OUR AMERICAN LETTER.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 147, 22 June 1889, Page 5

OUR AMERICAN LETTER.

(from odr own correspondent. )

San Francisco, June 1. MURDER OF DR. CRONIN.

The Clan-na-Gael has again used the assassin's knife, thi3 time directing it against one of its own members. Dr. P. H. Cronin, an Irish Nationalist, high in the councils of the League in this country, and a man of great ability as an organiser, was done to death in a most atrocious manner on the 4th of this month in Chicago. All the facts in the shocking case point to a premeditated murder, that had for it 3 object tho removal of a man who knew too much against those who dictated '. c policy of the Irish Home Rule party in America. Cronin believed in physicalforce for the freeing 01 Ireland ; he was a tongue-loose man when discussing Erin's wrongs, and counselled the use of knife, pistol and dynamite againsttheusurper in Ireland. He had place and power in the Clan-na-Gael and brought serious charges against the members of the Directory, alleging misappropriation of funds, using their influence not so much for the beneritof Ireland as for their own in gaining political preference. His life was demanded.

Cronin disappeared from his home late at night. He told the people with whom he lived that if he ever remained away over twelve hours to notify the police, as he had been warned that he would be murdeied. His absence caused great excitement. He was searched for everywhere, and at last his body was found in a sewer, mutilated in a shocking manner. The assassination was one oi national importance, and the conspiracy to murder Cronin was ; - "d in many cities. Half a dozen in .vent to Chicago to pub him to death, _.1. the mean 3 they adopted were cruel and barbarous. A cottage was engaged in the outskirts of the town. Cronin was summoned to attend a dying man. He was driven to the murderers' den, and had but stepped over the threshold when he was struck down with an axe. A terrible struggle followed. In three rooms were seen the evidences of the fight the Irish Nationalist had made for hi 3 life. Cries were heard by people some blocks away, but no one minded them, and Cronin sank to his death, wounded in fifty places with knives, bludgeons, and axes. Then the body was placed in a box, carried to a manhole some distance away, and dropped into a sewer, where two weeks later accident discovered the foul crime, and a number of men were arrested on suspicion, ami four have been indicted for the murder. One was from Philadelphia, one from Michigan, another from San Francisco, and the other was a Chicagoan. Thab roster will show f.!,- videspread interest shown in the death.' 'renin. The men arc all members oi me Irish party, and one of them has high standing in the detective force of Chicago. Ib is not likely there will be any convictions ; the society's influence is strong enough to protect its assassins. Cronin was a Canadian, but had spent 20 of his 40 years in this country. He held many positions of trust in St. Louis, and was regarded as a very excellent physician in Chicago. He held a high social position in 1 the last named city. ! IRVING BISHOPS DEATH.

Washington Irving Bishop has gone to join the great majority. He died under the most peculiar circumstances, and the episode and its consequences have furnished columns for the newspapers. I don't know whether Bishop was ever in New Zealand, but it is safe to believe that his fame as a mind reader is not unknown in Auckland. He was a strange creature, and he paid dearly for the abnormal powers he was gifted with. There is an organisation in Brooklyn, New York, composed of lawyers, doctors, artists, journalists and professional men, t generally called the "Lambs' Club," and at one of its Saturday, evening entertainments Bishop was invited to give an exhibition of his powers. Though just recovering from a severe spell of illness and against the advice of his physician, he consented and went through all his performances. He was in particularly grand fettle, and during the first two or three trials he executed some marvellous feats. Ab the close of one of these, he went off into a cataleptic trance, from which he was only resuscitated with difficulty. Ho insisted then, in spite of remonstrances, on going on with his performance, with the result that he overstrained his powers, went into another trance, in which he expired. There was a strange scene in the club that night. Every member of the deeply interested audience felt personally responsible for the catastrophe, and all went oIF after summoning the coroner, leaving him there amidst the remains of their least. Before the coroner arrived on the scene, however, a number of physicians, believing the mind-reader was dead, commenced to dissect the body for the purpose of obtaining and examining his brain 1 The affair created intense e.citement. None of Bishop's relations had been, communicated with nor consulted, and when his widow and mother were apprised of what had oc curred,.their grief and indignation knew no bounds. They said that Bishop was not dead at the time, but only in a trance, and they asserted further that he lived in constant fear that his fate would bo that which had befallen him. Tho affair created the most intense excitement. An inquest was held on the body, and it was found that all the organs were warm and in good condition. The greatest scientists of this country and Europe have been consulted on the matter, but all seem to believe that Bishop was really dead. His mother, in her evidence before the Coroner, stated that her son never stirred from home without certain' papers stating his feelings on this subject, and directing that no knife should be suffered to cut him for at least 48 hours after his death. The question has not been settled as the jury is still hearing testimony. I will be able to give you their verdict next month.

THE PACIFIC MAIL. The decision of New Zealand in refusing to participate in the subsidy has caused much regret in this State. Congress is blamed, however, for its failure to encourage American shipping, and the fault is not with the colonies. There is universal indignation at the niggardliness of this great nation in permitting this business to go by the board, and it is nearly a certainty that at the next session something will be done. Mr C. R. Buckland, the agent here for the colonies, tells me that the Oceanic Steamship Company is preparing to make a big fight over the matter, but even now they anticipate a great deal of difficulty in obtaining what they require. There is a proposition now that the steamers call in at Apia instead of at Tutuila as at present, and if this is done, the Government would be empowered to expend some of the Samoan fund.

AMERICAN WRECKS AT SAMOA. It is not by any means improbable that the Secretary of the Navy will order an inquiry into the loss of the American fleet in the harbour of Apia. It is alleged hero by American captains, who happened to have been in Samoa at the time, thab Admiral Kimberley should have left the harbour when specific warning of the approaching hurricane was given him by several people on shore. The story goes that he knew a cyclone was coming twenty-four hours before it burst, and that he signalled to the German admiral that he intended putting* out, as his ground tackle was not of sufficient strength to stand much strain. The reply came, "Do as you please, I intend staying here." Kimberloysaidno more. He determined to remain as long as the Germans, and when a few hours later the Captain of the Nipsic signalled him for

permission to put to sea, he refused. These matters will all be broughtoutin case of an investigation, if one should be ordered.