THE CRIME OF THE CENTURY

OR,

The Assassination of Dr. Patrick Henry Cronin.

 

A Complete and Authentic History of the
Greatest of Modern Conspiracies.

 

BY

HENRY M. HUNT,

THE NOTED JOURNALIST.

 

PROFUSELY ILLUSTRATED WITH ORIGINAL ENGRAVINGS.

 

APART FROM ITS VALUE AS A HISTORY OF A CELEBRATED CASE,
THE STORY ITSELF IS OF THRILLING AND
FASCINATING INTEREST.

 

 

Copyright 1889,
BY
H. L. & D. H. KOCHERSPERGER.

 

 

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PREFACE

This volume is not intended as an addition to the criminal literature of the country. It has not been published solely for the pleasure of those who delight in devouring morbid tales of crime and criminals. It rather owes its existence to a general demand from all parts of the United States, from the Canadas, from Great Britain, and from many points on the continent of Europe, for a complete, concise, and accurate story of one of the greatest of modern crimes and the events connected therewith. The reports of the public press, while of the most searching and elaborate character, have nevertheless been of necessity so disjointed, fragmentary and confusing, covering a period of over seven months, each day and week replete with new discoveries and new sensations, as to make it well-nigh impossible for even the most careful reader, with unlimited time at his disposal, to grasp or comprehend anything more than the barest outline of this remarkable case. The object of this volume therefore, is to present in consecutive form and as a complete narrative all the facts which have been brought to light from the day of the disappearance of Dr. Cronin, to the close of the trial of those accused of his murder. Many circumstances have combined to make the task a difficult and laborious one, but the results are submitted in the belief that as the only effort of its kind, it will prove not only a story of thrilling interest to the general reader, but also valuable, by its accuracy and continuity, as an historical work.

The Author.

 

 

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CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.   page. A Crime That Shocked the Civilized World—The Mysterious Stranger—A Sudden Summons—The Instincts of Humanity Triumph over Personal Considerations—Last Moments at Home—Parting Words with a Friend—Dr. Cronin's Eventful Life—How He Worked His Way Upward on the Ladder of Honor and Fame, 15   CHAPTER II. Dr. Cronin Fails to Return Home—Anxiety of His Friends—The Early Morning Ride to the Ice House—O'Sullivan's Surprise and Ignorance—The Mysterious Wagon and Its Occupants—A Bloody Trunk is Found—The Search Commenced—"It is His Hair," 27   CHAPTER III. An Accidental Clue—Frank Woodruff's Arrest—How He Was Hired to Get a Wagon to Carry the Mysterious Trunk to Lake View—A Corpse is Dumped Out—He Thinks It was That of a Woman—His Sensational Confession—The Police on a Wild-Goose Chase, 46   CHAPTER IV. "It is a Conspiracy"—Dr. Cronin's Friends Claim the Murder was a Political Assassination—The Public Skeptical until Startling Developments Are Made—The Physician in Danger of His Life for Years—Previous Attempts to Remove Him—The Trouble in the Clan-na-Gael—Charges and Counter Charges—The Buffalo Convention—Why His "Removal" became a Necessity to Certain People, 57   CHAPTER V. Strange Influences at Work—Miss Anna Murphy Thinks She Saw the Doctor on a Street Car—His Long and Mysterious Ride with Conductor Dwyer—Reporter Long also Encounters Him, This Time in Toronto—The Police and Public Satisfied, but His Friends Still Anxious—Efforts to Prove Him a British Spy—A Big Reward Offered 101   CHAPTER VI. Hoping against Hope—The Stench in the Sewer—"Murder Will Out"—A Ghastly Discovery—Where the Body was Found—The Recognition by Captain Wing—Its Horrible Appearance—Evidences of a Foul Crime—The Corpse at the Morgue—Pitiable Scenes of Grief—The Official Autopsy—The Brutal Way in Which the Physician had been Done to Death 126   CHAPTER VII. The Crime Creates An International Sensation—Discovery of the Lonely Cottage Where the Irish Nationalist Met His Death—Evidences of a Terrible Struggle—The Tell-Tale Blood Stains and Broken Furniture—The Mysterious Tenants and Their Movements—The Furniture Bought and Carted to the Assassins' Den—What Milkman Mertes Saw—The Plot as Outlined by

