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From: "Cathy & Vin Di Pietro" <>
Subject: [NJSUSSEX-L] Michael O'ROURKE murder articles
Date: Sat, 9 Mar 2002 09:58:58 -0500


More tidbits from past queries I've answered, I have no further
information or personal connection to these families:

Wantage Recorder newspaper dated Friday, October 3, 1924

Stabbed Thru The Heart - Michael O'Rourke Slain
A Man Arrested and Jailed on Suspicion
A dance at a house in Ogdensburg Sat. night was the scene
of a murder. Michael O'Rourke, a member of a very long settled
family in the neighborhood, residing about a mile and a half away,
rode his horse to the scene of the dance. He did not take part in
the dance but was just a looker on and was well known to a large
number of the guests. Along towards midnight one of them went
out through the dooryard and discovered the body lying there.
He called others there with lights and it was once identified as that
of O'Rourke. No one had heard any disturbance. Word was at
once sent to Chief of Police, Lewis Stanaback, of Ogdensburg, and
officer Strualina, of Franklin. O'Rourke's horse stood nearby and
blood was discovered on the saddle. Blood was also found on the road.
Sheriff Mackerley and Under Sheriff Bevans were summoned.
While they were on the place debating the tragedy, a neighbor
of the vicinity came up and said he was pretty sure some one was
hiding under his proch. He lived about 600 feet away and the officers
at once went there. Flashlights revealed a man under the porch
and he was pulled out. He seemed to be drunk and was apparently
a Mexican. He was known to be Branjello Rajo, a miner. An
ordinary pocket knife was found under him as he lay under the
porch. There were blood stains on it and bloodstains on his
hands and clothes. He was about forty years old, O'Rourke about
fifty. A bottle of liquor was found in O'Rourke's pocket. It is
believed that O'Rourke, after he was hurt, attempted to get on
his horse and get away but was unable to do so. He had been
stabbed in the left side, Coroner J. C. Coleman, was summoned
and he summoned a coroner's jury to investigate. Rajo was
to jail in Newton by Justice of the Peace Wardell, of Ogdensburg,
to await the result of the inquest. He either could not or would
not say anything about it.
O'Rourke is survived by his wife and two children, a son and
daughter, pupils in the High School , in Newton.

Michael O'Rourke
Died (see account of his murder above) September 27, in
Ogdensburg, aged 43 years, 11 months, and 27 days. He was
the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Patrick O'Rourke, and was
born in the old homestead in Ogdensburg. He is survived
by his wife, formerly Mary Tully, and two children, a son,
Raymond, and a daughter, Anna, both at home; his is also
survived by two brothers: Marcus and John, of New York; and
five sisters: Mrs. Robert S. Barten, of Cleveland, Ohio; Misses
Fannie and Annie, at home; Mrs. Theodore Springler, of New
York; and Mrs. Reeve Andress, of Yonkers, N.Y.
The funeral was held Weds. at 9 a.m. at his late home, Rev.
C. F. Shaw officiating. Interment was in St. Thomas cemetery
in Ogdensburg.
Mr. Westbrook who has looked over the ground says he was
doubtless killed while on the horse's back. The blow that killed him
must have been struck with great force for the knife cut off one rib.

Wantage Recorder Friday 31 Oct 1924 page 1

Two Murder Trials in Sussex County
The indictments for murder were found against Eranjelio Rojo,
Mexican employee of the New Jersey Zinc Company, charged
with killing Michael O'Rourke, a West Mountain farmer, Sept.
27, at Ogdensburg, and Daniel Garcia, another Mexican of
Franklin, who was charged with killing Emiliano Gonzalez, also
a Mexican, Sat. night at Franklin. The murders are the first in
the county sdince that in the Cat Swamp hold-up in 1921.

Wantage Recorder, Friday 16 Jan 1925

At the request of a delegation of local attorneys having cases
pending on the calendar, Judge Shay has postponed the
reopening of the Sussex Courts until Jan 26. Notices have
been sent to jurors by County Clerk Arthur Wilcox. The date
set for adjournment in Dec was Tues Jan 13. Judge Shay
sat Monday to select 20 more talesmen to fill the petit jury
panel for the trial of Eranjelio Royo, for the murder of Michael
O'Rourke, of Ogdensburg, on Sept 27. The trial will begin Feb.
3 before Supreme Court Justice Black.

Wantage Recorder, Friday Feb. 6, 1925
Murder Trial At County Seat
ACQUITTED!
Who Killed Michael O'Rourke
The trial of Eranjelio Rojo for the murder of Michael O'Rourke,
in Ogdensburg, on Sept 27th, ult. began Tues. in Newton. Justice
of teh Supreme Court, Charles C. Black, presided and a jury was
drawn with little delay. Prosecutor Dennis conducted the prosecution
and the prisoner was defended by Andrew Van Blarcom, of Newark,
and Henry T. Kays, of Newton. The attorneys excused all ladies
drawn upon the jury. The first juryman accepted was Grant Layton, of
Walpack, who was thereby the foreman of the jury.
At the time the murder was committed O'Rourke has a horse near the
scene, and it's sides were found covered in blood, leading to two
theories that he was stabbed while on the horse's back, or had endevored
the climb the animal's back after he had been stabbed. The testimony
showed that his body was soon discovered and that, Royo, was soon
afterward found hiding under a house porch nearby. Under him lay
an open knife, the blade of which was covered in blood. The testimony
showed him to be very drunk. The accused man is a man of about forty
years and a Mexican. A Spanish interpretor was used by the court.
Three witnesses, Mexicans, of a party of four, were riding in an auto
along the road where the murder took place, and arrived in sight of
Michael O'Rourke's body almost the time of the murder. Each of
them testified that as the lights of thair car lighted up the scene they
saw a man running away, without a coat, and wearing a white shirt.
The fourth man with them saw a white figure running but did not get
a good view ot it so as to describe it.
Rojo's knife with the blood stains which doctors testified was
human blood, were testified to have been caused by his leaning
against the horse and patting it as he was seen to do.
Two citizens of Ogdensburg testifed to the prisoner's good
character during the four months he had been employed by the
New Jersey Zinc Company.
Dr. Albert Edel, of Newark, testified that the blood stains on Rojo's
knife and clothes were a smudge from some another object. All
witnesses who saw Rojo thought him very drunk.
Whent eh jury began to prepare for a long night in the jury
room, Justice Black told them that they could go in charge of the
officers under restriction, and it attended a theatre in a body
in charge of two officers. They returned a verdict of acquittal about
2 o'clock Weds. afternoon.
The jury was composed as follows: Grant Layton, of Walpack;
Francis Crawn, of Fredon; Lester O. Burrows, of Vernon; Howard
Swarts, of Wantage; Lundy Ayers, Sidney Sayer, George Coates
and Milton WEintermute, of Newton; E. Willis Clark, of Sussex;
John Cosner, of Frankford; Frank Durling, of Branchville and
Robert W. Allison.

Hope this helps,
Cathy DiPietro

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