Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1867-01-26
GENERAL INTELLIGENCE.
The Rarke-WiliaTd Trsgedy--PartiSu'ar
Of the Affair.


Of the Affair.
The kilograms from New York, few
DAYS since, announced a shocking muir
der and suicide in that city on the
night of the 9Th inst. A New York
paper gives the following particulars
of the case;
One of the most shocking tragedies
ever occurring in this city took place
on Satu rday evening, when a young
widow was shot dead by her lover, who
Immediately committed suicide. The
facts in this melancholy and peculiar
case are simply these: Mrs. Francis
Gray Willard, a young widow of de-
cided literary ability, and for some
months the fOrewOman of the female
composing woman In the World office,
and also writer for the Sunday Times
and Messenger, has for some time been
receiving the addresses of Thomas Nj.
Burke, Roundsman doing c lty in the
Seventh Precint, and they were at one
time engaged to- be married. Since
the inauguration of the Masonic Fair,
Mrs. Willard had been in charge of the
table belonging to Ocean Lodge No.
l56, and she, in that capacity, created
feeling of jealousy in the bosom of
her lover, who seems to have been a
man of violent passion, and frequent
quarrels were the natural result. Mrs.
Willard had complained 10 her brother
and friends of the unruly conduct of
Burke, and declared she had changed
her mind in regard to the marriage
No trouble was anticipated on this ac-
count, however; hence no precautions
were taken.
On Saturday afternoon, Mrs. Willard
left the World Office at 4:30 o'clock,
and proceeded to her residence of No.
40 Ninth avenue, to prepare for her
appearance at the Fair. Soon after
her arrival Roundsman Burke came to
the door and asked for Mrs. Willard,
was admitted, and went up stairs to her
parlor. A few minutes after three re-
ports of pistol were heard by the
Iandlady, and on her running up stairs
she discovered Burke ON the floor,
wounded in the head, and Mrs. Will
lard lying in the back room quite dead.
The Sixteenth Precinct Police were
summoned, and the insensible body of
the murderer and suicide was removed
to the Jews Hospital, where he died at
an early hour yesterday morning. 1t
is supposed that Burke upbraided | is
mistress with Inconsistency, and so
worked upon his passion that he drew
revolver and fired two shots at the un-
fortunate woman, one taking effect in
the left shoulder and the other enter
ing the left breast, the ball passing
through the heart and causing almC st
instant death. After cop'r'itting the
dreadful deed Burke placed me muzzle
of the weapon to his right temple and
fired, the bullet crashing into the brain,
causing insensibility and subsequent
death.
Frances Gray Willard was born in
the town of Middletown, Conn.,, and
at the time OF her death had reached
the age of thirty-two years, although
In appearance looked seven or eigat
years younger. Mrs. Willard had been
married and bore a very good charac-
ter among those best acquainted with
her. For the last two years she had
occupied the position of forewoman of
the female composition room attached
to the World office, and has employed
under her ten ladies as compositors. -
Mrs. Willard was lady of fine per-
sonal appearance, having regular fea-
lures, dark eyes and Jet black hair
Taken altogether she was a refined and
cultivated lady, and by her courteous
manners aud singular intellectual abili-
ties gained great many warm person
al friends. HRS. Willard had been
fashion editress on the Sunday Times,
for long time, and also was constant
contributor to that and other journals
of poems and sketches marked with a
high order of ability. Her poems
were, however, evidently the emana
tons of depressed and overburdened
mind. In her manners Mrs. Willard
was cool, self-possessed, without any
precise formality or regularity of man
ner. The deceased had the supervision
of the table of Ocean Lodge at the
Mason's Fair, and no later than Friday
night was the recipient of a splendid
testimonial in the shape of a diamond
ring, from her friends, as a token of
their esteem for her arduous services in
the cause OF charity and benevolence.
This ring Mrs. Willard wore at the
time of her death.
The following letter was found upon
the person of Burke. A very decided
change of mind must have come over
the writer of the letter, since it was
written, or she could not have discard
ed the person to whom it was addressed:
New YORK, May IL, 1861 am so
disappointed in failing to find you to-
day, dear, that / have been indulging
In ''good cry" 1t seems to me that
L would give year of my life for a
sight of your dear face, and the touch
of your lips to mine. looked for you
this noon, but in vain. There were no
blue eyes watching for me, it seems,
and no pleasant smile to welcome me.