Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-05-29
CRONIN'S MURDERERS.
Black, alias Woodruff, Tells
the Whole Story
ICE-MAN SULLIVAN WAS IN IT
More Men are Implicated and the
Draw-net of the Law will
Drag them Ashore,

CHICAGO, May 2S.-The most sensa.
tional development, 80 far, in the inves-
tigation of the Cronin case, was an
nounced late tonight in the shape OF a
new confession by Black, alias Woodruff, =,
in which he tells the whole story of his
connection with DIR. Cronin's murder. 1t
seems that he was not directly connected
with the murder itself, but simply acted as
the driver OF the wagon which disposed
of the dead mans body. Woodruff
has been taken by Captain Setback and
his men to the scene of the murder, to
the sewer where the body was found,
and the place where the trunk was first
seen. He gave driving directions to the
detectives, and in every instance located
the exact places. According to hi con-
fession, he was directed by those who
had charge of that part OF the con-
spiracy, and whose names Captain
Schaak reserves, for reasons that are
palpable, to go to Deans livery stable,
where he would obtain a horse and
wagon. He was instructed to drive
the outfit to the neighborhood
of the Carlson cottage ana also knew for
what purpose he WAS to go there. He
arrived at the cottage about twenty
minutes before DR.. Cronin was driven
up. Three-quarters of an hour after DR..
Cronin entered the cottage the man
who is known rs Williams opened the
front door of the cottage and signalled
Woodruff, who at once drew up. AS
sisted by a third man, the trunk WAS
loaded into the wagon and Woodruff
directed to drive eastward to the lake.
At a certain point, which Woodruff has
designated to Captain Shsack, the trunk
would have been deposited in the
lake had not an interruption come
in the shape of the approach Of
a policeman. This caused change Of
plans, and immediate steps were taken to
get out OF the officer's way. A circuitous
route finally brought them again to the
Evanston road and ,as they had been now
driving for nearly an hour
with their ghsstly load, one Of
the men suggested the sewer. They
stopped at Fifty-ninth street The top
was taken from the manhole and the
trunk lifted from the wagon. 1t was i'm
possible to put the trunk into the man
hole, so, as the key had been lost. the
top was kicked in, the body put in
the sewer, and the trunk again placed
in the wagon. They then started again
for the cottage, intending there to burn
the trunk, but, on reaching the spot
where the trunk was found, they heard 3
noise of wagon wheels, and, throwing the
trunk out of the wagon, drove rapidly in
another direction.
At Fullerton avenue Woodruff's COM
panions bade him good night and left
him.
The remainder of the confession is de-
voted to Woodruff's wanderings in the
attempt to sell the horse and wagon. He
also states that there is nothing in the
woman story first told by him. The
names of King and Fsirburn were those
of two old friends which occurred to him
at the time of his first story. They had
nothing whatever to do with the case.
Before the grand jury, today, the con-
nection of ice-man Sullivan with the
Cronin mystery was made al
most absolute. Old man Carlson.
that the man who called himself Frank
Williams, and rented the cottage. went
over to Sullivan, the ice-man, and talked
familiarity with him. AS the Goth Of
April approached and rent day was COM
ing near, Carlston thought it strange that
the tenant did not occupy the premises.
He stepped over to Sullivan, spoke of the
tenants queer conduct, and remarked
that he felt somewhat anxious about the
rent. Sullivan told him Williams was
all right and would pay. Sullivan in his
previous statements to the police denied
knowing Williams.
CHICAGO, May 2S.-Detective Daniel
Coughlin, Patrick O'Sullivan, the ice
man; and Frank J. Black, alias Wood.
ruff, were indicted by the Grand Jury
this evening, for the murder of DR..
Cronin. This result was reached after
an investigation which began at noon,
and lasted several hours, during which
two dozen witnesses were examined and
mass of evidence considered. The
three prisoners were included in one in
dictment, to which there we're three
counts, one charging them with the kill.
ing of DR.. Cronin with a blunt instru.
ment. the second alleging the use of a
sharp instrument, and the third ''instru-
ments and means unknown"
No evidence was introduced to prove
conspiracy, and DR.. Cronin's private pa
pers were not placed before the Grand
Jury. The witnesses who were called
were those whose stories have been told
in the press. States Attorney Long
enecker thought it advisable to tighten
the coils into which the three prisoners
had already been drawn, and fasten them
with indictments, probably to prevent
any attempt to secure the release of one
or more of them on bail. The Grand
Jury only took one vote after hearing
the witnesses, and that was unanimous
for indicting all three prisoners. States
Attorney Longenecker said tonight that
no mention of the Clan-na-Gael affairs
had been made in the jury room. The
charge OF conspiracy and DIR. Cronin's
papers will be taken up later, probably
before another grand jury.
CHICAGO, May 28.-The Times, in a late
edition this morning, prints the state
ment that P. O'Sullivan made full con-
fession, and has given the police the
names ofevery one he knew to be impli-
Gated in the murder of Cronin. Sullivan
was .atly trapped. Day after day he
has been subjacted to the questioning of
officers. Day after day he lied. The
police pumped sullivan Thursday. He
contraulcted himself frequently. Then
they gave him enough truth to show
they knew more than he thought they
did. Next day Sullivan changed his
tune, and more contradictions followed.
This lying continued until yesterday,
when he decided to tell the truth.
In the presence of Mayor Baldenweck,