Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1857-08-11
AFFIDAVIT OF DR. TIL.

Mrs. Cunningham during her alleged
illness.
AFFIDAVIT OF DR. TIL
DIR David III, physician. of No. Al East
Twentieth street, New York being sworn,
does declare that shortly after Mrs. Cunning
ham was incarccrated in the Tombs, she
sent note to me requesting my professio
nal attendance. sent word to MIR District
Attorney Hall, requesting permission to Vi
sit her and Mr.. Hall gave me written per
nit to visit her at any time did visit her.
and prescribed for her for symptoms peculiar
To persons who are encicntc, and during one
OF those visits | asked her If she mos in the
family way. She said she hadn't told that
to anybody. and wouldn't answer the qucs-
ton at that time. told her that # there
was anything Of that kind she should be
examined 10y physicians-and at another
conv ersation she asked me how We found
out when a person was in the family way
| explained to her the way She said it was
all right, ana when the child was born she
didn't care how many doctors were present
She sent for me after her trial, and attend.
ed her at No. 81 Bond street, and she FIRE
qucntly expressed anxiety of having mis-.
fhlTlHne, rs size Wuute't 10 nave u UNlU1
child, So TINT she could have an heir to the
Burdell estate. pressed upon her on diff
ferant occasions the Importance of having
an examination by other physicians After
| mentioned that subject she avoid al me,
and this gave lie an inIefinable suspicion
that something was wrong After frequent
conversation on that subject | was assured
by other persons that everything was all
| -, IL tIat Ilc - l.
former family physician, and mysclf, should
make the proper examination. and attend
her during her confinement | went TO see
her u few DAYS after that in the morning
and she told me then, very plainly, that she
was no, in the family way, and that we
should have TO get hold of u child in some
way or other for that DR. Burdels family
had acted So badly that she was bound to
have child at ali hazards. did not give
her any satisfaction. but the next day
called on Mr. David T. Wheeler, my lawyer,
and told the whole ease and asked him
what course To pursue lie told me to keep
quiet few days, and then inform the Dis
trict Attorney Of all the facts Of the ease |
did rs he advised and subsequently called
on Mr.. Hall at his office In broadway, and
told him all knew Of the matter, and that
it, But MIR. Hall thought differently, and
that l should assist him in detecting her.
and prevent the contamination Of the con
templated crime. ! entered partially into
the matter and took few days for consid-
Grafton, and in the meantime ! consulted
several physicians and friends respecting
the course ought to pursue in the matter,
and they all advised me that should act
.,,.1.,, Halle l;,.,,ti..l I ia I
visited Mrs Burdell occasionally, and it was
finally arranged between Mrs. Burdell and
myself that she must be sick or confined
from the Isl to the 10Th of August She
was given to understand tina: lady was TO
be confined in the vicinity Of Elm street,
and whose child she was to receive as her
own, and it was finally arranged that she
should be confined either on Monday or
Tuesday night. then went to Mr. Hall on
Monday. and il was arranged between us
that his brother-in-law, DR.. DE la Montagnie
and myself should engage a room or rooms
on Elm street We did engage rooms at No.
1870 Elm street, and they were furnished the
same day, and Dir. DE la Montagnie went up
10 Bellevue Hospital and obtained. as
heard and believe. a child and afterbirth. or
ptdceata. which were taken to No. 100 Elm
street. ! called on Mrs. Burdell during the
afternoon and told her the place She told
me il the child was born before O'Clock. a
lady would come for it in the evening and
bring it. If it was not born before O'clock
the lady would 60 for it and wait all night
until the morning, as she did not wish il
brought in late at night, but either early in
the evening or early in the morning. Sh.
said she would send this lady around to see
the place. l then left and went Immediately
to the place myself and waited there, look.
ing out OF the front window. and shortly af
forwards ! saw Mrs Cunningham pass the
house and look ut it closely She stopped
and looked at it. About O'Clock in the
evening. or between 5 and clock. called
ON Mrs. Cunningham again and was shown
up stairs to the second story. The room
was very dark indeed There was no l;pht
! walked into the front room where Mrs
Burdeli was pretending to have labor pains
She said she would call the lady who was In
go. and whose name she would not tell She
called her to her bedside, and recognized
the person who calls herself Mrs. Burdelrs
sister as me lady she called to her bedside.
Mrs. Burdell asked her il she was ready 10
go She said YES, and asked where the black
dress was, and then 1t was arranged between
49, sssss NV a"uy I'D low me tn M
1870 Elm street, that should wait in tbs
trent door for her, and that the lady should
hold in her hand white handkerchief thai
would recognize her.
went 10 1870 Elm street, and waited IN
the front door some time, and finally the
lady came, dressed in black. having black
hood over her head, partially Disgusting her
features. | asked her il she was the Der
son that came after the basket. She made
no reply, but merely shook her handker
chief, and walked up stairs with me to the
room, took the basket, and went off with II
! was led to believe, from her general ap-
pearance, that it was Mrs. Burdell herself
who came after the child The child and
aiter,olrth We're in the basket saw her
go of with it. went to nv own house ami
soon after arrived. there; found : man I'D
been there and leh word that should cali
on Mrs. Burdell. She wanted INV attend.
ance Immediately. l went down and was
admitted ~ man whom did not know
personally; went up stairs to Mrs. Burdelrs |
room and saw Mrs. Burdell living on her
bed; her sister and Dr. Ca,lin were in the |
room, and the child was lying in one corn.
er Of the room. Mrs Burdeli pretended IN |
have all the symptoms Of severe labor, Al. |
Ter remaining . few moments, Dr.. CetHn