Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1892-12-15
Another OF DR.. Cronin's SIayers
Dies in a Prison.

to Joliet prison for completely IN the
famous murder Of Dr. Patrick Gro
mn of Chicago, died at the penitenti-
airy in Joliet December of quick
consumptI on. His death was not I'M
expected, as he had been sinking rap
idly for some time.
When Burke first entered the peni-
tentiary in January, 1890, he was
placed In the cooper shop. He re-
manned there until last summer,
when he contracted a severe cold,
which steadily grew worse and ne
cessitated his change to lighter work
After a short period in the shoe shop
he went to the idle room for three
weeks and afterwards was removed to
the hospital, quick consumption hav-
ing developed Since his entry to
the hospital Burke has steadily de-
clined, and DR.. Frederick. who made
a complete examination of his con-
dition, expressed the opinion that he
could not live more than a week. His
end, however, came quite sudden.
As he was sitting talking one even
ing to a convict nurse about his case
he referred to the examination made
by DR.. FrederIcks and said: well,
1 guess it is all up; it's all right any
way" After some further converse
ton he reverted to his own approach
ing death and said: IF die l want
Forrest to come down and take my
body to my folks" Forrest is the
attorney who conducted Burke's de-
tense, and has since his incarceration
In prison kept up work on appeals to
the supreme court. Burke had hardly
uttered these words when his head
fell forward and after one or two
gasps life was extinct There was no
hemorrhage, no struggle, the vital
spark simply went out.
Burk was aware that his end was
near at hand. Father Daniel of ms
city came early in the morning to see
him and after talking with the sur
geon and with Burke administered
the last sacrament of the church to
the dying man. The prison officers
say he has never spoken one word in
regard to the Cronin murder He
has been uniformly friendly with all
the attendants and talked freely on
all questions except that. When that
subject was preached he would reso-
luteIy decline to talk. He had but
few visitors. His attorney, Forrest,
has been here several times and his
brother-in-law of Chicago, has also
visited him regularly. MIR. Conway
his brother-in-law, was notified of his
death, which occurred at SIT, anC
went down on the late train. He vii
take the body to Chicago.
When the news of his coming deatl
was first made public last month
every means was resorted to to secure
confession from him which WoulC
lift the blood stained curtain from thu
Cronin murder mystery and revea
the inner workings of the deadly con
spiracy. He had always maintained
his sentence WAS an injustice and 1
did not lie in his power to place tn
crime upon those who should be bur
dened with it. He was frequentl,
visited by Father Daniel, who wa
greatly interested in the case. Th
priest, however, asserts that never il
his hearing did the deceased refer t
the Cronin case. He eagerly we
coined the visits of Father Daniel
and apparently took great interest
religion, but it would seem that b
has departed this life without reveal
vealing any of the knowledge he Ut
doubtedly possessed concerning tn
murder of the Irish agitator.
The disposition of the body 1t
thought will be left to his sister.
OF those sent to prison for the mu
der only one remains, the ex-dete
tive. Dan Coughlin. He IS hale an
hearty and Is working hard ever
day. He was visibly affected whe
informed of Burke's death, followe
so soon upon that of O'Sulllvan's, Il
partner in crime, but made no COZ
ment.
Remarkable has been the unhapl
fate of several of the alleged actors
the Cronin murder. Eight of the
are now dead; one is a helpless cri