The Helena independent., 1893-12-23
SAW WCONSP|RATORSM MEET
Mrs. Andrew Foy's Testimony In
tho Trial Of detective Cough
lin.
Prisoner Talked With Her Hus-
band Of the Killing Of DR..
Cronin.
DsEendant-HerT Testimony UsshakAn
ON Cross Exam . stlon.

CHICAGO Dec. 22.-Pals and evidently II
great fear, Mrs. Andrew Foy appeared on
tbs witness stand at the opening Of the
Coughlin trial this morning with . police
man near to guard her against hahn. which
has bssn daskly thrsatsnsd. The defense
objsetsd 70 her testimony. ON the ground
that evidence by . wife calculated to impli-
cate her husband In crimo 10 incompetent.
Tho understanding was that she would tell
Of a series of meetings st her honss. ~
which Couahiin was rscssnizsd by all %
tho leader. and that her husband after.
wards confessed that at these meetings the
plot was formed which led to Dr.. Cronin's
murder. and that her husband took part II
the plot and was present shortly after the
murder was committed.
Judge TuthiIl finally decided TO admit
Mrs. Foy's testimony, her evidence TO be
confined to what she saw and to Whist she
said to any one of the oonspirato'a The
examination then proossdsd amid the most
profound attention ON tho part Of the an
dience. which nlled the room, ana with
constant objections from the defense.
Her story In substance 10 10 follows: che
knew Couahlin, Martin Burke and Patrick
Cronip, all Of whom had besn at her house.
Coughlis appeared there hfss in March or
Apsil, 1889. He 7isited her husband several
timss and they talked in whispers During
one Of these visits she surprised her hus-
bnnd and Conahlin. The latter was Esad-
ing letter aioud. She caught the words:
"Rsmovs him at oil hazards. but uss your
discre ton" @ast&
The witness then told Of two visits OF
Coughlin. Al which he and her husband
| held whispered conversations, always with
the doors closed. Martin Burke also Wis
tied hor husband and talked with him in
private. He oame again the night OF May
6, 1889. two days after the Cronin murder.
This testimony was bitterly fought BY
the defsnse. but the court decided to admit
1t. saying that he Vould instruct the jury
that il merely tended to show conspiracy.
but did not bear ON OouRhlin's euila:
lin called May II and asked FOR her hus-
band. She told him aha, was afraid hsl
husband had been arrested. Coughlin re-
| piled: oh, there's no proof assins' Aady'
Il said." continued Mrs. Foy. "Cessh-
lin. this IL - awful thing yen have done.
Dr. Ctonin Win 10 yon more harm dead
than alive" He laughed and said I need
not worry. There's no danger" he said.
rbu; you vii, Be taken care Of anyway.
and my little children. "Ob," hs said,
"don't mind about that Alexander 6ulli-
van IL q good friend Of your husband, and
Of mine. aud he will take oass OF you."
The deep silence in the court at this point
was broken by the prosecuting attorney
rssumlna the examination. aAd then there
WAS buzz of comment among the spscta-
tors at this st4rslinR statsment.
The witness continued: t"Coughlin oaml
onoe before that time. and told my husband
whatluek he had in foolinR Capts. Setback
and Hchuttler about Dr.. ,Cronin's body, and
whets they put it." l5t
The witness said CouRhlin several times
assured her that there was no danger OF
her husband being mnlestsd. He told her
il she would keep quiet she would bs we'll
taken care of.
This ended the direct examination and
the Gross. examination began. going mi
nutsly into the details of the relations oi
Mrs. Foy with Mrs. I. =. Conklin. the wife
: of the man with whom Dr.. Cronin bearded.
The cross-exAmination of Mrs. Foy con-
tinusd throughout the afternoon session
She bore mp to the end without once losing
command Of her faculties. Her story
seemed truthful and she proved herself Of
more than average intslipence. All talk ol
her alleged insanity seems unfounded. An
unprsiudtced observer would not think hsl
other than sane. Tho demninR evidence
she gave grew stronger under oross-exami-
nation. II WAS another instance OF ths
case Of Ms. Hosttel. repeated for ths ben.
Al of the state. The story told BY each
witness was made more effective by tbs
efforts Of the defense to break its force.