Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-05-23
CRONIN'S CORPSE
Discovered at Last in the
ManhOle of a Sewer.
MANIFEST MARKS OF MURDER
The Unfortunate Man Was Clearly
Made Away With-Who Can
Be His Assassins2
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD. +

uUuN vi AlhhJ pditlnliy oONOihPScOif
and wrapped in cotton, has been found
in the manhole of sewer there. The
police at the station think that the body
is that of DR.. Cronin.
CHICAGO, May %, 10 P. M.-The latest
sensation in the Cronin case came to the
fore late this afternoon, when telephone
message from the Lake View police
station announced that body, supposed
to be that of the missing DR.. Cronin, had
been found in the sewer near the Marine
Hospital. The body was wrapped in
cotton similar to that found in the trunk
Woodruff claims TO have thrown away in
Lake View, after body was removed
from it by his two companions. Three of
Cronin's intimate friends Immediately
went to Lake View and inspected the
body, but declined to positively identify
it as that OF the missing Irish Nationalist.
CHICAGO, May %, IL P. M.-The dead
body of DR.. Cronin, the h-American,
who strangely disappeared from his home
in Chicago two weeks ago, was found
this evening, some distance north of the
city, in a sewer on Evanston avenue. A
bloody towel was wrapped about the
head, but tho body was stark naked. A
Catholic emblem, which the Doctor al
ays wore next his ekin suspended about
his neck, was untouched. On the head
were a dozen cuts which had severed
the scalp and indented the skull
1t is the opinion of the police that Cronin
was foully murdered.
Much excitement was shown at detec-
tive headquarters when all doubt as to
the identity of the body was removed by
definite messages from Lakeview.
1t was evident from the EXPRESSIONS Of
the police that one of their first objects
will be to have explained the assertions
by supposed friends of Cronin. Lieuten-
ant Elliott, the chief of the detectives,
will have these people at the inquest and
demand an explanation full and
complete. The detectives claim that
they have been handicapped from the
start by the lack of assistance from those
who claimed to know all concerning the
Doctors disappearance. 81 will have
this information now," said Lieutenant
Elliott, ''or there will be large number
OF prompt arrests"
Wholly accidental circumstances
brought the corpse to light. A gang Of
laborers, who were cleaning the bitches
along Evanston avenue, noticed near the
corner of the avenue and Fifty-ninth
street q strong smell of putrid flesh.
One of tie men pried off the cover of the
catch basin at the corner, and there dis
covered the corpse. 1t had apparently
been hastily pitched into the basin, as
the head was underneath and the feet
and legs in the opening. This basin ia
laaa+ol rnorlr roita fvnnN nhnra tho
|myeterious blood-stained trunk was
found on the day after Cronin's dissp-
peayance.
1t seems altogether remarkable that it
was not sooner discovered, for the Lake
catch basins in the suburb the week
searchers said tonight that they had
missed the basin where the body was
hid.
The body was Immediately taken to
Lakeview morgue, and within an hour
dozen of Cronin's friends were in the
station. They we're quite sure it was
that Of the missing doctor, and their
opinion was verified later by I. T..
Conklin, with whom Cronin lived, and
also by others.
DIR. Brandt, who examined the body,
said the blows on the head must have
been inflicted by some sharp instrument.
There would seem to be no possibility
OF doubt as to the Identification of the
body. Among many others who ex-
pressed positive opinion in regard to it
was dentist who recently worked on
Cronin's teeth, and also a man who, for
years, had bean Cronin's tailor.
1t is thought that Cronin's body was
carried in the mysterious blood. stained
trunk. There was cotton found about
the feet and under the chin of the corpse
of the same quality as that found in the
trunk, and threads of cloth were found
in the trunk corresponding in appear
ance with the threads Of the
towel wrapped about Cronin's head.
The body was much swelled,
and in an advanced stage of decompo.
sition, owing to its long stay under wa
ter.
The man Woodruff, or Black, who,
after his arrest, confessed to having car
ried off the trunk containing the corpse,
which he claims was that of a woman,
from house in this city OH the night of
Cronin's disappearance, was interviewed
tonight in Jail. He manifested no sur.
prise when told of the discovery, but,
while talking freely about the matter, he
seemed careful not to go outside of the
story he had originally told. He re-
peatedly said that if he had not been
locked up in Jail, he could, and would :,
have cleared up the mystery before this
time.
Alexander Sullivan, ex-President of
the Irish National League, was horror
stricken tonight, when told of the dis
covery of Cronin's body. He said he
was at loss to know what to say,
further than that he was dumbfounded,
as he has believed, all along, that DR..
Cronin would turn up all right in the
course OF time. He had no theories
whatever to advance as to the probable
cause of the Doctors murder. In refer
ence to statement made by some of
Cronin's friends at the time of the latter g
disappearance, that he (Sullivan) knew
more about the matter than he cared to
tell, Mr.. Sullivan said that he had
treated that report with con-
tempt at the time, and he had
nothing else for it now. He added that
he was Mortified to hear of the murder,
and will do everything in his power to
help to place the guilty persons where
they belong.
Shortly after the news of the finding of
the body was received, reporter called
on Mrs. Conklin at her home, where the
doctor resided. When informed Of the
finding of the body, she said
sha Was not surprised. that aba