The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1894-08-17
KILLED BY
HIS OWN ACT"
Aged Thomas Eurke's Version
Of The Shooting Of His
SOn.in.LaY.
FULL OF CONTRADICTIONS.
Declares that Bsrgmann Grabbed
the Gun and Caused 1t
to Explode
IS REMANDED WITHOUT GAIL.
He Begged Justles Vaughn to Allow
Him to Attend the
Funeral,
s REMANOED WITHOUT GAIL.
Special to The Evening World,

CLIFTON. q. J.. aug. E.-Late this
afternoon Thomas y. Burke. who has /
been in a cell at Police Headquarters,
Stapleton, since yesterday. charged
with numbering his son-in-law, Fred
eriok Bergmann, with the aid OF a
spring gun. al South Beach. was given
q hearing, Justice John Vaughn, OF
Rosebank 8. L., sent for the aged pris-
oner and ~ was taken to the lustice's
home In buggy.
When Burke entered the Justices
parlor, he GREETED those present with a
pleasant noa and walked slowly across
the room to u seat.
Burke Is very tail map--oyer six feet
and has q tine head. His Torch cad
- nigh, and his long gray hair is brushed
Wy IA lrolt ana ia,,s III u sort or name
about has snoaiders, ris nose Is aqdl-
line ana snarp- rU ,nted, ms eyes Keen
ana ueep Sci bsneath ovrrhansinE.
sLronxiJ -inarhed ul.,cX eyebrows, ai,u
mas niustacne and vsard are iui,e wnite.
SaLsnns desk. and eAcept for the con-
| staL. shaAins OF aus head. ike man
| win pa.sy, ne seemed quite calm and
Wei. Tom" began Justice Vaughn
he has known B.rae for many years
no" 4rs You. .o-d@yT
Burae. "@s Wei Wen as acca;ld DC es-
locked No." '' ~ '' 'S
'.,o". ON" continued the Justice,
In soolhIng voice, I'VE were al
pretty mucn eacited yesterday.
knog was. and l think you were.
Burke eagerly. ut was enough 10 ex-
happen."
"a ON FNs.Nf oil has xynss a..A
not say anything about this case u
you think IL best for your interests to
keep silent. You are entitled to counsel
the crime of when You spe are a. accused a 9.
in-law."
stretching out his hanus towards the
~ didn't murder him at all. He got
killed, l think, from the way ne handed
sa an asass The van where Saa
| it-no. think I had put It on a chair
an old chair-and the muzzle was point
ed towards the door l was In there fix
| keep the dior slut to get at them"
There was string fasteneu 10 the
trigger OF the gun. and q wire to the
s sHGr .ss ns saq Sssn da asa sse
| Il. at night, or when / was away. And
while / was liking the hinges somebody
come-my son-in-Iaw 1t was-and pushed
in the door and piece of scantiing fell
and the gun went of.
He. must have clutched the gun and
pulled II to him. and so he got snot.
l was shut behind the door when II was
opened. and ! couldn't see just how 1t
Had you quarrelied with hlmr
M, no, sir; l had kept away from
him, that was all. l never went near
him when he was In LIQUOR"
Did y .Sa, see s him Immediately after
Yes; as soon as could get out from
behind the door. He went piece and
then turned back, holding his sides.
The two women came around and pick
He came around a little wnlIe before
the funeral OF his child and not 10
bother me, u didn't like him when he
When did you load that gum"
"Oh. l don't know. Three months.
guess. That's little shotgun I've had
"YSu are sure you'd had no dis
Ne, a word. !! had the gun there
property-to keep people out o. nights.
Bergman knew all about Il. He knew
that as long as that sign Gun set was
on the door there was something be-
Then the Justice asked Burke how old
he was and the prisoner gave dry
little laugh and said:
I'm be seyenty-five In April. ] was a
good man once; | am not much now
] came to this country In 10. AMI en-
listed In the Fourteenth New York Ar
tIllery In IL. 1 came out a cripple two
years after and ! got married wher
7 did get SIS, but they took " on ant
don't know what for. They'd better
take the rest on now" and Burke
laughed In his hard little way again.
well, Thomas, ] will have TO remand
you" said the Justice.
"Whatp exclaimed the prisoner, In 6
tone OF great surprise. Lock me NJ
again? And for what? IL would b,
. better that I was atten ling TO the fu.
nera. and helping those poor, unfortunate
why, he never accused me. He hat
plenty of time before he died, but III
didn't accuse me. He only shouted, Tn
shotP ! heard that. He made no mo
ton to accuse me after he cou.dn'l
speak any more. He shot himself. HI
was fond OF that gun. He always want
ed IL. l was afraid he would sell II
That was a poor way OF getting along
TO sell thiDgs-and he SO young, lie wa
an unfortunate man not to work. and 4
be drinking all the time.
I've reached 2 ripe ege. but ] hay,