The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-10-30
The Men on Trial for the Murder Of
Cronin Not Working in
Harmony.
Members of Camp No. 30 Testify
as TO the Report of the Trial
Committee
An Evident Enort to Elicit Testimony
which win Affect senior Guar
dian Beggs

CmoAGo, Oct. 29.-The fact that there ia
a division of interests in the Cronin case.
and that Senior Guardian BeRgs is having
his case conducted independently of the
others, wis shown to-day when Forrest, ON
behalf of the defendants objected 10 the ad.
mission Of O'Connor's testimony. Mr..
Foster, counsel for Beggs, said on the lat
ter's behalf he wanted the record TO show
that no objection is made ON his part 10 the
introduction Of this testimony. He in
yites the fullest and clearest investigation
Of his connection with the Clan-na-gael
aud objects TO the introduction of no testi-
mony that will forward the investigation.
At the opening of court to-day
John :. OConnor. secretary Of Camp
~, Clan-na-tiael, produced record of
The proceedings of the camp on the night of
Feb. $, wher is alleged an order was made
for the appointment of n secret committee
10 try Cronin. The records showed resolu-
tions were passed that Senior Guardian
lleggs notified the district officer that il
was understood That the report of the COM
mittee which tried sullivan, Roland and
Feeley, members OF the triangle, in Buffalo,
in October, lsSS, had been given ont in
some of the camps, but had not bcon re-
ceived 10y Camp 20. II was also ordered
that n secret committeee of three he ap-
pointed by the senior guardian 10 investi-
gate the rumors ailoat regarding the trial
of the executive body. This action was the
result uf remarks 10y Capt. Thomas O'Con-
nor who said that hc had heard the report
OF the committee 10 try the triangle read in
another camp and thought 1t strange Camp
| - didn't get it.
! AZ the afternoon session Foy. member
of Camp ~. sput ON the stand ns wit
ness. lie WAS very nun-c1mmittal and with
the greatest pertlnacity avoided giving n
positive answer 10 the mont innocent ques-
tion, Finally he was brought to admit he
made "A speech at n meeting of Camp ~
when the matter of the report Of the tri-
angle trial committee came up. lie made
several attempts 10 explain the circumstan-
ces under which he made the speech,
and got badly tangled up. Finally he
said: "As far as | remember, Conners
said Lecaron WINS paid agent of the execu-
tive body of the Irish organization in this
country. lie said, ! think. there were $28.-
900 funds Of this organization gone 10 Lee
caron for the same object in England or
Ireland" foy also said O'Connor spoke of
having heard the report Of the trial commit.
tee read IN another camp. This caused
much excitement, and was the cause Of
witness speech. Ills anger was caused, lie
| said, by tine thought that Lecaron pot any
OF the Clans funds for any purpose, and
also 10 learn that the report of the trial
committee had been given out 10 other
c'lups sooner than Camp -.
Michael j. Kelly, junior guardian of
CampO, told of the committee. though his
memory WIS deficient as Ia details He said
the demand Tor the report of the trnl com.
nlttee grew out II OCunnor's statement to
the effect that be had heard The report OF
| thr committee read IN thp camp Of which
| CrOnin VITA member, by tronin himself
THIS statement IL in contradiction uf the
evidence on this subject heretofore given.
and ol MI the published statements, which
have agreed IN saying that O'Connor did
| not mention Cronin's name. The cross
examination of Kelly brought out the fact
TINT although he knew Of the trial of the
| triangle, lac did not know who constituted
that body until their names were published
IN the papers.
J.Fofd past guardian Of camp 20, testified
thnt at "A meeting of the camp Feb. %, Pat
rick Mcjaly aud Richard Powers made
speeches dcnouncing the triangle, and that
Senor Guardian Beggs replied defending
Alexandria Sullivan. one of the triangle
members. IL was warm discussion and
Bcggs said IL would have 10 bc peace or war,
or words 10 that effect.
Stephen COllernn, "A lnborer, was the last
witness. An attempt was mnde 10 get a
| detailed statement of the proceedings Of
camp ~ ON the night of Feb. 3. from him,
but with poor success. lie WAS questioned
sharply 10y the prosecution as 10 what lac
knew Of the relations of the various depart
mcnta 10 each other and their movements.
IL WINS developed that Martin Burke and
Collcrnn had gone 10 Beggs' office twice in
January and once in February. Witness
said they went there 10 secure Beggs' aid in
getting work