Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-01-10
CHILDREN SEE
FATHER SLAY
WIFE AND SELF
After Visit to Movies
Burke Comes Home
to Murder.
REASON FOR HIS ACT
REMAINS A MYSTERY
Little Witnesses Of crime'gesp
Pitifully Over Mothers
Dead Body.


Two little children, Hazel Burke.
years old. and Norman. 3. are sob
bing their hearts out today fer their
motheF
They were awakened early this
morning to see her murdered by her
husband, who then turned his revolt
Yer on himself and put a bullet
through his brain.
Not old enough to understand thor
oughly how heavily the grim hand
OF tragedy has been laid upon them.
they do know that there is a great
void in their lives. They want their
mother to come and comfort them
and kiss their tears away as she al
ways has done in the past. But aile
does not come.
The double shooting took place il
their home, $50 Bergen street. when
their father. Edward Burke. zS years
old, carpenter and special po1ice-
man, returned shortly after lnidnirht.
He strode into the bedroom awak-
ening the children and his wife. Be
fore a word had been spoken he drew
his revolver, and. as Mrs. Burke
sprang TO her feet, shot her dead
Turning away he fred two Shots
at his own head and staggered, dying.
into the Kitchen
The reason for the shooting Is 4
mystery that is not likely to Be
solved.
The entire family had spent happy
evening at moving picture theatre
in Bergen street. Neifhbors heard
daff fuIF - X.
children and the Laughter OF the par
ents as they returned At $50.
Burke went out again immediately
no one knows where. When he re-
turned it must have been with murder
in his heart.
Policeman William Thomas was|
standing IN front Of the house when
Burke entered He had been called
ten n1fnnfes earlier bv. Mrs WiIlef-
nina Becker. On the first floor, who
had seen man peering ia her win
dow Three minutes later a shot re-
verberated through the night.
AS Thomas dashed into the buiid-
ing and ran upstairs to the Burke
apartment two other shots sounded
The patrolman pounded upon the
locked door. IN an instant the key
turned and the door opened.
| A little. white-faced. trembling ns
ure in a nightrobe looked up ap-
pealingly to him and sobbed:
Mammal Ny poor mammal -
The girl had stepped over her
fathers body TO reach the door
Burke was known to have a violent
temper He is said TO have frequant
ly beaten and abused his wife. When
he began to supplement his wages as
carpenter by doing special police duty
at the Arion Palm Garden, Mrs
Burke became Jealous Of him and
several times followed him to the
/ garden to spy on his actions. She did
so on Christmas eve. but he laughed
at her anxiety and they went home
| together without creating a scene
Mrs. Becker said that she heard
Mrs. Burke cry. Stop Don'ti'' and
then, 'Murder." after the shots and
before her falling body struck the
floor
| Plainelothesmen Sebold and Reilly.
Of the Sixth precinct. who inyestl-
gated the shooting. found the back
door unlocked. They also dfseov-
cred on the floor a cartridge that had
been struck by the hammer OF the
revolver but had failed to explode
jealousy May BE Cause.
They think that Burke had prob
ably come to suspect his wife ana
had slain her in a at Of jealous rage.
Before leaving the house Seboid coli
lected some OF the chiIdren's toys to
take TO them.
The two are with the grandmother.
Mrs Katherine Heckendorn. OF "a
Hillside place. Although she Is "a
years old. she wants them TO live
! with her.
Both bodies were taken r. Holes
morgue. Mrs. Burke was shot
through the face and neck. her hus-
band through the head Her body
was later removed from the morgue
to the undertaking establishment Of
Richard NJ. Pearce. 2s1 South Orange
avenue,