the Surroundings—Iceman O'Sullivan Under Surveillance 154   CHAPTER VIII. The White Horse and Buggy—Detective Coughlin Hires It for a "Friend"—The Trouble in the Stable—Dinan Goes to Schaack—The Captain's Peculiar Movements—Scanlan Identifies the Horse—The Detective and O'Sullivan are Jailed—The Grand Jury Indicts Them with Woodruff—The Accused Arraigned in Court 195   CHAPTER IX. The Lying in State—An Impressive Scene—The Imposing Procession—At the Cathedral—An Eloquent Voice from the Pulpit—Clerical Denunciation of the Crime—Laid to Rest in Calvary Cemetery 220   CHAPTER X. The Coroner's Inquest Opens—A Model Jury—Visiting the Scene of the Tragedy—Taking the Evidence—Captain Schaack's Compromising Admissions—Prominent Clan-na-Gael Men put on the Stand—Alexander Sullivan's Threats—Luke Dillon Tells What He Knows—The Documents Left by the Murdered Man Read by the Coroner—A Sensational Inquiry 236   CHAPTER XI. Closing Scenes of the Inquest—The Verdict—Alexander Sullivan's Arrest Ordered—Midnight Visit to His Residence—His Cool Demeanor and Cheerful Acquiescence—Taken to the County Jail—Incidents of the Arrest 259   CHAPTER XII. At the Toronto End of the Conspiracy—Investigating Long's Circumstantial Stories, and His Interviews with Dr. Cronin—A Chicago Fugitive Concerned—His Suspicious Movements—A Chapter of Startling Coincidences—Long on the Rack—Makes Damaging Admissions but will not Retract—The Object to Distract Attention from the Scene of the Crime—Another Confession from Woodruff 275   CHAPTER XIII. Sullivan's Arrest Creates a Sensation—His Friends Stand by Him—The Noted ex-Irish Leader in Court—Efforts to Secure His Release—Judge Tuley Gives Him His Liberty—Arrest of Maroney and McDonald in New York—Their Extradition Refused 292   CHAPTER XIV. Officer Collin's Suspicions—Martin Burke and His Record—Fortunate Discovery of the Photograph of a Clan-na-Gael Group—The Carlsons and Others Identify Burke—His Peculiar Movements and His Flight—An Indictment against Him—The Capture in Winnipeg, when En Route to England—Stubborn Fight to Prevent His Extradition to American Soil—The Law Triumphant—A Memorable Journey Home—Preliminaries of the Trial—A Separate Trial Granted Woodruff 303   CHAPTER XV. Theories Regarding the Disappearance of the Murdered Man's Clothing—The Hand of Providence Manifests Itself—Fortunate Discovery of the Last Bloody Evidences of the Crime—Dr. Cronin's Apparel is Found—It had been Secreted, with His Case of Surgical Instruments, in a Catch-basin, Adjacent to the One in Which the Body was Discovered—Shoes, Jewelry and Purse Missing—Complete Identification by His Friends—The Search Continued—A Piece of Carpet Found—The Conspirators' Plans Thwarted 333   CHAPTER XVI. Special Grand Jury Summoned—Personnel of Its Members—Judge Shepard's Vigorous Charge—The Testimony Taken—Seventeen Days' Investigation Results in the Indictment of Seven Men—Full Text of the Indictment—Arrest of Beggs and Kunze—The Alleged Trial of Dr. Cronin in Camp 20 351   CHAPTER XVII. Public Abhorrence at the Crime—A Great Out-pouring of the People—Cosmopolitan Assemblage at Central Music Hall—A Judge's Vigorous Speech—Congressmen Denounce the Crime—The Rival Demonstrations at Cheltenham Beach and Ogden's Grove 369  

