Omaha daily bee., 1889-06-17
WOODRUFF AGAIN CONFESSES
He Comes Out With New Story on
the Cronin Mystery.
ENGAGED ON STILL ANOTHER.
His Statements Badly at Variance
With History - Detectives In New
York to Identify Moroney
and Mcdonald.
woodrufr wcaves a New Tale.

CHICAGO, June iO.-hl pTeNlOuS COules-
sionsn of Woodruff, the horse thief who has
been indicted for completely in the Cronin
tragedy, were eclipsed this morning, and an
entirely new story from HIM published In an
extra edition of the Times. He contradicts
and discredits every other statement" here
tofore attributed to him, and now appears in
the role of an ex-memper of the Canadian
militia, claiming he was trusted by Cronin's
alleged murderers because he furnished
Fenian spies with valuable information
during one of the military raids into Canada.
Woodruff says he arrived in Chicago March
26, and obtained work from q gardener on
Southport avenue, not far from the Carlson
cottage. After three or four days. work for
the gardener. Woodruff was taken sick. His
narrative says: "With the intention of
going to the county hospital, l drifted into
OSullivans place. / made up my mind
that he was Fenian, and reminded
him of certain scenes during the
Fenan raid into Canada l went
over during that raid as volunteer in the
Twenty-fourtb Kent battalion, whose head
quarters were at Chatham. We went as far
as Niagara. AT that time was assigned to
the adjutant's department and gave TO some
Fenian spies who came to our lamp, such
points as learned while in that pia0e. That
was my first connection with the Clan-na-
Gael OSullivan told me he would get me
work IL possible. From there 1 came down
and went to work at Dinan's livery stable"
Woodruff tells that he met Detective
Coughlin soon after and had n drink with
him. He conveyed the impression to the de-
tective that he was ''fence." While walk
ing together they met O'Sullivan, and the
latter mentioned Woodruff IS request for en-
ployment Coughlin uuizzed Woodruff that
o man in his line should want work. Wood
ruff then told of meeting, early in April, one
Melville, whom he had known in California
Melville, ne said, was great friend of Des
mond and "Sand-lot'' Kearney dur
ing the labor troubles there. Melville
and Coughln were drinking together in
South side saloon and Woodruff joined them.
Coughlin soon left and the other two made
the rounds of disreputable houses for q
WHILE after which Melville took bis leave,
saying he was stopping ut McCoy's hotel.
Melville gave Woodruff small sum OF
money and said he wanted to see him again.
A few days after Woodruff met Coughlin on
the North side talking with man whom
Woodruff calls McDougall. He claims that
McDougall told him his name was now Viii :
,iiams. Woodruff had known McDougall, or
williams as an old worker for the Clan-na-
1 lin and Williams the latter took Woodruff to
the West side and talked with him. When
! Woodruff told Williams he was 'busted'' the
latter said:
"Why don't you go down and see Alex
ander Sullivanl''
Woodruff replied that he was not ready to
be sent to Europe. The pair then proceeded
10 No. III Clark street This is the place
where, as has been frequently published, the
furniture of the Carlson cottage was first
stored. Williams would not tell Woodruff
what he wanted him to do, but urged him a
few days later to go over and see Alexander
Sullivan. He finally did so ana told him
McDougall had sent him over. Mr.. Sullivan
said:
"McDougall Oh! You mean Williams,
don't youi"
Woodruff replied. "Yes," and Sullivan
said he had nothing to say; that he had never
met Woodruff before. Woodruff told him he
was looking for a job, and, on Sullivan ask
ing HIM what kind of work he would like, re-
piled. "Anythng in Gods world, II there
Is any money in H."
Sullivan looked at him sharply and replied !:
'If hear OF anything for you, pll let Will
iams know of it,"
company with Williams, they met Sullivan,
he took Williams on one side and handed HIM
some money, saying; Now, pay that rent" i"
Then, seeing Woodruff, Sullivan told him he
must not take offense at his manner
Of the previous day, as he was very
busy and had great many applications for
a job The Wednesday before the murder,
Woodruff met Coughlin, who asked him TO
In cipher, the same rs had been used by
the Fenians when Woodruff was at Niagara.
He looked ut it and says it read: "Going up
| TO p. O'Sulivan's."
n confession
mainly with the night of the murder.
Coughlin, SO Woodruff alleges, paid him s?S
TO bring to Lincoln avenue from Dinan's
livery stable, conveyance in which the
runk could be carried. Near Ashland and
lincoln avenues Melville and u man named
J'Shea, alias Mike McDougal, joined Wood
ruff. The latter says this man was ma
chinist or blacksmith from PHILADELPHIA, but
mo had known him in Wichita. Kan. Mel
vile, he said, he had also met be-
fore In Peoria, in connection with lrish
affairs. They drove out TO the Carlson cot
tage, reaching there about a. IN. The two
men went in, and soon after O'Sullivan,
! Melville and Williams came out, carrying
the trunk, which they put in tho wagon.
the disposal of the body in the sewer. Wood
Ruff now says the intention was TO have the
| trunk sunk IN Lake Michigan, oil Lincoln
park, but, thinking thoy were pursued, the
Crcnin's instrument case was probably bur
led or thrown INTO tho lake by Melville ano
Williams when they left the wagon in tho
woods for a short time. He does not know
what disposition was made Of the clothing
Woodruff concludes with the assertion thai
he has recently been approached by q
lawyer, who offered to TO take his
case gratuitously and that this lawyer
| had said for him to keep strict silence, a:
Alexander Sulliyan's attorney would worl
in unison, and that one of 'Sullivan's bonds
men had agreed TO pay for Woodrun's de
fensc
The climax OF tho whole confession is al
Insertion by Woodruff that all his previous
alleged Confessions" are bogus and that th
| is the first and only statement have mad'
since my arrest,n the intmation beng tina
the other Confessions" were given circula
ton by interested persons to create the i'm
preston that he (Woodruffl was liar
H. Woodruff gave mis- age, when arrested, a,
twenty six years. Tne last Fenian invasion
Of Canada occurred about 1865 This woult
mako Woodruff about three years old when
recording TO his own story, he was mem
ber OF the Canadian militia and first becam
intimate with the Fenians.
| Woodruff was visited In Jail this Afternoon
and found deeply engrossed in the prepara
tion OF another "confession,h which, he says
ia to Ia much moro sensational than D