Chapter I: 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.

CONTENTS.

PAGE.
CHAPTER I.

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

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. Hoertel'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