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Patrick Henry Cronin
Philip Patrick Henry Cronin (August 7, 1846 – May 4, 1889) was an Irish immigrant to the United States, a physician, and a member of Clan na Gael in Chicago. In 1889, Cronin was murdered by affiliates of Clan na Gael. Following an extensive investigation into his death, the murder trial was, at the time, the longest-running trial in U.S. history. Cronin's murder caused a public backlash against secret societies, including protests and written condemnations by the leadership of the Catholic Church.
Cronin grew up in the U.S. and Canada, and moved to the Midwestern United States after the American Civil War. He became a physician and a prominent member of high society, and represented St. Louis at the Exposition Universelle (1878). While in St. Louis, Cronin joined multiple clubs, among them, the Irish nationalist organization, Clan na Gael. When he moved to Chicago, Cronin continued his involvement with Clan na Gael. After criticizing the leadership of the Chicago camp of Clan na Gael, he was expelled from the group and accused of being a British spy. In May 1889, Cronin disappeared. Later that month, public works employees discovered his body in a sewer in a northern suburb of Chicago. The press coverage of the investigation and trial caught international attention. Cronin's funeral drew the largest crowds for a funeral since the arrival of Abraham Lincoln's body in Chicago. Patrick O'Sullivan, Daniel Coughlin, Martin Burke, and John Kunzel were found guilty of the murder of Patrick Cronin.
Born on August 7, 1846, in Buttevant, County Cork, Ireland, Cronin was an infant when his family relocated to New York City. Thereafter, they moved to Baltimore, and later to Ontario. At the age of 10, he was enrolled at the Academy of St. Catherine's, graduating with honors in 1863. For the next few years, he worked in Pennsylvania as a school teacher. In 1867, he moved west to Missouri, eventually settling in St. Louis.
Cronin was known for his tenor singing voice. He sang at Irish events, at his local Catholic church, and at the Second Baptist Church in St. Louis, which was unusual because Cronin was Catholic. His singing gained the attention of affluent businessmen in St. Louis. After working for the St. Louis and Southeastern Railroad as a city ticket agent, Cronin secured sponsorship from the Bagnal Timber Company to study at Missouri Medical College. He graduated in the late 1870s and continued his education at Saint Louis University, where he earned a Master's degree and a Doctor of Philosophy. Cronin was involved with the revival of the St. Louis College of Physicians and Surgeons, and he served as its professor of eye and ear diseases by the early 1880s. Cronin was also well known in St. Louis society and attended the Exposition Universelle (1878) in Paris as one of Missouri's state commissioners.
Through his involvement with Clan na Gael, Cronin secured a position with Cook County Hospital. Cronin did not remain with Cook County Hospital, instead opting to open a private medical practice. He had two offices, one downtown and the other at his residence on North Clark Street, where he lived with Theo and Cordelia Conklin. In Chicago, Cronin sang at Holy Name Cathedral and at Irish events in the city.
Cronin was a member of secret societies Royal Arcanum and Chosen Friends, as well as multiple Irish societies, including the Ancient Order of Hibernians and, starting in late 1876, Clan na Gael. Clan na Gael was an oath bound secret society of Fenians devoted to Irish independence from the British Empire. The organization engaged in large amounts of fundraising, but under the leadership of Alexander Sullivan, the Clan took a more paramilitary role in the fight for Irish independence. By the early 1880s, Cronin had determined that in order to gain a more prominent position within Clan na Gael, he needed to be near Sullivan and to move to Chicago. In Chicago, Cronin was also a member of the Foresters and the Royal League.
Cronin sought to rise through the ranks of the Chicago camp of Clan na Gael, which brought him in contact with the Triangle. Clan na Gael was administered by chapters called "camps," and Camp 20 (in Chicago) was Clan na Gael's headquarters. By 1884, the Clan was controlled by Alexander Sullivan, with support from Michael Boland and Denis Feely. This triumvirate was referred to as "the Triangle," and the symbol was used to indicate them in memoranda and circulars. Sullivan and his followers favored guerrilla warfare on British soil. This policy became referred to as the "dynamite policy". The dynamite campaign consisted largely of terrorist attacks on public spaces in Great Britain, including the 1885 bombing of the Tower of London and House of Commons. Due to Henri le Caron, a British Intelligence mole inside Clan na Gael, the dynamite campaign was unsuccessful, resulting in the deaths and arrests of the men attempting to bomb British targets. Meanwhile, Cronin emerged as the leader of the opposition, making him Sullivan's rival. Cronin accused Sullivan of embezzlement, and demanded that Sullivan account for the missing funds. In retaliation, Sullivan accused Cronin of "treason," and ordered an internal trial with a panel of five men to try Cronin. Among the panel members were Detective Daniel Coughlin of the Chicago Police Department, and Henri le Caron. In 1885, the panel found Cronin guilty and expelled him from Clan na Gael. Instead, the decision to expel Cronin split Clan na Gael, with many Chicago members supporting Cronin. Thousands of members quit Clan na Gael and formed Pro-Cronin camps.
This personal feud culminated in 1888, when Cronin publicly accused Sullivan of embezzling $100,000 from Clan na Gael's pension fund for the families of deceased and incarcerated "dynamiters." Hoping to settle the feud and bring Clan members back together, leaders of both factions agreed to an internal investigation. Clan na Gael members organized an internal trial, held in New York City, to investigate the charges against Sullivan. The trial continued for five months and Sullivan was cleared but Cronin refused to acknowledge the outcome, maintaining that Sullivan was crooked.
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Patrick Henry Cronin
Philip Patrick Henry Cronin (August 7, 1846 – May 4, 1889) was an Irish immigrant to the United States, a physician, and a member of Clan na Gael in Chicago. In 1889, Cronin was murdered by affiliates of Clan na Gael. Following an extensive investigation into his death, the murder trial was, at the time, the longest-running trial in U.S. history. Cronin's murder caused a public backlash against secret societies, including protests and written condemnations by the leadership of the Catholic Church.
Cronin grew up in the U.S. and Canada, and moved to the Midwestern United States after the American Civil War. He became a physician and a prominent member of high society, and represented St. Louis at the Exposition Universelle (1878). While in St. Louis, Cronin joined multiple clubs, among them, the Irish nationalist organization, Clan na Gael. When he moved to Chicago, Cronin continued his involvement with Clan na Gael. After criticizing the leadership of the Chicago camp of Clan na Gael, he was expelled from the group and accused of being a British spy. In May 1889, Cronin disappeared. Later that month, public works employees discovered his body in a sewer in a northern suburb of Chicago. The press coverage of the investigation and trial caught international attention. Cronin's funeral drew the largest crowds for a funeral since the arrival of Abraham Lincoln's body in Chicago. Patrick O'Sullivan, Daniel Coughlin, Martin Burke, and John Kunzel were found guilty of the murder of Patrick Cronin.
Born on August 7, 1846, in Buttevant, County Cork, Ireland, Cronin was an infant when his family relocated to New York City. Thereafter, they moved to Baltimore, and later to Ontario. At the age of 10, he was enrolled at the Academy of St. Catherine's, graduating with honors in 1863. For the next few years, he worked in Pennsylvania as a school teacher. In 1867, he moved west to Missouri, eventually settling in St. Louis.
Cronin was known for his tenor singing voice. He sang at Irish events, at his local Catholic church, and at the Second Baptist Church in St. Louis, which was unusual because Cronin was Catholic. His singing gained the attention of affluent businessmen in St. Louis. After working for the St. Louis and Southeastern Railroad as a city ticket agent, Cronin secured sponsorship from the Bagnal Timber Company to study at Missouri Medical College. He graduated in the late 1870s and continued his education at Saint Louis University, where he earned a Master's degree and a Doctor of Philosophy. Cronin was involved with the revival of the St. Louis College of Physicians and Surgeons, and he served as its professor of eye and ear diseases by the early 1880s. Cronin was also well known in St. Louis society and attended the Exposition Universelle (1878) in Paris as one of Missouri's state commissioners.
Through his involvement with Clan na Gael, Cronin secured a position with Cook County Hospital. Cronin did not remain with Cook County Hospital, instead opting to open a private medical practice. He had two offices, one downtown and the other at his residence on North Clark Street, where he lived with Theo and Cordelia Conklin. In Chicago, Cronin sang at Holy Name Cathedral and at Irish events in the city.
Cronin was a member of secret societies Royal Arcanum and Chosen Friends, as well as multiple Irish societies, including the Ancient Order of Hibernians and, starting in late 1876, Clan na Gael. Clan na Gael was an oath bound secret society of Fenians devoted to Irish independence from the British Empire. The organization engaged in large amounts of fundraising, but under the leadership of Alexander Sullivan, the Clan took a more paramilitary role in the fight for Irish independence. By the early 1880s, Cronin had determined that in order to gain a more prominent position within Clan na Gael, he needed to be near Sullivan and to move to Chicago. In Chicago, Cronin was also a member of the Foresters and the Royal League.
Cronin sought to rise through the ranks of the Chicago camp of Clan na Gael, which brought him in contact with the Triangle. Clan na Gael was administered by chapters called "camps," and Camp 20 (in Chicago) was Clan na Gael's headquarters. By 1884, the Clan was controlled by Alexander Sullivan, with support from Michael Boland and Denis Feely. This triumvirate was referred to as "the Triangle," and the symbol was used to indicate them in memoranda and circulars. Sullivan and his followers favored guerrilla warfare on British soil. This policy became referred to as the "dynamite policy". The dynamite campaign consisted largely of terrorist attacks on public spaces in Great Britain, including the 1885 bombing of the Tower of London and House of Commons. Due to Henri le Caron, a British Intelligence mole inside Clan na Gael, the dynamite campaign was unsuccessful, resulting in the deaths and arrests of the men attempting to bomb British targets. Meanwhile, Cronin emerged as the leader of the opposition, making him Sullivan's rival. Cronin accused Sullivan of embezzlement, and demanded that Sullivan account for the missing funds. In retaliation, Sullivan accused Cronin of "treason," and ordered an internal trial with a panel of five men to try Cronin. Among the panel members were Detective Daniel Coughlin of the Chicago Police Department, and Henri le Caron. In 1885, the panel found Cronin guilty and expelled him from Clan na Gael. Instead, the decision to expel Cronin split Clan na Gael, with many Chicago members supporting Cronin. Thousands of members quit Clan na Gael and formed Pro-Cronin camps.
This personal feud culminated in 1888, when Cronin publicly accused Sullivan of embezzling $100,000 from Clan na Gael's pension fund for the families of deceased and incarcerated "dynamiters." Hoping to settle the feud and bring Clan members back together, leaders of both factions agreed to an internal investigation. Clan na Gael members organized an internal trial, held in New York City, to investigate the charges against Sullivan. The trial continued for five months and Sullivan was cleared but Cronin refused to acknowledge the outcome, maintaining that Sullivan was crooked.