out of the
way, or removed, or killed, or words implying any such meaning. He knew,
however, that Dr. Cronin believed that he entertained such views.
Standing at the corner of Clark and Randolph street one evening with
Thomas J. Conway, he saw the physician and Mortimer Scanlon coming
along, and the physician, calling him by name, said, "I understand that
you have used violent language against me." M'Gehan replied that it was
a lie. To this the physician responded "I have been informed that you
were sent here to assassinate me." This the Philadelphia man denied,
saying that the doctor was a "blamed fool," and that the people who were
circulating these stories were only trying to make them enemies. M'Gehan
was closely questioned as to his movements since his arrival in
Chicago, and admitted that he had visited several of the Camps,
including the one of which Dr. Cronin was senior guardian, and that he
had borrowed money from several of the avowed enemies of the physician,
although he had not been acquainted with them before reaching Chicago.
Nothing was developed however to connect him, even indirectly, with the
tragedy.

[Illustration: P. M'GEHAN.]

This branch of the case was closed with some very interesting testimony
from J. G. Hagerty, a railroad clerk. His story was, that sometime in
1885, a circular had been issued by the Clan-na-Gael, stating that
several hundred British detectives had been sent from Scotland Yard for
the purpose of finding out the secrets of the Irish revolutionists in
this country, and hence all the members were on the _qui vive_ for
information as to the possible traitors in their midst. One night while
he (the witness) was walking on the street with Alexander Sullivan, the
latter had expressed the opinion that the doctor was a scoundrel and a
menace to the Irish cause, and that it would be a benefit if the cause
were rid of him.

"Did Alexander Sullivan say anything to you that night about having any
idea that Dr. Cronin's life ought to be taken" asked the Coroner.

"That was my impression" answered the witness, "that was the view I took
of the conversation and I must say that I coincided with him at the
time. I believe that men who are trying to get the secrets of people,
who are trying to elevate themselves should be exterminated, and I
gained that opinion from the reports I had heard, especially from
Timothy Crean, who is now dead, and who with other men had been
instrumental in s