Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-02-18
GIRL FREED
FOR KILLING
HER LOVER
NO PROSECUTION
Amazing Climax of One of.
Most Notorious Murders
Ever Committed in Chicago

Silent" Nellie Burke's trial for
murder was. all oyer-almost be-
fore it started.
The jury was selected in TWEEN
ty-two minutes-Chicago sure is
the place for a lady to get rid of
her troubles. But, then, Miss
Burke, whose name in private life
is Nellie McFarland-Burke be-
ing merely a nom de plume
proved she held a vast amount of
affection for this man by shoot
ing him six times; for, you know,
each man kills the thing he
loves Her attorney, w. w.
O'Brien~ Nellie were far too
much for the prosecution.
Case NoI-Prossed
The assistant states attorney,
Justin Mccarthy, and John F.
O'ConnelI agreed they hadn't a
chance in the world to convict
her. So Mr.. Mccarthy arose and
addressed the jury as follows:
at is the duty of state officials
to obtain evidence of the guilt of
a defendant beyond reasonable
doubt and to a moral certainty.
The state. feels that in this case
it has not introduced enough evil
dence for a jury to convict. There
fore, gentlemen, as representa-
tive of the people, I will nol-pros
the case
The courtroom was crowded
with an eXpectant aggregation,
but that audience was sadly dis
appointed. The meeting of Nellie
and Theodore was not gone into
Neither was their subsequent
.wooipg,
Story OF Tragedy
However, if you will lend an
attentive eye, the tragic story will
Inrayel before you.
He was a bartender, while she
vas a high school graduate. She
could charm the birds Off the tree
oy her singing and playing, and,
she supported herself ably and1
coming down to solid material,
loaned the bartender money-all
oy knowing the keys of type
writer.
The story of their .courtship
was told in a few brief words
proving a theory and showing up
the weak spots in that theory.
Heller bartender friend, bap-
tized Theodore Skinner-was well
versed in the ways of women. He
had cave man tendencies and.
finding his "treat-'em rough"
theory worked like a charm, went
too far with Nellie.
playful" Love Making
He was wont on occasions when
they were cut walking on Sun
day, to playfully push her off the
sidewalk, or, if seated in the par
lor of an evening, to knock her off
the chair onto the floor.
Once, when he, her loved, ac-
cidentally broke his leg, she I'M
dertook to be his nurse and pro-
tector. In fit of abstraction he
raised his crutch and nearly broke
her head.
All this. Nellie tolerated. AS
the time, however, of coming near
TO losing her head, she called his
long suffering mother to witness
that the next time he went so far
she would guarantee that there
would be no son.
Well. the next time was one
night in last October, when he
called Oh Nellie at 9 North Oakley
boulevard. second floor, front, and
ne called in a state of-what is
most unlike the present state of
Michigan.
Praises First Wife
He, in this condition, began to
recall how much he adored his
first wife. and told Little Nell
that he was attracted to her by
her resemblance to Tessie, the
first. H. further wore on Little
NelPs nerves by confusing her
identity with Tessie's. Remem-
bering some injustice of Tessie's,
he hauled out his trusty gun
which he had tn habit OF toting
and decided to do away with
Tessie.
Up to this point Nellie was
still patient-she washed her
face in between stanzas and was
intent on brewing soup for her
petulant bartender.
But as he waved that gun
Just getting a good aim-her
more cautious judgment overcame
her. And that is the end of the
bartender telling how one may
treat 'em rough" and perhaps
VA, or-nIlt then there is q