Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-03-15

Chicago, March S.-Probably the hap
Eiest man on earth at 4:35 o'clock this
afternoon was Daniel Coughlin.
When the clerk Of the court read the
words 1--WE, the jury, find the defend
ant, Daniel Coughlin, not guilty" a
warm flush went over his face which
had before been deathly white. Then
came rush of his friends that almost
swept him off his feet. Newspaper
men and other old time friends of the
prisoner fought for a chance to shake
his hand.
The most affecting scene was when
two stalwart bailiffs pushed through
the crowd making way for Mrs. Cough
lin, her hat awry and she gushing
with SobS. AS she met her husband
she gave an incoherent cry, threw her
arms about Dams neck and then gave
way utterly.
Coughlin clasped her close and the
two rocked to and fro until the happy
woman was able to stif1e her emotion,
when she was led away by Coughlin' s
father who was happy enough to dance
jig. Coughlin soon disappeared from
the room and joined his family.
The attorneys for the state had little
to say and the jurors, when inter
viewed, said that they had reached an
agreement not to talk or give any
names and that ali they could say was
that they were as happy to get away
as Coughlin himself The jurors We're
given warrants for fheir pay and the
great CrOnin trial Was out of the court
and into history for good.
The Coughlin trial has been one Of
the most noteworthy in the criminal
annals of the country. Like the former
Cronin trial it has been replete with
sensations, and of remarkable dura-
ton. Daniel Coughlin, an ex-city de-
tectiye, was charged with completely
in the murder of DR.. p. II. Cronin, a
prominent Irish physician. Cronin was
we'll known in one faction of the Clan
IA 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 convicted of the murder and SEN
fenced to life Imprisonment. The two
latter died in prison and the present
defendant secured a new trial.
DR.. CrOnin disappeared on the even
ing of May 4th, 1890 After a pro-
tracted 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 places the
murder
In the present trial, after five weeks
the jury was accepted on Dec. last.
Before the jury was completed several
sensations were sprung il the shape
of charges against jurymen and three
men who had been accepted We're ex-
cused from service.
On Dec. II the case was opened with
the following jury: George P. Shay,
Oscar P. Brooks, G. Holsman, Frank
B. Lusk, o. S. Weinberger, Frederick
J. Lane, Clark Bruce, Hiram Wadleigh,
John r. Larson, Michael Conlon, Alfred
F. Woodland and Oscar Benson.
Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys Bot
tllm and Kickum Seaman conducted
the case for the state with ex-Judge
Wing and Attorney Donahoe for the
defense.
One of the most important witnesses
to appear for the prosecution was Mrs.
Andrew Foy, wife Of a brick layer.
Mrs. Foy told Of being present at nu-
nerous conferences between the de-
PENDANT and her husband and claimed
to have heard numerous conversations
between them and other men which
pointed to conspiracy to murder DR..
Cronin.
Her story was sensational in the ex-
IRENE, but the defense introduced
testimony to show that Mrs. FOy had
written to a former attorney for the
defense threatening to tell a damaging
story unless she be literally rewarded.
Her sanity was also called in question
and her intense hatred for her hus-
band, to whom her testimony
was most damaging, was shown.
Her evidence was perhaps the
strongest of any presented by
the state as she told a complete
story Of the killing. Her testimony
was that Martin Burke, now dead, and
the missing Cooney did the actual kill
ing, while O'Sullivan stood in the
yard, and a policeman guarded TIE
door Coughlin, she said, arrived at the
Carlson cottage shortly after the deed
was done.
In the attempted corroboratiOn of
Mrs Foys story Mrs. Susie Horton
was called and testified that she saw
Foy and Coughlin together May u.
1899. near the Carlson cottage. The de-
Tense, however, introduced much testi-
mony to show that on the day in ques-
ton Mrs. Horton was badly intoxicated |
A new and sensational witness was
introduced by the state in the person
Of Frank Bardeen. an electrical engin |
eer. In May, 1889, he was employed !
at an electric light plant, past which !
the wagon bearing the remains of DR.. /
Cronin was assumed. by the prosecu-
ton to have gone. Bardeen said that /
about O'Clock on the morning Of May |
) he heard wagon passing. He turned
on an electric search light which was
fixed above the door and in the glare
be saw, he said, a wagon in which was