Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-01
|B0LD 2 IN
OF GIRL MUMMER
Child Slain i'm Duel Be.
tween Police and Revelers
in Stolen u. s. Auto
COSTUMED AS LIBERTY"
One Prisoner, Canadian Off,
Ger, Alleged to Have Con-
fessed Part in Shooting
COSTUMED AS LIBERTY"

A recklessly fred bullet last night
pierced the heart of thirteen-year-old
Marie Burns, when. dressed for Hal
loween as n goddess Of liberty. she was
walking near her home. 22l2 Dickinson
street.
William Rogan. Canadian soldier,
and Thomas McCorken. an American
sailor, were arrested early today. charged
with responsibility for the child's death.
Rogan was caught at 1850 Wilder street.
while McCorken was arrested at his
home, Dickinson street near twenty
third within block Of the dead girls
home.
Magistrate Baker, at the twentieth
and Federal streets station. this morning
held Rogan and McCorken without bail
on charge of homicide and in $1,000
bail for the alleged theft of the automo-
bile in (which they were said to have
been speedng out Dickinson street. The
automobile was United States naval
service car.
Detectives Keenan, and Stinger. of tSa
Twentieth and Federal streets station.
say they found an army revolver con-
tanning three exploded cartridges and a
cartridge belt stuffed with bullets at
the Wilder street address, where Rogan
was arrested.
According to the detectives, Rogan
early today admitted firing the shots. A
statement was prepared from the SOL
dler's alleged admissions, but when it
was given him to sign he read it over
and then tore II up.
Early last evening Rogan. in uniform.
,,,o, eaiI IN hov antnpad tho 60 lpnn nf
Jacob Marks. Third and Christian
streets. and demanded a drink. 1t was
refused because Of his uniform. Rogan
then drew n revolver and threatened
Marks. according to Patrick Flanagan.
who was in the saloon at the time and
who testified today. The irate soldier
was steered automatically out of the
saloon. however.
The police say that Roean on July 10
last while detained at City Hall on
charge of desertion from the army. walk
ed out of the Sheriff's cellroom. All
subsequent efforts to locate him were
futile.
Private J. Attrano. a soldier stationed
at the .schuylkill Arsenal. gave the po-
lice their first clue to the Identity Of the
men. Attrano saw the number of the
automobile said to have been occupied
by them.
The shot was fired during an exchange
of bullets between police of the Twenti
eth and Federal streets police station
and joyrders in an automobile speeding
west in Dickinson street.
Whether police bullet or a shot fred
by one of the ioyriders killed the girl
is what detectives and the Coroner's
office are trying to determine.
Early last evening Marie donned the
4 Il H..I
hours planning and making. The skirt
A blue star-spangled cap completed the
costume.
walking with Companions
With two companions Marie Collins.
2219 Dickinson street, and Helen Rey-
nolds, 2255 Dickinson street. the Burns
girl walked slowly out Dickinson street.
The three children paused in front of
2253 Dickinson street, the home Of Mrs.
Mary Keys.
Suddenly a small automobile running
at high speed tore out Dickinson street.
The occupants were firing shots in the
air. Two uniformed patrolmen. one a
negro. according to neighbors. ran after
the car. The negro patrolman, 1t Is
said, drew his revolver and fired
toward the machine.
Marie Burns put her hands to her
breast and ran up the steps of Mrs.
Eeys's home. The door was unlocked
and the dying child stumbled into the
vestibule MS Mrs. Keys ran to her.
'Oh. Mrs Keys" the girl moaned. Mrs
Keys tore white mask from the child's
face.
Child Dies Quickly
She was dead when tore the mask
from her." Mrs. Keys said today. ''The
other children ran in screaming and
then neighbors came in. I sent one for
a priest and told another to get an
Edmunds parish. came right away, but
he said the child was dead before
laid her on the floor"
Mrs. Keys said the body was at her
house for more than an hour before
n patrol wagon arrived and took the
child to the Polyclinic Hospital From
there the body was taken to the Burns
home.
According to John Burns, nine years
old. a brother of the dead girl, the Joy
riders automobile contained two men,
The machine was of a popular make and
had a space in the rear for packages.
One Of the men in the car" the little
boy said. was wearing a cap. He was
man and a white policeman were run
ming after the auto. The colored police
man was shooting his pi,rol."
The boy was looking at the draped
form of his sister in the parlor of the
little home as he told what he saw the
night before.
Says He'll Miss Sister
III miss my sister" he said. "She
used to teach me my lessons"
The dead child was a daughter of Mr..
and Mrs. Martin Burns. The father was
at work last night at the United Gas
Improvement Company's plant at Point
Breeze. when the tragedy occurred. He
hurried home as soon as word was sent
to him.
ITS the worst thing that ever hap
pened to me-" he said this morning
Marie Burns was a pupil at ST. Ed
munds Parochial School. She was in
the highest grammar grade.
Only 80 New Cases of Influenza
nnlv thirfy-threa new cauav NJ in