Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-11-07

by him, and Mr.. Foster on behalf of Beggs,
admitted the authenticity of the letters
written by him
Before reading the letters Judge Longe-
necker asked Mr.. Spellman if he had any
conversation with the defendant. Beggs.
after this correspondence, In reference to
the subject of the correspondence. Wit
ness replied: L did | met Mr.. Beggs
April 29th. He said to me that the mat
ter he had written to me about had been
amicably settled :"
This was evidently Disappointing to the
state, as 1t differed from what Spellman
had stated previously to the states at
torney. Witness was sure, however. that
Mr.. Beggs did not say: 1T had been at
tended to, End did not think he had used
the latter expression in the states at
torneys Office, when quoting Mr. BeggS'
conversation with himself
Witness knew Dan Coughlin. He saw
him in Peoria inJanuary or February; he
was with a young man named Kunze.
Witness did not know whether prisoner
(kunze) was same one or not. Dan
Coughlin came to him with a letter of in
PRODUCTION. Witness was not positive
whether he and Coughlin talked about DR.
Cronin or not, but thought not.
AT one time, he says, L thought we
did, but on reflection think now we did
not. >
The witness was asked by Judge Longe-
necker whether he did not tell the grand
jury that in the conversation Coughlin had
said that Cronin was a - -, and
ought to be killed Spellman admitted
making the first half of the statement. but
said that after going home and thinking
up the matter and talking with two men
who heard the conversation, he had come
to the conclusion that he was mistaken
He also said that he had sent his lawyer
to Judge LOngenecker and also came to
Chicago to personally ask that he be allow
ed to correct his statement, but was not
allowed to do so. Judge Wing here said
that the conduct of the states attorney had
been most reprehensible and wanted the
testimony stricken out
The famous Beggs-Spellman letters were
then introduced. In one of the letters
Spellman says: My term of office will
expire at the close of the month and God
knows am glad | am disguised with
men who think they should lead the Irish
people. but | think it is dangerous for
| decent men to associate with such scamps.
Thank God, proxies no longer prevail.
February Is Beggs wrote: why. in Gods
name, If men are sincere, will they insist
upon opening old sores? The majority
of our men believe the parties
charged to be innocent of any criminla
wrong, and to have the charges made con-
tinually that they are guilty, creates bit
terness and ill-feelng, and the man or men
who continue raising the charges are not
the friends of the Irish unity. The
rank and file are sincere. Theya want
peace, and the time is not far distant when
| they will have it, even if it has to come to
war. The men who are in power
will in time realize the motives of those
who are continually breeding disorder in
their ranks, and day of punishment will
come.
! During the cross-examination, Mr. Spell
man was asked if Beggs ever spoke to him
about charges against Cronin in any ease.
He replied that a great deal was said about
Cronin but to place it upon any one man
or at any one period he could not do at this
time
''Was it not because of his organization
of other camps ?'
mo, replied Spellman; because he was
| always anxious to prefer charges; he was
kind of an agitator; he was an honest
man; not bad fellow if he could have his
own way, If not"
Mr. .Hynes here objected to any such
statements as Cronin is dead and could
not respond.
Spellman said no charges were made by
Beggs against any official position as SEN
Tor guardian.
The defense moved to exclude from all
the questions and answers in regard to
what was testified to before the grand
jury A lengthy debate ensued on this
point In the course which it was stated
that Spellman subscribed $500 toward the
arrest and conviction of the murderers of
Cronin and that he had paid 800 of this.
It was intimated that his testimony before
the grand jury was given when he was in
one frame of mind and that his present at
titude is the result of consultations with
his friends The court finally said that
authorities might be brought in on the
point at the afternoon session. The
cross-eXamination was resumed and the
witness asked number of questions re-
garding the object of the visit of Kunze to
Peoria with Coughlin as to whether it had
any connection with Cronin. Spellman
said it had not as far as he knew though
he had no conversation with Kunze there.
Coughlin's visit had no connection with
Cronin and a reference of the counsel to
the inference, said it was In connection
with fight between Chicago distillery
and whiskey trust
J. A. Mahoney, justice of the peace, tes-
titled that he was present at Cooks hall, in
Lake View, in March last, when
Cronin instituted camp of
the Gamma Gael After the meeting
Iceman O'Sullivan asked the witness about
Cronin's standing as physician, and re-
ceiving favorable reply, arranged for the
latter to visit Cronin with him, to make
arrangements for the latter to care for
O'Sullivan' men. This arrangement was
made about the middle Of April and 0 'Sul-
Ivan gave Cronin some of his business
cards, saying that If the doctor was wanted
when he (0'SuIlivan) was out of town or
sick, one of these cards would be pre-
sented.
At the afternoon session Judge Neon
nell said he had considered the testimony
of Spellman in the controversy and decided
to exclude it.
Mrs. Addie J Farrar testified as to the
conversation between herself and O'Sulli-
van after Cronin's body was found. She
asked O'Sullivan was it not terrible MUIR
der. The iceman hesitated moment and
then said: They say he was British spy.
Mrs Farrar asked ''Well, why should
they kill hlm?"
O'Sullivan said: He gave away the Sc
crets of a secret order, and If man did
that he ought to be killed. If he did he
got no more than he deserved"
Three policemen from the Lake View