Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-12-19
VERDICT OF THE JURY.
None of the CrOnin Murderers Will
Ornament the Gallows.
Guiltv of Murder, But not Guilty
Enough to Hang.
Coughlin, Burke and O'Sullivan Get
Life Imprisonment.
Beggs Goes Free, While Little Kunze
Gets Three Years.

CHICAGO, Dec. 16.-One of the most
memorable trials in the criminal history of
America closed this afternoon when the
jury impanelled three months g render
ed its verdict In the Cronin case. That
the return of this jury is a verdict and not
a disagreement Is d source of much con-
graduation In the public mind, and though
there is naturally much division Of senti-
ment on the question Of the approval of
the verdict, the sense of relief which is ex-
perienced at the final elimination of the
case is unanimous. However bitter, too,
may have been the feelings engendered by
the two factions into which the Irish peo-
pie have divided in the case, it cannot fail
to be a source of congratulatiOn to Judge
Mcconnell that his impartial conduct as
presiding judge has been such as to win
for him not only the applause of both
these opposing factions but the approval
alike of the leading jurists of the land up
on the validity of his rulings. As the
court convened at z p. m. to receive the
verdict of the jury, there was mOmentary
silence as the vast audience breathlessly
awaited the first words of Judge McCon-
nell as he mounted the bench. 1.-The Jury
is prepared to make their return In this
case, > said his honor, but | observe that
Mr.. DOnohue, counsel for O'Sullivan and
Kunze, is absent"
Il have been requested to represent Mr..
DOnohue, : said Forrest. The court an
nounced satisfaction at this arrangement.
The door from the jail opened and the de-
PENDANTS marched in to receive the amour
cement Of their fate. Hardly a sound was
heard as every eye in the audience turned
toward John F. Beggs, who led the pro-
cession. The face of the senior guardian
of Camp 20 was pale and anxious looking,
but he faced the stare of the audience bold
ly. Dan Coughlin affected his usual indif-
ference, but his restless, furtive eye be-
tokened the terrible mental suspense the
ex-detectiye experienced as he awaited the
dread announcement. Hardly a person In
the court room succeeded In catching the
eye of Patrick O'Sullivan. His looks were
directed toward the floor, and whatever
emotion he may have felt at this critical
moment, was not shown. Martin Burke's
face flushed for amoment as he approached
his seat, but Immediately after his feat
ures regained their natural expression and
with affected nonchalance he resumed the
chewing of gum, as has been his wont dur
ing the course of the trial. For the first
time since his arrest the little German
John Kunze, seemed to appreciate the
gravity of his situation, and his usual air
of jauntiness was absent As the audi
ence were contemplating the prisoners and
commenting upon their demeanor the noise
of many footsteps was again suddenly
heard without and a moment later twelve
men III whose Judgment reposed the lives
of the defendants, entered The room head
ed by Foreman Clarke. Every prisoner
simultaneously turned his eyes upon the
jurors as if to read in their impassive fea-
lures the secret of the verdict, but there
was no sign to give them hope or fear,
The clerk will call the roll of the jurors"
Every person in the audience started as
the sound Of the judges voice broke the
silence only to add a deeper awe to the sol
emnity Of the occasion. Slowly the jurors
answered to their names and the twelve
men were announced to be present.
Gentlemen, said the court, Il under
stand you have reached a conclusion in
this case
With a low bow Foreman Clarke took
from his pocket a large envelope and
handed it to the Judge, who in turn hand
ed it to the clerk. THE clerk will read the
verdict, said the court. Instantly a hush
fell upon the audience-a hush so pro-
found that as the clerk tore open the en-
velope the sound fell discordently upon the
anxious ears. A moment later this
anxiety became painful in its intensity as
TIE sonOrous voice of the clerk began read
ing the verdict, which is as follows:
I'VE, the jury, find the defendant, John
f. Beggs, not guilty; we, the jury, find
the defendant, John Kunze, guilty ofman-
slaughter, as charged in the indictment,
and fix his punishment at Imprisonment
in the penitentiary for a term of three
years; we, the jury, find the defendants.
Dan Coughlin, Patrick 0'Sullivan and
Martin Burke, guilty of murder In the
manner and form as charged in the indict-
ment and fix the penalty at Imprisonment
IN the penitentiary for life"
Forrest, of the counsel for the defense.
at once requested that the jury be polled.
To each juror the question was put by the
clerk was this, and is this your verdict?''
Foreman Clarke was the first to rise and
answer firmly in the affirmative. Eleven
others followed in turn and gave the same
answer Simultaneous with the announce
ment of the verdict Coughiin. O'Sullivan
and Burke turned deathly pale, while
kunze started suddenly from his seat, and
a moment later dropped his head upon his
breast and broke into tears.
The blood rushed to the face of Beggs
and in a second it was of a carmine hue.
His right arm which had been resting on
the railing, fell to his side, and his entire
frame shook like that of a man afflicted
with the palsy. Shortly after the polling
of the jury he arose from amid the prison
ers, walked over to the jury box, and dur
ing the breathleSs hull that followed shook
the foreman's hand andsaid: 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 terrible charge. AS
he shook hands with the jurors each man
bowed his lead IN a know e lgmeLt 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 ]
an innocent. | never was In Lakeview
that night. Oh, God knows | am limo.
cent, gentlemen"
O'Sullivan was the only other one of the
prisoners who was found in tears. For
moment they trickled down his cheeks but
a minute later his black eyes flashed will
defiance on the revival of his courage anc
dashing his hand across hi,
brow. he braced up In his sea-
and glanced around the court room
The only evidence Of horror to be perceived
in Coughlin was the increased pallor tha-
overspread his face as he fully realized
the significance of the sentence to be lft
Imprisonment, and his lips twitched ner
vously during the c~olloquy hat followed
between the attorneys and the court rela
tive to a motion for a new trial. Martin
Burke was unquestionably the least af
fected of all the prisoners. He was anus
ually horid; but his face took on a Sigh
uallOr ~ +ba verdict was announced 4