As in this instance, so in the McGloin murder case, the moral
certainty of guilt was absolute, but the legal evidence was lacking.
McGloin was a young ruffian who had murdered a saloon-keeper at a
midnight raid on his place. He was the fellow who the night before
he was hanged invited the Chief of Detectives to "come over to the
wake; they'll have a devil of a time." For six months Byrnes had
tried everything to bring the crime home to him, but in vain. At
last he sent out and had McGloin and his two "pals" arrested, but
so that none of them knew of the plight of the others. McGloin
was taken to Mulberry Street, and orders were given to bring the
others in at a certain hour fifteen or twenty minutes apart. Byrnes
put McGloin at the window in his office while he questioned him.
Nothing could be got out of him. As he sat there a door was banged
below. Looking out he saw one of his friends led across the yard in
charge of policemen. Byrnes, watching him narrowly, saw his cheek
blanch; but still his nerve held. Fifteen minutes passed; another
door banged.
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