The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-01-09
ELEVEN TO ONE.
HOW CULVER HUNG THE JURY IN THE
CRONIN CASE.

HOW CULNE II HUNG IN 4 y UNI IN Inn
CRONIN CASE.
He Saved the Neoks of CoughlIn, O'sulli
van and Burke, But Had Hot Time Do
ing so-Secrets ofthe Jury's Deliberations
Finally Made Public-Culver Was obsti-
nate, Even 20 the Point of Imbecility.
The first authentic story of how Juror
Culver acted during the time the jury
was bslloting ON the fate of the Cronin
murderers, has just been made public
through the medium of one OF the news
papers, 1t is a startling recital, and
NAV result disastrously to the pious
Evanston man. When the twelve men
began their deliberations they discussed
the evidence and the conduct Of the wit
nesses on the witness stand. Then
ballot was taken as to the guilt or inno-
cence of the prisoners. Eleven men
promptly voted that Burke, Coughlln,
O'Sullivan and Kunze were guilty.
Juror Culuer alone voted mot guilty.
The result of the vote created conster'
nation in the room. Culver alone was
undisturbed, His eleven colleagues
looked at him aghast. Foreman Clark
arose from the table and paced the floor
| in a passion. 1t was evident that which
was most feared had been realized.
Culver had long been suspected by the
rest of the Jurors. He had been grumb
ling because of the police surveillance
over him, and had been making startling
admissions to his colleagues. Before the
gas was lighted another ballot was
taken. This was on the question wheth-
er DIR. Cronsin was killed in the Carlson
cottage. Eleven of the jurors balloted
that the lonely cottage, with its blood
stained walls and floors, bad been the
scene of the murder. Culver, however.
declared that the state had not satisfac
torily associated the cottage with the
tragedy.
A turbulent scene followed. Eleven
men stood before Culver and demanded
an explanation, but Culver intensified
the bitterness against him by remaining
silent, This was the last ballot taken Cd
Friday night. After the result OF the
second vote had been announced Culver
pleaded WEAKNESS and asked for a cot.
| His colleagues stormed about the room
and refused to go to bed. Finally Culver
stretched himself out on plank and be
gan to pray in loud voice, During his
\ supplicatIon he was the tragedy for vol
ley after volley of interrogatories but be
paid no heed to them. When Saturday
morning came the obdurate juror caused
the storm to break out afresh by declar-
ing that Martin Burke, the fugitive as
sassin, had not been identified as the
Frank Williams who rented the Carlson
cottage. In making this declaration
Culver ignored the testimony of five per
sons who had identified. the young Clan
ma, Gael as the renter of the cottage.
The result of this vote was more than
the eleven could stand. They gathered
in one corner of the room and wrote a
series of questions on a slip OF paper.
These were subsequently read to Culver.
In substance they were as follows:
/. Is it not a fact that you came into
the jury room with the determination to
force disagreement
2. If not, how do you explain the
fact that you told one of the jurors dur.
ing the first days of the trial that you
we're prepared to discount almost any
evidence that the state might introduce
3. How do you explain the fact that
you said to two jurors that Mrs. ConkllD
was an immoral woman, and that it
made your flesh creep when she came
near you?
How do you explain the fact that
you told juror, during the second week
of the trial, that the jury would stand
II to II
8. Will you say that your determine
ton to sue the county for damages has
not influenced your verdict?
6. Is it not fact that you told Juror
Bontecou that the state wouldn't make
anything by treating you as it had done ?
These questions and many others were
read to Culver as he sat at the table. He
made no reply. Beads of perspiration
coursed down his face and he trembled
violently. With great effort he finally
arose to his feet and started toward the
door, but was quickly restrained by his
colleagues. All through the trial Culver
had uttered threats against the county,
which he had declared he would sue be.
cause of his shabby treatment as juror.
He as much as admitted that he would
not believe the testimony OF the state,
and from his utterance it was learned
that he was particularly hostile to Will
liam j. Hynes, who was assisting State's
Attorney LongenecBer, and who once in
civil case had occasion to cross-exam-
inc the Evanston man very sharply.
From the start Culver refused to believe
anything. The same arguments he had
used during the trial 1t was noticed had
been employed by Mr.. Forrest in his ad
dress to the jury, and it was also RENE n
bered hat the shrewd attorney in his
speech had talked almost exclusively to
Culver. The Evanston man was not sat
lsfied that the doctor had been murder
ed, and then, too. he was not convinced
that the body taken from the catch basin
was that of Cronin. Culyer's fellow
jurors at last became too exasperated to
remain seated. They pounded the table
and in loud voices read the states evil
dence, which was conclusive on all these
points. But Culver still remained con-
tumacious. He even refused to listen
to the reading of the judges instructions.
This aroused Foreman Clarke, and he fol-
lowed Culver around the room until the
latter, becoming frightened, opened the
door and called to BAilIff Santa to send
an officer to prot ct him.
The door was quickly closed, and Gull
yer fell on his knees and began to pray
again. His colleagues were in no pray
ing mood, however, and they banged
the table and created such an uproar
that Culver arose and resumed his
march around the room. The eleven
men followed him with imprecf tioDs
and pleadings. Finally Culver grew so
weak that he called three of the jurors
into one corner and offered to vote Cough.
lin, Burke and O'Sullivan guilty. pro-
viding Kunze and Beggs were acquitted.
The proposition was rejected. Then
Culver, who had not the strength to re-
main longer on his feet, fell down and
was soon asleep. The rest of the jurors.
who had not slept for nearly As hours,
followed his example. When morning
came ballot was taken. 1t resulted ::
Guilty. Not guilty
beRgS .....s'''''''s'..... go. OIL
Cougnlln. ....-...'....,.......l IL VI
OSnlIvan ....... ....-..... ~ o
Burke. ..'..'.............E vi
hunze ....... ...........'...... Al
As soon as Culver heard of the result
he flew into passion. He charged his
colleagues with violating their agree
meDt of the previous night but they
denied that they had agreed to acquit
Beggs and Kunze. When he became