Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-10-31

O'CONNORS TESTIFY
Tell Of Rows in the Clan-na-Gael
Camp.
An Executive Composed Of Resuss and
British Spies.
LeCaron an Agent-Besgs 6hare-aow
Suliivan's Lip TTembied.

CHICAGO, Oct 80.
At the Cronin trial this morning the frs
witness sworn was Dennis O'Coanor.
lie testified that he was a member o.
Camp 20 Clan-naGael. At a meeting O.
the camp February last. witness said hs
heard Thomas O'Coanor state that be hsc
heard read 10 DR. Cronin's camp the minority
reoort Of the committee TO try the executive
boly OF the order. The names of the mem
oers OF the executive body were not men
toned AID witness said he never knew who
composed the triangle. Then it was voted
TO appoint committee to 90 TO DIR. Cronin's
camp and Investigate the matter of the
minority report, which DIR. Cronin had TT ad
Patrick Nolan, financial secretary of Camp
20, produced the record book and from it tes-
tilted to numbers borne by Coughlin. Cooney,
o'Suliivan. Beggs and Burke; all except
Cooney are noS on trial. The witness testi.
fed that he WAS present at the meeting OF the
camp on May 30, the day prece ling Cronins
death. Beggs presided. There was call
for the report OF the secret committee ap-
pointed February stl, and Beggs replied that
the committee was to report to him alone.
The next witness was Captain Thomas +,
O'Connor, sho in Camp 90 on February sth,
said he had heard read in Cronin's camp n
report of the committee that had tried the
triangle. Capt O'Cornor said that Foy
arose in the camp and addressed the senior
guardian. He stated that after the disclos-
ures of lie Caron in London, the organiza-
ton as an organization was no more. That
there were four B ttish spies in the orgsni-
zaton. and it should be re-organized, and
everyone who had the slightest tsint or sus-
picion attache to him should be expelled.
| hat I hv inf
ton, that the organization was run by a
parcel OF rogues, known as our executive
body; that they had squandered our
funds, even to the extent of hundred
Thousand dollars, and sent our best men
across to En- gland to have them put behind
the bars and now | stated positively that lie
Csron was the agent of our executive body
and received pay from them. was inter-
rupte1 with demand to tell where got my
Information said, If the senior guardian
demands where got my information | will
tell him He did not say anything, |
stated that had heard the terrible report of
the entire trial of the committee in Buffalo
and had seen the written report about the
trial and was positive of my statement
Daniel Cuughiin, member of the camp,
said; 'Mr. Guardian. move that secret
committee of three be appointed to find out
the source of Capt Connor's information"
The senior guardian said, II will hear no
more of this subject and will appoint COM
mittee."
Que. Who was senior guardian?
Ans.-Jehn Beggs
On cross-examnation Capt. O'Connor said
that be did not say in his speech on Febru-
AIRY sth that Cronin read the report of the
trial of the triangle, nor did he say in what
camp ii was read. lie said he had been at
work on the Cropin case without pay up to
September 26, wheD he was appointed
policeman.
On redirect examination the fact was
brought out that there were five or six mem
beis Of Camp 20 prs sent when the Wit
ness made his speech on Feb Sth, who were
in the other camp when the report in regard
to the tragic trial was given, and therefore
were cognizant of the facts as to the camp
in which it was given and who gave it.
The next witness was Henry Owen O'Con-
nor, member of Camp 20. He described
the proceedings at the meetings of February
Sth and 22d, without bringing out any new
points. At subsequent meeting, he said,
Dan Coughlin came TO him and said that in
formation had been received in Chicago that
confederate Of LeCaron was in the or
ganization and indications pointed to Cronin
as the man.
Police officer J ,hn NJ. Collins was called to
the witness chair. Testified he had been
member OF Camp 20. He said at reunion
of the meeting February 22nd Dick Powers
and Pat MeGarry made speeches denouncing
the triangle. Beggs said this TRADE against
the triangle and Alexander Sullivan must
cease or there would be war; that Sullivan
had mary friends there.
Patrick McGarry, senior guardian of the
Clan n-na-Gsel camp of Lakeview, Of which
Cronin was member, was the next witness,
He told of visit made to the house of
O'Sullivan. the Sunday following Cronin's
death. He questioned O'Sullivan very
closely about his contract with Cronin to
treat his men in case of accident. He de-
scribed the twitching of O'Sullivan's mus
tache. The court adjourned until tomorrow