The Cronin case

Front matter

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Chapter I

Introductory — Dangers that Threaten — A Menace to Life and Liberty — The Men and Motive — The United Brotherhood and the Clan-na-Gael — Objects of the Organization— Perversion of Original Plans —From Legitimate Warfare to Destruction and Assassination — The Leaders in the New Work— Alexander Sullivan, Feeley and Boland — Changes in the Constitution — Plundering the Treasury — Betrayal of Emissaries — Fighting Against Investigation — Dr. Cronin Expelled as a Traitor. - Page 17

Chapter II

Who P. H. Cronin Was— A Biographical Sketch of the Man — A Brave, True Friend— He Hated Dishonesty and Fought Fraud — Early Struggles — Devotion to Ireland and Duty-- Why He was Murdered— Words of Praise. - Page 32

Chapter III

"Where is Cronin?" — How He left Home — A Mysterious Trunk — "Was He Murdered?" — Rumors, Insinuations and Theories — Woodruff's Story — Long's Despatches from Canada — A Clue at Last — "J. B. Simmons" — Carlson's Cottage — Frank Williams — Inside the Cottage — Evidences of a Tragedy — Detective Coughlin a Prisoner. Page - - - 45

Chapter IV

Offers of Reward — The Ghastly Find — Dr. Cronin's Body Recovered — Identification — Lying in State — Tributes of Regard — The Last Journey — At Rest;"Good-by, Asthore." Page ------- 61

Chapter V

Three Indicted — Coughlin, O'Sullivan and Woodruff — Biographies of the Prisoners — The Master Spirit Still Free — (viii)

CHAPTER CONTENTS. IX

Coroner's Work Begun — His Jury Visit the Scenes of Murder and Burial — Some of the Testimony — Hard on O'Sullivan — Mertes Heard the Fatal Blows — Mrs.Conklin and O' Sullivan — Their Interview — Luke Dillon's Talk. Page ------- 73

Chapter VI

Le Caron Speaks — Cronin Anticipated Assassination — Mrs. Conklin Testifies — ' : Alexander Sullivan would have Him Killed" — Hagerty Repeats Sullivan's Abuse of Cronin — Mrs. Lomasney and the Trianglers — Their Cruel, Treacherous Deeds — A Man Sent to Death, His Family Left to Starve— Verdict of the Coroner's Jury — Alexander Sullivan in Cell 25, Murderers' Row. - - Page 93

Chapter VII

The Chief Triangler Released on Bail — A Special Grand Jury — Martin Burke and Patrick Cooney — They Disappear — Burke Located in Manitoba — Events from June 15 to 29 — Identification of Burke — Four More Indicted: Beggs, Burke, Cooney and Kunze — Alexander Sullivan's Name Not in the Indictment — Bad Records of the Suspects — Burke's Fight Against Extradition — Money Lavished to Prevent His Return — To October nth. - Page no

Chapter VIII

Fateful Documents— The "Treasonable" Clan-na-Gael Circular — Dr. Cronin Read It in His Camp— He was Expelled and Branded as a Traitor— Its Text Proves that Cronin was No Dynamitard— The Scathing Report of Sept. 15th, 1885, in Full— Cronin's Bold Statements and Proofs — Men of Unmindful Minds — The Charges of McCahey and Cronin Against the Triangle— Other Papers Left by the Victim — Evidences of Trianglers' Brutality. - Page 123

Chapter IX

Alexander Sullivan— Born on British Soil and a British Subject—In Trade in Detroit- Charged with Arson — Political Work, Offices and Quarrels — Marriage — Murders Principal Hanford -Twice Tried for Murder — Acquitted— Was the Jury Bribed? — Practices Law in Chicago — To the Front in Irish Secret Societies — He Flourishes Financially

X CHAPTER CONTENTS.

