Helena weekly herald., 1889-05-30
CRONIN'S FUNERAL.
A Big Prooession---The Attendance Esti-
mated at 1000.
The Police and Detective Forces Trying
to Learn the Perpetrators of
the Crime.
Sensational Reports foot--Several sus-
poets Under Arrest.
DIR. CRONIN's FUNERAL.
Services at the Cathedral...Over
1000 Persons in Attendance.


1000 Persons in Attendance.
CHICAGO, May 26-In all its details the
funeral of Dr. P. II. Cronin to-day was a
very reliable affair. From one end of the
big procession to the other through endless
crowds among the throDg in the great
cathedral as train after train passed the
fatal cottage and sped toward Calvery cem-
etery. the dead mans fearful fate was pres
eut in every mind. The corpse had been
living in the Oalvery State Armory on the
Lake front and there early this morning
a curious and morbid crowd with the dead
mans friends made their pilgrimage. The
armed sentries from the Hibernian Rifles
stood with arms at rest at each corner OF
the raised platform ON which reposed the
catafalque and coffin. A crayon portrait OF
the dead man draped in black stood near
the coffin. huge cross of white violets
and margurites woven in with smilax was
q. the side of the bier and harp and
smaller cross stood at the foot of a Candida
bra with seven tapers which flickered in
front of cross Ropes of green smilax and
white roses were looped from the coffin and
about the catafalque and potted plants
were grouped at the corners of the plat
form. A canopy of American flags hung
above the bier and festons OF black and
white were twined around the bars above 1T
A large crowd iammed the street before
the armory, and the police kept passage
way open for those who wished to enter
the funeral hall. For three hours the pro-
cession in double file marched across the
nlatform. Only picture and big silve
nlate on the coffin lid testified that all that
was mortal of the deceased was within the
casket At last the procession stopped
and the nall bearers entered. At their
head was Luke Dillon, of Philadelphia;
Ward O'Meagher Condor, of New York;
John Devoy, of New York, and Thomas Z.
White. of Detroit Following them came
a large number of locally prominent Irish
Americans representing friends of the dead
man aud societies to which he belonged.
On leaving the armory the casket was
placed in the hearse and the procession
formed. At the head was platoon of
police, followed by the marshal and aides.
Then came drum corps and the Hiber-
nian Rifles with arms reversed, and next
the hearse with its guard of honor, the
pail bearers, the Clan ma Gael Guards, uni
form rank of Royal Arcanum, and thou
sands of members of the Ancient Order of
United Workmen came next; the Ancient
Order of Hibernians, 1000 strong; several
courts of independent orders of Foresters,
1000 in number, aud LOO Catholic For
esters were in line. Uniformed members
Of the Royal League, Sheridan Lilies,
Catholic benevolent associations and frag-
ments of other orders swelled the line.
Marshal Cahill said that over 1000 men
were in the procession. Four bands and
half dozen drum corps played dirges or
marked slow time of funeral march.
Scores of flags draped in black and society
banners edged with Grape were carried by
the standard bearers. The line of march
was blocked with people on the sidewalks.
Windows and stairways were crowded and
roof tops covered On reaching the
Cathedral of the Holy Name an immense
crowd was encountered. On the approach
of the procession the bell tolled and the
FINN m
pall-bearers with their burden moved up
the center aisle and toward the casket on
the catafalque Candles of the funeral
service were placed beside 1t and the cere-
monies of high requiem mass begun. The
sermon was by Rev. Father Muldoon. He
spoke at length of Cronin's kindness OF
heart and his generous nature, but ap-
preached no nearer the tragedy than few
general illusions
After church services the procession was
reviewed and proceeded through the
crowded streets to the Union depot At
Canal and Adams streets thirty-six cars
were filed, and hundreds of persons drove
out in buggies and carriages and hundreds
more came to the cemetery from neighbor-
ING suburbs. Heavy black clouds kept
many people away and vague rumors of
trouble may have frightened others. Ar
irving at Cavalry marching orders were
speedily placed in line and the body was
carried to the public vault.
No exercises of any sort took place at
the cemetery. A threatening spatter of
rain warned the crowd that storm was at
hand, and the three long trains were soon
refilled, and within fifteen minutes after
arrival at the cemetery the trains were
speeding back to the city.
DR.. Cronin's body will remain IN the
vault until his friends purchase lot and
arrange for a public intermcnt.