FOR MURDER AFTER NINE YEARS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8664, 5 September 1891, Page 2 (Supplement)

FOR MURDER AFTER NINE YEARS.

What promises to be one of the most sensationally romantic cases that has occupied the attention of North country people for many years past developed its first stage ab Berwick a few days ago whoil the police of that town placed in the dock a man named William Bufke, who had been arrested at his lodgings in Oldgate-street, Morpeth, on the previous night, charged with the wilful murder of John Burns at Berwick so far back as 1882. The body of Burns, who was eighteen years Of age, and apprenticed as a butcher, was found in tho Tweed Dock, Berwick, on the 11th of August, 1882, and at the inquest subsequently held a verdict of "Found drowned" was returned. Living ab bhab bime in the same town with Burns was another man, also a butcher, named Burke, and as they were rivals in business so, it is said, bhey were rivals socially both having fixed their affections on the same girl. As a natural consequence, friendship became constrained, and quarrels ensued. It was also said that Burke became so jealous of his rival and the favours shown him by tho girl that ho employed a man to watch the pair, that one night they quarrelled near the water, into which Burns fell or was thrown, and that a man who witnessed the encounter has now divulged ib to the authorities. Whether this is true in substance remains to be seen when bho evidence in the possession of the police is divulged, but certain ib is that, Burns once out "ox the road, Burke prosecuted his suit with success, and in time married the girl, with whom he emigrated bo South Africa. They returned to England some time ago, and Burke, who is described as a smartlooking man of about thirty-three years of age, has been in lodgings at Morpeth. As soon as information came to tho knowledge of the police Burke was arrested and formally charged with the murder.