—Becomes a "Plunger" in Stocks— " Lost and Squandered $95,000 " — Dr. Cronin and His Investigations — Luke Dillon Tells What He Knows— Alexander Sullivan's Protest Against and Vituperation of Dr. Cronin. - Page 154

Chapter X

Another Vile Plot Exposed — Attempt to Bribe Jurors — Court Bailiffs Implicated —The Guilty Confess — Who and What They Are —Were the Defense Lawyers in it? — Arrest of the Bribers' Chief Agent — Promises, Not Pay, for Triangler's Tools — That $8,000 Given Mr. Forrest Causes Trouble. ------ Page 172

CHAPTER XL

A Jury at Last — The Jurors — First Link Forged — The Prisoners' Bearing — Opening Address of the State's Attorney — Defense Has Nothing to Say at Present — Hearing of Testimony Begins — Witnesses Who Identified Dr. Cronin's Corpse — Tactics of Prosecution and Defense - Page 186

Chapter XII

Second Day for Testimony — Medical Experts and Mr. Wing — Dr. Perkins' Clear Evidence Silences the Surgical Amateur—October 26th — Dr. Moore and Mr. Forrest — A most Dramatic Scene — Messrs. Hynes and Mills in Angry Protest — Judge McConnell Reverses a Decision — Patrick Dinan and His White Horse — Defendants Grow Excited as They Listen to the Story. - Page 197

Chapter XIII

/; ^Hing Near the Cottage— Mrs. Conklin on the Stand — Good Evidence for the State — October 29th — A Line of Know-nothing Witnesses — Inside of Camp No. 20 —Unwilling but very Important Testimony — Burke's Chum, Colleran— No Favors for Frank Woodruff. - - Page 210

Chapter XIV

October 30 and 31 — Days of Excitement — War in Camp No. 20— Brave Captain O'Connor Scores the Triangle— Coughlin's Abuse of Dr. Cronin — Ringing Truths from Patrick McGarry — Beggs " Is Proud to be Alexander Sullivan's Friend " — Mr. Foster Repudiates Forrest's Tactics —

CHAPTER CONTENTS. XI

" Major " Sampson Hits Back — Anything to Save Beggs. Page ------ . 221

Chapter XV

November i and 2— The Carlsons — Burke — O'Sullivan — That Letter — Bad Lookout for Burke — District Officer Edward Spelman — A Spell of Oblivion— Justice Mahoney — The Police There — The Fatal Cards — Very Warm for the Iceman—Burke Sees Inside the Trunk — Alexander Sullivan's Plea. ------ Page 240

Chapter XVI

Dr. Cronin's Clothes Found — Out of a Sewer — All Recovered but His Purse and Watch — Thieves as well as Assassins — Alexander Sullivan's Application— November 8 — Coughlin, Kunze, O'Sullivan and Cooneyin Close Confab — Again the Decoy Cards — Experts Testify on November 9— The Chief Triangler's Bondsmen Released — November 11 — Burke's Tin Box — The "Inner Circle" — O'Sullivan's Doctor — The Clothing in Court. - - Page 260

Chapter XVII

November 12 to 15 — Coughlin's Admissions — "To Perdition with Alexander Sullivan!" — Mrs. Hoertel's Evidence — Dr. Cronin's Death Cries — "O, God!" " O, Jesus!" — About Burke — Kunze and Coughlin — The German Suspect's " Confession " — He Declares Burke Guilty — The Prosecution Practically Closed — Two Days Recess — Now for the Defense — Mrs. Hoertel's Character. - - Page 275

Chapter XVIII

November 16 to 20 — " Journalist " Clancy— The State Rests — Testimony for the Defense — Triangular Alibis — The Hylands — Ex-Detective Whelan — Sergt. Stift— Coughlin's Alibi — A Procession of Alibi Witnesses — Cold Day for Icemen— Jones' Joke —The White Horse Again. Page 291

Chapter XIX

November 20 to 29 — An Alibi for Burke — Matt Danahy — Ladies on the Stand— Evidence for Beggs — A Horde from Camp 20 — More Alibis— Budenbinder's Bomb — O'Sullivan's Defense — To Impeach Mrs. Hoertel — Court Ad-

Xll CHAPTER CONTENTS.

journed until November 26— More Alibis Still — The Rebuttal Begun — Atomized Alibis — Queer Policemen — Hard Swearing to Help Burke — Dr. Cronin's Knives — -Testimony Ended. - Page 306

