Helena weekly herald., 1889-05-30
CRONIN'S CORPSE.
Discovery of the Body of the Chicago
Irish h-American Doctor.
he Was Foully Murdered, is the Opinion
of the Police.
DR.. CRONIN.
His Dead Body Found in a Sewer.

His Dead Body Found in a Sewer.
CHICAGO, May 22.-The latest sensation
in the Cronin case came to the front late
this afternoon when a telephone message
from the Lakeview police station an
nounced that body, supposed to be that
of the missing DR.. Cronin, had been found
in a sewer near marine hospital. The
body was wrapped in cotton similar to
that found in a trunk, which Woodruff
claims to have thrown away in Lakeview
when the body was removed from 1t by
his two companions. Three of Cronin's
intimate friends Immediately went to
Lakeview and inspected the body, but de-
clined to positively identify it as that of
the missing Irish Nationalist.
CHICAGO, May 22.-The dead body of
DR.. Cronin, the rish-American, who
strangely disappeared from his home in
Chicago two weeks ago, was found this
evening some distance out of the city in a
sewer on Evanston avenue. A bloody
towel was wrapped about his head, but the
BODY was stark naked A Catholic emblem,
which the Doctor always wore next the
skin suspended about the neck, was un-
touched In the head were a dozen cuts
which had severed the scalp and lndented
the skull. 1t is the opinion of the police
that Cronin was foully murdered. Much
excitement was shown at detective head
quarters when all doubts as to the identity
Of the body was finally removed by a
definite message from Lake View.
Ii was evident from expressions OF the
police that one of their first objects will be
10 have explained assertions by supposed
friends of Cronin Lieut.. Elliott, chief of
detectives, will have these people at the in
quest and demand an explanation full
and complete. The detectives claim
that they have been handicapped from the
start by lack of assistance from those who
claimed to know all concerning the doctors
disappearance II will have this lntorma-
ton now" said Lieut.. Elliott, 'or there
will be a number of prompt arrests"
Alexander Sullivan, eX-presldent OF the
Irish National League, was hOrrOr-strlcken
tonight when told of the discovery of DR..
Cronin's body. He said he was at loss to
know what 10 say, further than that he
was dumbfounded, as he was believer
all along that DR.. CTonln would turn up all
RIGHT in the course of time. He had No
theories whatever to advance as to the
nrohable cause of the doctors murder. In
in reference 10 a statement made by some
of Cronin's friends at the time OF the latter's
disappearance that he (Sulllvan) knew
more about the matter tnan he cared to
.eu Mr.. Sullivan said he had treated the
report with contempt at the time and had
nothing else for it now. He added he was
Mortified to hear of the murder and will do
everything in his power to help place
the guilty person where they belong.
Shortly after the news OF finding the
BODY was received a reporter Called on Mrs.
Conklin at her home, where the Doctor re-
sided When informed OF the finding OF the
body she said she was not surprised. Sac
had always said he was murdered
You will" said the reporter, "un-
doubtedly give the police the benefit OF
your knowledge Of DR.. Cronin's enemies to
aid in finding the murderers 2"
II don't know that l WILL" she replied.
"They seem to know so much that they
won't appreciate what l can tell them,"
and Mrs. Conklin shut the door,
Her husband had an interview with
Police Captain Shack late at night, but
the officials deny that he gave any infor'
nation of importance. COnklin would not
talk to the reporter.
CHICAGO, MAY ga post mortem ex-
animation on the body of DR.. CrOnin was
held this morning. Dr. Todd, county ply
sician, and his assistant, DR.. Egbert, di-
rected the examination, which was careful
ly made and occupied nearly three hours.
The skull was cut open and the brain re-
moved after the scalp had been taken Oft
the physicians discovered that the bones
composing the skull had scarcely been
marked by blows of sharp instrument
which it was thought caused the Doctors
death There was no sign of congestion
about the brain, but the lungs and pulmO-
nary cavity were filled with blood. The
physicians say that this may have resulted
from the fact that the body was placed
head downwards in the catch asin. A cut
half an inch in length was found upon the
neck and several bruises upon the lower
limbs The theory that he was chOked to
death was easily exploded. The Doctors
found no signs of suffocation and discovered
no bruises about the neck such as would
result from stranglipg man with towel
aback on finding that there was no fracture
of any kind of the skull bones or small
bones about the face.
DIR. Todd was of the opinion that the
cuts on the scalp must have been made by
pick or a hatchet But he could not
account for the cause except from
the contusions resulting from severe blows.
Other physicians could not agree rs to the
cause of death, although all were of the
opinion that Cronin might have been killed
by a blow at the outer corner OF the left
eve. Even this blow was not hard enough
to fracture or splinter the bones under the
ski
A dentist fully identified the plate sup
porting the false teeth as one he had made
over a year ago for DR.. Cronin. He also
identified the gold filling in one OF the up
per teeth.
John Cronin, a brother of DIR. Cronln,
arrived from Arkansas this afternoon and
positively identified the body as that OF
his brother.
Friends of Dr. Cronin met this evening,
and il was decided 10 hold the funeral
services Sunday and bury DR.. CIonln IN
Calvary cemetery.
Handsome Present TO Mrs. Gladstone.
LONDON, May 22-Mrs. Gladstone was
NV nvHIA a