Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1893-12-29
The Cronin Trial.

The trial of Coughlin for his participa-
tion in the murder of DIR. Cronin in Chica-
go, some years ago, is dragging its way
through the courts there.
According to story published in a
Chicago paper, another Of the conspirators,
Burke. came very near confessing, when
he was first arrested. The story reads as
follows:
Martin Burke was long time after his
extradition from Winnipeg on the verge of
making a complete confession Of all the
events connected with the murder of DIR.
Cronin. Judge Longnecker, at that time
Prosecuting Attorney. tells to-day what a
narrow escape he had from securing from
Burke a confession that would have chang
ed the whole complex ion Of the celebrated
trial of the conspirators who hired the
Carlson cottage for their awful butchery.
Judge Longnecker says:
"BIrke reached Chicago in charge of
Chief Hubbard, who had taken immediate
supervision of his extradition and had gone
to Winnipeg TO bring Burke home. | or
dered him carried at once to the Harrison
sire ct station. Here feel / made my first
mistake. Perhaps ought to have had i'm
taken to some other station. / went di
rectly to the station. where Chief Hubbard
and / held long interview with the pris-
oner tried my best to get him to con
fess and / am confident that | should have
succeeded had nobody else seen him be
fore my next visit.
Burke, / said to him, we have got evi
- "a tnf
the slightest doubt of that. We know that
you hired the Carlson cottage. We know
that you bought the furniture which was
put in it. We know that you fed to Cana
da as soon as the murder was discovered
We know all this and a good deal more,
and we can prove all we know. Now, we
also know that you were not alone in the
murder There were others. Now the
people who are behind the murder don't
care anything for you 1t is the others
who are going TO try to get off They will
simply use you as a scapegodt, as bridge
10 carry themselves and the rest over safe
ly. Burke, you had better use the only
chance yon have to save your neck aud
turn States evidence.
I talked long while with him in this
strain. Then / showed him letter from
his mother. 1t seemed to be the finishing
stroke When left him that afternoon
both Chief Hubbard and myself felt there
was not the slightest doubt that he would
confess all about it whom | returned on the
morrow. left strict orders that nobody
should be allowed to see Burke. But Ex
Mayor Cregier and Stephen ID. May, who
was at that time City Prosecutor, if ] re-
member Alright, procured admittance and
had talk with him.
II don't want to be understood as i'm
pugning the motive Of either Ex Mayor
Cregier or Mr. May | feel positive that
the ex- Mayor was heartily with US in our
efforts to convict Burke, Mr.. May also
had perfect right TO see him in his cap
aciiy OF City Prosecutor. 1t is quite pro-
babie that they both wished to see Burke
from sheer curiosity. Mr.. May bad form
erly been partner of Lawyer Forrest, who
was defending the other prisoners
| Whether anybody else saw Burke or OF
| that day j do not know. Still, there were
| plenty Of police officials who had the right
| Of entrance 10 the cells.
"But the fact remains that the next
morning, when Chief Hubbard and / visit
/ ed Burke, fully expecting TO hear his con
| lessiOn the prisoners whole demeanor had
completely changed Instead OF looking
| like a man who seemed 10 have lost the
last straw Of hope and haG determined to
| save uluseu DY COnlensloni DuIhe hhh ot-
| hant He laughed at us and told us that
| be guessed be would not confess. AS
Burke was leaving the station 1 told him
| again that he was being used as a scape-
| gat
80 prove it, / said: Just you tell your
/ Wisconsin lawyer when you see bin that
you have made up your mind to confess
everything and plead guilty. Sec how
quickly he will try to persuade you not to
do 80 ! think tDat Burke may have done
so and that his lawyer from Wsconsion
may have wavered a little. This may &c
count for his being supplanted by Mr..
| Forrest almost Immediately alterwerd. !
! have always believed that Burke intended
TO confess, but was braeed up and prevent
cd iiom telling anything BY the same
I ny ysteriOus power which lent courage 10
/ O'5ulliyan end the rest when they began
to despair"