The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-12-01
TRIES TO MURDER TWO
CHARGE on WHICH DIR. BURKE
Is TO BE TRIED AT SANTA
ROSA, CAL.
Accused Of Attempting 10 Stay Miss
Lu Eta Smith and Her Illegitimate
Child BY Dynamite-woman Flees
To japan But Returns TO Testify
Al Trial,

To japan But Returns TO Testify
Al Trial.
Santa Rosa, Calf, Nov 29.-One of
the most sensational criminal trials
that has taken place here in many
yeare IL promised In the case Of Dr.
Willard p. burke, who was brought
into court today to answer to the
charge of having attempted to MUIR
der Miss Lu Eta Smith and her H.
months-old illegitimate son, of whom
DR.. Burke Is said to be the father.
The wealth and prominence of the
accused physician, the unusual meth
cd which he is accused of employ
ing in his alleged attempt at double
murder, and the subsequent flight of
the intended victim to Japan to avoid
testifying at the trial are some of the
remarkable elements in a case which
has already attracted wide attention
and the trial of which will undoubt-
eddy be followed with much interest.
DR.. Burke, who Is a man well
along in years, is the proprietor of
a large sanitarium at Alturas, five
miles north of this city. On the
night of February 8 last the patients
and attendants of the sanitarium
were startled by a loud explosion
in the sanitarium grounds. Upon in
vestigation it was found that the ex-
plosion had occurred beside a house
tent in which slept Miss Lu Eta
Smith and her infant son. Further
investigation showed that the explo-
sion had undoubtedly been caused by
a stick of dynamite. The perpetra-
tor of the outrage, however, had made
a poor calculation in placing the eX-
plosive. The lives of the intended
victims were spared, though it was
many weeks before the woman recov-
cred from the shock.
Miss Lu Eta Smith, the intended
victim, was a student at the Univer-
sity of California when she met Dr..
Burke. Later she went to live at the
sanitarium, where her child was
!, born. The child was named Willard
P. Burke Smith.
I The investigation by the authori-
y ties following the explosion led to the
9 arrest of DR.. Burke and his indict'
p ment on the charge of attempted
murder. The officers claim to have
a ascertained that, a few days before
r the explosion, Dr.. Burke obtained
= quantity of dynamite and took 1t witt
:, him on his return to Santa ROSE
: from visit to the Phoenix mine
t near Oroyille, which he owns.
S One of the peculiar features of thu
S case was the disappearance of Miss
Smith when the date set Tor Dr
Burke's trial approached and her sub
a seouent return Some time after tn
e dynamiting episode the woman lief
), the vicinity and went to Berkeley
= Subsequently she left Berkeley, ant
was next located in Japan.
According to report.-she was glVel
II a sum of money sufficient to take he
J. and her child to Japan and wa
as she remained there But it !
said that the promised remittance
- failed to materialiZe and the re sui
was that through the generosity o
some Americans whom she met II
. Toxic she was enabled to return =
', California. However this may be
is certain that she placed herself Il
communication with the authorize
. here and is now in readiness to ap
pear as the principal witness for tn
o prosecution. Struggling to the en-
with all the resources of man pos
=, sessed of wealth and unusual Gun
;. ming the aged physician now realize
= the seriousness of his position unde
=. the serious charges made agains
30 him.