Chapter XX

Mr. Beggs' Error — Two Days of Terrible Denunciation — Narrative of the Murder — Contracted to Kill Dr. Cronin — Partnership in Crime — Burke's Flight — His " Hands were Red with Blood " — Coughlin's Wife and the Prisoner's Friends Listen — Demeanor of the Accused. Page 329

Chapter XXI

Mr. Wing's Hour — Monday, December 2 — An Alibi for those Knives— Mr. Wing Resumes — Sophistry and Adjectives — All the Accused are " Innocent, Much Abused Citizens " — What Mr. Wing Did, and Did Not Say — Mr. Ingham Speaks — Logic and Invective — The Story Graphically Told — Kunze Cries Out— "Bound by Ties of Hatred"— A Hurricane of Eloquence. - - - Page 339

Chapter XXII

His " Innocent Clients " — Piteous Pleading for Kunze and O'Sullivan — Lawyer Donahoe Insists on Their Acquittal — They had no Motive for the Crime— No Proof to Connect Them with the Murder — Ladies Out in Force to Listen to the Orator — Incidents of the Day — The Prisoners. Page - - - - - - 350

Chapter XXIII

A Star Day — Alibis Shredded, Shattered and Scattered — Mr. Hynes' Superb Argument — The Secret Committee and Camp No. 20 Shown in Startling Colors — That Peculiar Police Testimony — Beggs' Complicity in the Crime — The Prisoners as They Listen — End of Mr. Hynes' First Day, Dec. 5. ► Page 356

Chapter XXIV

Mr. Hynes Concludes — More Illumination — Calcium Light on the Crime — Beggs Equally Responsible with Coughlin — " Imposed Upon by Men Higher Up" — WilJ Get the Truth when " Some Putrid Conscience Shows Forth in the Shadow of the Gallows and Tells." - - Page 371

CHAPTER CONTENTS. Xlll

Chapter XXV

Mr. Foster for John F. Beggs— An Angel Without Wings is J. F. B., so Says His Lawyer — Glorifying the Ex-Senior Guardian — Disparaging Dr. Cronin — Appeals but No Arguments — Assertions Without Reasons— Saturday Ends This Ingenious Defense. - Page 379

Chapter XXVI

Forrest for Burke and Coughlin — Smothers the Jury With Legal Authorities — Dec. 7 He Opens — " We Believe," He Says, "in Analysis; the State in Sophistry" — All Quoting and Reading — Mr. Forrest's First Full Day—" Facts Do Lie" — Fortunate Martin Burke — Hints of a Hidden Hand — " How Was Cronin Killed?"— "There is No Proof That He Died in Carlson's Cottage" — "The Trunk Did Not Come From the Cottage." - Page 386

Chapter XXVII

Another Day in Forrest Tangles — " Liars! Perjurers! Murderers! " — Patent Logic — Pre-arranged Dramatics — Mr. F. Hears from Opposing Counsel — Kunze and Coughlin — About Alibis — December 1 1 — Forrest Finishes — Vituperation Against Everybody and Everything — " Poor Burke " — Finis for Forrest. - Page 390

Chapter XXVIII

Mr. Mills Too 111 to Speak — State's Attorney Longenecker to Make the Closing Address — Drawing Near the End — The Closing Speech — A Chain of Circumstances Strong as Linked Steel — Mr. Longenecker's Address — Jurors, Counsel and Prisoners — They Listen to the Charge of The Judge. ------ p a ge 398

Chapter XXIX

The Jury Charged— A " Doubting Thomas " — How the Priso- . ners Bear Themselves — Jurors Retire — The Trunk, Etc., Sent to the Jury-Room — Waiting in the Cells — December 14 — No Verdict — In the Court-Room— About the Attempt to Bribe Juror Dix — Sunday, December 15, and Yet no Verdict. ----- Page 404

XIV CHAPTER CONTENTS.

Chapter XXX

The Verdict — A " Compromise " — General Disappointment — News of Agreement — Gathering to Hear It — Strange Contact— The Prisoners Arrive — The Jury Enter — Ready With Their Verdict— The Clerk Reads — Effect on the Defendants — About the Compromise — Of The Jury and The Verdict — A Brother's Indignation — " Camp 20 is On Top Now" — Beggs' Free Advertisement— Loud Spoken Discontent. - ----- Page 411

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE.

