Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-12-17
TaE END REACHED At LAST.
The Jury in the CrOnin Case Reaches
Its Conclusions.
BEGGS Is FOUND NOT GUILTY.
Kunze Gets Three Years and the
Others Life Imprisonment
Comments on the Verdict.
ESPECIAL DISPATCHES TO THE REcoRD-USlos. !

CHICAGO, December 1eth.-One of the most
memo able trials in the criminal history OF
America closed this afternoon when the jnry
impanelei three months ago rendered its YER
dict in the Cronin case
That the return of this jury with verdict
and not disagreement is the source of much
eongratulation in the public mind and although
there is naturally much division of sentiment
on the question of approval of the verdict, the
sense of relief which is experienced at the final
elimination of the case is unanimous. How
ever bitter may have been the feelings engen-
dered by the two factions into which the Irish
factions have been divided in the case it can
not fail to be source of congratulaiion to Judge
Mcconnell that his impartial conduct as presid-
ing Judge has been such as to win for him not
only the applause of both these opposing fac
tions, but the approval alike of the leading
jurists of the land upon the validity of his rul-
ings.
AS the Court convened at 2 P " to receive
the verdict of the jury, there was momentary
silence as the vast audience breathlessly awaited
the first words of Judge Mcconnell as he
mounted the bench.
1.-THE jury is prepared to make return in this
case," said his Honor, "but observe that Mr..
Donahoe, counsel for O'Sullivan and Kunze, is
absent"
81 have been requested to represent Mr.. Don
aboe," said Mr.. Forrest.
The Court announced his satisfaction at the
Arrangement, and moment la er the door lead
ing from the jail opened and the Eve defend
ants marched in to receive the announcement
of their fate.
Hardly sound was heard. SIS every eve In
the audience turned toward John f. Beggs who
led the procession. The face of the Senior
Guardian of Camp . was pa'e and anxious
looking, but he faced the stare of the audience
boldly.
Daniel Coughlin affected his usual indiffer-
ence, but his restless, furtive eye betokened the
terrible mental suspense the ex-detective ex-
perienced as he awaited the dread announce
ment.
Hardly person in the Courtroom succeeded
in catching the eye of Patrick O'Sullivan. His
looks were directed toward the floor and what
ever emotion he may have felt at this critical
moment wss not shown.
Martin Burke's face flushed for moment as he
approached his seat, but Immediately afterward
his features regained their natural expression,
and with an affected nonchalance he resumed
the chewing of gum, as has been his wont dur
ing the course of the trial.
For the first time since his arrest the little
German. John kunze. seemed to appreciate the
gravity of his situation, and his usual air of
jauntiness was absent.
AS the audience were contemplating the pris-
oners and commenting upon their demesnOr,
the noise of many footsteps was again suddenly
heard without, and moment later the twelve
men in whose judgment reposed the lives of the
defendants entered the room, headed by Fore
man Clarke.
Every prisoner simultaneously turned his
eyes uron the jurors as if 10 read in their i'm
passive features the secret of the verdict but
there was no sisn to give them hope or fear
THE Clerk viii call the roll of jurors"
Every person in the audience started as the
sound of the judges voice broke the silence,
only to add deeper awe to the solemnity of the
occasion.
Slowly the jurors answered to their names,
and the twelve men were announced to be
present.
Gentlemen" said the Court, 81 understand
you have reached g conclusion in this case?"
With bow Foreman Clarke took from his
pocket a large envelope and handed it to the
Judge, who in turn handed it to the Clerk.
"The Clerk will read the verdict" said the
Court. a
Instantly there was hush so profound, that
as the Clerk tore open the envelope the sound
fell distinctly upon the anxious ears. A mo-
ment later this anxiety became painful in its
intensity, as the sonorous Clerk began reading
the verdict
1--WE, the jury, find defendant John F. Beggs
not guilty. We, the jury, find defendant John
Kunze guilty of mauslaughter, as charged in
the indictment, and fix the punishment at i'm
prisonment in the Penitentiary for the term of
three years. We, the jury, find defendants
Daniel Coughlin, Patrick Sullivan and Martin
Burke guilty of murder in the manner aud form
as charged in the Indictment, and fix the pen
atty at imprisonment in the Penitentiary for the
term of their natural lives.
simultaneously with the announcement of
the verdict Coughlin, 0'Sullivan and Burke
turned deathly pale. while kunze started sud-
denly from his seat and moment later dropped
his head upon his breast and burst into tears
Beggs' face was luminous with joy, and imme
diately after the polling of the jury he arose
from amid the prisoners walked over TO the
jury-box and during the breathless lull that fol.
