The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-03-09
Jurymen Say the Ex-Detec-
tive v Not Guilty Of Murder.
A PATHETIC SCENE IN COURT
An Interesting Review Of the Now
Famous Case-Dr. Cronin Was I'm
doubtedIy Killed, but the Question
Is, Who Killed Hin?

CHICAGO. March 9.--The happiest man
on earth at 4:S5 o'clock yesterday after
noon was Dan Coughlin. When the clerk
read out the words: 1--WE. the jury. find
the defendant, Dan Coughlin, not guilty"
a warm fiush went over his face. which
before had been Of deadly white.
He half rose In his chair, and was the
next instant pushed back by Attorney
David, the law partner of Mr.. Donahoe,
who has stoutlv defended him through
out the long trial Then IL was q push
that almost swept the happy man of his
feet. Newspaper men, old-time friends
of the prisoner before his troubles, came
upon him in body and nearly wrung his
hand or
ITS all right, boys; all right" gasped
Coughlin. "It's all right, boys; won't
forget you. You treated me all right"
Then the prisoner worked his way up
to the jury box and shook hands with az
many of the men rs he could reach. but
the crowd was too much for him, and,
yelling and cheering to show its delight,
pushed him away from the box. He gave
up the effort to greet the men who have
given him freedom, and, In company
with the bailiffs, started to leave the room,
passing behind Judge Tuthill's chair.
just as he was directly behind the
Judge, a cry of "Make way there; open
up passage; make way" was heard, and
two stalwart bailiffs pushed through the
crowd, and close behind them, her hat
awry, her veil half up, and gasping with
sobs that choked her, came Mrs. Cough
lin.
An Affecting Scene.
The latter was striding to liberty as
though he wore seven league boots. "Dan,
come back here; see your wife," was
called out, and Coughlin retraced his
steps. Just at the foot of the little flight
of stairs leading up to the judges ros-
trum he met his wife. The woman gave
m incoherent cry, her arms went up,
fastened themselves around her hus-
bands neck, and then she gave way ut
terly. She only said: "Dani oh, Dani'
but nowhere, not even in Dan Coughlin's
heart was there such Joy as in the bosom
of the little woman who clasped tight
against her husbands heart.
Coughlin bent his big blonde head un-
til his mustache swept her cheek, and
then the two rocked to and fro until the
woman was able to stife her emotion,
and then she was led away BY Coughlin's
father, who was happy enough to dance .
Sig. but gave his entire attention to his
hat, which he kept putting on and taking
off with marvellous rapidity.
Attorney Daniel Donahoe, who had
with ex-Judge Wing defended the
prisoner, was the recipient OF q shower of
congratulations from friends and fellow
attorneys 1T is just as expected" !" he
said. "The verdict could not have been
otherwise. will acknowledge that it
was an agreeable surprise to me, how
ever, to get verdict so soon. / would
not have been surprised il the jurors had
remained out IS or 20 hours"
History OF the Case.
The Coughlin trial has been one of the
most noteworthy in the criminal annals
of the country. Like the former Cronin
trial, IL has been replete with. sensations
and of remarkable duration. Daniel
Coughlin, an ex-city detective. was
charged with completely in the murder OF
DIR. p. III. Cronin, prominent Irish ply
sician. Cronin was we'll known In one
faction of the Clan-na- Gael, and it was to
members of an opposing faction that his
murder was charged.
At the former trial, Coughlin, Martin
Burke and Patrick O'Sullivan were con-
victed of the murder and sentenced to life
Imprisonment. The two latter died In
prison and the present defendant secured
n new trial.
DIR. Cronin disappeared on the evening
of May 4, 1889. After protracted search
his body, mutilated and decomposed, was
found in catch basin in the northern
part of the city. In the same section of
the city stands the little Carlson cottage,
where the theory of the prosecution placed
the murder.
In the present trial, after ave weeks
work, the jury was impanelled on Dec.
B last. After the jury was completed
several sensations were sprung in the
shape of charges against jurymen, and
three men who had been accepted were
excused from service.
About Mrs. Foy.
One of the most important and sensa-
tional witnesses for the prosecution was
Mrs. Andrew Foy, wife of a bricklayer.
Mrs. Foy told of being present at numer-
ous conferences between the defendant
and her husband, and claimed to have
heard numerous conversations between
them and other men, which pointed to a
conspiracy TO murder DIR. Cronin, but the
defense introduced testimony to show that
Mrs. Foy had written TO former attorney
for the defense, threatening to tell dam
aging story unless literally rewarded.
Her sanity also was called in question.
Her story was that Martin Burke, now
dead, and the missing Cooney, did the
actual killing, while Iceman OSullvan
stood in the yard and a policeman
guarded the door Coughlin. she said;
arrived at the Carlson cottage shortly
after the deed was done.
Bsrdeen's Testimony.
Frank Bardeei,. an electrical engineer,
said that about 2 o'clock on the morning
of May he heard wagon passing the
Edgewater plant He turned on an cleo
trio searchlight and in the glare he saw
wagon in which was a large chest or
trunk. Behind the wagon walked two
men, he claimed, one of whom he identi-
fed as Coughlin. IL was shown that no.
train left at the hour he left Edgewater
the morning after he saw the wagon, and
that no moon was visible on the night in
question. although he swore positively