New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-05-29
THE IRISH ASSASSINATION.

Tho opening of the Cronin inquest enables
tho Chicago police to furnish some of the re-
srI.. of a months detective work. -Four al
Iooed accompIices in the murder are under ar
rest and one of them is vaguely reported TO
have made clean breast Of his connection with
the conspiracy and TO have implicated numerous
Irish Americans of the Clan Gael. Tho
local factions which have been struggling to
obtain control of the Chicago branches of that
organization are taking advantage OF con-
venient opportunity for accusing prominent
members Of completely in the crime and for
foung their regulations. The air is thick
with rumOrs, cOnjectures and treachery the
amateur detectives of the press are indefati-
gable in starting new theories and working up
false scents in every direction; and there is an
importunate public demand for the arrest OF
a large number of suspects The inquest will
probably demonstrate that the police, while
they have got on the trail of the assassins, arc
largely dependent upon the confessions Of ac-
complices for evidence that may lead to the
identification Of the leaders in this atrocious
plot They are apparently acting upon the
theory that if they only wait long enough and
make an ostentatious pretence OF having the
whole case at their fingers ends, two or three
conspirators will be terribly frightened and be-
tray their associates.
The murderers of Dr. Cronin have leopard
lied the interests Of the Irish American so
cieties very much as the Phoenix Park asSas-
sins brought rcproach upon the island and dis
credited the Home Rule cause The lnvincibles
were few in number-a secret cabal OF des-
peradoes with Carey, treacherous Dublin
politician Of low repute Mt their head. Their
crime was an act Of insane folly for which tho
real leaders Of the Irish agitation were not in
the slightest degree responsible yet the burden
of the ill-timed and dastardly assassination Of
the two Secretaries had to be carried for long
time by the Irish people and their representa-
tives. A dozen debaSed intiguers arrogated
to themselves the supreme power Of intervening
with their blood stained knives in a crisis Of
the Home Rule cause when Mr.. Parnell had be-
come master Of the situation and coercion was
apparently doomed. They alone were respon-
sible for their monstrous crime; but Ireland
was disgraccd and Inundated, and the Home
Rule leaders were rendered p0werless for a
season. In like manner, il Is probable that the
number of conspirators in the Chicago murder
did not exceed half dozen, and that those who
had been antagonzing DR.. CrOnn in the Can
na-Gacl, to say nothing Of the leaders Of tho
National League, were not in the slightest way
connected with the crime; yet the reputation
of all organized Irish movements in America
will be disastrouSly affected by the blood
outlines of a handful Of irresponsible dcS-
peradocS. UnioniSt journals in England arc
already glOating over the details Of the murder
rs corroboIatiye proofs Of their own crude
theories respecting the essential depravity Of
Irish character and the cTininalty OF National
list agencies and organizations, especially in
America
The Clan ma Gael and Irish-Amcricans gen
orally can and d. discIaim sympathy with muir
der conspiracicS like this in Chicago. They
may denourcc the crime and dcplore the cvi-
dcnccs Of disscnsion. faction fcud and trcach.
cry disclosed by their associates; but they
cannot readily restore the prestige and rcputo
Of the cause which has been betrayed and
fouled by murdcrers. Americans have been
outSpoken in their sympathy for every leGlu-
mate effort whether here or in the United
Kingdom 10 arm Ireland with the rights and
privileges Of self. government; but they must
always cordcmn assassination plots and afro
cious Cutragr-, whether in Phoenix Park or
Chicago. and be rpellcd by evidences OF in
hercnt boodthrN and trcachory in the lowest
phases Of Irish character