The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-03
SURETIES
For .Brinkworth Did
Not Appear.
He is HELD IN $1,000
For Grand Jury For Intent
to Kill.

Walter Fl. Brinkworth was arraigned
in the central district court yesterday
morning, charged with assault with
attempt to kill, and held in the sum
of $1,000, for the grand jury. In default
Of sureties he was committed to Jail.
Sullivan & O'Connell appeared as
counsel for Brinkworth and entered a
plea of not guilty, waving examina-
ton. The court then ordered Brink
worth held for appearance before the
May term of the superior court
Since the tragic occurrence, Dec. 27,
when for a time it was thought two
young lives might pay the forfeit of
a jealous lovers action, the young
man who was arraigned yesterday
morning has been an inmate of the
City Hospital. For weeks after his
admission to the institution he lowered
between life and death in semi
conscious state, and it was thought
that death was but matter of time.
AS time passed, however, his condi-
ton improved and despite the fact that
bullet is lodged in his brain, Brink
worth grew steadily better. His left
side was completely paralyzed for
time, but the paralysis is wearing off
and he has nearly regained control of
his left leg. About 10 days ago a war
rant was issued for his arrest on the
above charge, as the hospital doctors
gave as their opinion that the young
man was on the road to recovery, and
yesterday morning the warrant was
served by Inspectors O'Day and Stone.
The young's mans mind seems perfect
ly clear and he converses in a perfectly
rational manner. His physical condi-
ton gives evidence of the strain to
which he has been subjected, and he is
unable to handle one side of his body
as yet, but otherwise he seems as well
as ever.
Wednesday the police were notified
that the young man could be moved
from the hospital in safety, and yester-
day morning Inspectors O'Day and
Stone went to the hospital and placed
the young man under arrest. He was
wrapped up in blankets and placed in
the covered police wagon, in which he
was conveyed to the Waldo street
station house. Brinkworth stood the
trip well, although he complained that
the jar of the wagon produced a pecu
liar buZZing sound in his head. The
difficulty passed away in a few mo-
ments, however, and he was assisted
up stairs to the court room. For
time it was thought that sureties could
be obtained for him, but as no one APP
peared, the young man was taken to
the Summer street Jail.
The story of how Brinkworth went to
the home of Miss Bessie McDonagh, a
young woman with whom he had kept
company for two or three years, and
who had given him to understand that
she did not care for further attention
from him, and the subsequent shoot
ing, is familiar to Spy readers.
Miss McDonagh was shot twice in the
back. but recovered, and at the present
time is enjoying good health although
the bullets have not been removed. AT
ter firing the shots at his sweetheart,
Brinkworth directed the revolver to-
ward his own head, and fired one shot
that entered at the angle of his jaw
and passed up into the right hand side
of his brain, where the bullet is still
embedded.
The young mans recovery under such
circumstances is rather unusual and
has few exceptions. He still lives
however. and is apparently on the high
way to recovery, although doctors say
a change is liable to take place at any
time and death result within a few min
uteS.
The witnesses in the case included
Bessie McDonagh, the girl whom
Brinkworth tried to murder; her
father, Hugh McDonagh; Mrs, o. F.
Burns. a next-door neighbor of the Nc
Donagh family, who was present in the
room when the shooting took place; DR..
w. e. Langlois, who attended the girl
Immediately after the shooting, and
DR.. s. B. Woodward, who attended her
after her removal to st. Vincent's hos
pital.
So far as Miss McDonagh is con-
cerned, it is said that she would prefer
not to have the case come to trial, as
she breads the publicity and attending
unpleasantness of such an affair.
Brinkworth has very little to say
about the matter further than that he
thinks he must have been insane or
he never would have so far forgotten
himself as to commit such an action.