The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-27
SHE FEIGNED DEATH.
Until Husband Who Shot Her Had
Killed Himself.


New York, Dec. 27.-With two bullets
| in her head, Mrs. John J. O'Rourke lay
| for half an hour in her home in Morris
| Park, L. l., early today, feignIng death,
while her husband, who had shot hei,
sat by her side to make sure she was
dead.
Though enduring agony. the woman
dared not move even an eyel1d. Her
torture was not even ended when, after
80 minutes. her husband raised the revolt
Yer and fired a. bullet into his brain. She
heard the shot and heard the man fail,
but she thought that perhaps he was
only wounded, and might shoot her
again. For two hours longer she lay
and suffered before she dared make a
move to seek aid.
She waited almost too long, for loss
she was barely able to crawl to the
residence of her nearest neighbor be-
fore she tainted. It is thought, how
ever, that she will recover.
The O'Rourkes occupied a comforta-
BILE house and O'Rourke had a good
business, but failed to get along well
last week for threatening to kill her
and he was placed under bonds of ST.
900 to keep the peace.
They were alone in the house last
night Mrs. O'Rourke says the evening
had been pleasant. Shortly before
O. clock she was seated in a Morris chair
by the fire, and her husband was at a
table near by Her back was turned tc
L
for possibly half an hour.
Threat to Kill Is Sudden.
It think I'll kill you now said
O'Rourke quietly, and she turned to see
him with a pistol in his hand.
mot tonight, John" she pleaded.
Without replying he raised the revol-
yer and fired twice Both bullets struck
her in the forehead as she sat in the
chair. One ranged upward under the
scalp and the other buried itself in the
skull.
The wounds bled freely. and to this
fact Mrs. O'Rourke owes her life.
O'Rourke picked her up from the
Morris chair and carried her to a
couch on the other side of the room.
She was conscious, and from remarks
she heard him mutter to himself she
gathered that he believed she was
dead M
O;Rourke sat by the side. of the
couch. watching her and talking to
himself for half an hour. The house
is. separated from other dwellings.
there was a high wind blowing and no
heard O'Rourke get up; step to the
middle of the room and fire again.
Then she heard him fall. Although he
had killed himself instantly she did
not know it, SO she kept quiet and
listened.
Listen as she would. she could de-
tect no sign of life in her husband
Finally, after more than two hours,
she VGnIUr60 10 open neT eyes anu
steal a glance at the floor Her hus-
band was lying there facing her with
his eyes wide open and staring. The
revolver was on the floor beside him.
She thought he was dead, but she took
no chances, and not for half an hour
more, did she venture to move
When at last she gathered courage
to seek to escape she slipped from the
couch and crawled from the room.
She was too weak to stand. but when
she got into the fresh air she gained
strength.
F1ees to a Policeman.
A policeman named Roberts lives
near the O'Rourke residence. To the
home of the policeman she made her
way, passing other houses. Roberts
was awakened by her and opened the
door as she sank at his feet With the
aid of his wife the policeman revived
the wounded woman, and she told him
of her experience He went to the
O'Rourke home, where he found the
body on the floor.
Mrs O 'Rourke was removed to the
home of a friend, where a surgeon ex-
au1ined her wounds The surgeon said
that unless complications set in she
would recover. The greatest fear is
that the awful strain she endured
while her husband sat by to see If she
was dead, and while she waited for
him to give a sign of life, will have a (
deterrent effect.