The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-01-29
TRIAL OF BURKE.
FRIDAY EVENING.

came there between two and three
o'clock; defendant came there fifteen to
twenty minutes after; Burke (defendant)
said Conuers had watch that beloged
to him and he wanted to get it; he pro
posed fetching him in the house and
searching him. Burke said he would go
and bring Conuors in to search him aud
see if he had his watch; Couuors would
not come in; lie wanted Burke to go
out with him. They went around up
back of the barn together. l went on
one side of the barn, and they went on
the other. l could see their feet. l
looked under the barn; the barn was on
a side. hill. 1 went on the lower side
and could see their boot legs on the up
per side Of the barn Conners fell On
the ground, aDd before he fell l heard a
noise like a noise of striking; 1t looked
as though Burke was trying to get Con-
ners around the corner of the barn. L
saw Conners when he fell; he fell on his
side on the ground. Burke was stand
ing two feet from him. l could see the
whole of the body on the ground; Hugh
Clemens was with me. l went to the
barn, and in five minutes l saw Burke
coming the house is one hundred feet
from the barn. Burke came to the
house in about five minutes and said he
had got his watch. Burke had little
blood on one hand. He washed his
hands. Conners looked as though he was
dead when he was brought in. There
we're some scratches on his neck. Burke
Hughey Clemens, Martin Haley and
Dan Nolan brought him in.
Cross Examined-Burke said Con-
nors had stolen his watch. Connor'
said he would not came in. Burke was
trying to get Connors in the hotel; Mar
tin Haley, Hiram Mcdonald and Frank
Huff were there. heard sound ike {
stroke, and saw Connors on the grount
after; he fell on his right side, with hi
face towards the barn. Burke was ther,
at the house within five minutes, ant
had his watch in his hand. He said HI
had got it, Corners had marks on hi
bead. I did not see the body till it Wa
brought IN the house. There was bloot
where he fell. There was blood on th
barn three or four feet up. III
fell by the side of the barn. The coro
ner's inquest was held there the mex
morning.
Daniel Nolan sworn-I was at Roc
Hill on Nov 9th. l saw Dennis Con
nors when they were carrying him in
The defendant, Hugh Clemens an,
Mathew Haley were carrying Couuor
in the house. Conners had mark o
his nose. Burke asked if some of ther
would help carry him. l took hold G
one of his legs. / asked what the mai
ter was, and Burke said it was the ma
! he had the fuss with. He also said
that man died he would never strik
another man. / saw the place it wa
by the side of the barn; saw blood ther
it was where 1 supposed the man fel
1t was from three to Ave feet from tn
end of the barn. Blood was pattere
on the boards and soaked into tn
ground.
Cross examinined-The spot of bloc
on The ground, was, say one and ha
feet long aud not SO wide.
David Chase re-called-Clemens di
not 20 to the house with me.
Hugh Clemens sworn--Defendar
caught hold OF Conners to bring him
) the house. Conners said he had to g
to the barn to do a job. took hold ,
Couners and he slipped away. wei
up to the barn, Defendant said, 81 g
my watch from the s---n of a b-h
! aud defendant motioned me with h
hand to 90 back; he sald 81 got ii
watch, asd Conuers tried to break.
with his heel" l went to Conners ar
! he was lying down. wiped the bloc
5 off his nose. l said to the defendau
"some one ought to go and see Corners
, He (Couuers) said, "Hughey, Tn mu
dered and DONE" l put my hand {
his shoulder and bent him down. +
said, "my throttle Is broke by a kic
from Jim Burke" He could not swa
low the water. Drew his breath; Gin
tatei by witness) he was nearly don
aud I went to the house and said S
Defendent said to tie boy and Mat. Fl
6 ley to help carry hin doUn. l saw
3 marks excep on the nose: saw no blo'
7 except on his fnger. He might ha
: lived three-quarlers of an hour.
Cross examined-When | went the
+ Cenners was standing up and his nc
3 was bleeding. went back and Come
z was standing inside the barn, l sal
l "come to the trough aud l will wa
r. you off," l took him down and wash
him. The trough is about half way |
0 tween the house and barn. The insi
8 of his mouth was full of blood, and
said Jim Burke had broke his .throt
d by a kick. He said in the barn and
the trough that he was murdered. ]
4 walked back to the barn by. himse
There was a mark on the back of
head and QUE on the temple. 1t wac
4 big cut on the back of the head.
was nearly out of his mind the event
i before. Conners was bloody the eve
ing before, and cut badly. 1 had be
accused of stealing his watch. / was
the eoroner's inquest aud stated tt
8 Conners said defendant had broke
throttle. I also stated that he was m
dered and sent for.
Byran M'Donald sworn.--I was
Chase's on the 9th of November Il
q Saw there defendant and Conners ca
into Chase's. Defendant came in fit,
ne to twenty minutes after. Defend