Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-01
STEPBROTHERS IN A SCRAP
Alleged Assault Of John and Joseph Burke
on Lawrence Burke.
Latter Claims He Was knocked Down
With Bricks md Then Beaten
The Case I'm Court.

John Burke and Joseph Burke brothers.
OF l. street between 9Th and It'll southwest
were this afternoon placed on trial before
Judge Mills on the charge of assaultfng
their stepbrother Lawrence Burke, on
July 81
The prosecuting witness stated that there
mad been bad blood between all the parties
named for some time past On Thursday
evening last, while walking down the street
near his home, he swore he was attacked
py the two accused men. each of whom,
without any warning, threw a brick at
him, both of which struck him.
Both men then jumped on him, he claim
ed, ana beat him, and one of the brothers
remarked:
Now. L have you where 1 want YOU. 1
will kill YOU
Seeing that one of Lawrence's assaiiants
was about to hit the former with third
stone, Lawrence swore that he drew a
revolver and said if the man struck him
again he would blow his brains out The
complainant then jumped up and ran away,
entering the house of Mr.. Joseph O'Brien,
No. 641 L street southwest. He was he
swore, followed by his assailants, who
there again beat him.
Mr.. C'Brien corroborated the part of
Lawrence Burke's evidence relating to
what took place in his (O'Brien's) house,
and added that though Lawrence had a
pistol he did not attempt to use it.
Mr.. Hiram Biddle said he saw Lawrence
Burke walking down the street on the
evening in question, and observed John
Burke slip up behind Lawrence. take some
thing out of his pocket and strike Law
renee with 1t. He did not see Lawrence
make any effort to defend himself
Mrs. Mary Biddle wife of the preceding
witness, gave similar testimony.
AT this point the court took a recess I'M
til shortly before O'Clock, and upon re-
assembling John Burke, one of the defend
N Iuo- IaI TO tha S-fD 10 dr1aiff tod
striking his stepbrother Lawrence with d
stone several times, and said he did so be-
cause Lawrence had made sighting re-
marks about Johns mother, who is Law
reEce'S Stepmother.
He denied that he made any attack on
Lawrence until after the latter drew a
pistol on him.
Joseph Burke asserted that Lawrence
Burke had made an insulting remark to
their mother, which was the reason for the
as sault on Lawrence by John. The witness
took 10 part, he claimed. in the contro-
versy, except to separate Lawrence and
John.
On cross-examination by Prosecutor Las
key, Joseph Burke said the insulting re-
mark made by Lawrence was: 81 guess
they would like to go down the river, al
the same time pointing in the direction
where their mother was sitting.
Michael Burke, father of all the Burkes
in the case. said he witnessed the whole
affair and that Lawrence was the ag-
gresSor.
At the conclusion Of the hearing of the
testimony Prosecutor Laskey said he had
known Mr.. Michael Burke up to the period
of the assault long and favorably, and he
Did not care to make any comment on the
evidence he had presented 10 the court.
Mr.. Howell Titus. counsel for the de-
PENDANTS, made an address, in which he
claimed that his clients had acted in self
defense
After reviewing the testimony Judge Mills
discharged Joseph Burke and fined John
Burke SD. with the alternative of sixty
days in Jail The fine was paid.