The Savannah morning news., 1902-04-15
MOTIVE WAS FEAR
THREATENED ARREST URGED
BURKE TO SLAY HATTIE BRUEN.
THEORY OF THE STATE.
BURKE AFRAID THE WOMAN
WOULD DISCLOSE HIS MIsDEEDS.


Jury Ont since $3.50 O'Clock Yes
terdny AfternOOn-Witnesse for
the State Tell of Burke's Threats
TO Kill Hattie Bruen, Lizzie WILL
Jams, Her Rival for His Affections,
and Himself-His Character in Ev-
idenee.
John Burke was tried in the Su-
perior Court yesterday for the murder
of Hattie Bruen. At o'clock this
morning there seemed TO be every pros
pect of a mistrial. The jury had been
put since $3.50 o'clock in the afternoon.
The case was called in the Superior
Court after the meeting of the bar had
adjourned. Not a great while was con-
sumed in the selection of the jury
which was finally empanelled as fol-
lows:
William Il. Molina, w. L. McGovern,
John ]. Halligan, Edward C. Bessel-
lieu. A. o. Labiche, John D. Kehoe,
Thomson, Z. L. Manner, Edward S.
Abrahams, Jr.. Henry H. Aveilhe and
Benjamin D. Southcott.
Prisoner Behaved Well.
Burke is a big nergro, his appear
ance giving but scant indication of the
weakness and physical infirmities from
which he is said to suffer. He sat
Dung the trial by the side of his
counsel, Mr.. r. L. Colding. and his two
brothers occupied chairs just in the
rear He was dressed neatly, even fop-
rishly. and throughout the proceedings
ne bore himself WE'LL watching every
thing with interest, but always with
composure.
The killing of the Bruen woman took
pace on the night of April 8, less than
two weeks ago. The incidents of the
killing, so far as they have been re-
vealed, are still fresh in the public
mind. The woman was killed in an
upper room of the house at 632 Bay
street, west, where she had been liv-
ing with her slayer. Three bullets from
a revolver were fired into her body, one
of them passing through the brain and
the two others entering her left side.
The most important, possibly, of the
states witnesses was Annie Borden,
negro woman who also occupied
room in the house in which
the homicide was committed.
Burke and his victim left her room
his revolver and once while the quarrel
to go to that in which they lived ana
in which the shooting was done.
This witness told of a quarrel that
took place in her room on the lower
floor of the house between Burke and
his paramour, just before the homi-
eide. Even then Burke had exhibited
his revolver and one while the quarrel
was in progress told Hattie Bruen he
would kill her if she moved from
where she stood. The woman stood
still. Soon afterwards they had gone
on upstairs.
QuarreIed Before the End.
The noise Of their quarreling came
down the stairs Suddenly the reports
of three pistol shots rang out-there
was a fan and then silence. In a min
ute or two Burke tramped heavily
down the back WAY and out of he
house.
The testimony of this witness was
corroborated in material respects by
that of Jerry Gordon. a negro boy. who
had been present when the quarrel be-
tween Burke and his woman had oc-
CURED in the lower room of the house
Several witnesses testified to threats
Burke had made to kill Hattie Bruen,
Lizzie Williams and himself. The Will
liams woman is another of those with
whom he has been intimate, of whom
the evidence seemed to disclose there
have been a RoOdly number. Bruen
was insanely Jealous of Williams and
the quarrel between her and Burke,
springing from the favor Burke had
shown her rival, is supposed to have
been the occasion, If not the actual
cause, of the homicide. This was the
theory of the state.
To supply a more potent motive for
the commission of the crime Frank S.
NanGiesen. a money broker, who for
several years has had Burke in his en-
ploy, was placed upon the stand. He
" one OF those who testified to the
threats Burke had made to kill the two
women and himself. but he gave in adj
dition evidence that was quite as dam
aging.
Burke lis DefauIter.
Generally it was to the effect that
Burke, who has always borne very
excellent reputation, was between
$500 and $500 behind In his
accounts. Moreover Mr. Van Giesen
had begun to suspect him, had been
pressing him for an explanation of the
shortage, and discovery and arrest
Were imminent
1t was the theory of the state that
Burke, maddened and rendered des-
full lest the woman would tell Van
Giesen what she knew of his wrong
doing, had his patience utterly ex-
hausted by her jealous upbraidings.
springing from his attention to Lizzie
Williams, and determined to kill her.
Her reproaches brought this determin-
alton to a head and the fatal shots
were fred.
For the defense a long line of wit
nesses testified to the good character
of Burke and the bad character of the
woman he killed. According 10 these
witnesses Burke is peaceable, honest
upright and industrious, while the wo-
man was cruel, vengeful, vindictive
and depraved; nothing was too good
for him and nothing too bad for her
TO do.
Woman Had Tried to XIII Burke.
1t developed that several times in
the past she had made attacks upon
him, twice with a pistol and twice with
a razor, and that she was at all times
ilsanely jealous. The Williams wo-
man seemed to be the pet and partic-
ular object of her aversion Only a
few days before the homicide she had
taken out a peace warrant against
Williams, and the latter woman would
have been arrested under this had not
Burke agreed to pay the magis ira tie
the amount charged by him for issu-
ing the warrant. One witness said that
Hattie Bruen had told him of this in
cident of the warrant and had added
she was going to send him to hell if
he tried to bother her"
Considerable amusement was eraat ted