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@32533@[email protected]#CHAPTER_XVIII" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">CHAPTER XVIII. In Court at Last—The State's Attorney Points Out the Accused, Man by Man—A Formidable Array of Legal Talent—Objections to Luther Laflin Mills and his Associates—Over-ruled by the Court—Weeks consumed in the Wearisome Task of Securing a Jury—Scenes and Incidents 384   CHAPTER XIX. Startling Interruption to the Trial—Villainous Attempt to Frustrate the Ends of Justice—Bold Efforts to Bribe the Special Veniresmen in the Interest of the Prisoners—A "Hung" Jury Wanted—Fortunate Discovery of the Plot—The "Wheels Within Wheels" of the Conspiracy—Prompt Action of the Prosecuting Authorities—Speedy Arrest and Indictment of the Guilty Parties—Crime Added to Crime 399   CHAPTER XX. A Jury Secured at Last—Names and Sketches of the Twelve Men Selected to Determine the Guilt of the Accused—The Trial Under Way—Opening Speeches for the State—Scenes in the Court Room 414   CHAPTER XXI. Evidence for the State—The Story of the Crime Retold—A Long Line of Witnesses—Sensational Disclosures and Missing Links Supplied—Mrs. Hœrtel's Graphic Story—Dr. Cronin's Knives are Found and Produced in Court—A Masterly Grouping of the Testimony Against the Prisoners 430   CHAPTER XXII. The Defense Takes its Turn—Unsuccessful Efforts to Exclude the Bulk of the Evidence Given for the State—Alibis for the Prisoners and the White Horse—A General Denial of Complicity in the Tragedy—Rebuttal Evidence for the Prosecution 457   CHAPTER XXIII. Opening for the State—The Evidence Reviewed—A Masterly Argument by State's Attorney Longenecker—Tracing the Plot from its Inception to the Murder—An Appeal for Justice—Arguments for the Defense—Donahoe, Wing, Foster and Forrest make Their Final Pleas for the Prisoners, and Ingham, Hynes and Longenecker Close for the State 470   CHAPTER XXIV. All the Testimony Before the Jury—Judge McConnell's Lucid Charge—The Jury Retires—A Period of Anxiety—Popular Excitement at its Height—Demeanor of the Prisoners—Suspense at Last Ended—The Verdict 563

 

 

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

  page. Portrait of Dr. Patrick Henry Cronin, the Murdered Physician Frontispiece. Portrait of Patrick O'Sullivan, the Ice Man, one of the Defendants 28 Portrait of Daniel Coughlin, the Detective, one of the Defendants 197 Portrait of Martin Burke, one of the Defendants 315 Portrait of John F. Beggs, one of the Defendants 360 Portrait of John Kunze, one of the Defendants 367 O'Sullivan and Kunze, from Photograph Taken During Trial 392 Portrait of Patrick Cooney, "The Fox" 452 Portrait of Supt. of Police Hubbard 210 Portrait of Officer Daniel Brown 354

Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. T. T. Conklin 39 Portrait of Alexander Sullivan 263 Portrait of Mertes, the Milkman 187 Portraits of Five Defendants on Trial 429 Portraits of the Six Prisoners in Court 332 Portraits of the Twelve Jurymen 416-417 Portrait of Judge McConnell, Presiding at the Memorable Trial 456 Portrait of Joel M. Longenecker, the State's Attorney 469 Portrait of Luther Laflin Mills (the Noted Criminal Lawyer), for the Prosecution 550 Portrait of George C. Ingham, Attorney for the Prosecution 514 Portrait of W. J. Hynes, Attorney for the Prosecution 521 Portrait of W. S. Forrest, Leading Attorney for The Defense 536 Portrait of Judge Wing, Attorney for the Defense 512 Portraits of Three of the Carlson Family 168 Portraits of Principal Witnesses before the Coroner's Inquest 254 Portrait of Detective Michael Whalen 206 Portrait of Detective Barney Flynn 464 Portrait of Lawrence R. Buckley 242 Portrait of T. P. O'Connor 244 Portrait of P. M'Gehan 247 The Court Room, Showing the Great Trial in Progress 413 The Card of Sullivan Ice Co., that Lured Dr. Cronin From His Home on the Night of the Murder 20 The Mysterious Wagon 31 Detectives Inspecting the Spot Where the Trunk Was Found 42 The Bloody Trunk and Its Contents 35 Picture of Dr. Cronin Taken After He Was Found In The Catch-Basin with the "Agnus Dei" on Breast 135 Scene at the Morgue, Showing the Body Lying on Slab and Being Identified by Scanlan and Conklin 140 The Spot Where the Trunk Was Found 33 The Skull of Dr. Cronin, Showing the Wounds 143 The Broken Rocker on which Dr.

