The Crime of the Century Part 8

Q.--Did you present any evidence, other than your statement, in relation to any of the acts mentioned? A.--No. Because I was not aware of any man elected.

Q.--Do you recollect that a vote was taken in regard to District A.? A.--Yes; if you have any doubt I can refer you to mem.

Q.--Do you recollect my opposing the representation of Australia by any person in that body? A.--No; you spoke to me, however, and said to me that I should not oppose it; that you were as anxious as I, for you had been ignored or not consulted for eighteen months. You voted to seat Australia.

Q.--You charged that the executive used the funds of the organization to pay Maroney's debts, did you? A.--No. In August, 1884, Maroney was a porter in a store on Market street. Soon after he was D. M. of three counties surrounding Philadelphia. He went into the gents' furnis.h.i.+ng goods at No. 2400 Kensington avenue. He got $400 from the executive; check on the Continental Bank, exchanged to his credit. Afterwards he went into debt $600 to McDermott (Black Jim). This amount the executive paid to McDermott.

I saw the $600 paid him. I made the fact known to the convention.

[Mr. O'Boyle interrupts.]

Q.--What was the relation between Maroney and the executive? A.--I don't know.

Mr. Rogers--What did Maroney say when you gave him the money?

[There is no answer to that question.]

Mr. O'Boyle--Upon whom was the check drawn? A.--All checks were signed by Kerwin for the executive.

Mr. Rogers--Had this not been a prior date? A. No.

Mr. Feeley--Was your charge denied by Maroney? A.--No, he said the money was furnished by the executive for work until he should earn enough to pay it back.

Mr. Feeley--When was Maroney's debt paid? A.--Some time in December.

Q.--Did Maroney do any work after that? A.--He acted as detective in Iowa. He went with Sullivan and Boland to St. Paul.

Dr. Cronin--Did the term report show any loss to Maroney? A.--I could not say; the time was from August, 1885, to August, 1886.

Examination of another witness, a member since the beginning of the old organization.

Q.--Did you know Capt. Lomasney? A.--Yes.

Q.--Do you know of his having left on a certain motive? A.--Yes, three or four times since his imprisonment as Mr. O'Sullivan in 1867.

Q.--Do you remember the last time he went? A.--Yes; in August, 1884.

Q.--What did he say to you on the subject of his work? A.--I was closer than a brother to him. Our families had constant intercourse. I offered him my hand the day he told me of his project; had little help. Wife saved a bed.

Q.--What family had he? A.--A wife and four children and an aged father.

Q.--Who were with him? A.--His brother Jim and Mr. So-and-so.

Q.--Have they been seen since? [No answer to this.]

Q.--What was Mrs. Lomasney's condition before his going? A.--A most outrageous case of neglect. Flemming's mother died in the poorhouse.

Q.--Did you ask for help? A.--Yes; in 1885 I went to New Haven. We had no directors. I called upon Dr. Wallace. He was D. Saw Mulvaney and Condon. The latter went with me to Carroll. He professed utter ignorance of the whole affair. I said: "By G.o.d, you must see her;"

her, Mrs. L. He decided to. Mulvaney said: "Why don't you see Boland?" Found him on Fifth avenue. He denied all responsibility.

He would have nothing to do with it. Finally he claimed she had received much money. I said she did not. He was non-committal. His acknowledgment made him responsible.

Q.--Did you see Carroll at New York? A.--Yes. We met him at Vesey street. He left me to go into the _Herald_ building and brought me $100. I refused this. I told him I didn't come for money. I said: "You know how to send this, as you have the others; if you respect the memory of the dead and the widow and the orphan, made so by your act, do your duty by all."

Q.--Until August, 1886, what was her condition?

A.--Poverty-stricken; no coal, no clothing; nothing left her but misery and her pride. Our S. G. would not give the channel of communication. He read our resolutions; whether he ever forwarded them or not I did never know. He is dead. He told the committee of D. that the organization was not responsible.

Mr. Rogers--You swear you called the attention of Boland and Carroll to her condition? A.--Yes; and not until somebody came to us with $1,025 did the poor woman have any adequate support.

By Dr. Cronin--Did Lomasney attend the district convention held in Chicago in 1884? A.--No; he was not elected.

Q.--Was any one elected from your D.? A.--No; we noticed it much.

We could not account for our D. having no representation.

Q.--Would Lomasney tell you if he had been selected a delegate by any one outside of D.? A.--Yes, and we would have been aware of his absence.

Q.--Would he have gone there, if not elected a delegate?

A.--No; he was the soul of honor, and despised trickery; he did not care for office; never held any in his life except in danger.

Mr. Boland--Did you see him at Boston? A.--Walsh told me he had no control. S. G. contended that the organization had no responsibility. In 1885 John Maroney called; said he had been especially sent. They had come for a little money; gave $10; Lomasney had nothing. N. Y. D. S. raised and sent $150. More was raised and suppressed. In 1887 the sheriff put Mrs. L. out on the street. No home was ever bought for her.

Question by Mr. Dillon--Do you know that Mrs. L. is an economical woman? A.--Yes. People began to talk of her and sent an organization to me to say that she was extravagant; talked of her husband's taking off, which prejudiced many, and her rent was raised. She had been paying $30 a month; no general increase; the landlord wanted her put out.

Mrs. Lomasney examined. [Upon Alexander Sullivan's request not sworn.] Husband went away in August, 1884.

Q.--How much money have you received from the organization since?

A.--A thousand dollars altogether.

Q.--How much since? A.--In the summer of 1885 I visited Alexander Sullivan. I went to inquire after my husband, as I was led to believe he was in possession of certain funds; he did not know my condition, nor did he relieve me. He did send for a ticket to Detroit with which I returned home.

Q.--When again did you call upon Mr. Sullivan? A.--In August, 1886, I made known my condition, and after advising me to sell my little store, he asked me a schedule of my liabilities: $200; he would attend to the matter. He gave me no money, nor offered me any. He seemed anxious that I should not communicate with any one in the city. He asked me if I was acquainted with any one. I told him of James Q. Mr. S. said I should not mention his (Sullivan's) name to any one, etc. Called on Q. He talked to me about Father Dorney. No help.

Met Col. Richard Burke, and he, with some friends, a.s.sisted me, I know that Mr. Sullivan was the one that had a right to attend to this. Was afterward amazed that he did not. The dress I wore was a borrowed one. John Hickey was S. G. Several weeks after I went to Mr. Sullivan and asked him a loan of $100; this he sent me; nothing since. I could not give up the store, as that would confirm the belief that husband was dead or in the business. Thomas Tuttle was the first to relieve my necessities.

CROSS-EXAMINED BY ALEXANDER SULLIVAN.

Q.--You saw me in 1886, was it not? A.--Yes, certain. Another $500 came from Brooklyn. I had a letter sent by my husband when he was in Europe, inclosing one from Mr. Alexander Sullivan, in which he said, in my letter, he asked for money. I afterwards received a note from my husband saying he had received money from Mr.

Sullivan; I don't know the amount.

Here Mr. S. admitted that Lomasney was sent by the organization.

The last letter from husband was in 1884; anxious to go home. His age 44.

Examination of another witness. Evidence corroborates that of the first witness taken. Received __20 and one steerage pa.s.sage six weeks after the first witness. No shoes. Sold clothes and trunk to get home. No bed.

Here the notes abruptly ended.

CHAPTER V.