The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1889-12-20

Mills IN most COM SSS&l
plimentary terms, ~
nd announced gSSSE WY
!. ] j. ]. j. !. ]. J. !" ! j. !. !. ] !.
Mr.. Mills could la w
not speak on ac-
count of illness.
Judge Longeneck- Y.TSNNIA ID
er said: In ordi- -EsEfAld lSl lssf A
nary cases the at Ss5kZa3 ri N*95S.
torney for the de- VsaI33 NJ
fense makes a <~>VEZI IN I
statement of the Judge Longenecker.
story or grounds of the defense of
the accused. The statement is made
either just after the opening of the
State or at the close of the testimony
for the State and before the beginning
of the testimony on behalf of de-
fense. This was not done in
this case. From the time this
case was opened until the last days,
when one of the learned counsel for the
defense made a three-day's speech, did
you as jurors know what the theory of
the defense was Why, that there was a
gigantic conspiracy on the part of the
State to hang these defendants. And
the attorney for this defense thought so
much of this line of argument for his
clients that he used it as a thread
through his whole speech. Why, he
charged me, your States attorney, and
the people of this great State, with con-
spring to murder, to hang innocent
men. Do you believe it? Do you be-
lieve that l would consent to trump up
charges against these men, to lead them
to the gallows, knowing they were false
charges Why, if l should do that
1 ought to be dragged out by
the citizens and hanged to lamp post,
without court or jury. They claim that
back of the prosecution stands the op-
posing faction of the Clan-na-GaeI urg-
ing the conviction of these men. Why,
gentlemen, the very men who belonged
to the camp which DR.. Cronin organized
were against the prosecution and all the
Clan-na-Gael witnesses were from
the camp from which come these
prisoners. Do you think 1 would put on
a witness whose story did not believe?
Do you believe would fix up story to
hang these men? Gentlemen, before
God l had rather have my arms torn
from my body than to engage in such
villainy."
81 believe it, said a juror (soto
voce) Eyes, you must believe it, "
cried the States attorney. Because
it's Gods truth
''Do you believe that this big-hearted
Irishman," pointing to Mr.. Hynes
''whose voice and whose hand has al
ways been ready to help the down-trod-
den, would be guilty of such deviltry?"
Referring to Mr.. Fosters statement
that Mr.. Ingham was too honest to
charge Beggs with completely in this
crime, the States Attorney said Mr..
Foster made a day and a half speech,
but in all of it he did not say one word
in reference to the case against John f.
Beggs. He talked about the smoke
stacks, and mills, and looms of Ireland
having been idle for centuries, but moth
ing about his clients innocence. ''Mr.
Fosters remarks,'' said the States At
torney, ''were an indirect charge of
dishonesty against myself and the
other counsel engaged to assist me. Mr..
Fosters speech was mainly Mr. Foster
and not much Mr.. Beggs. We are not
| trying these men as Irishmen nor as
Clan-na-Gaels. We are trying them as
men indicted for murder. Mr.. Foster
said that DIR. Cronin was not an angel
while he was alive at least; the other is
not questioned-and he said that this
| big-hearted Irishman, Mr.. Hynes,
was dynamiter. That is not
true. This big Irishman, like DIR.
Cronin, has always protested against
the use of dynamite. Cronin was not a
| dynamiter, and he was condemned only
| by the dynamite faction of the Clan-na-
Gael. The theory of the State is, and
always has been, that the murder of DR..
Cronin was caused by a conspiracy which
originated in Camp 20. There has not
/ been particle of evidence here to con-
tradict this theory. 1t is claimed by the
| learned counsel that no proof had been
shown that committee had been ap-
| pointed in Camp 20 to investigate DR..
| Cronin. But Beggs had said that the
| committee should report to him alone as
| senior guardian.
Mr.. Longenecker then referred to the
/ testimony regarding the meeting OF
| Camp 20, February 8. There was no one
/ else outside of the Clan-ns-Gae1 who
1 had an enmity toward DIR. Cronin. He
was making trouble for the Trianglei
| he was making trouble for the men
/ who were robbing the organization.
| DIR. Cronin was called a spy; the Clan
4 na-Gael men had hatred of spies
they believed they had a right to kill
spies, and they thought that any mar
/ who was a traitor to the cause should be
/ killed. tt was easy for the Triangle tC
convince their dupes-if these men are
dupes-that Cronin was spy; but ever
/ then it became necessary that some pro
i ceedings should be taken in the camp K
/ Justify further commands to remove DR.
1 Cronin.
If Beggs is an educated man and nc
mans dupe, as Mr.. Foster said, then h'
is awful guilty. He started the machin
cry Of this conspiracy in motion, and diC
his share just the same as Martin Burke
The letters between Beggs and Spell
man were commented on by the State
Attorney, who said that the letters re
ferred plainly and admittedly to DR.
Cronin as one who was constantly open
ing old sores and to whom punishment
must come eventually