Cronin Probably Sat when Killed 161 Blood-Stained Piece of Brass 161 The Solitary Lamp 161 The Catch-basin—South View 127 The Catch-Basin, Showing Fire-plug and Ditch 129 The Discovery of the Body in the Catch-Basin 131 Alexander Sullivan's Residence 264 The Assassins' Den, Showing the Carlson Cottage In Rear 157 Diagram of the Locality of the Murder 156 Footprint Found in House 160 The Coroner's Jury 239 Jurors Examining Finger Marks in Paint on Window Blind 245 Jurors Examining Blood Stains in Parlor of Cottage 238 The White Horse and Buggy that Took Dr. Cronin Away from His Home 199 Liveryman Dinan's Stable 198 The Funeral Procession 223 Dr. Cronin's Apartments in Windsor Theatre Building 18 Dr. Cronin's Reception Room in Chicago Opera House Building 184 Dr. Cronin's Office in Chicago Opera House Building 181 Dr. Cronin's Main Office in Chicago Opera House Building 183 State's Attorney Longenecker Addressing the Court 296 Dr. Cronin's Box and Its Contents 337 The Load on the Stretcher 338 Some of Dr. Cronin's Clothes 340 Two Views of Dr. Cronin's Hat 341 Dr. Cronin's Pocket Instrument Case 342 Dr. Cronin's Sleeve Button, Comb, R. A. Button, Case, Etc. 343 Dr. Cronin's Pocket Case 345 Remains of the Murderer's Valise 346 The Silver Hypodermic Syringe Case 347 Dr. Cronin's Surgical Instrument Case 348

The English Prescription Book 349 The Judge Hears of the Jury-Bribing Plot 401 The Knives 466

 

 

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CHAPTER I.

Little introduction to this volume is needed. It is the story—told in plain unvarnished words, so that everyone who reads may understand—of a crime that has shocked the people of the United States, and astounded the civilized world. Back of that crime was a conspiracy so wide in its ramifications, so cunningly contrived, so successfully executed, as to rival the diabolical plots and outgrowing tragedies that have been placed at the doors of the secret societies of France, Italy and Spain, by the historians of the Dark Ages. In the United States, as an event of national importance, the crime may be said to rank with the assassinations of Presidents Lincoln and Garfield. In the case of the former, as of the latter, the perpetrator of the crime was a half crazed enthusiast, who imagined that he had a mission to perform in taking the life of the Chief Magistrate of the Republic. An effort was made, it is true, to demonstrate the fact that the assassin of Abraham Lincoln was but the tool of a band of conspirators, but, despite the fact that five of his alleged accomplices suffered an ignominious death upon the scaffold upon conviction for complicity in the appalling crime, the question as to the actual existence of a conspiracy has remained to this day a mooted one. In the case of President Garfield there was not even a suggestion that the assassin acted upon other than his own insane impulse. So far as concerns the Haymarket horror in Chicago, the point as to whether the throwing of the bomb that echoed around the world was the outcome of a conspiracy, or the act of an individual who had inbibed anarchistic principles and doctrines until reason had been dethroned, and a desire for vengeance upon the supposed enemies of the proletaire had generated into an uncontrollable determination, is still unsettled in the minds of many people eminently well versed in the law; as well as in those of a goodly proportion of the masses. So far, however, as the tragic fate of Dr Cronin is concerned, no such doubt may be said to exist. That he fell a victim to a plot, remarkable in its conception and execution; conceived in shrewdness and forethought, and executed by the aid of far-reaching and elaborate machinery; and with remorseless precision, is beyond peradventure. But it serves no purpose to anticipate. The following chapters tell their own story of the manner and methods by which the murder of a law-abiding American citizen, prominent in his profession and of national reputation, was decreed and carried out. It was the first crime of its character in the history of the United States. It will probably be the last.

 

THE DISAPPEARANCE.

The locality was Chicago. The date Saturday, May 4th, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty-nine. The time eight o'clock of the evening. Philip Patrick Henry Cronin—for this was the full name of the physician—was closeted with a patient in the most spacious of the front suite of rooms attached to a handsomely furnished flat directly over the Windsor Theatre on North Clark Street. The tenants of the flat, T. T. Conklin, a well-known saloon keeper, and his wife, were among his most intimate and confidential friends, and with them the physician, who was a confirmed bachelor, had resided so long that he was regarded, to all intents and purposes, as one of the family. They nursed him in sickness, studied his every requirement when in health, and in a great measure, shared with him his personal and political knowledge. It was a happy, congenial family in every sense of the term. Dr. Cronin was on the point of dismissing the patient, for an important meeting of the Celto-American Society, which published a paper of which he was the political editor, necessitated his hurrying away to the other side of the city, when the door-bell rang violently. Mrs. Conklin responded. A man pale and breathless, stood on the landing.