Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 June 1889 — THE CRONIN MURDER. [ARTICLE]

THE CRONIN MURDER.

The for«wr*« Jury CkargM the Clm-m. Geel With tbe Crime-Alexaader Sullivaa Under Arrest as an Accessory. » The Coroner’s jury investigating the Cronin murder at Chicago came to a finding Tuesday evening. At 11:15 p. m., after being out five hours and a half, the jury came into court and commenced reading their verdict. It was a very long document, but was listened to with marked attention. The verdict charged that “Daniel Coughlin, P. O. Sullivan, Alexander Sullivan and one Woodruff, alias Black, were either principals, accessories, or bgd guilty knowledge of the said plot to murder Dr. Cronin, and conceal his body, and should be held to answer to the grand jury.” The verdict continues as follow?: “We also believe that other persons were engaged in this plot, or had guilty knowledge of it, and should be apprehended and held to the grand jury; and we further state that this plot, in its inception and execution, was one of the most brutal that ever came to our knowledge, and we recommend that tbe proper authorities offer a large reward lot the discovery and a eviction of all engaged in it in any way.” Alexander Sullivan’s arrest was effected without the slightest trouble. Be* fore the verdict was read in public, Coroner Hertz emerged for a moment from the room in which the jury was in session. He beckoned to an officer and handed bima mittimus. The officer, with a comrade, hruriedly left the city hall, and, jumping into a carriage, drove to the residence of Mr. Sullivan. Mr. Sullivan had gone to bed a short time previous, but after tbe object of the officer was explained and the information given that he would not be permitted any time for any purpose, he promptly ana quietly dressed and unhesitatingly accompanied his visitors. The prisoner’s demeanor was calm throughout the entire proceeding. Entering the carriage which had brought the officers, the trio were driven to the office of the county jail. After the usual preliminaries, Mr. Sullivan was taken through the cage into the gloomy prison itself. Tbe expresident of the Irish National League es America was then immediately incarcerated in cell. No. 25, in the tier known as “Murderers’row.” There was a terrible murder and suicide three miles south of Vincennes Wednesday morning, Seth Murray, a farmer, aged fifty-five, shooting his wife in the aboomen with a rifle. and afterward arming himself with a corn knife and severing her head from her body while she lay dying from the effect of the gnn-shot wound. Making sure of her death, Mr. Murray then ran into the yard and uncovered a bottle of prussic acid which he had concealed, swallowed the contents, and died almost instantly. Jealousy is supposed to have been tbe cause. The deceased were the parents of six children. Mr. Sullivan Wednesday filed a petition for release on habeas corpus "on the ground that the evidence before the coroner’s jury on which the verdict was rendered is insufficient to justify the commitment. So far as it reflected on Sullivan it was the result of prejudice and passion. The judge took the petition under advisement. Mr. Sullivan declares that he is innocent. A special Grand Jury to deal with the Cronin case was impaneled this morning in Judge Shepard’s Court. In addressing the jury, Judge Shephard said that he expected a full, exhaustive, impartial investigation of the murder of Dr. Cronin. The entire resources of the county, he said, would be at the disposal of the jury and witnesses who would not testify should be made to do so. The Grand Jury had in its poses* sion the power to make them do so. Alexander Sullivan, was released on $20,000 bail. Michael Davitt thinks Sullivan is the victim of personal spite. Alexander Sullivan’s friends are jubilant over Judge Tuley’s decision in the habeas corpus case, and declue that they are in for a fight. Woodruff, the hone thief, made a new confession of bis knowledge of and participation in the Cronin murder Sunday. He was seen in the afternoon, after the publication of his yarn.and cc nld not tell it again. He is preparing still another confession. Bis story is an interesting one. He implicates Alexander Sullivan, Coughlin and MeDi ugal. He says be was a member of the Canadian militia at the time of the Fenian raid. Little dependence is placed upon afiything Woodruff cays, and his confessions have little credence. Maronev and McDonald tbe two suspects arrested in New York were discharged Monday, their being no eviidence to hold them.