is 90 the
effect that on the morning of the day DIR.
Cronin disappeared Coughlin engaged at a
livery stable not far from where DIR. Cronin
lived horse and buggy which he said a
friend Of his would call for that evening;
that the man did call and was given q
white horse similar to the one attached
to the buggy in which Cronin was de-
coyed away; that the time of 60
ing and the description of the
man correspondent infinitely both with tue
time when the man came for DR.. Cronin
and the appearance OF the man himself;
that Coughlin subsequently cautioned the
livery stable keeper to say nothing about
the matter
Force is added to these revelations from
the fact that Couglin was a member OF
one or more societies of which Cronin was
a member and that they were enemies.
The matter was finally brought to the ears
of Chief of Police Hubbell. who seems to
take a serious view of the matter and
promises TO probe it to the bottom.
Investigation into the hiring Of the
white horse By Detective Coughlin only
adds to the evidence of the stupidity if
nothing worse with which the case has
been handled by some of the police Off
Gals. Captain Setback, under whose
orders Detective Coughlin acted, says that
when the livery stablekeeper told him the
count; that Coughlin told him that he
had hired the rig for friend of his who
lived in northern Michigan near where
Coughlin's people live and who had come
so Chicago to see the sights. Captain
Setback says that he then directed Detect
ives Coughlin and Whalen TO go out and
find this man that they went out and soon
afterwards reported that they had found
him, and he had given satisfactory account
of himself. The captain admits that he &C
cepted this statement as sufficient, and
that he did not require that tue man be
brought before him. Captain Setback
goes on to say that he took the white
horse and drove to Conklin's house under
conditions similar to those under which
DR. Cronin was decoyed away and that
Mrs. Conklin says 1t was not the same
animal. Mrs. Conklin contraGictS
this statement and says that she
told Captain Setback that it reSembled
the animal behind which DR.. Cronin
drove away, but that it appeared to be
used up from hard driving. Mr.. Oman,
the livery stable keeper says that the horse
was driven very hard that night and has
not recovered ON the effects of it since.
Oman further says that Coughlin told
him that he had walked his shoes off n
the search of his Michigan friend, but
had been unable 10 find him. This direct
ly contradicts the statement
attributed to him by Captain Setback
Detective Coughlin declines to
make any statement about the matter
Detective COughlin has not been arrested
but Chief OF Police Hubbard says that
pending further investigation INTO his al
legged connection with the man who de-
coyed DR.. Cronin away he viii keep
Coughlin under surveillance.
This afternoon a secret conference Is in
progress at which Mayor Cregier. States
lorgen, CHIEF Hubbard, Chief
Detective Elliott and other officials are
present. Its subject has not yet been
learned. The arrangements for DIR. Cron-
in's funeral have been completed and the
procession promises 10 be an imposing one
COUGHLIN's EXPLANATION.
Police Superintendent Hubbard today
gave the substance OF talk he had with
Detective Coughlin in regard TO his con-
nection with having the white horse from
livery stable keeper Oman on the day DR.
Cronin disappeared. The chief said that
the following was substantially the expls-
nation which Coughlin gave: 4 few days
before Mny a man called at the East Chi
cago avenue station and inquiring for
Coughlin introduced himself as Thomas
Smith, of Hancock, Mich, and a friend
of Coughlin's brother. who keeps n livery
stable in that town. He was on his way
10 New Mexico, he said, and before leaving
Hancock, Dir. CoughliD, Of that place.