The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1857-02-17
VOLUME X.
DIR. Burdsil's Murder.
The New York Herald gives the followi

Dr. Burdsirs Murder.
The New York Herald gives the following
summary of the testimony before the Coroner:
We have now before US, the testimony TAX
en- during nine days of investigation. The
inevitable conclusions to be drawn from the
present aspect of the testimony are as fol-
lows:
1st. That the doctor was murdered with
malice aGorethought.
This is proven by the number and charac-
ter Of the wounds, the stiffness with which the
act was accomplished, and the careful way in
which the murderers have destroyed all phys
ical clues to their identity.
I'd. The act was committed just before mid
night and Immediately after the doctor enter
ed his apartment.
3 The time was fixed by two witnesses, one
of whom heard the cry Of murder about
eleven, and another who saw man answer
ing the description Of the doctor enter the
house at about the same hour.
4th. That the act was committed by
some person resident Of the house, or introdu-
ced for the purpose.
9th. That the motive was not that of rob-
berry, or direct personal gain, but that the act
was instlgated by jealousy, hatred, revenge,
disappointed ambition and hope of obtaining
ultimately, some portion ofthc doctors estate
which he might prevent if he were allowed to
live.
9th. That the passions above enumerated
are stronger with women than with men-a
woman when she is bad being thoroughly so,
because society will not believe that she can
repent and reform; and therefore there is no
encoura cement for her To do sO
That no man would be likely to inflict fif-
teen stabs-nearly all atal-upon the body Of
his victim. A slighted woman would proba-
bly, do so.
9Th. That Mrs. Cunningham had motive
to do the doctor a mischief. She was ex-
tremely Jealous. She set spies upon him.
She listened to his conversation with his con-
fiiential friends. She visited brothels to OBJ
tain testimony Of his infidc!ity. She set eve-
ry one in the house against him. She twice
renewed a suit for breach of promise against
him. She attempted to prove adoubtiul mar
riage with him. All relations Of friendship
have been broken off for two months before
the murder, and the doctor is SO far afraid
that he will be murdered by her or her
friends that he will not eat or drink in the
house, and begs friend to come and live with
him. There is no eye so sharp, no intellect SO
cute, as that Of jealous, intriguing woman
No movement Of Burdelrs escaped the OBJ
Esrvation Of his pursuer. She peeped into his
private papers and stole from his pocket the
key of his safe. The quarrel between them is
bitter and rreconciliabIe. For more than two
months Burdell led this terrible life: lie
He made his will, leaving his property to
his brothers, cousins. nephews and nice
es. Children he had none. Wife he had
none, by his own account. lie resolved to
get rid Of his mistress as soon as possible
The time arrived when tenants, not leasehold-
ers, gave notice of their intentions-whether
they intended to remain or to move after the
first of May-and the landlord signifies his
wishes in regard to the same matter. Mrs.
Cunningham's football was always about the
doctors door; she heard everything. She
heard Of the will. She heard, on the very
Friday of the murder, the doctor ask his
friend Blasdell to take the house. She heard
on the same day the partial agreement be-
tween Burdell and Mrs. Stansbury. She
knew il Blaisdell did not take the house, the
lease with the Stansburys would be sighed the
next dav. On that Friday, the points Of
the situation eliminated On one side was
Burdell, weak physically, coward who
would "not fight boy ten years DID," but
firmly resolved to get rid of this woman, OF
whom he had first become jealous-then dis
gusted-then afraid. On the other hand an
avaricious, revengeful intriguante who had
been playing desperate game and has been
beaten at every point; one who may daily ex-
pcct to be driven with her children and her
'elemosynary attaches into the street.
9. The statement Mrs. Cunningham has
made in reference to the marriage has been
'overthrown by the evidence of her own attor-
'f,ey who testified yesterday that three or four
weeks after the breach Of promise suit had
Been discontinued. and after the date of the
pretended marriage, she applied to have it
brought up again. The certificate produced
by Mrs. Cunningham indicated that the pre-
tended marriage took place only one week
after the discontinuance of the suit.
TO-. She gave, late in January, general re-
lease to DR.. Burde'l, (see reported) and in II
she agrees to give up the house on the first o
May. This is the climax. Her defeat is
complete. She is the woman scorned, like
whom, the poet tells us, he'll has no fury.
Such is the position Of affairs when Blais
dell leaves Burdell at four on the afternoon
of Friday. The next morning Burlell Il
found with fifteen wounds on his dead body
and his mistress flourishes a marriage certif
cate in the face of the world.
So stands the case against Mrs. Cunning
ham. We do not say that these conclusion.
drawn from the evidence prove that she !:
guilty. We do not pretend to argue that She
may not be able to explain them so far as 70
satisfy every unprejudced mind that she i
entirely innocent; but We do say that what
we have given above is fair view of the pres.
ent aspect Of the case. The movements o
Mrs. Cunningham and Mr.. Eckei during che
past five or six weeks have been very susuc.
ious; and If they can explain all the circ1m-
Stances bearing against them, there are plenty