Wichita eagle., 1889-07-17
BEGGS' AFFIDAVIT.
Grave Charges Against the Chicago State
Attorney.

| CHICAGO, ILL.,, July ia somewhat
| sensational move was made in the Cronin
case today. John +. Beggs, the imprison-
ed senior guardian of Camp 20, Gamma
Gael, filed new petition for a writ OF
habeas corpus, giving as a reason why he
should be set at liberty that he has been
jailed and indicted solely in the hope that
| he would thus be forced to turn states
evidence. The testimony expected Of him,
he says. has no foundation in fact.
Beggs, in his petition, further says that
while ne was illegally imprisoned and
secreted from his friends Immediately pre-
cedlng his indictment, he was taken be-
fore the state attorney, who tried to in
duce him TO make certain statements, the
facts 50 desired not being within the
knowledge of Beggs, and that in the con-
versatlon the state attorney said In sub
stance, by the newspapers you are already
condemned; the only way, or the best way.
out of it for you is to stand with US, !"
meaning thereby to stand with the
prosecution, and further stating in the
conversation: IF you will accept employ
ment from us we will pay you for It," To
which Beggs replied, in substance: eff
you mean by stand with YOU that l shall
give you testimony by which any persons
or person might be convicted of the muir
der of DR., Crcnin. | cannot accept your
employment for the reason that have no
facts which would tend to convict, or even
cast suspicion upon any person of causing
the death of Cronin."
Soon after the conversation with the
state attorney the Indictment against me
was returned, says the petition, and adds:
There has been persistent and deter
mined effort on the part of the police Of
ficers and the state attorneys office to
compel this relator to divulge certain al
legged facts stated in an anonymous letter
to the state attorney, tending to show that
some action was taken in camp 20 which
resulted in the death of Cronln which al
legged facts relator has failed to give, for
the reason that the same do not exist"
Beggs takes up IN detail the statements
in the anonymous letter as follows: Your
petitioner most solemnly and sincerely af
firms that there is not now, nor has there
ever been, what is known and designated
as an inner circle of the Clan-na-Gael So
ciety, and that there is not now, nor has
there ever been, an inner circle, Il second
circle or any subdivision of said Camp 20
OF said society, nor was Il committee ever
appointed by said camp to try any al
legged charge against DIR. Cronin, to the
knowledge of this relator, and certainly
not during the time in which this relator
acted as senior guard, which was for
II long time prior to the 4th OF May, 1853,
and this relator says that it is not true, as
stated in the anonymous letter that he
appointed committee of seven, con-
sisting OF l.. X. Buckley, Harry
Jordan, Dennis O'Connor, John
O'Malley, John F. O'Maney, Thomas
Murphy and Daniel CoughlIn, or any
other persons, for the purpose of trying
any charges preferred against Croniu or
any person; that it is not true that said
committee or any other committee ever
investigated, to the knowledge of this
relator, any charges preferred against the
said Cronin in Camp 20 at any time what
ever, and that such facts could not have
existed for long time prior to May 4
without this REALTORS knownedge. Where
fore, this relator states that all of the
material facts IN the anonymous commun-
ication which, as he believes, was used as
the sole preteXt for his Indictment are I'M
true in fact and cannot be sustained by any
proof whatsoever.
The state attorney having stated that he
did not desire at the present time to make
public his case, Beggs offers to have the
hearing take place in private. Judge Hor-
ton agreed to hear arguments on the petit
tion tomorrow.