Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1889-05-11
THE CRONIN CASE.
The Veil of Mystery Falls
Thicker Still.
WAS CRONIN AN ABORTIONISTI
The Political Aspect of His Disap-
pearance Wears Less
Likely COlOring.
Associated Press DISPATCHES to the HERALD.

in the my sterious case of the
missing Irieh-American, DIR. P. III.
Cronin, came out tonight. Last night,
an officer from the Twelfth-street station
arrested a young man who was trying to
sell a white horse and wagon in a livery
stable near the station, for e small sum
of money. When taken to the station
the man gave his name as John Brown
and, when asked the routine questions
always addressed to prisoners, betrayed
much emotion and asked for Captain
O'Donnel. He WAS taken to the Cap
tain's office and, in the presence OF sew
eral officers, told a startling story of his
connection with the Crcnin mystery.
To-day the police investigated his
story, and found it zorro borated by many
which tend to show its
truthfulness. Browns real name Is
Frank G. Woodruff, and he has been
working for Dean (, Co., livery stable
keepers, at 404 Webster avenue. His
story, as reported to the authorities, is to
the effect that, week ago Wednesday,
in talking with man named William
King, he (WoodruffO had complained of
being out of money, having lost consid-
cradle in playing cards, and said that it
was necessary for him to secure some
thing to do that would pay better than
working in livery stable.
King said that he could put Woodruff
in the way of making money easily. On
SATURDAY. evening, about dusk, King
called Woodruff out of the stable and
asked il he could get horse and wagon
out without any one knowing OF it, and
said he would give Woodruff $25 if he
would do it. Woodruff said he could,
and the place of meeting at 2 o'clock in
the morning was agreed OH. Woodruff
lett the wagon outdoors In the
alley before going TO bed, and
when all the other employees
had gone to bed he stole noiselessly down
stairs, took the horse, hitched up and,
meeting King, they drove to barn in
the rear OF a big house on State street.
AS they wheeled up in front Of the barn,
two men came out. One was man
whom Woodruff ca /, Dick Fairburn.
The other man Woodruff feels sure was
DR.. Cronin, although it WINS quite
dark at the time. He had sew
eral opportunities of looking closely
at the the mans face, and he asserts
That he answers Cropin's description in
many ways. The other men addressod
this person as doc" The three men
drove straisht through the alley to the
first cross street over to Dearborn, and up
Dearborn to Lincoln Park. 81 heard sew
eral expressions in conversation between
no I;,h hot
was body in the trunk" said Woodruff.
"In the first place, noticed that Cronin
was very anxious for US to hurry. Two
boys. Get out of here quick /
noticed the trunk smelled as if
there were decaying flesh inside We
park, then stopped minute near some
bushes. We lifted the trunk cut, and I
held the horse while it was opened. l
then saw that my suspicious were
correct. There was a body in the
trunk. They lifted it out In
several pieces. l cannot say positively
whether it was the body of a man or
except for one circumstance. l
heard King say, Here's where we will
eave Allie Fairburn answered, Yes
and if you had left Tom alone we could
have had Doc. in here with her..
These remarks passed while they were
carrying something that looked like a
corpse. King gave me $25 and told me
% drive on, get rid OF the trunk and gel
he horse into gallop. l don't think it
vas over fifteen minutes on the run.
Finally l dumped out the trunk and
urned back. 1t broke open as it fell but
did net wait to zee in what maunec IL
ay, or just how the pieces were placed
returre1 to the barn.
Woodruff says, from the conversation
lie overheard between Cronin, Fairburn
nd King, that the body ives
hat OF woman. whose death
lad resulted from an operation per-
laTs performed by DR.. Cronin.
lie draws this conclusion, not only from
he words he overheard, but also from
be the anxiety evinced by the doctor 10 |
ct the body out of the way, and from
he fact that Cronin had apparently been
truck by some one. Woodruff first read of |
,ronin's disappearance on Tuesday. and
lso read the story relating to the find
1g of the empty trunk. He was greatly
'ightened, and thinking that the officers
'ciO Soi '"iiiiy III LIS tThck, LOOK THIS
leans to get out of the city. He had
pine money remaining, but desired to
btain little more and stole the identi-
al horse and wagon which he had used
lst Saturday night. The result was his
rrest and confession.
A pretty brunette, named Allie. or
lice Villavaso, has been missing from
lie neighborhood near which is located
le barn where Woodruff is said to have
et DIR. Cronin and the latter's compan-
ns. Her parents are in rather
nmble circumstances and heretofore
tie attention has been paid to her dis
,pearance. Several personals" adj
essed to her, or relating to the girl
ave appeared in the papers of late, but
e advertisements contain little or MOTH
g definite.
The saloon-keeper, Conklin, with |
nom Cronin lived, was informed TO-
ght of Woodruff's statement. Conklin /
clared that there could be nothing in
e story, and once more insisted that
9 Doctor had been murdered by certain
sh Nationalist, who, according TO h
,nklin, were enemies of Cronin. q
Toronto, Ont, May 1O.-A man al. h
,ed to be the missing DIR. Cronin, of t,
'icago, was seen here to-day. He left a
Hn this afternoon in company with e
other man and woman. b
A Missing Vessel.
astoria, Ore, May 10.-The schooner
Isle Olsen, which left here. about two
'nths ago on halibut fishing cruise VI
northern waters, has not been heard la