DR. P. H. CRON1N (Frontispiece)

JUDGE McCONNELL _.. 20

JOEL M. LONGENECKER, STATE'S ATTORNEY __ 28

THE FATAL CARD 46

THE COFFIN-TRUNK _ 48

THE HEARSE-WAGON _ _ 49

CARLSON'S COTTAGE AND O'SULLIVAN'S HOME... 53

THE CATCH-BASIN 62

DR. CRONIN'S OFFICE, WINDSOR THEATRE BUILDING 64

ENTRANCE, DR. CRONIN'S OFFICE, CHICAGO OPERA HOUSE. 66

INTERIOR DR. CRONIN'S OFFICE, CHICAGO OPERA HOUSE 69

DANIEL COUGHLIN 75

CORONER HERTZ.. _ 80

T. T. CONKLIN. j _ 80

ALL BLOOD-BESPATTERED.... 82

FINGER MARKS ON THE BLIND ._ 84

TELL-TALE SPOTS ON WALL AND FLOOR 86

THE BLOODY FOOTPRINTS.. 88

MARTIN BURKE.. 115

JOHN F. BEGGS - 115

PATRICK O'SULLIYAN — _ 117

JOHN KUNZE 118

ALEXANDER SULLIYAN _ 157

W. S. FORREST _ 179

A SCENE IN COURT 191

THE JURY:

W. L. NORTH 187

JOHN L. HALL... 187

HENRY D. WALKER 187

FRANK ALLISON 187

E. S. BRYAN _ 187

CHAS. F. MARLOR... 187

B. F. CLARKE 188

JAMES A. PIERSON--,^^ 188

(xv)

XVI LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE.

CHARLES C. DIX

ELIJAH BONTECOU - -

C. L. CORKE

JOHN CULVER

SCENE IN COURT ROOM DURING THE TRIAL 191

JUDGE WING.__ -— - -

MR. LUTHER LAFLIN MILLS ... 202

MR. W. J. HYNES 204

CAPT. THOS. F. O'CONNOR - 225

PATRICK McGARRY - 230

PATRICK DINAN - - 230

CHARLES CARLSON AND THE LETTER__ 241

JONAS CARLSON - 243

DISTRICT OFFICER SPELMAN _ _ 251

'MAJOR" SAMPSON - - 251

THE COFFIN-TRUNK IN COURT... 254

THE POCKET INSTRUMENT CASE _ 261

SURGICAL INSTRUMENT SATCHEL.___ 261

THE SLASHED CLOTHING. _ 263

TWO VIEWS OF THE DOCTOR'S HAT. 265

THE PRESCRIPTION BOOK ... 267

CHIEF HUBBARD READING DR. CRONIN'S CARDS 269

CAPT. SCHUETTLER WITH THE FIND 271

ATTORNEY W. A. FOSTER.. 276

MRS. PAULINE HOERTEL _ 279

OFFICER McKINNON 281

BUDENBINDER - 312

MERTES (The Milkman). 312

JAMES F. BOLAND 327

DR. CRONIN'S KNIVES - - 325

JOHN J. CRONIN - 333

"LARRY" BUCKLEY... _ 333

FRANK T. SCANLAN-.. _ 336

MR. GEO. C. INGHAM. _ 345

MR. DANIEL DONAHOE.... . 352

MR. HYNES BEFORE THE JURY.. _ 369

DETECTIVE COLLINS.... _ , _. 376

MRS. T. T. CONKLIN 377

THE FIVE IN PROFILE _ 392

HANDING UP THE VERDICT 416

BEGGS THANKS THE JURY....... 420

THE CRONIN CASE.

Chapter I

Introductory — Dangers that Threaten — A Menace to Life and Liberty — The Men aod Motive — The United Brotherhood and the Clan-na-Gael — Objects of the Organization — Perversion of Original Plans— From Legitimate Warfare to Destruction and Assassioation — The Leaders in the New Work — Alexander Sullivan, Feeley and Boland — Changes in the Constitution — Plundering the Treasury — Betrayal of Emissaries — Fighting Against Investigation— Dr. Cronin Expelled as a Traitor.

