The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-11-07
A Fighting Judge.

A Chief-Justiee struggling apparently
for his life with Galway Squire in a
crowded railway carriage for the pos
session of loaded rifle IS lively Incl
dent, sufficiently unique of its kind,
even in ireland, to warrant notice. Il
came about in this way: The Chief
Justice of the Court of Common
Pleas, who was going through the
Connaught Circuit as one of the
Judges of Assize. entered a first
class railway carriage the other
day at the town of Mullingar, where he
had Just finished the criminal busineSs
for that district. An unexpected class
of work here turned up for his lordship
In this carriage Was seated a gentleman
with a rifle between his legs. This
gentleman, as it subsequently turned
out, was DR. Isidore Burke, the
brother of Mr. Walter M. Burke, who,
when Misunderstanding was a sort of
popular patriotic pastime in the West
of Ireland, was popped at by some
peasants from behind ditch and shot
dead. This unlucky landlord was at
the time driving his gig along the road,
and seated at the rear of the vehicle
was Dragon, carrying loaded car
bine who was detailed as special
escort to Mr.. Burke, who was known
to be marked man" Another
bullet from behind the hedge lodged in
the head of the poor dragon, who was
also killed on the spot. DR.. Isadore
Burke, who is now in possession of the
| property Of his murdered brother, has
had his life threatened, and, according
to the practice which has prevailed
very largely among landlords in the
West, he brings his rifle about with
him everywhere he goes. He carries q
rifle instead of revolver, because tho
former may have deterrent effect on
an intending assassin and also because
it is comfortable to be able to return a
long shot if the marksman who initiates
the firing should miss his aim. When
the Chief-Justice, who wore the tall
hat and frock-coat of civil life and was
not recognized as one of her Majesty s
Judges, took his seat, he found himself
looking down the long barrel of rifle
which was reposing between the knees
of the opposite passenger. The Judge
instinctively removed his head into
a corner of the carriage, and something
like the following dialogue passed
between him and the proprietor of the
rifle: MAY ask you, sir, asked the
Judge, IF that gun between your legs
is loadedp" 'Yes, sir" replied the
landlord promptly, sit is loaded" and
he trifed tenderly with the trigger.
Then, sir" said the Judge, 81 object
to travel in q carriage with loaded fire
arms" I'm that case, sir rejoined the
landlord, 'you are at liberty to leave
the carriage" Whereupon the Judge
proceeded to e4pound the law bearing
on the carrying of loaded firearms il
public conveyances under circumstance
dangerous to the lives of travellers
thereby, and he formally requisitioneC
the landlord to remove the gun. The
latter irreverently remarked: ''Fiddle
sticksr Then the Judge seized tht
barrel of the rifle, chucking it under tn,
nose of an elderly lady, who diveC
beneath the seat for safety and shouted
for the police. The Judge and tn
landlord struggled for the possession o
the rifle so recklessly that it seems
,. miracle it didn't 90 off and create
vacancy on the Irish Bench, A police
man who was on the platform rushe'
t up under the impression that wilfu
murder was being perpetrated in tn
carriage. The Constable made tn
/ contending parties known to eac
other, and then the landlord let go hi
d end of the rifle. which was taken b
the Judge, who handed it to the guar
of the train, who put it away in tn
y luggage yan.-DnbIin Cor. A. T. Time