lowed shook foreman Cooks hand heartily and
SAID, Gentlemen, thank you. l trust the fu-
ture may confirm your judgment upon me, and
that you will never regret that you found me
not guilty of this terrible charge"
The only sound that broke the stiffness fol-
lowing this was the deep sobs of little Kunze,
he burst out with God knows am innocent.
never was in Lakeview that night. Oh, God
knows am innocent gentlemen %
OSullivan was the only one of the other
three prisoners who found refuge in tears. For
a moment they trickled down his cheeks but
moment later his black eyes flashed with de-
fance or a revival o, courage, and dashing his
hand across his brow, he braced up in his seat
and cast longing glance around the Court
room.
The only evidenc. of terror to be perceived
in Coughin wGs the increased pallor that over
spread his face as he fully realized the signih-
cauce of the sentence of life imprisonment, and
his lips twitched nervouSly dming the collo1uy
that followed between the attorney and the
Court relative to the motion for new trial.
Martin Burke was unquestionably the least
affected of the prisoners. His unusually horid
face look on slight pallor as the verdict was
announced, but moment later his jaws again
began the methodical mastication of gum as
regularly as at any previous time during the
tlial.
AS the verdict was announced and the large
audience contemplated little Kunze's grief
Beggs turned to a reporter and ssid "Irs a
shame 10 sentence FOOT ILIle fellow !.
l think he is as innocent as / am. It's ID
shame to send him to the penitentiary for three
years. He had no more idea OF being found
guilty than you had"
The comments among the audience were va
rious. Both Irish factions were well repre-
sented. and naturally took opposite views.
Cronin's friends were indignant ut the verdict.
"It's shame" said Hon. P. W. Dunno, "a
shame and a trayesty upon Justice"
His sentiment found echo from dozen Irish
men rear him, while only dozen feet away
members of the other factions were cnngratu-
lating themselves and the prisoners that the
verdict was no worse, ard the friends of Beggs
were elbowing their way through 10 grasp the
hands of the Senior Guardian of Camp 20 in fe
licitation upon his exoneration.
Forrest, on behalf of the four convicted de-
PENDANTS. entered the accustomed motion for
new trial.
After considerable discussion the Judge fixed
January l3.h as the day on which the motion
for new trial would be argued and the pris
oners were taken back to jail. Kunze was still
cry ling, and went out OF the door with tears run
ming down his face and still mu.tering and Sob
bing to himself
Burke followed Kunze, and as he passed
whispered to Forrest and smiled. he seemed
entirely uuconoerned O'Sullivan followed,
looking pale and sallow, but not different from
the prisoners to leave, and as he stalked out he
half turned and looked back in the Courtroom
as if expecting to find some friend. The door
Changed behind the bailff who brought up the
rear, and the CTonin trial was over.
1t was not until after noon to day that the
jury finally came to verdict, and then it was
that juror Culver, who had been voting for &C.
quitsl for all the defendants since the jury went
out, conse nted to g compromise. The other
jurors were for hanging Burke, Coughlin and
OfSullivan, while he was for letting them all
OF. Culver finally agreed to q Ii sentence for
three. The jury was practically unanimous on
the subject of Beggs' aequital. and but little
time was needed TO fix Kunze's term.
INTERVIEW WITH THE rtJDGF
''what do you think of the verdict Judge?'
asked the Associated Press representative of
Judge Mcconnell after the adjournment Of
Court for the day.
"Judicially of course l can pass no opinion
upon their verdict. AS an individual however,
and without being cognizant of all the pro-
ceedings in the jury room, might say think
the verdict is the result OF the probable objec-
ton Of some OF the jurors to the death penalty
on circumstantisl evidence"
"Mr. Culver probably ?"
mo, not Hr. Culver. necessarily. / under
stand he was in favor of acquittal from the
st6rt. It was only alter long and harassiRg
rest upon this verdict. You Will probably find
Mr.. Culver was not the only man upon the Jury
who was opposed to the hanging of the three
principal defendants
But the Jurors all sworn in, when being ex-
amined as to their competence, said they had no
conscientious sc upies against capital punish
ment on eircumstaptial evidence"
THAT is all true, but behind all this each man
probably had inertia reservation that The evil
doubt. Now, if some OF these men should think
there was even the feintest shadow of doubt Gs
to the guilt Of these three meu do you not see
how natural il would be-f5r them TO mentally