Doctor Patrick Henry Cronin was murdered on the night of Saturday, May 4, 1889.

His "taking off" was basest, most cowardly assassination of vilest character; the deed was perpetrated by willing hands eager to do the bidding of thieves, who, under the guise of patriotism, had forced themselves into the leadership of an organization that they might rob the treasury of iis accumulated wealth, gained from the contributions of toiling, patriotic men and women.

Dr. Cronin was a member of many associations formed for action that would tend to liberate Ireland from English rule. This object was dear to his heart; for its furtherance he labored incessantly; he was intensely enthusiastic, and he was honest The plunderers who reveled in luxury upon their ill-gotton spoil feared the outspoken denunciations with which he branded their betrayal of trust, they dreaded the investigation he was

2 (17)

18 THE CROfrXN CASE.

forcing upon them, they knew he was strong, in proof, that detection was inevitable ; they knew that he could be silenced neither by threats, bribes or cajolery. They plotted long and carefully, their plans were wide-spreading and subtle, their vengeance was to follow him even after death, his memory was to be reviled by all who had ever known and respected him, he was to be branded as a traitor to the cause, to be published as a renegade, a spy, an " informer."

Deep brains and minds well skilled by experience, prepared the plot, the hands of hireling assassins and fanatical politicians struck the fatal blow.

Apart from the necessity devolving upon the legal authorities to detect and punish the principals and accessories in this crime, the American people are vitally interested in the investigation of the causes, the possibilities and the powers that can produce such results.

Herein are plainest facts showing the existence of secret societies that acknowledge no moral or statute law but their own will. With slow cunning and adroit manipulation of the political element at their command they have been able to dictate terms to, or demand subserviency, from the highest officials of state and city, they have unscrupulously squandered the money placed in their hands for a special purpose; to further their own personal interests and base designs, they have placed their minions in the police and detective forces in order that the ends of justice might be speedily betrayed and prevented, they have found court-bailiffs to act as their agents in the attempt to corrupt jurymen ; they still found, in the face of damning proof, men of social influence, political and financial standing to defend their acts and aid in defaming their victim. The dread power of these head conspirators was so sufficient that terror of them could close the mouths of men who, during a long trial, felt each hour and day the hand of Retribution grasping, ever closing, about their throats.

The original object of this organization was, as stated by Luke Dillon, the prominent Irish Nationalist, to assist a like organization in Ireland and England, to establish a Republic in Ireland, and also to bring about fraternal feeling among Irishmen in this country and to assist in the elevation of the race. But when this first design is prostituted to secret trial and cowardly assassination of men, that the conspirators' plundering may be uninterrupted, their power perpetuated; when all this is plainly proven, together with the wide extending influence and multitude of fanatical assassins at command of this combine of Inquisitorial conspirators, it is time for the American people to consider how dangerous to state and national life it may grow, may be even now with such infamous plotters, such everready, devoted tools to do their bidding. The national honor, welfare, existence, would be of no more value in the eyes of these conspirators, would no more restrain their acts, than did the life of their unfortunate victim, Dr . Patrick Henry Cronin.

It behooves all men to face these facts and seriously consider to what such things may lead. With "naught in malice set down," we shall tell the true story of this remarkable conspiracy, its wide ramifications, its murderous work, its attempts to mislead, to bribe jurymen,

JUDGE McCONNELL.

(JO)

to defeat justice; and we hope to record the swift, severe punishment of every individual participating in the terrible crime.

The record as given will amply justify these introductory remarks, and without further comment this tale is begun.

THE MEN AND THE MOTIVE.

In the year 1869 there was organized in the United States a secret society called the United Brotherhood, generally known as the Clan-na-Gael. Its object was to effect the liberation of Ireland from England's rule, and this by force of arms. From warm hearted, hot headed, native born Irish men and women, and even children, this association received most enthusiastic moral support, and into its treasury, for the purpose named, were poured the hard-gained earnings of toiling, trusting multitudes until the sum collected amounted to hundreds of thousands of dollars. The majority of these people were sincere, were honest in the belief that they were doing simply their duty to their native land, and they stinted themselves without murmur and responded ungrudgingly to the incessant demands of their leaders.

