The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-24
DR.. CRONIN'S MURDER.
FRANK WOODRUFF HAS OTHER
STORIES TO TELL.
He Confuses and Mystifies the Authori-
ties With His Equivocai stories--The
Coroner Impanels Jury But Takes
no Action.

this trunk mystery in iorty-eight hours,
and when you clear that up you clear up
the Cronin mystery"
This is what Frank Woodruff, or Black,
as he sometimes calls himself, said to a re-
porter last night in the County Jail, where
he is prisoner. When asked TO explain
his statement that the body in the trunk
was that OF woman and that DR.. Cronin
was at the barn when he got the trunk,
Woodruff said: "When the trunk was
carted away there was man called Doc
in the barn. OF course, do not pretend
TO be positive that it was woman's body
in the trunk"
"The Doctors body was wrapped in cot
ton when found, and the body in the trunk
was wrapped in cotton. Besides, the
| trunk was found within stones throw OF
where the Doctors body was found. How
does that strike you rs a refutation OF your
theory"
| For several moments cunning Mr.. Wood
ruff remained silent, stroking his very thin
mustache and putting his cigar. well,
II looks odd, and don't believe the body
is that Of Cronin," he said desperately.
But it is the doctors-proved 80 be-
yond doubt"
81 can clear the trunk mystery up in
forty-eight hours" said Woodruff, "and
when / do that / clear up the Cronin
mystery. The two are identical"
'Why do you say that?' asked the re-
porter.
because know il. | won't give my
reasons but | know 1t. II the police had
acted on my suggestions and not thought
me liar the whole affair would have been
cleared up week ago. III admit that
know more than | have thus far told OF
this whole business but il | do tell all
know and the officers run 1t down I'll still
DO held for horse stealing"
The reporter here suggested that the
friends OF the doctor would see him
through this horse stealing business il he
would clear up this Cronin mystery. Per
haps they would" Woodruff answered,
slowly, "and I'll tell you what I'll do. II
the police will send two men dressed as
citizens to accompany me on my investiga-
tons, leaving me apparently free, | II agree
10 turn up such evidence az will clear the
mystery in forty-eight hours. | ask for no
reward except my liberty. | maintain
that II the body found was that Of Cronin
lac must have been killed later than the
date on which / hauled the trunk. A
close examination OF the body will no
doubt reveal this"
Woodruff said all this very slowly
and seemed rs though making up and
weighing carefully every word he uttered.
One OF the strongest points against the
prisoner was his description Of DR.. Cronin.
Ii was in fact the only accurate description
furnished OF the Doctor when last seen.
When Woodruff stated that the man he
claimed was the Doctor wore goatee, the
friends OF Dr. Cronn laughed at the state
ment and said the Doctor never wore a
goalee. Yet when the body was found
yesterday there was goatee OF only iow
weeks growth.
The conclusion Is drawn by the reporter
that II Woodruff had not seen DIR. Cronin
before the night OF his mysterious disap'
= pearancc he must have had careful look
at him that night, that the appearance Of q
dead person IL apt 10 impress one most
, wildly, and that when lac described the
man nc the barn called doc" II Is proba.
= bic that Woodruff had a good view Of the
? Doctors corpse.
o II was rumorcd on good authority earl,
! this morning that an arrest had been mad,
OF a confederate OF Woodruff, who Is be,
liovcd TO have been implicated IN tn,
4 murder OF DIR. Cronin. The police author
/ tiles aro extremely rciicent about the mat
ter and would neither affirm nor contra
: diet the rumor.
, II was also stated that another arrest
4 would be made today Further examina
l ton this morning goes TO strengthen th,
/ theory that Il was the body of Cronin, anS
! not that OF woman, which was carried II
! the trunk. In addition 10 establishing thi
fact that the hair found in the trunk cor
=, responded with that OF Cronin; that tn
!, cotton batting found in the trunk and tina
found with :the body correspond, 1t la
|. been shown that the the towel wrappe,
: around the head coffesponded closely will
, a shred OF stuff found in the trunk.
= still remains TO connect the fragment o
: cloth clutched In the dead mans han,
a with the piece from which IL was torn.
a Ialer-Col. W. T.. Rend arrived at ia,
!. station and was taken into the morgue
, The moment Mr.. Rcnd saw the corpse h,
a exclaimed, THAT is Cronin." lie closely
h examined the body and said: There Is N
n doubt about IL now. That Is the body q
DIR. Cronin-the victim Of a most foul an
awful murder. can lay my hand upo
the head OF the man that instigatcd IN
crime. can point him out and make N
n mistake" Mr.. Rond was questioned abou
this statement, but would only say that a
-o he knew he would tel tho lato'saIiorney
Half an hour later States Auorno
> longcncckcr and two OF his assistants al
u rived. Judge Longcnccker first examine
b. the bloody trunk aud tho corpse Of ID
10 Ctonin and was then closeiod for an hou
4, with Mr.. Rend. After tho consultalio
a the gentlemen would say no moro tina
~ that several arrests would surely be mad
H. this afternoon. by noon today over y
~ persons had Identified the body as that ,
p Crouin.
"A The coroner this afternoon impanoled
ii Jury TO make an investigation into u
:, cause Of the death, aud then adjoufne
II the hearing I'LL next Tuesday, pending d
T. result OF Investigations bv the police.
@a
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