Mower County transcript., 1890-01-22
I" OVER THE ROAD.

1 s5fE - 10 g
coughltn, O'su!livan and Burke Begin
Their Life Sentences at Jel;et-Judxee
| Mcconnell Overrules the Motion or DR..
Cronin's Murderers for : New Trial,
Passes Sentence Upon Them, and They
Arc 1T Onoe Taken to Prison - Kunxe
Has Better Luck, and II Granted . Re-
| hearing, with q Strong Prospect Of Lib
| erty. ..& II
CHICAGO, Jan. 15.--Yesterday after
hoon Judge Mcconnell over-ruled the
motion of Daniel Coughlin, Patrick
OSullivan and Martin Burke, convicted
of the murder Of DR.. Cronin, for new
trial, and sentenced them to lifelong
penal servitude. The motion Of John
P. Kunze for new trial was granted.
The three murderers were taken to
Joliet at Q o'clock.
Judge Wing and Attorney Donahoe
made arguments for new trial
before Judge Mcconnell yesterday.
The States Attorney did not re-
ply to them. Judge Mcconnell in
= brief speech reviewed the reasons ad-
vanced by counsel for the defense in
support Of the motion for new
trial. His honor said he could see no
cause in the grounds set forth by the
counsel why he should interfere with
the finding OF the jury. He thought
the trial had been fair, and, upon re-
viewing his rulings, he could discover
no material error. He then formally
overruled the motion for a new trial.
States Attorney Longenecker asked
that sentence be Immediately pro-
nounced on the four convicts. Counsel
for the defense entered the customary
motion in arrest of Judgment, which
Judge Mcconnell overruled.
And then, for the first time during the
trial, the voices of the prisoners were
heard in their own behalf ''Does the
defendant Daniel Coughlin desire to say
any thing or give any reason why sent
ence should not be pronounced on him?"
asked the court.
A silence that was deathlike in it's in
tensity followed this question of the
court. and every eye was fixed on the
prisoner Coughlin as he rose to his feet
and grasping the back of his lawyers
chair said:
* our Honor, am l00Oce0t, i nave been
convicted by perjury"
| Before the full meaning of the brief
speech had been grasped the Judge had
addressed the prisoner O'Sullivan, and
had asked if he wished to say any thing.
Advancing to a vacant place between
Messrs. Forrest and Wing. the convict
OSullivan steadied himself by leaning
on the table, and began to address the
court. He said:
III your honor please have not got much to
say, but what have to say is this. have to
protest my innocence before God and man, and
think the day is not far distant when shall
be acquitted Of this crime was con-
victed by prejudice, by perjury, by
, newspaper report and by popular
clamor I want it understood that am not
pleading for mercy, neither do piead for SYM
pathy. I am pleading for justice. and Justice
I have not had. If I am a guilty man, the
State has not had justice, and il am innocent,
thave not had justice. That is all I have to
say"
Before the audience had time to CON-
ment on the extraordinary speech hy
O'Sullivan, which appeared in greatef
contrast by reason of its superiority of
logical argument over any thing that
had been said for him by his counsel,
Martin Burke had risen to his feet and
was addressing the court. Said he:
II am innocent, your honor always knew
that in England they put perjured witnesses on
the stand, but never thought it was done in
america"
Judge Mcconnell ordered the four
prisoners to arise. They did so, and the
court then pronounced sentence on them
in accordance with the verdict of the
jury. Patrick O'Sullivan, Daniel Cough
lin and Martin Burke were sent to i'm
prisonment during the term of their nat
ural lives. Kunze was granted a new
trial.
Mr.. Forrest took an exception to the
courts action in deciding the motion
for new trial without giving the time
asked for in which to prepare his argu-
ments The prisoners attorneys gave
notice that an appeal to the Supreme
Court would be taken, and the court al
lowed them time in which to file their
bill of exceptions.
The prisoners were taken back to Jail,
but minute later Kunze was brought
back at the request of his counsel, Mr..
Donohoe, who wanted to make a motion
to admit him to bail. Judge Longe-
necker opposed it, and then wanted the
bail put at $40, 600, but Judge Mcconnell
fixed it at SIS, 900. He would have dis
charged him, he said. if there were no
new evidence against him, but the States
Attorney had informed him there was
some. Judge Longenecker intimated
that If they let Kunze stay in Jail few
days he might conclude not to bring
him to trial at all, but let him CO. He
promised to let the court and counsel
know this week and accordingly no ef-
fort will be made to get Kunze out on
bail in the meantime.
The proper papers were made out, and
the prisoners were taken to Joliet at .
o'clock p m.
JOLIET, ILL.,, Jan. 15.--The train that
carried Martin Burke, Dan Coughlin
and Patrick O'Sullivau to Joliet drew
up at the prison station at 1880 6clock
Tuesday night. The prisoners were
taken at once to the warden's Office, and
Sheriff Matson formally delivered them
20 that official. just as the party
Warden Berggren bustled out like the