The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-01-19
DURKIN HELD
IN $1,000 BAIL.
Is Charged With Causing the
Death Of His Wife Ann.
HER CLOTHING WAS SET ON FIRE
WItnesSeyTestIfed That The Unfortunate
Woman Accused Her Husband.
SAID He KICKED OVER AN OIL STOVE.
0nlJ Witnesses for The Stale We're Examined.
Judge SwssiIand Denied ihs Motion 10 Dis
charge Made by lwklns Counsel
WItnesSsyTestIfled That the Unfortunate
Woman Accused Her Husband.
SAID He KICKED OVER AN OIL STOVE.


causing the death Of his wife. Ann Dur
kin. was held in the Sixth district court
today.
This is the tragedy which occurred in
the chambers OF the tenement house at
16 Barre street. on the evening of De-
cember 2Sd. Mrs. Durkin's clothes were
set on fire and she was burned from
head TO foot, expiring at the Rhode ISL
and hospital three hours later.
Thomas f. West. counsel for Durkin.
waived the examination of Medical Tx
amfner Perkins. as to the cause %
death. admitting that 1t was by burn
ing.
Patrick j. Borkin. who resided in the
tenement under the DuTkins said that
he heard two noises. as of falling bod
les. in the room above him. Then ne
heard somebody cry out I'm all afire."
He ran up stairs. pushed upon the
door, found Mrs. Durkin all ablaze. The
wretched woman said "Oh Cod I'm all
afire." Borkin obtained bedding and
wrapped it about the woman, and after
the flames had been extinguished he
heard Mrs. Durkin say: He's done It;
he's done it at last; he said he'd do IT,"
Borkin found that an oil stove had been
upset I'm the Durkin tenement and that
there was oil on the floor.
"HE MEANT TO DO IT."
Edward III. Bennett heard Mrs. Dur
kin say. He meant to do it," Then she
said, He didn't mean to do it," Again
she said, He did mean it," Bennett
asked Mrs. Durkin what had happened.
To the best Of his recollection Mrs. Dur
kin said that she refused to drink liQ-
uor rendered by Durkin, and that when
she did so, Durkin said that he would
kick the oil stove over. or ait her. There
was a great deal of confusion at the
time and everybody vas talking at
once.
Mary Borkin heard Mrs. Durkin say:
Hes done it; he's done it; He's often
said he'd do IT."
Annie j. Borkin heard two noises, as
of "A chair falling. then as of body,
fall to the floor. Almost Immediately
she heard Mrs Durkin cry that she was
afire. The witness saw the blaze and
went out of doors to give an alarm.
When she returned she found Mrs.
Durkin in the Borkin tenement Mrs.
Durkin there and then said that she
feared that she was about To die and
that Durkin had said Tat he would
"do it, and that at last he had After
this n priest came and said the proper
office. Mrs. Durkin asked for and was
given a glass OF water and then the
sufferer was sent to the hospital.
STATEMENTS VARIED.
Patrolman Feeney said that being
told Of the fire he first pulled I'm an
alarm and then went to the house he
found all OF Mrs. Durkin's clothes
burned off her. excepting her stock
ings, and they were still afire. Being
told that DurSin had caused the dis
aster Feeney asked Mrs. Durl<in If II
We're true that her husband had burned
her. She replied that he did, then as
serted that he didn't mean 10 do it.
and finally declared that he did mean
10 burn her.
Learning that an oil stove had been
kicked over he investigated the con-
dftion OF the Durkin tenement and
found a backless chair overturned and
an oil stove upon the floor. Feeney did
llOl hFh luI any VI AliN 'AiNh -
connected with the burning and che
volunteered none 20 him.
Feeney was more anxious TO get Dur.
kin Just then than he was TO induce
Mrs. Durkin 10 tell her story. Going
up stairs he found Durl1in sitting I'm a
chair and smoking a pipe. Durkin had
been drinking and wanted TO know
what the officer was doing there. Fee
ney went over 10 the nearest signal box
and called for the patrol wagon, .rd
during this time Durkn remained In
the house and made no attempt 10 es-
cane
Lieut. Dairy heard Mrs Durkin say
that her husband wanted her 10 take n
drink and when she refused he Dur
kin, said that he would make her take
one Again Durkin proffered the liquor.
and when she refused Il. Durkin kicked
the oil stove over and caused it 90 roll
under her clothes
When Durkih was arrested he was
ugly drunk. abusing everybody at the
house and at the station Durkin was
taken 20 the Rhode Island Hospital
that his wife might identify him. Dur
kin there and then claimed that he did
not know that there had been any fire,
or that his wife had been injured
After Durkin was brought back 10
the sixth station ne was interviewed by
n reporter The prisoner could recall llev-
erything that had occurred that day
and evening way mp 90 the time of the
burning. and there he appeared 20 lose
ain knowledge of what had happened.
He said that while lying on the lounge
ne might have kicked over the stove.
Mr. West moved that the prisoner be
discharged as there was NO evidence
that Durkln had killed his wife or even
assaulted her.
The court bound Durkin over TO the
grand Jury In $1,000.