The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-08-05
INQUEST
ON DEATH OF
BOURGEOIS

The official inquest as to the death OF
Edmund Bourgeois. the man killed In
drunken quarrel with Thomas Sweeney
in West Glocester last Sunday. was open
ed at IL o'clock yesterday morning in
the town clerks office at chepachet,
Coroner DavisNof that place and Coroner
Lincoln OF this city heard the evidence
OF nine witnesses summoned and closed
the inquest at o'clock to hear the re-
naming witnesses this morning.
The accused man, Sweeney. Is held at
Cranston charged with murder. The
testimony presented at yesterdays hear
ing, while In most cases emphasizing the
self defense idea, showed the attack OF
sweeney I? have been particularly vicious
Mrs Annie A. Warren was first called
and testified that Bourgeois was at her
osHtsin SSass on ohoTes ad tSat he wss ee
any trace of intoxication at the time.
Her testimony was valuable only as IT
showed the dead man to have been sober
shortly before death.
Jerome Anidon then took the stand
He was present at the house Of. Frank
Rock previous to tbe fight and told OF
ans aTntns Ss thy peT e to bars on x' ss
premises and did not see the fight He
did. however, meet Sweeney on his re-
bloody bio s and m in an ugly mood. Witness
saw Bourgeois In the middle OF the road
and went to him. He was lying unconr
scious but alive, Wines sa ,,w;s WAS siep %isn
not having regained consciousness. The
mans face was pounded 70 jelly and
badly cut. as witness testified During
his evidence, witness told of Sweeney's
saying TO him as he met him coming
from the fight, that's what that man
has been looking for for a year, ana now
he's got IL.
AT i o'clock a recess was taken for
an hour, the inquest continuing at with
William Rock, the son. OF Frank Rock.
on the stand The boy told OF being In
his fathers house on Sunday when The
quarrel occurred. The dead man came
first to the house, and 1t was some little
time before Sweeney happened along,
Hard cider was freely taken by both men.
but neither became intoxicated. Bourgeois
then accused Sweeney OF improper rela-
tions with his wife and Of having pur-
chased rum for her. Both accusations
were denied and Sweeney grew very
angry According to witness, Bourgeois
struck at Sweeney first, but did not hit
him. Young Rock then interfered and
| before further trouble developed the elder
Rock put both men out of the house.
D. Olney Hawkins then deposed to the
effect that he assisted Amidon in re-
| moving the injured man to the roadside.
| as Sweeney left Bourgeois. and that
Sweeney did not kick the dead man,
though the cuts on the face warranted
suspicion.
George A. Harris, of Chepachet, the
medical examiner. gave as his opinion
that death was due to apoplexy induced
by the use OF extraordinary violence and
| that the marks on the battered counte-
nance OF Bourgeois were made with a
| boot heel
The last witnesses called were Maggie
Beaudin, Ella Dawley, John Smith and
Joseph Fontahe. party who were stop
ping at Rocks place at the time of the
| fight. Fontaine was in Rocks sitting
room during the quarrel in the kitchen
and told of hearing both men ordered
| from the house. Sweeney left first and
Bourgeois. following. made rush at him.
Witness did not see what followed, but
later saw Bourgeois lying prone on the
ground. with Sweeney crouched over him
punching viciously with his fist He did
! not see Sweeney use his feet.
| This testimony was affirmed by the
other three witnesses and concluded the
| days hearing