Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1889-06-06
DETECTIVE couaHLIN.


trunk and the hair on Cronin's head. pro-
nouncing both the same; DR.. Belheld, who
was at the post mortem; Mrs. Conklin,
Capt Setback. Lieut.. Schuttler, Frank
Scanlan, Detectives Lorch, Rohan, and
Hiatt, Willard ]. Smith and his brother
John, Capt. Oman, the liveryman, who
owns the rig which carried Cronin to his
death; Milkman Mertes, who heard the
Doctors death-cry, young Carlson's wife,
and Capt. Wing of Lake View.
OF the above list of witnesses, the police
officers, the Carlsons, and Mr.. and Mrs.
Conklin were the only ones capable Of fur
nishing testimony additional to what has
already been printed. There is, again, the
States attorneys word for it that the
Conklins went no further than to narrate
the familiar facts of DIR. Cronin's appre-
hension of foul play and the incidents of
his fatal errand, including description Of
the man who called for him. Mr.. Longe-
necker AYERS that DIR. Cronin's private
papers in the hands of the Conklins' were
not introduced nor any knowledge in their
possession casting suspicion on others than
the three indicted.
The Carlsons added to their previous
story enough to create the strong presump-
tion that Detective Coughlin was familiar
with Iceman Sullivan, and that they have
been seen at various times together. From
the policemen the best new evidence came
and that is found in the links that, for the
first time, clearly bind Woodruff to the
crime.
Frank Woodruff, alias Frank Black has
been taken into camp by Capt Setback
and he has told the whole story of his con-
nection with DR.. Cronin's murder.
Ananrdin0 m tho afa 1arfc ha has
made to the North Side captain he was
not directly connected with the murder it
self, but simply acted as the driver of the
wagon which disposed of the dead mans
body in the catch basin where it was
found.
At daybreak Sunday morning Capt.
Setback, in a cab driven by detective,
arrived at Indiana and Dearborn streets,
and after waiting for several minutes
Woodruff, accompanied by a jail guard,
arrived. He was taken into the vehicle
and driven to the scene of DIR. Cronin's
murder and also to the catch basin and the
place where the trunk was found. Wood
ruff himself gave the driving directions to
the detective, who managed the reins, and
in every instance located the exact places
where the chief acts in the horrible tragedy
occurred.
According to his confession he was di-
rected by those who had charge of that
part Of the conspiracy, and whose names
Capt Setback reserves for reasons that
are palpable, to go to Deans livery stable,
where he would obtain horse and wagon.
He had already been instructed to drive
the outfit to the neighborhood of the Carl
son cottage and he also knew for what
pun pose he was to go there.
ua orrsx,o1 fhara about q ,,,;r,,ko..
before Dr. Cronin was driven up and
placed his horse and wagon at point near
the cottage, where he could keep his eyes
on the front steps. He saw the white
horse rig containing DIR. Cronin and his
conductor arrive, and three-quarters of an
hour thereafter the man who was known
as Williams opened the front door Of the
cottage and gave the signal b stamping
his foot on the wooden porch.
Woodruff at once drove up and, assisted
by the third man, the trunk was loaded
into the wagon. The two men followed
the trunk and directed Woodruff, who con-
tinued as the driver to drive eastward to
the lake TO a certain point which Wood
ruff had designated TO Capt. Setback.
The wagon headed for the lake and in
its depths the trunk and its contents would
have been deposited had not the interrupt
ton come from the two Laks View police
men. This smashed the original plans of
the two men and immediate steps were
taken to get out of the officers way. This
was done by taking a circuitous route,
which again brought them TO the Evan
ston road. They had now been driving
fer nearly an hour with their CHASTITY load
and one of the men suggested tho sewer.
A stop was made at the Fifty-ninth street
intersection Of the Evanston road The
top was taken from the man hole on the
southeast corner and the trunk lifted from
the wagon.
Williams said there was no more time TO
be lost and he kicked in the lid Of the
trunk. The three lifted the body out and
deposited il i'm the sewer as it was found.
The trunk was again placed on the wagon.
II was intended to go south for distance
and then to drive north TO the cottage and
then deposit the trunk Fright here"
said Woodruff 10 Capt Setback, pointing
TO the exact spot where the trunk was
found, 1--WE heard a noise OF wagon wheels
from the south aud the two men, one of
whom had been sitting on the trunk, pick
ed up the box and threw II out Of the
wagon and / was urgei 10 whip up the
horse and drive vest. When we reached
Fullerton avenue both men sail goodnight
TO me and left the wagon"
The remainder Of the confession Il de-
voted 70 Woodruf's wanderings with the
horpa and waooa In his affamnf IN oall