The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-10-25
THE CASE OF THE STATE.
Attorney Longeneeker Tells the Jury
What He Will Prove in the
Cronin Case.
But One Link Missing, the Pres
ent Whereabouts ofthe Lit
tie Tin Box
y swyers for the Defense waive Their
Right 10 Make a Presentation-Twe
witnesses Testify.

CmcAeo. Oct. A.-Long before the hour
for the convening of court In the Cronin
trial this morning hundreds of spectators
were clamoring for admittance, and il re-
quired a small army Of bailiffs 10 keep out |
the eager ones who demanded TO be passed. |
Az 10 O'Clock court was called to order and |
States-Attorney Longenecker began the
opening address to the jury.
He reviewed briefly the long continu ed
sitting of the veniremen which resulted in
the selection of the twelve before him, de-
fined the duties of iurymen; defined the
meaning of presumption of innocence. IL
was. he said mere negative which stood
in the way of conviction in the absence Of
evidence. but that must not be allowed 10
weaken the force of the evidence given.
He next defined the meaning of reasonable
doubt. which, he said. must not he so
stretched as to permit a juror To avoid do
inc his duty. The states attorney then
proceeded 10 define murder. and set forth
what were the material allegations in the
Indictment which il would be necessary 10
prove They were: That DIR. Cronin was
state: that il was done without adequate
proyocation; and that these defendants did
| IL. He then defined direct and circumstan-
| tial evidence; then spoke of the disappear
ance of DIR. Cronin and the finding of his
body eighteen days afierward, and said the
state proposed 10 prove the murder as the
result of n conspiracy.
| The states attorney then proceeded to
| speak of the motive for the crime. He said
in order 90 show what that motive was il
| became necessary to examine into the his
| tory in this country Of the organization
known as the brotherhood. commonly
called Clan-na-Gael. Before doing this he
reminded the jury that they were not trying
the Clan-na-Gael. hut the prisoners at the
| bar. He then proceeded to sketch the his
/ tory of the Clan-na-Gael. He said the tri-
angle was supreme; that oaths of members
nude their commands superior 10 the laws
of the nation.
Forrest objected to this line Of statement
as inadmissable in advance of proof.
Judge Mcconnell said he did not know
what would be proved, but warned the states
attorney that he was making these state
| ments at his own peril.
| The states attorney said he would prove
what he had said and accepted the response
bility. lie proceeded to say than when Sui
livan, McFeeley and Boland got control of
the executive board they changed the plan
of work of the organization. IA ugurated
dynamite policy and implantcu IN the con-
stitution clause commanding perfect and
unquestioning obedience 10 the commands
| of the board
The defence again made exception 10 this
| line of statement.
The states-attorney went un To say the
| membership did not know VINO constituted
| the triangle. 81 secret was IL. hut neyerthe-
less they obeyed its orders and were sent on
various missions 10 England IN the way of
active work and under assumed names.
| Notwithstanding this secrecy these men
were betrayed by the board 10 the English
authorities and twenty of them are now in
prison. This was he declared. tO ennble
the board 10 steal the funds. and when AT
last showing was mnde the board claimed
the order owed them $4,000, when there
was S2jON0 in the treasury when they took
charge.
At this point the stntes-attorney intro
duced DIR. Cronin in connection with the
order, and proceeded 10 sketch the history
of his fight against the triangle. He told
OF Cronln's expulsion subsequent 10 the
union convention, and the trial of Sullivan.
Mcfeely and Boland by "A secret committee,
OF which DIR. Cronin wis "a member, in Buff
falo year ago last August. The states
attorney went On Ga shy the committee was
in session three DAYS hearing evidence.
| F''hhNN NNNAh hN uuIlIh
the trial.
Cronin wnnted this evidence published al
all the camps of the order. with the report
of the committee. The report was not made
30 the camps till day or two after Crnniu's
death, and even then Cronin's part WAS sun
pressed II was sent out in this shane in
the belief that his body would never he
found. IL wis sufficient 10 make way with
DR.. Cronin, but the same unseen hand that
regulated the conspiracy from its inception
had TO make II appear also that Cronin was
a traitor; for if Crunin had published his
evidence against the triangle, az he was
about 20 do, il meant the ruin of
the triangle with the Irish people,
and 10 have published il 10 all the camps was
TO convict these men of embezzing the
funds that had been accumulating for years
II would have proved them traitors TO the
cause in which these people had enlisted
and instead of doing that which was 10
benefit poor old Ireland, il would brand
them as the worst men ON earth among the
Irish people. That was the object. The
| states attorney went on TO show how
Coughlin began den0uncing Cronin as a
| spy away back in February: how Beggs nj a
certain meeting of Camp No. - said Gro
Minis denuncintion of Sullivan and the tri-
angle had to be stopped, if II took blood.
| The states attorney then went on 10 talk
about the charges made against Cronin in
| Camp ~. Feb. III Senior Guardian
Beggs wrote to District Officer Spellman of
Peoria, that he wis directed 30 Investigate
the mRtter and wanted the district officer to
do so. The latter on Feb. II wrote 10 Beggs
that be knew OF no law or provision Of the
constitution requiring him TO investigate
unless charges were made directly TO him.
Beggs ON the 18th wrote back that while
there was no written law for this il was a
law, and the matter had 10 be investigated
or there would he trtu',lp tu re follow.
ing day u man glying the nnme
of Simons rented the fiat nj III
Clark street, opposite DIR. Cronin's office.
bought large trunk and moved in.
March ~ Martin Burke appeared at the
Carlson cottage under the name of Frank
Williams, rented the cottage and then after
talking with O'Sulliynn went 10 III Clark
street and moved the furniture 10 the cot
tage Some time in April OSulliyan made
arrangements with CrOnin by which. il the
latter received one of O'Sullivan's cards, he
was 60 accompany the messenger in order 10
attend professionally upon any of O'Sulli-
vans men who might be hurt in handling
| ice for him. The states- attorney pointed
out that this seemed queer contract. for
up 10 this time there never had been an
| Incident To one of O'Sulliyan's men and