New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-04-16
A CHECKERED CAREER.
THE RISE AND FALL OF THE FORMER STATE
TREASURER OF LOUISIANA

New Orleans Anil Il (SpeclaD-The press reports
bring the news that Mayor l.. y. Burke. formef'y
OF New-Oreans. but for some years past resident
Of Honduras has reached almost the last stage OF
misfortune and that ne is now "A fugitive. under !
pain OF Death from the forlorn country in which we
originally sought refuge from an American penl-
Tertiary
Burke was the Treasurer of Louisiana for eigh;
or nine years. His term OF Office ended IN lsss
and very soon under the incoming State Admnis-
tration. it discovered that he had for a long
time. and 10 very great amoun'. been roobns 'he
treasury Of louisiana lie was In England 1t me
time Of the disclosure. organizing a company -
develop certain mining property In Honduras. or
which he had become possessed. and h. made haste
TO fee 10 Central America from a prosecution
which ne doubtless knew he could mo- safely lace
There he has remained ever since. and from time
u time his friends have heard Of him. now ~ being
the point OF brilliant success. and again as
being involved in hopeless and rremediaole failure
At irregular periods 1t would be- given out that he
intended returning to Louisiana us soon as ne cou'i
accumulate money to NEE. the expenses OF MS
trial. but 1t is likely that e';her h. or any one
ever believed this for there seems to have been
no doubt 10 the nature and extern OF the en-
bczz.cmcn, AMI as lttc aS TO iiuiHes sole respons
bllity for It, Eat however that may lie. the game
seems TO be PLAYED out now and all uncertainties
"a rest. Burke has fed to san Salvador with
NasqucZ. the defeated pretendcr 10 the Presidency,
and Bonilla. the triumphant aspirant. makes no
d
eithc:
| The hstor;. OF this man Burke ia romantic
enough TO have been laid Ia the days Of Sir Walter
Raleigh John Hawkins ana Amyas Leigh. Nothing
| IS certainly known as to his anteced"nts, although
he claimed that ne was the Of irish political
exile Of the better class and that he was born In
/ Kentucky. What is known absolutely is that az
| fifteen years Of age he was brakeman on some In
diana railroad and that two years ls;er he was a
! soldier In The Confederate Army. Toward the
close " the war he appeared In Texas an officer
in the Quartermasters service. and here through his
extraordinary ability ~ an organizer he attracted
universal all. nton After the close OF the war he
first went to Galveston and later 10 New Orleans
In the latter city he made his debut workman In
| a marble yard At 81 ~ a day. lie was man 81 SUI
peru physique. OF ndomitable energy. of slice pcss
ambition End phenomenal ingenuity. Very shortly
after reaching Kew -Orlcdrs-so shorty. indeed mat
IL savorcl of 4 theatrical transf"rmation-hc turned
up rs local light agent - the Illinois central "ii-
road Next hc went into polite In 1874 ne was
elected Almlnstrl.1 r of Improvements ~ the cry
= place ~ crca; responsibility and par'icdiarY r'n
In political patronage. la 1873 he bought In"
/ democrat" newspaper. a few months later II" an
sorhci Tho Times" AMI thcn established Tie jour
nal since known as 'Th- Time Democrat About
The same lime hc h,cdua" state Treasure. "n'c"
Office he held until ls' hls been ALREADY related
Throughout that period II" VAS foremost III All Pu"
ii- enterprises AMI. t. ail ap9rir'nr''' ""''', VII"
I s..ush in his Iahors. Certainly 40 one ih0nsAi ~
The tinie that MS Inspiration va, " HorIi" one 'o
he always headed tine sub 'r.ri"" list aNi gave u