Into this organization went Irishmen for political purposes, to secure their own advancement, and into it entered Irishmen for plunder. Every member of this secret band was required to be of Irish birth or descent, their oath bound them to loyalty to Ireland, every movement was to be with intent to free that land when the time for action in that direction arrived — not by peaceful means, but by legitimate warfare. This was the avowed object of the United Brotherhood.

The opportunities for personal aggrandizement, political power and plunder soon caused men, seeking only selfish ends, fco enter the Brotherhood and exert all their cunning in perverting the society and its accumulated treasure to their own base uses.

The association grew, it had its "districts" all over the land and extended until now it is represented in every hamlet and city in the United States, from ocean to ocean. Its members were numbered and instead of standing before the public in their real names they assumed other titles. Camp 20 was called the Columbia Club, and others were known as different named clubs and literary societies. So these organizations flourished for years without the general public becoming cognizant of their existence. They had their meetings and their national conventions. In each district there was a member in charge; he is now called a "District Officer." These members or officers constituted the "Executive Board." In 1879 there was a meeting or convention, and at that time there were fifteen districts, so that at that meeting there were fifteen men composing the executive board who directed the work and controlled the money of the organization, for the purpose of freeing Ireland.

But in 1881, in Chicago, 111., at a meeting of the officers of all districts, in national convention, the executive board was reduced to five men, and Alexander Sullivan, with two others named D. C. Feeley and Michael Boland, were selected as of the five, thus constituting these three a majority of the board whose right was to command, whose power none dared question, whose orders none dared disobey; the members of the Brotherhood were sworn to obedience to the death, and the laws of that organization were held to be above the dictates of religion and humanity, far superior to the laws of the United States or any government of earth or Heaven.

So soon as Alexander Sullivan, Feeley and Boland obtained control of the executive board they began to send out circulars and orders for advancement of their own ends, and to divert the policy of the society from that for which it was instituted.

The organization was in the hands of this majority triumvirate of self-lovers. They adopted what is called the dynamite policy, they named it " active work," to blow up innocent people, public and private property. They inserted in the constitution of the order an addition to the oath, which every one becoming a member most obey: — "the policy and orders of this executive board must not be questioned ; " and the calls for money from the camps became more frequent and importunate ; the funds were to be used for "active work," not for legitimate warfare as originally intended, but for special acts against individuals and property in England. Unquestioning obedience was insisted upon and enforced by the oath taken ; if they directed a man to go to England to kill or destroy, the order must be complied with.

In 1884 they adopted a figure which they called "The Triangle," to designate the controlling powers of the board. The members of the organization did not dare to inquire, or know, who the executive members of this board were, It was the closest corporation that ever existed, save that of the Council of Ten, and its work was dark and deadly as that of its infamous prototype. In 1884, for " active work," the deluded men belonging to the order for special duty, were sent to England under assumed names; none were supposed to know their mission save the masters and the slave; but on the arrival of the poor tool on Britain's shore he was almost invariably, and promptly, arrested and thrown into prison — somebody had been informed in advance of his coming and how to arrive at proofs sufficient to convict him. To-day the prison doors are locked against twenty or more men who were sent there by " The Triangle," and all this was done, all these dupes were ruthlessly sacrificed, that the Triangle of the executive board might be free to steal the money contributed by thousands of misled Irish people in the United States. The Triangle were obliged to make some excuse for expetiding the money of the order, and they continued to plunder the treasury until they were forced to give reasons for the depletion of its funds; then they made their last report, framed to silence and frighten the members of the order; stating that English detectives had gained knowledge of their work, that it would be unwise to hold the annual convention, that instead of such convention the Triangle should alone take action, destroying every vestige of all they had done. They proceeded to take action, in so far that they destroyed their records and accounts and then sent out a circular showing that the order was indebted to them in the sum of $13,000, not withstanding the fact that when they obtained control of the treasury it contained $250,000.

