Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-11-22
MURDER OF DIR. CRONIN
CHlCAGO'S GREAT TRIAL DRAGGING
TOWARD AN END.
Testimony for the Defence Begun-strong
Efforts Made to Prove Alibis for the
suspected Murderers--Pr red ctions
as to the Result.

Testimony for the defense in theCr onin case
began Saturday morning. The first witness
was Fred j. Squibbs, the stenographer, who
took testimony before the coroner, He tes
titled to certain differences between the tes-
tmony given before the coroner's jury by
the old man Carlson and Frank Scanan,
compared with their evidence, during the
trial proper, and the ncxt witness, Police
Captain Schaak, testified TO taking a white
horse from Dinan's stable to Mrs Conklin's
house May 49, and Mrs. Conklin failed to
identify the animal as the one which drew
Cronin on his death journey. Police Lieu
tenant Koch testified to the same matter.
He said il was raining at the time when
horses hair became wet and changed from n
white to a dove color.
Monday was given up in attempting to
prove albis for IGunze and CouGhin, sever
al witnesses teatifying that they drank with
them in various saloons the night Of the
murder.
At Tuesdays session a strong effort was
made to prove an alibi for OSullivan.
William Mulcahey, an employe and room
mate of the ceman, testified that the latter
did not leave the house on the night of the
murder. In the examination an at
| tempt was made to direct suspicion toward
the witness the man who drove the white
horse which drew DR.. Cronn to his death,
but Mulcahey denied the charge indirectly
made. Thomas Whalen, a cousin of O'Sul-
| ivan, also testified that the latter was at
home the night of the murder. Further evil
| dence in the attempt 70 establish an alibi for
the iceman was given by James Minnehan,
another empioye. and by Robert Boyington
and James Knight.
| Wednesday was an exciting day in the
! trial and some sharp work was done by the
! counsel. Mrs. McCormicl relative of
o Sullivan, testified that she saw O'Sullivan
at AIRS. Whalen's house on the night of tie
murder and Mrs. Whalen corroborated her
testimony. Matt Danahy, John F. O'Mal-
| Icy, clerk, and William T. Coughln, an
employe of the city health department, tes-
| titled that they saw Burke i'll the former S
saloon on the fatal night. EX-Congressman
John +. Finerty, editor Of the Citizen, tes-
tiGed that he had been member OF the
Can-na-gaol since 1872, belonging to camp
| 20. and had never heard of an inner circle.
John Dwyer and john 5. MuIin, also mem
bers, corroborayed Finertys testimony.
| Francis 2. Gleason. constable, testified that
| defendant Beggs was with him ut reppb-
lican club meeting at the Grand Pacific
! hotel from about ! to o'c!ocl; on the night
OF the murder. States Attorney Longe-
nec.er was placed upon the stand hy the
defence TO testify in regard to the testimony
OF the defendant Beggs before the grand
jury.
Predictions as to the Result of the Trial.
The opinion is held by the persons who
have listened to the tes imony that Cough
Inns doom is sealed. Coughlin has been in
disputably associated with the white horst
| wi i,l, mr. 10
seen at the Carlson cottage, and is known to
have been drinking near the scene of tht
murder on the fatal night. He also stand,
accused of falseaood, Of fragrant dreictiou
of duty when asst gucd to work on the case,
and OF seeking to ruin DR.. Cronin
Bur.e'a tenaatry Of the cottage, his as
socation with the mysterious j. +. 81
mouds, and his flight tor Europe after the
murder, win likely con vict him. Q Sullivan
Aa, heen caught in innumerabie lies. Ht
was also seen drinking with CoUghlin in thc
noighborhood of the cottage on the night o,
the murder. The strange contract he made
with Dr. Cronin, which eventually resulteo
in Turing the victim to his doom, is another
strong point against the iccman.
Little kunlv's completely in tho conspi-
r0cy S not so we'll established as that ol
Buri:e, Coughlin and . sullivan, vet it ap
pears from the testimony of the State wit
nosses that the painter was the associate o
Coughlin and O'Sullivan on the night OF thc
murder, tie he was seen to drive bay
horse in front of the cottage that day, anc
that he visited sSimonds' flat on Clarl
street.
Beggs will probably be acquitted. H
was arrested on information which seemed
TO associate him with secret circle tna
had sealed the Doctors Goom. Thus IA
Beggs has not been directly involved in tn
conspiracy.