The Crime of the Century; Or, The Assassination of Dr. Patrick Henry CroninHunt, Henry M.
History
The Crime of the Century; Or, The Assassination of Dr. Patrick Henry Cronin
Hunt, Henry M.
Cronin, Patrick Henry, 1846-1889; Trials (Assassination) -- Illinois -- Chicago
Additional evidence was submitted to prove that neither Coughlin nor
Beggs had entertained any kindly feeling toward the physician in his
lifetime, but that on the contrary, they hated him with all the
intensity of their strong natures. It was shown, for instance, that in
saloons on the North Side of the city, not only Beggs and Coughlin, but
also O'Sullivan, had repeatedly denounced Dr. Cronin in the most
vituperative language, and that Coughlin in particular had remarked
little more than a month before the murder that, "a prominent North Side
Catholic would be done up if he could not keep his mouth shut." The
attempt was made on cross-examination to show that the man to whom this
language had reference, was John F. Finerty, the noted Irish orator and
editor, but on this question the witnesses disagreed. As a matter of
fact Mr. Finerty lived on the south side of the city. From this point
the purchase of the furniture and trunk for the Clark Street flat, and
which was afterward removed to the Carlson cottage, was taken up.
Hatfield, the salesman, repeated the testimony which he had given before
the coroner's jury. The trunk itself, with the stains of Dr. Cronin's
blood plainly visible on the outside was offered in evidence. So was the
batting saturated with the life blood of the physician, and which was
found in its interior when it was first discovered in the Lake View
ditch. Cross-examination of the salesman failed to shake his opinion
that the goods found in the cottage were those he had sold to the
much-wanted "Simonds." Branching off, the prosecution took up the
threats that had been made against the physician at different times
prior to his murder, and "Major" Sampson, an individual not unknown in
the criminal history of Chicago, told how he had been approached by
Coughlin, who had asked him to meet Dr. Cronin some night and give him
an "infernal good licking." Coughlin had also suggested that he might
take another man with him in order that the job might be the more
complete. Instead of complying with the request however, Sampson had
gone to Dr. Cronin and acquainted him with the fact that he was in
peril. The renting of the cottage was gone into detail. Mrs. Carlson
told her story, and when she had finished, Mr. Mills turning his face
toward the line of prisoners, asked the witness if she could recognize
in the great audience before her, the face of Frank Williams. The
silence was oppressive as the woman's eyes rested upon the prisoners.
THRILLING SCENES IN COURT.
"Do you see the man?" asked Mr. Mills, in an emphatic tone.
"Yes sir," replied the witness.
"Where is he?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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