DEATH SOLVES LITIGATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10347, 23 January 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

DEATH SOLVES LITIGATION.

Onu long course of litigation has probably now been solved by death. Arthur Henry Cornelius Kourke, husband of Mrs. Thompson, whose persistent appearance in the Law Courts became, long ago, a matter of notoriety, has meb a sad end. An inquest was hold lately on bie body at the Shoreditcli Coroner'e-court, when some extraOrdinary statements were made. A constable found Rourke lying in the roadway in Cowper-sfcreet, Finsbury. Ke asked him what was the matter, and he said," Nothing; only a bit hungry."' Ho was taken to Shoreditch Infirmary, where he died later in the day. An attendant named Snell said that when admitted deceased was in a horribly filthy condition. 16 was found necessary to burn his clothes. Dr. Forbes, tho medical superintendent, stated that deceased was in a comatose condition when brought tothoinstibution. The post-mortem examination revealed that death was duo to cerebral apoplexy, accelerated by want and exposure to the cold nighb air. The walla of the stomach were thin and transparent, showing that he could not havo had much food recently. The body was identified by Edward James Rourke, a head trimming manufacturer, of 13, Bowlano, (Jhoapside, who said his brother had not done any work for the past 12 years, and had been supported by his relations. It was the coroner's questions to Mr. Rourke which elicited that deceased was Mre. Thompson's husband. "Are you letting icrknow of his death?" asked Dr. Wynn Westcott, "I don't know where she is living," was the reply. "If she hears of this persecution will start again." "You aro speaking in riddles," observed the Coronor. " What persecution do you refer to?" "yon have heard of the strange Thompson and Rourke paternity case, I suppose ?" raid the witness. " Well, this is the Mr, Rourke, and if sho hears of his death she will at once come forward and claim the children again. There have been three case 3 at the Law Courts and numberless cases at the police-courts, all of which have been decided against her. Coroner: Hor contention is, I believe, thai! she is not married, bub wants the custody of tho illegitimate children ? Witness: That has been her tale for the laet few years, but when she first camo back_ from Australia she said she was married to him. : It was in consequence of her telling two tales that tho Courb ruled flhe was not a fit person to have custody of the children. The jury returned, a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence^