The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-07-01
Old Youth
 Confesses To Murder
Admits StrangIing Miss Nellie BOurke, Go, of Thomas
 ton; Hickey Issues Statement on Crime

n:ght near the Terryville-Thomas- ton highway at point known as Weeds Rock Cut.
 Medical Examiner Richard J. Lawton of Terryville said that an autopsy conducted at the Danbury City Hospital showed that the wom- an was choked to death and that a bone in her throat was broken. He said that the body was found about 200 yards off the highway.
 The body was discovered about 12:45 by Chief of Police George F. Rohe and Officers Samuel Lawson and Matthew Halpin. officer Law son of Plymouth was first notified of woman screaming and he in turn notified the Terryville off, cers.
 The gruesome find was made by the three officers, the body lying on an unusued path about 25 feet from the heavily travelled US. Route 6, on the north side of the highway State police barracks at Litchfield were notified immediately and within few minutes squad of state police arrived at the scene and took full charge of the investi- gation.
 An investigation by the state re- vealed that the woman had been criminally assaulted, her clothing being disarranged. From the ap- pearance of the ground, the woman had put up battle with her assail- ant.
 All spectators were kept at a safe distance from the body, so as not to disturb any clues which the state police should find. The state police made a thorough search of the woods and highways in the vicinity of the murder and during the night questioned several people who may have some clues to the murderer.
 In tracing the movements of tht woman, the police learned she wal standing on Main street, Terryville near the library at II p. m. appar- ently waiting for bus. At that time a man was noticed standing within few feet of her. It is thought possibly after that, fearing that sht had missed the bus, she started walking towards Thomaston. How. ever, efforts to trace her movements for the next hour or until the body was discovered have been in vain
 Relatives of the woman in Terry. vile reported early this morning that Miss Bourke had not called al their homes in spite of the fact that she was i'll Terryville at late hour and were unable to account for her appearance here. Word of the murder spread throughout the town quickly ane scores of cars drove to the scene tt view the body and watch the statt police in their investigation. Among the first arrivals of statt police at the scene were Sergean' Straham, and Lieut.. Remer, In. apcctor William Schatzman anc Ofiicers William Casey, Norman Davis and Wilbur Calkins, all of tht Litchfield barracks. As the investi- gation continued, state police iron all sections of the state kept arriv. ing at the scene with fully 25 state police officers being at the scene early this morning to carry on tho investigation and handle then eavy traffic.
 Doctor Richard J. Lawton anc Dr. Lloyd Wilcox. both of Terryville were notified and were among tho first to arrive at the scene. 
 Miss Bourke was born in Thomas ton and resided there all her life. Ir1 her earlier years. she taught schoo in Thomaston for many years. Sht lived with her sister on Pleasant street, Thomaston.