Show DRAGGING IN THE CLAN BURKE the cronin suspect who was recently extradited in canada has haa been safely stowed in jail at chicago where he will remain several weeks pending trial his attorney state senator kennedy is very noncommittal non committal the reporters leaving him generally about as they found him all questions as to who employed him how much he got as a retainer what he thinks of burkes chances and other pertinent questions peculiar to tc the modern interviewer he answers with an expressive and descriptive smile on being asked if he were not a member of the clan na bael mr kennedy replied emphatically in the negative this question discloses the animus of the whole business the press and we take it a majority of the people of chicago have nearly returned to the condition of semi frenzy which was upon them during the proceedings against the anarchists and from which they had but fairly recovered when dr croninn Cr onins body was found in a sewer then it started up again and has been spreading ever since it seems almost monstrous that after so many disavowals of participation in or guilty knowledge of that terrible affair by prominent members of the organization who stand high in life and are so far the dogged determination to make it as a body eps should be 11 maintained doubtless there is evidence going to show that those who committed the murder were members but that is as near as they have come to creating a suspicion against it even it should be in fact is remembered by civilized and enlightened communities everywhere when they are not to some extent carried away that every assassin every criminal of whatever type or degree belongs somewhere is a representative or offshoot of some portion of society organized or otherwise and to proceed A constructively against such society while proceeding actually against the offender himself is an outrage upon our better nature if nothing more serious that burke isa mem berof na gael argues nothing as aa against it even if he should be proved guilty of the crime a condition of things which the law itself instructs us not to anticipate it would argue nothing unless the evidence further 11 discloses the fact that the organization as such aided ad or consented to the killing if it did anything of the kind it should be suppressed and unquestionably it would be so far as overt proceedings are concerned not only this but the chiefs either in rank or in the execution of any such decree should and we believe would be punished to the full extent of the law in proportion to their guilty responsibility meantime the society is to be considered innocents innocent and burke himself should be presumed so until the contrary affirmatively appears the manner in which some of the papers of chicago speak of burkes return there and their dark insinuation and half concealed threats against the clan na gael are ominous they are suggestive of the reign of terror which followed the haymarket tragedy when men were hounded for merely expressing opinions that some of the accused were not guilty or at least less guilty than the others a feeling which eventuated the execution of spies and parsons fur for anarchy when they were accused of murder it is a dangerous state of affairs |