The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-11-17
MRS. BURKE'S STORY.
She TestifieS That O'TOOle Deliber-
ately Shot at Her.
The Latter Now on Trial for Assault
With "a Dangerous Weapon.

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dicted for an assault with a dangerous
weapon on Bridget Burke, was begun
this noon before Judge Wilbur and jury.
The case is one arising from the feud be-
tween the Burkes and O'rool es in Ly-
mansyille over the sale of LIQUOR by
Michael j. Burke on River avenue. Mr..
| O'Toole Is and has teen for a long time
opposed to the liquor traffic, and he has
considered Mr.. Burke's com bination bar
room and hotel as not particularly con-
ducive to that high morsl tone that
should prevail in place where people de-
sire to locate their homes.
The story Of this feud will be long re-
mem bered and will no douot figare in
politics in North Providence long after
the principals have probably been recon-
cilcd in a prettier place than Lymans-
Vile, for the Burk es aud the O'Tooles
both have tenacious partisans. There are
two In iictments against O'Tooie.
Mrs. Burke was the first wit ness called
by the Stste, ana she test flied that on
the night of May 2 she left her home with
Michal Gorham in an open buggy, hound
Tor Olneyvilie to do some shopping, and
that when she had con pleted her bust.
ness there she and MIR. Gorham started
on thsir return trip. Their horse Was not
a remarkably swift one, and 1t took them
about an hour to reach the spot on
Woonasquatucket avenue. near Manton,
where their trip was INTERRUPTED. Mrs.
Burke said that by the light from a lamp
post she saw O'Tooie. the defendant, step
out from the sidewalk, draw a, revolver
and firc a shot, which went over the
horses buck, Though the pistol was
pointed toward herself and Mr.. Cor M.
She also stated that she bad known the
defendant, O'Ioole, about three years,
and that on the night the shooting was
done he was dressed in light clothes and
she could easily distinguish his features.
lie only fired one shot, and when MIR.
Gorham tried to hold the horse back. "a
II was badly scared by the pistol shot,
she told him TO drive anesd, as the man
might fire again.
In answer to questions put to her by
Walter X. Stiness of counsel for the de-
fendant MRS. Burke said her husband.
Michael j. Burke, kept saloon and
hotel on River avenue. but did not keen
what is generally known as n road house
She also denied in the most explicit
terms that on Sundays Michael Gorham,
ner companion at the time OF the shoot
ing, doDned a white apron and tended
bsr for her husband. She never had any
trouble with OToole, nor did she believe
that her husband. notwithstanding
O'Toole's work in getting up a remons-
trsnce against the granting to him of
license, harbored one unkindly thought
against O'Toole. Mrs. Burke said that
two gentlemen coming towards her on
the road, and was greatly surprised to see |
one Of them, when the buggy got near
them, step from the sidewalk and point |
a revolver at her. she was very positive !
the man who fired the shot was O'TooIe |
and that he looked very carefully at her
before he did so, putting his hands above
his eyes to shade the light from the street
lamps. little while after the shooting
the met John Conroy and William Burke
Ind sent one of them for an officer. After
eturning to her home she went TO the
1olice at the city line ana reported the
acts in the case to Officer Jordan of the
sixth District. In going to give The in
to the police she denied she
rnmped down the new grass on MIR.
)Tooie's lawn. Later on Lieutenant
Darcy came to her and heard her story of
he affair.
Attorney General Il. G. Dubois and
ssistant Attorney General Ii. j. DUBOIS
or the State and Walter X. Stiness a:d
~ Slinasa fIAr ha L