effort as literally 81 De d!d IN money. lie "@S d
ma u dazzling echcrl.e. of th-lr.rI srrp' i''- Z"
pr1diclous ache, 'morts. Tca >"1rS hh'T ms "P
rcar,nc- IN NcN-Oreaus 80 a iaN lahor'r III
marble varJ he hlI made himself the m 1T con
spicuous Agurc in the stat. b.. "d- Do Wi'' !" N'
fh OF ls7i tore up me track 81 'H" Ih1H' '"n'fi
Itallr,ad So 80 kip ih- Hlt". "i"''" " '"'
from reaching -Orlctu. in TIM i' pfrN'n' ''
tt.. Is.1 Gov - h
League II was hc who 90 tn winter ~ l''-' i''
motel II he dli not aitocctncr insplrs a'i I"'T'
the deal icy whIca H." electoral vote "i '|'''T''"
was given 10 Hayes ami fhc stat" G'''rnn '"' 4"
the LEGISLATURE 60 th~ Democrats =" 90 ''"''
: c,u,n,icns fouga; dleis. devised -'home' ~ p'h'
devclorncn, WRECKED aui r.surroctcd rc" spap"r'
When The famous hs, Ll-fntel exhibition or J." va
0rs; suggested he opposed 1t in ms n""-pip'' -"
=, when the merchants ami cap.i'liH' OF inc GU
= ! offered him the Dircc.or-G ncr.l-hr ~ ." on
" threw himself into the project WITH an MS n'" ~
enthusiasm and with all H. iolicalc'' srn,Is u
Organization. i was f1.iuic' pl. ,"' ,.r,t
n fauit Of hiH ~ a. E',i,tv t,e nni,rlns effoi
1rSn.G have ayaici he Ne~ .grars tShih H.,
Il cr,ii1r lie worked hlIas"if Q" snrl'N 'p'n' h
- own money ami AZ go n a., i'' "''' '"' 49,
he Fnsr imTf,'1 .;M ," mS $50 ard -
know Bunk" mo- u 'i,n ,,.,, s u, ,ne,na - mai
" INK himself honJsahN r''n.i"h,- IT, w., ,.,'i,
g H. v,. u,i addicted to horse. vi privtt" Hi'
. N. can be- s.tin - aare h' any va orc ~ du ~
Z .lmpc;Y "ni iu .,o. re- ~. :. US isriny
he large kind IL sought rromincnc~ tn conn,
s Kim grca, public lGaIs. "i1 %"rkN -, "r.m .'
j M inlu-iraI eey.l,pueu Ne s~"fErl l-''H,s
ID los an insatiahr fury Of Irt'i NopPly .nt
ri vim the mans h-tpfl "i irti ui' ','I ~ :,
,r s,ngi. dollar of the thousands pGr rom ~
f. Sat T1..Ty n WST " taa." cos.t t. MIN l. IN
n ;, va taken fJr tho ctmuhlsn 90 ~ am r".
" 99nGiyia 9'A Irn # e Known tia very lar,
lie thought 10 BE- Sl.'''' vas r|..r,'r ~ ~
Is year nnli a'G"' ,,'S c.rfn hot i;urkc uui
e m r'-.oan.z'i in some very conspcuous wa
o. ie dd n9t ho nt,lrsi9 ~ w,h Mcsr. arnn
~ .,' v,oriuc by vim. 81 winch "a" had rIsu
H. GHpTc' 1'S onmbi',tn Tpon ne Postmaster Genrr.
" shn Mr. C1eVrilnGs reputation u' us ~" 80 :"
y bor.ans aqionlshed AMI dis1"tr rh'i nun, a.,
thaT DAY forward ne worr IN" air "i a ma" w "
70 raj sacrificed himself ani bon p.t ,S 80, ~, ~
he Hrginning new career ANA NE" "nVf"n'"'
- Ani M ,6 r@.dv Established relations Win p2eIa
as The president Of Honlnr.s ~ J. l;nslr. .,lv
Iv IL that Hrl,c lad obtained or vas ohtIin,nE
It. rorncly valuable concessions ~ ianp' @ h ..
e. hat when he wen; g. Ea,o. 10 cNpo h N NJ.
.e American schemes be hAd array rrr.a'' NM
-c 9TH refuge from the inevitable Ft,rin. -
en- "Wb', is 10 be- Bnrke's fate a. u Course M ~
er guess work he s for ~ moment nns been oy
.suT" ~. ond Inc successful leader. Bonilli. IL NJ
im,iy Illustrating his 'a;rms o 'r Src" rrmnp,ng
orc,,i@a II he can get mold "f NaSqneH ana I'M
& ~. ,,u undoubtedly put them to death ana
" =. " m-rdcnt man H. will spare no r'iofl 40 ,
Md OF thcIn Burke H. Only l;'te pa. t"' ~ IL
l. IRE i ne " and senduranec and wh~ Ne remains
that ncighborhood Bonla nee" not irnlr hll'' !
w., KIN ,h , nucleus Of thousand men Of MS own 81;
he brc and fibre t. build upon ne f2 I' is az
NJ, 20 , Leader hls genius for lnifHH" anu l's n'iI
,aIcnis AS an organizer. soon conirp n,' "' 80
-m lnras. bat ihe WnIi' i,' h"%cyfr hc is rcfus
nj and according TO al accounts paru.uatiS w. I"