Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1857-08-07
THp BURDR1L MURDER /!
oo,Ipn1oAr1oN oF TnE MYsTERY'
Mrs. Cunningham Re-Arrested!
FICTITIOUS CHILD BIRTHn
fr,on n. =. y. caarIsr aaa EaaaItsE q -

IL
,,ad with the contested estate oil the ia'e ~
tIor,,o,, Rurdell-a mock birth, in order 10 Sc
-, tko entire nropertv of the murdered Do'-
80, s,,d tho arrest of the alleged conspiratoIH'
Ev.Judve Dean, one of the counsei OF Ars.
,,inoham. during the summing up oelo'e , sil
Surrogate, 1t may be e-l;,,srv ma
int ssif Il we're true that in the ordinary sss-
.,,I;ou = child should be born to Harvey BUR
5au ,i,a, not onIv nil the ties of blood ana ma,
80. 80, nut all the dictates of humanity, deinahu
Thai The court should lean IN tsVor OF ll'lt H',o
cont unborn child, rather than those MIio iluu
no direct claim upon the properly i:-,t-i
,,,,,,crnent prcpared the minds OF the calniaItS
,,,,ar the blood relatives of DIR. Bnrdel to luIiy
cxneci a .pretenier to the estate, and Mrs- yum
;TIyIaIn was looked upon with renewed inter
oct A few DAYS after the announcement W., va |
made by the learned counsel. DOCTOR oI:'
,rho was formerly Mrs. Cunningham Ineu.. /
col adviser in Bond street. was sent Tor TO wh'1
-, 10. In IN. Tombs where she was confined
~, /, charge of murder. DIR. Uhl called as re-
onested md the prospect of an heir was suS
,icstad Mrs Cunningham pronounced herseil
ie.;snts and wished the Doctor to make an eN-
animation and report the fact, as well as 10 pe
in attendance at the aceonehneht: DF' On ". "
clined making an examination aioile u,lus NUE.
circumstances, and wanted to have TWO oIAeI
nI,vsicians with him Us witnesses to connrh
the true state of the case. Mrs. cunningham
JacI;ncd having any Doctor but him, and ms
ensnirions were therefor aroused to the cohsPl-
rary on. fogt, ftsE .cAlllg@ VIC sie
yras not eneienfe, but was bound to procure
child who would be heir to the estate. She
wanted DIR. Uhl to take the part of procuring
an infant and managing the affair, for which
entire job she was willing to give the sum oil
81 900 Dr. Uh declined at the time, and on
advice of counsel Immediately informed District
Attorney Hall OF the conspiracy. This was
about July 10th. The Doctor stated the facts
H.. nj IN
present, us he did not wish his professional del
icacy or confidence to be at issue.
Mr.. Hall told him that if such a thing was
contemplated by Mrs. Cunningham, 1t was
very serious felony, aud referred the Doctor 10
thai section of the Revised Statutes; which says
"Eycrv person who shall fraudulently produce
an infant fllsely pretending 1t to have neen porn
of parents whose child would DC enutieo 10 d
share of any personal dstatc, or to inherit any
real estate, with the intent of iGterceptlnS the
inheritance of any such real estate, or the dts-
tribution of any such personal property from
,nv nerson lawfully entitled thereto, SHALL upon
lconyiction, be punished by Imprisonment IN
State Prison not exceeding ten years. MI.
Hall further argued with the Doctor, that he
might have it in his power to prevent the crime
accomplishing its guilty fruits, or from being .i an
worldwide notoriety, and the unfortunate results
which might flow to the community if her crimes
should battle detection, twas the duty of every
man to do all in his power TO thoroughly expose
her Dr. Uhl said he would reflect upon the
matter Ae did so, and on the following day
( told Mr.. Hall that he would place himself en-
tirey at his disposal and at those Of the author
! tiles, and engage in any plan which Mr.. Hall
might project The advice of the District At
torney was that he should 60 ind concealing
his doubts and suspicious, learn from Mrs Gun
ningham her full views and arrangements.
The plans were all made known. For procu-
ring the unborn childn and assisting at the nc
couchmeH, DIR. Uhl was to receive $1,000. Il
The Doctor ON returning to the District Attor-
ney and reporting progress, was advised to in
vent u tale about an unfortunate patient Of his
"a California widow-who would soon give
birth to 4 child, and that on convenient day
said child could be borrowed from Bellevue Hos
pital, under pretcnce of being given for adop- !
ton. That ut the time appointed for the rccep-
ton of the child, Mrs. Cunningham should af-
feet being seriously indisposed, and the nn-
nonncemeut would then be made OF the birth OF !
young Burdell. Mrs. Cunningham, had also
secured DIR. C. Catlin, OF Brooklyn, (the physi- |
clan Of Mr.. Cunningham, her first husbandl to |
be privy TO the plot and present at the occ0uch-
meHt. This Doctor she claimed was IN her
power, and she could depend upon his secrecy /
in the matter. 4 nurse was also engaged
Every arrangement having been made, DIR. Chi, |
wished to know what time Mrs. Cunningham, |
who it seems had resortcd TO certain devices to
deceive real appearances, what time 1t would be |
convenient for her to be mother, and Monday
night the Sd inst, was settled upon for the dis
! tinguished birth.
! district Attorney Hall was kept posted on
the subject, and with DIR. De La Montague, of
FiShkill friend of his selected to take part in
/ the drama. DIR. Uhl, Mr.. Kellock, of the Aims !
House, and Gov Smith, held n conference on
the LIST inst...as to the best mode of procedure. |
| 1t was resolved to proceed on Monday to the !
what there was there nprospect. A child was
Forthcoming, and would lie ready for the occa-
! sion 1t was deemed advisable to fit UP a room |
down town where Mrs. Cunningham could send |
n messenger and get the yOungsteT, and No. 1870
Elm street, over Lager Bier Saloon, was sclcc- !
/ ted. DIR. Montague, in disguise, attended at
I this place. DR.. Uhl gave notice TO Mrs Cum
ninghau that all was III readiness. She would
not trust messenger, but dressed 10 disguise
and rode down in Il carriage to receive the child
{ in person. Having obtained the precious little !
gem, she returned to 81 Bond street in ecstacies. |
On arriving, DR.. Catlin and the nurse were pre-
sent and she Immediately changed her raptnres
/ by throwing herself upon her bed and affecting
sickness
Mrs Cunningham's cries, from her pretended /
suffering, were alarming rs to attract the at !
tcntion Of the Heighbors, but i'll a short time
they were reported to be over. Mrs. c. was con-
yaleScent, and there was the joyful announce /
ment of u daughter born to the estate of Dr. |
Burdell The farce was too barefaced even to
the passers by, and the police, posted on the
programme Of arrangement consisting Of In /
spcctors Spcight, Dilks and Hopkins, and Ser
geant Smith, and officer Walsh, rushed in and
concluded the piece by arrcstiug Mrs. Cunning
ham, Doctor Catlin, Mrs Jane Bell, the nurse
and Ann Burns, Mrs. Cunninghams sister,
The latter three were Immediately locked up in /
the 9th ward station house, to await an eXami-
nation. Mrs Cunningham, although with her
attendants thrown into great excitement, still
hers Oy birth She acted her part admirably. |
The police did not insist on her going TO the
station house, as She claimed to be so seriously /
indisposed, but a posse Of officers was placed in /
custody Of the bedroom and the entire premises, /