EXTRAORDINARY IRISH DRAMA]

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 73, 27 March 1920, Page 19

EXTRAORDINARY IRISH DRAMA]

WOMAN FORCED TO PRAY. An extraordinary story of an old Irish woman being forced to say her prayers b.* armed and masked men. who told her whe had only half an hour to live, was related at Afhlone Police Court. "Mrs. Kourke, the victim, said three raiders attacked her house one night. After ■firing 24 shots and fmashing tbe windows they gained an entrance by blowing away the locks on the hall-door. Two of them proceeded to her bedroom. When told to. •pray she pleaded wtth them to spare her | life for "the sake of her husband, who was , an old man and was lying dangerously ill j in the bouse. ■Sne agreed to withdraw from certain legal proceedings, and was further made to l agree to tear up her husband's will after his death, and to surrender the farm three} days after his decease under penalty of j death.. One man had been arrested, and a purprise was caused during the hearing when • Blts. Rourke identified the accused. Michael I ilourke. a farmer, as Taer ptep-soa. She j said she did not know the other raiders, as . their faces were blackened, and their heads | covered with cloths. Her step-son lia-1 a J peculiar lisp, and rher,« could be no -mistake as to his voice. , A servant boy corroborated, md said . when he saw the accused he shouted: "Mr. | ■Uourke, sure you won't shoot mc." j Rourke was returned for Tria". at the \ Assizes. J