The minority of the executive board were honest, even though mistaken men; they could not and would not submit to this robbery or endorse the lying, swindling report of Jhe Triangle ; they protested loudly, dissentions arose in the Brotherhood, men withdrew from it and started a new organization, camp after camp was formed by those opposed to the robbers and investigation was insisted upon and persisted in.

Probably the most earnest, untiring and able foe of The Triangle was Dr. Patrick Henry Cronin. When the disgusted members of the Brotherhood began to organize new camps in opposition to the Sullivan triangle, Dr. Cronin was active in the work and the newly formed association increased in numbers and influence. But before that was effected, Dr. Cronin in his camp, read his circular protesting against the action of The Triangle, and for that and nothing else, he was tried, Alexander Sullivan prosecuting him, and he was expelled for treason. That was in 1885, in Chicago. Daniel Brown, of the South Side Camp, made the charges. Daniel Coughlin, one of the men indicted for Cronin's murder, detective of the city force at the time of the assassination, sat on the committee that branded Dr. Cronin as a traitor. Le Caron, the notorious, the confessed spy, was also one of that committee. Dr. Cronin' s treason consisted in reading a report protesting against the wholesale plundering of the treasury by the Triangle.

The new camps were organized and finally what was called a Union Convention was held in Chicago. But in the meantime the Triangle had broken and officially disappeared. Alexander Sullivan had ostensibly left the order, his co-conspirators always following his lead. When this Union Convention was called the members of the order were almost universally in favor of it. In June, 1886, it met and then and there charges were made against the ex-executive committee or board, against "The Triangle;" charges of robbery, prostitution of the purposes of the order and general disregard of their duty. These charges were made by Cronin and Devoy. A committee of ten was appointed to consider what action should be taken ; they reported that a trial committee be constituted to try Alexander Sullivan, D. C. Feeley and Michael Boland, and such committee was appointed, three from one side, three from the other, representing both factions. Dr. Cronin was one of those committeemen against the Triangle. They met in August, 1888, and the trial took place at Buffalo, N. Y. Alexander Sullivan and his two coadjutors appeared and presented their defense. Then there was an effort made to require the Secretary to suppress the evidence, to destroy all records of everything said and done in the trial; -there also a protest was made by Alexander Sullivan against Dr. Cronin being permitted to act upon the committee, but such protest was futile, the other members of the committee deciding that they had no power to oust Dr. Cronin from their midst The trial was long, the evidence voluminous, the charges were proven, the work of the Triangle, what they had done and what they had left undone, was laid bare and Dr. Cronin took the evidence, and he kept a full, faithful transcript of it.

The trial committee disbanded and made ready to report to the order. Four were in favor of the Triangle. One of the men selected by the adverse side was willing to shield the Triangle in order to keep the Brotherhood united and was willing to side with the others to a certain degree. Dr. Cronin insisted upon publishing the evidence and letting it go out to all the camps, with the report, that members of the order might be informed of the acts of their former executive board. That evidence would have shown that the Triangle had worked, not against the English government as a government, but that they had committed individual acts which were contrary not only to the law of their order, but in violation to the laws of this country and the laws of England, and would show that the Triangle had not only robbed the order of its funds, but had robbed men of their liberties and their lives. Dr. Cronin was ordered to make his report, but also ordered to return his copy of the evidence that it might be destroyed. This latter he refused to do, but was firm that he would send out the evidence with his report.

Up to the 4th day of May, 1889, the report of Dr. Cronin, with the evidence taken on the trial, had not been made public, but on the day on which Dr. Cronin was assassinated, the executive board was called together.

On the 5th or 6th day of May the report was ordered sent out to the camps. The board suppressed the evi-

JOEL M. LONGENEOKEE, State's Attorney.

dence which accompanied the report of Dr. Cronin, but with the report published went Alexander Sullivan's protest, charging that Dr. Cronin was a perjurer, a villian, a spy; that he had sworn allegiance to Canada, and that he was a traitor to the Irish cause. All this was charged against the murdered man, over the signature of Alexander Sullivan.