eply of Beggs to this letter, dated February
18, was then read. In this Beggs says he knows of no "written law"
under which a penalty could be inflicted for the offense alluded to
in his first letter. "No man in his right senses," he declared,
"would deny that such conduct was prejudicial to the good of the
order." Mr. Beggs in this letter also deplores the "opening of the
old sore," and says that as the majority of the members believed
"the parties charged to be innocent," created ill feeling and
blasted the hopes of the friends of Irish unity. Beggs also said he
would not notice the matter alluded to, as he thought it better not
to notice such matters, only he was ordered to do so by the vote of
the camp. "But I am only one man," said Beggs, "but the men who are
in power will in time realize the motives of those who are
continually breeding disorder in the ranks. I am very much
discouraged at the present outlook, but hope no trouble will result
in the meantime."

Mr. Longenecker asked significantly what Beggs was talking about in
this latter portion of his letter. A comparison of his utterances
with the evidence of Thomas F. and Henry Owen O'Connor showed that
Beggs was referring to Cronin, and to the report which he had read
in his own camp, charging the ex-executives with being thieves and
robbers and with putting Irishmen behind English prison bars. What
did Spelman mean when he said he had hoped for a reunion and for
better results? To whom did Beggs refer when he spoke of "these men
who are continually breeding disorder in the ranks?" It was evident
that they were talking about Cronin.

"On the 22d of February," continued the State's Attorney, "when
Patrick McGarry made the same charge that this ex-executive was
composed of thieves and robbers, at the reunion meeting John F.
Beggs stood up and said he would not submit to any such charges
being made in his camp, and he slapped his breast and thanked God
that he was a friend of Alexander Sullivan's.

"On the 19th of February, Throckmorton said the man named Simonds
came there and inquired and rented the flat at 117 Clark street.
Now we have a meeting on February 22d. You recollect what Patrick
McGarry stated at that meeting, and, for the purpose of showing you
just what he did say, I wo