EXTRAORDINARY IRISH DRAMA.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3457, 10 April 1920, Page 2

EXTRAORDINARY IRISH DRAMA.

\\'OM..»\*.\’ I‘“(fTßC‘”iTl3 TO PRAY

Au extl':lol'din:u'y story of an 01;} Irish woman being forced to say her In'a'yc.rs by armed and masked 111011, who told her tllr;-.t she" had. only half an hour to iiw, was I'c]:ltud at .-\t'h]onc Police Coul'l'. _7\'i.rs l‘{Ulll‘k&.‘, the victim, said three I'ai<l(:rs :llrucko'Ci ll<i-1‘ house one night. After firing‘ :2-L s11o't.~; and smashing the

w.indo\\'s, thvy gained an mlt’l‘2lnco by blowing -.L\vzly the locks on the 11:11‘. door. 'L‘\\'u of 510111 pl'ocee(led to her bo<.lroom. When tqid to pray she Iplcudud with them to spare her life for the sake of her husband, who \\'.l.~; an old man and was lying dalxgcrously ill in the house.

She agreed to witlt(il':lw from col'i:lin legal p1'o(-.e(‘ding.é{ and was flll‘tllL‘i' made to agree to tear up her hus« ba-nd’s will after his death. and to ».~:1n--I'endel' the f:u'nl ifhrcc days after his deccasc, under penalty of death. (1)110 man had been al'ros’ccd, and {L slli'pl'i.~'v \\'-as (fllLlh.‘C(] during they hearing when Mrs Rourke identified :1(<<?11.~:c<l, Michael Rourke, :1 fzmncr, as 1101' .s'top-5011. She .<:l3.d SllO did not know the other raiders, as their faces wel'e blackened and their heads cov01'0i1_ with cloths. Her step-son had a peculiar lisp, and flicré Could be no mistake as to his voice. A. sol'v:ult boy col'l'obol':lted_. and said when he s-1w acc..usc(l he shoufed: “Mr Rourke, sure you won”: shoot mo.” ‘ P.oul'ko was I'ehn'nod for trial at the .Assi7.e.=.