The state herald., 1889-07-19
(! ALEXANDER ! SULLIVAN,
z = euooinet Review Of the Noted
clansman's Life.

\ euooinot Review Of the Noted
Clansmanss Life.
Alexander Gullivan's career ID
studded with startling incident. A
small merchant, he WAS accused and
acquitted Of arson. A politician. he
has hgured in every camp. holding
some oh'ces, seeking others, and A.
suming 70 act as local WARWICK. now
in ono party, now In another. Reduced
TO fiscal straits he scheduled a. bank
rupt, and then relieved by the easy
process once In vogue Of legal obliga-
tion 70 discharge enumerated debts he
surprised bis creditors by payment in
full with high rate OF interest In
the territories a. In Chicago he hid
received and returned bodily menace.
He has exchanged shots. Thirteen
years ago In Chicago.h .he killed school
To ,cher. Twice tried he was finally
acquitted Of murder Perseverance
and audacity marked his subsequent I
career, and his address can not be
better illustrated than by the state
mont that In the office OF that journal
which denounced him with uns pairing
vigor and bitterness and extended its
animadversions to every one connected
nearly or remotely with his defense
he became q valued counselor. Even
looking at 1t as justiaable killing
Hanford's murder would have daunted
the perpetrator had he a weaker
nature than Sullivan. He faced pOpu-
lar Indignation with grim hut quiet
resolve and had the satisfaction OF
finding himself courted where he had
been condemned and sought whore he
had been repelled. Had Blaine sue
ceeded in 1884 Sullivan's success would
have been complete.
Having method, industry. thorough
ness. and persistence Sullivan, once
embarked on the career OF nm Irish
nationalist readily reached the first
place. To gain leadership was not a
difficult task to tho possessor OF ambi-
tion guided by an Intelligence unsway-
cd by the emotions. Opposition gave
way before man who wasted no time
In thrasonical bar-room discussions,
but studying men and situations, work.
cd while others slept In the open he
supported Parnell and constitutional
agitation. Under the cover OF secret
society he was one of a triangle"
preaching and practicing physical
force. Never wholly without enemies,
accusers, and detractors he attained,
nevertheless, higher dictinction and
broader influence thpn any assumed
leader Of the Irish In America ever
commanded. Irishmen who would not
join secret society and abhorred the
use OF dynamite npplauded him as one
who implicitly accepted the leadership
Of Parnell, while the clansmen rejoiced
In the knowledge that at the head Of
the Irish league was dynamiter who
had taken the oath Of the brotherhood
and as one Of Its directing minds WAS
projecting mysterious expeditions
against England. Sooner or later frac-
tional differences characterized all
Irish organization. Large sums Of
money raised by the secret societies
were so mysteriously disbursed AZ 10
excite comment which led 70 ACCUSE
tion. Sullivan's influence commenced
to decline. The league had followed
him In American politics and
met disaster, but oven II he were Al
exander the successful and the Just
the Irish would have wearicd OF him
as the Athenians wearied Of Aristides
Some incidents In Sullivan's life. his
known speculations on the stock ex-
change and In the wheat pit, his Law
ish use Of money In many directions,
gave color to the whisperings against
his fiscal honor. Chief among those
who chall lenged his integrity WIS DR..
Patrick II. Cronin. Sullivan il bit
ter and implncable foe. His nnimosi-
ty was aroused. He appeared person.
ally TO prosecute Cronin as clans
man and procured his expulsion from
the society. But rcsoiutc and persis-
tent ns himself. Cronin. organizing
factional camps. continued his charges
against the "triangle" OF which Sulli-
van had been the controlling force.
A union OF the divergent camps was
effected and Cronin was once again IA
clansman. Prosecuted by sullivan
the time came when. despite the bit
ter protest OF the accused, Cronin sat
AS u juror on the trial OF Sullivan.
Though In the minority he held TO the
truthfulness OF his charges and was
perhaps stimulated by the disclosures
made because OF the failure OF the
Traders bank. The august meeting
OF tho brotherhood was TO be per-
turbed anew by the scandal. for Gro
nln resisted all pressure To cease and
stood ready TO renew the combat
whicn he feared would cost him his
life.
Alexander Sullivan lies In jail under
the heavy accusation of having been
u principal. nm accessory. or OF having
guilty knowl edge OF the murder OF DR..
Cronin. The crime Is hideous, revolt
ing. Against the deep damnntion OF
Cronin's IN ing OIL. accomplished as IL
was In secret by ussassins and M the
result OF nhorrlble conspiracy, planned
aud persisted In with dcvillsh ingenuity
and ilrmnc's OF purpose, the killing OF
ianford. done In open day In hot blood
and under circumstances suggestive OF
sclf-dofcnce, seems n trivial ofYenso. n
sullivan 10 guilty he is dnmnably
guilty. Coughlin was possibly n
shallow knnve, the lcoman fanatic,
woodruff chetp ncrccnnry. but
the Intelligence Tint planned. tho
hntrcd that persist Vi. the craft tina In
sulred wns N III, ..nrounr's turv IA