The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-12-19
CRONIN VERDICT.
BURKE, COUGHLIN AND O'sULLIvAN
SENTENCED FOR LIFE, KUNzE
FOR THREE YEARS AND
BEGGs ACQUITTED.
JURYMAN CULVER DID 1T ALL.
All the Other Jurors for Hanging The
Prisoners Observation-Disclosures is
Thou hit of the Verdict.

CHICAGO, December 16.-Judge McCon-
nell says he has received no communica-
ton from the jury yet and as far as he
knows they had not yet agreed upon a YER
dict. A significant fact in connection with
the probability of a speedy verdict is tina
another room has been fitted up for the
grand jury down stairs and the Cronin jury
still occupies the grand jury room. Judge
Mcconnell at 1920 formally announced
from the bench that no verdict had been
reached and that he would not be in at
tendance again before 2 p. m.
2 p. m.-The attorneys for both sides
were notified by the judge that verdict
had been reached and their attendance at
the court was desired. Sheriff Watson had
the defendants conducted to the court
room to receive the verdict of the jury
The verdict is as follows:
We, the jury, find the defendant, John
F. Beggs, not guilty.
We, the jury, find the defendant, John
KunZe, guilty of manslaughter, as charged
in the indictment, and fix his punishment
at imprisonment in the penitentiary for the
term of three years.
We, the jury, find the defendants, Dan
Coughlin, Patrick O'Sullivan and Martin
Burke, guilty of murder in the manner and
form as charged in the indictment, and fix
the penalty at imprisonment in the peni'
tentiary for the term of their natural lives.
Mr.. Forrest of the defense, requested that
the court. fo each juror the question was
put by the clerk of the court:
"Was this and is this now your verdict2'
Foreman Clark was the first man to rise
and answer firmly in the affirmative.
Eleven men followed in turn and gave the
same answer. simultaneously with the an
,nupnarnapf of tho Uprdint COT oh lin 0iSul-
livan and Burke turned deathly pale, while
Kunze started suddenly from his seat and
a moment later dropped his head upon his
breast and burst into tears. Beggs' face
was luminous with joy, and Immediately
after the polling Of the jury he arose from
amid the prisoners, walked over to the jury
box, and during a breathless lull that fol-
lowed, shook Foreman Clark's hand heart
lily, and said:
"Gentlemen, thank you. trust that
the future may confirm your judgment
upon me, and that you will never regret
that you found me not guilty of this ter
rible charge"
AS he shook hands with the Jurors each
man bowed his head in acknowledgment of
the grateful words of the liberated man.
The only sound that broke the stiffness
was the deep sobs of the little German,
Kunze. He burst out with, "God knows l
dIl lIluOCcuUs uCNCl was III lldhCNlCW
that night. Oh, God knows am innocent,
gentlemen"
O'Sullivan was the only one of the other
three. prisoners who found refuge in tears
For a moment they trickled down
his cheeks, but a minute later his
black eyes flashed with defiance and re-
vival of courage, and dashing his
hand across his brow he braced
up in his seat and cast long glare around
AZ. -. 1A,, Of fnr
ror to be perceived in Coughlin was the in
creased pallor that overspread his face as
he fully realized the significance of the
sentence of his life imprisonment and his
lips twitched nervously during the col
loquy that followed between the attorneys
and the court relative to the motion for q
new trial.
Martin Burke was unquestionably the
least affected of all the prisoners. His usu-
ally forid face took on slight pallor as
the verdict was announced but moment
later his jaws began methodical mastica-
ton of gum as regular as at any previous
time during the trial. AS the verdict wal s
announced and the large audience contem-
plated Kunze's grief Beggs turned to re-
porter and said:
at is shame to sentence Kunze. Poor,
little tellowl / think he as innocent as |
am. 1t is id shame to send him to the
penitentiary for three years. He had no
more idea of being found guilty than you
had of being declared an accomplice to
this crime"
Comments among the audience were as
varied as the individuals that constituted
the motly assemblage that had assembled
to hear the penalty pronounced upon their
fellow-men. The friends and admirers OF
the murdered physician were naturally in
dignant at the verdict.
1T is a shame" said Hon. p. W. Dunno;
"shame and travesty upon justice"
His sentiment found an echo In the
hearts of dozen Irishmen who were near
him. while only dozen feet away members
of the faction were congratulating them
selves and the prisoners that the verdict
had been no worse, and the friends OF
Beggs were elbowing their way through TO
grasp the hands of the senior guardian OF
Camp 20 in felicitation upon his exonera-
ton. Beggs took seat in one OF the jury
chairs after the return Of that body and
spent the next half hour pleasantly, accord
ing interviews to dozen newspaper men
that crowded around him.
Mr.. Forrest, on behalf of the four con-
yicted defendants, entered the accustomed
motion for new trial, and after considera-
bic discussion the Judge fixed January ID
as the day on which the motion for a new
trial should be argued, and the prisoners
were taken back to jail. Kunze was still
CRYING, and went out Of the door with tears
running down his face and still mutterine
and sobbing to himself
Martin Burke followed KuDze, and as he
passed he whispered to Forrest and smiled.
he seemed entirely unconcerned. OSulli-
van followed, looking pale and sallow'
Dan Coughlin was the last Of the pris.
oners to leave, and as he stalked
out he half turned and looked back into the
court room as if expecting 70 find some
friend. The doors changed behind the
bailiff who brought up the rear, and the
Cronin trial was over. Beggs. who had
been sitting in one of the jurors chairs sur.
rounded by friends, then managed to gel
clear of them and proceeded smilingly tc
enough to get his coat
II was not until the afternoon of today
Al. .. a. if,r,, fnaIiv came To a verdict and