The Crime of the Century Part 10

"Now, look here, Long," he replied, "for G.o.d's sake let up on me. I have already had enough notoriety and don't want to be bothered.

Why can't you let me go? You know I have always been your friend, and I shall expect that you will say nothing about having seen me."

"Come in and let us talk the matter over," said Long, leading the pair into a convenient saloon. Cronin appeared to be a very sick man; in fact, the first impression conveyed was that he was out of his mind. He rambled away, talking about the Royal League and Mr.

Warren, the secretary, and then, apparently getting frenzied, denounced in strong terms a number of St. Louis and Chicago gentlemen, among them Alexander Sullivan, John F. Scanlan, Dr.

O'Reilly, M. F. Madden, Lawyer Berry, Harry Ballard, Judge Prendergast and Lawyer Wade. He mentioned several other names, but they were unknown to Long. Cronin went on to state that he had unearthed a great crime in Chicago during the past few months, but would give no details, and stated that his life had been settled as the penalty. "You know what kind of a man Sullivan is, don't you?"

he said. "Well, he will never let up on me for what I have done, but I have a host of friends--yes, sir, a host of friends--in this country, and if harm comes to me all will not be well for him, I can a.s.sure you." All during the conversation his companion never opened his lips, and when he began talking of Sullivan he took him by the arm and whispered in his ear, after which Cronin refused to speak further.

"Where are you stopping in town?" was met with a point-blank refusal to say more and an entreaty not to follow him. He was allowed to leave the saloon, and at once Cronin and his companion entered a cab and were driven rapidly west on King street. Long, too, summoned a cab, but through a mistake of the driver the wrong hack was followed. This brought up at the Union Station shortly after 12 o'clock. Long glanced at the time tables and found that the first train leaving the depot would be at 12:20 and concluded to wait and see if the case would further develop. At exactly 12:18 a two-horse covered cab dashed up to the station and from it sprang Cronin, the unknown man, and a lady apparently about twenty-three years of age. They all three hurried into the train for Hamilton, not waiting to purchase tickets. Long boarded the train and asked Cronin for what point they were bound, and being refused a civil answer stated that he would stay with him and inform the police at the first station in case he refused to give up. He thereupon stated that they intended going to Niagara Falls.

The lady was probably twenty to twenty-three or four years of age and wore a dark gray traveling dress and a turban hat. She carried a shawl-strap and a brown paper parcel. Cronin had nothing but his small bag and overcoat, while the stranger carried a large brown leather valise.

Long has known Cronin for the past three years and intimately for the past two, belonged to a number of societies with him and had frequently visited his office on Clark street and received in return calls from the doctor at the house he used to live in, 271 Huron street, and could not possibly be mistaken in the man. The only time Cronin ever made any remark to Long while in Chicago which would lead to the idea that he antic.i.p.ated violence was one night while walking together up Clark street about 11:30 o'clock, and at Huron street the doctor requested Long to accompany him as far as Division street on a car, as he did not know what might happen to him. Pa.s.sing Dillon's book store Frank Scanlan was met, and he went on home with the doctor.

A CHAPTER OF INFAMY.

Dr. Cronin's friends were dumbfounded when they opened their morning papers and found themselves confronted by these dispatches. His opponents, on the other hand, were in high glee, and quoted the news as vindicating their own acuteness of perception. But the Toronto end of the conspiracy had scarcely got into active operation. The initial dispatch of Friday was intended simply as a feeler. Long returned to the charge on Sat.u.r.day with a second circ.u.mstantial story that completely eclipsed his first effort. It was as follows:

After Cronin and his party--a man and woman--left Toronto yesterday on the Grand Trunk train moving west, your correspondent telegraphed a friend at Hamilton a description of the trio and requested that he should keep a sharp look-out for them; also that he should wire regarding all their movements and follow them, no matter where they went. In case they separated he was to put men on the track of the woman and strange man and to follow Cronin. This afternoon at 4:10 o'clock a message arrived stating that Cronin had left Hamilton alone, and was on the train scheduled to arrive at Toronto about 5:30 this evening.

Dr. Cronin was not on that train.

Shortly after 7 o'clock a telephone message announced that the Doctor was in this city at the Rossin House, King street, West.

The correspondent sought out the fugitive and greatly surprised him when he answered his knock at the door.

"Well, Doctor, back again?" was the greeting, to which the Doctor answered: "Well, ----," calling the correspondent by name, "it is really too bad that you should dog me round in this shape. What is your object in doing it? I have committed no crime and cannot see why you should thrust my name before the public as you did this morning in the _Empire_ (a Toronto paper). You lied when you stated that Jim Lynch accompanied me. I don't even know the man."

"Well, Cronin, you must certainly know that the people generally, and your Chicago friends particularly, are anxious to know where you are, why you left Chicago, and where you intend going."

"I don't intend making statements," said the Doctor, "I guess I have some rights. Make a statement? I guess not! Now, please get out of my room, or I will kick you out."

The correspondent mentioned that a number of detectives were searching for the missing man. This announcement appeared to annoy the Doctor, and he appeared willing to do anything rather than have detectives take him in charge. He seemed anxious to know all about the detectives, who they were, and what they were doing, and was especially desirous of knowing positively whether any of them were here. He was told that a rumor to that effect had gone the rounds to-day.

Finally, Cronin requested that questions should be put to him, and the following conversation took place:

"When did you leave Chicago?"

"Just a week ago to-night."

"Where did you go?"

"I went to Montreal."

"How did you leave Chicago?"

"I refuse to answer."

"Come, now, Cronin, remember the detectives."

"Now, for G.o.d's sake, don't push that question! I can't answer it!"

"When did you get to Montreal?"

"I got there last Monday evening."

"Where did you put up?"

After considerable bickering the Doctor said he had taken a room at the St. Lawrence Hotel, got his meals at the house of a friend, whose name he would not give.

"Why did you leave Montreal, and when did you do so?"

"I received word that it was known in Chicago, or at least supposed, that I was down there, and got out so I could not be found."

"Where did you then go?"

"I came up to Ottawa."

"When did you leave Montreal?"

"I left there Thursday night."

"Where did you put up in Ottawa?"

"At the Russell Hotel."

"Under your own name?"

"No."

"What name did you give?"

"I don't remember."

"Was it Parkhurst?"

"No, that was not the name."

"What address did you give?"

"I think it was New York."

"Don't you know?"

"Yes."

"Well, why did you leave Ottawa?"

"Because the town was so small that I was afraid some one might know me."