Omaha daily bee., 1889-08-23
STORY OF THE TIN BOX.
1t Promises to Shed a Flood of Light
on the CrunIn Mystery.

III RFCmtScS tO Sneu u FIOOu OA htHuo
on the CronIn Mystery.
CHICAGO, August 22.--The story of the tin
box, in which it is supposed the clothes of
DIR. Cronn were to have been transported to
England, has brought to the surface new and
startling evidence. The disclosure Is start
ling because of the exactness with which it
fits to the leading facts In the great Cronn
murder mystery, and because of the fact
that it is the first time that an inKling of the
main point in the case which the state has
made against John F. Beggs has leaked out
1t was known that John F. Beggs was SEN
ior guardian of Camp No. 20, that he was
the friend and protege of Alex. Sullivan,
that he disliked DR.. Cronin and that it was
rumored that he appointed committee of
Camp No. 20 to try Cronin for treason to the
cause of Ireland All this was known, but
all of this was not alone sufficient to pro-
cure the conviction of Beggs Us an accessory
either before or after the fact in the mur-
der of Cronin, but was sufficient evidence
upon which to base even an indictment oy
the grand jury. Beggs was not only indicted
by the grand jury, but the state has all
along declared itself ready to go on with
the trial on the charge of murder
The. main features in the case of Beggs
are these: Just one week before DR..
Crorins body was found, John
f. Beggs and Dennis Ward. the latter
one of the most prominent members of
the Irish republican club, started on a tour
east. They visited Washington and other
points on their way, and finally reached New
York. Beggs was supposed to be on a tour
as collecting agent for Ward of a number of
debts in the east, but, if the story is true, he
had other business in the east as well. In
New York one of the first men who met and
received Beggs, and whom he held u con-
sultation with, was Bill Starkey, the alb
soon der, and an intimate friend of Long, the
fakir Beggs didn't know that his move
ments were watched, but they were Dick
Powers, of Chicago, accidentally got onto the
fact that Beggs and Starlsey were in con-
sultation with each other, and had the men
shadowed. Inspector Byrnes telegraphed to
States Attorney Longenecker, asking
whether he wanted Starkey arrested in con-
nection with the Cronin case, ana, there
being no connection between Starkey and
the case known to anyone outside the con-
spiratorS at the time, Mr.. Longenecker an :
swered in the negative, but there happened
to be another man in New York just about
this time who knew both Beggs aud Starkey,
and he is in position to de-
clare on oath, If he is not pre-
vented by consideratons-of personal safety,
that Reggs and Starkey had made every
necessary preparation to take an ocean liner
for Paris the very day that DIR. Cronin's
dead body was discovered in the Lake View
sewer. The theory of the prosecution is
that the box soldered up by order of Martin
Burke on North Clark street contained the
clothes of the murdered man, and these
clothes, box and all, were among the baggage
OF the two men who were about to sail for
Europe. All attempts to trace that baggage
from New York have proved futile thus far,
but the search has not yet been given up.
The theory of the prosecution IL that
Cronln was to have been "seen" IN Paris by
Beggs and shortly after his clothes were to
have been found on the banks of the Thames
in London, and the theory given to the world
would be that he was on his way to testify
before the Times commission, and was re-
moved as traitor and spy. Day by day
The story of the tin box is the latest link in
the chain of evidence, and it brings the proof
stronger than ever home that Beggs is tool
of the great conspiracy. Starkey may be
needed in Chicago within the next few weeks.
1t may be interesting to note that Captain
Mackey Lomasney, one of the most fearless
agents of the explosive policy of the triangle.
used to carry explosives over from Chicago
in tin boxes just the size and shape of that
presented to Klahre by Burke. In his name,
It'll said, a large claim was made against the
funds of the organization of the triangle, and
Lomasney himself suddenly disappeared,
His clothes were found on the banks Of the
Thames not far from Charing Cross. How
they came there has never yet been ex-
planned. He had grown TO dislike the tin box
system and on several Of his latest trips he
carried his dynamite concealed in massive
gilt and ornamented picture frames. When
he reached London he usually established a
picture frame shop and carried on operations
from the headquarters thus established.