The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1889-12-21

CHICAGO, Dec. 16.-The Jury in the case
of the five men charged with the murder
of Dr. Patrick Henry Crcnin came into
Judge McConuells branch of the Crimi
nal Court at . 80 o'clock this afternoon,
after being out since 0S p. NJ. Friday,
and rendered the following verdict:
THE VERDICT.
eve, the Jury, find the defendant, John
F. Beggs, not guilty. We, the jury, find
the defendant, John kunze, guilty of
mansaughter as charged in the indict
ment. and fl his punishment at impris-
onment in tie penitentiary for term of
three years. We the jury. find the de
PENDANTS, Daniel Coughlin, Patrick O'Sul
Ivan and Martin Burke, guilty of murder
in the manner and form as charged II the
indictment, and fix the penalty at impris
onment in the penitentiary for the term
of their natural lives"
Mr.. Forrest of the defense at once re-
quested that the jury be polled, and this
was ordered by the court.
To each Juror the question was put by
the clerk OF the court: Was this and is
this now your verdict ?" Foreman Clark,
was the first man to rise and answer
in the affirmative The other eleven men
followed in turn and gave the same an
swer.
IN THE AUDIENCE
AS the verdict was announced ana the
large audience contemplated KunZe's
grief, Beggs turned to a reporter and said:
1T is a shame to sentence Kunze The
poor little FELLOW. ] think, is as innocent
as am. 1t is id shame to send him
to the penitent.ary for three years. He
had no more idea of being found guilty
than you had of being declared an accom-
plice in this crime"
Iu the meantime the comments among
the audience were as varied as the ind
viduals that constituted the molly assem-
blege that had assembled in morbid Gu
rioslty to hear the penalty pronounced
upon their fellow men. Of the Irish in
the audience, and there were scores of
the two factions into which that people
is divided, were naturally repulsed The
friends and admirers of the murdered
physician were naturally indignant at the
verdict. 1T is shame" said Hon. P.
w. Dunno, "a shame and a 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 congratula
ting themselves and the prisoners that
the verdict had been no worse, and friends
ofBeggs were elbowiug their way through
to grasp the hands of the senior guardian
of Camp 90 in felicitation upon his exon
GRAFTON. Beggs took seat in one of the
jury chairs after the retirement of that
body and spent the next half hour pl as
antly according interviews to he score Of
| newspaper mon that crow ded al ound him
Mr.. Forrest, on behalf of the four con
| victed defendants, entered the accustom
| ed motion for a new trial, and after con-
siderable discussion the Judge fixed Jan.
! 18th as the day on which the motion for
a new trial should be argued, and the
prisoners were taken back to Jail.
HOW THE VERDICT WAS REACHED.
| 1t was not until after noon to day that
| the jury finally came to verdict, and
then it was that Juror John Culver. who
had been voting for acquital for all the
defendants since the jury went out, con-
sented to a compromise. The other iu.
rors, it is said, we're for hanging Burke.
| Coughhn and Sullivan, while he was for
letting them all off Mr.. Culver finally
agreed to life sentence for the three
| The jury was practically unanimous on
the subject of Beggs's acquital, and but
little time was needed to fix Kunze's
term of imp, isonment
JUDGE NJ CONNEIL'S OPINION.
| "What do YOU think OF the verdict?''
asked the Associated Press representa-
tive of Judge Mcconnell after the ad
journment OF court for the day.
''JuGicially, OF course, | can pass No
opinion upon the verdict. As an individ.
ual, however, and without being cogni
zant of all the proceedings in the jury
room, | might say that think the yer
dict is the result Of probable objection
of some of the jurors to the death penalt,
on circnmStantial evidence
Then you think that innate scruples
against circumstantial evidence probably
controlled the verdict"
Il do not say that. / say that juror
might almost unconsciCusly have an oh
| lection to circumstantial evidence, and
yet never be fully aware of it until a
great case like this, involving human life
| caused him to pause and finally to guard
against the possibility of error, favor the
| iiiC III iIou vi lbt ubdbl
penalty. The law may be inf1exible but
men are human. You know the obiec.
ton to circumstantial evidence has he
come so strong in Michigan, and possibly
other States, that there they have statue
precluding the imposing of the death
penalty"
L suppose you feel relieved that there
has not been Disagreement
| 10 I'LL
the jury had disagreed, aud it had be
| come necessary to try the case again,
should not have flinched from presiding
| over the case again. In fact, l think |
should rather have preferred to in view
of all the circumstances.
| Comment in New York.
New YORK, Dec. 16.-There is consid-
| er,.ble dissatisfaction among Irish Amer
leans over the Cronin verdict, especially
the acquitai of Beggs. New York is
strongly anti triangle i'll it's Clan-na, Gael
sympathieS. There is generally ex
pressed hope that some of the prisoners
may be persuaded to give the clues to the
missing links that will establish the legal
guilt of the meu behind the conspiracy
and not yet before the bar of justice.
T'bSi'sh Ne"spapers on the Ease.
LONDON, Dec. 1.-THE Times saws.
"When the difficulty of impanueling a
jury in the Cronin case is considered, the
verdict may be regarded as satisfactory.
The murder was plainly the consequence
of squabbl, over corrupt tinanciering,
and was one of the most atrocious crimes
perpetrated outside of Russia in modern
DAYS"
The Standard says: ct is a strange
illogical verdict and it speaks little for
the criminal Jurisprudence of America
that court should have taken so long
to arrive at such an abortive result"
The Morning Post, commenting on the
Cronin verdict, says: of the case shall
result in thorough awakening of public
opinion in the United States to the real
character of the Clan ua-G nel. then Gro
MINIS life was not sacrificed wholly in
vain"
The Daily News says of the Cronin
trial: The men sentenced for life are
three of the vilest wretches ever left uu
hung. The jury has done substantial
justice, and it is to be hoped that nothing
will be allow ed to disGurb the righteous