Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1857-02-18
The Burdell Tragedy.


The mystery Of the murder of DR.. Burdell, in
yelled. The examination of witnesses was still going
on before the Corouer, and the excitement was un-
absted. DR.. Burdells funeral was attended by an
immense concourse. We have no room for any
portion ofthe evidence in the case. The New York
Times inclines to the opinion that the murder was
committed by some one not connected with the
house where Dr.. Burdell resided; while the Herald
evidently thinks that Eckel and Mrs. Cunningham
are the guilty parties That paper says:
"The more evidence that is taken on the awful
tragedy on Bond street, the more clearly is it seen
that it was the work of no common hand of no mere
lawless vagrant. Though the witnesses whose tcs-
timony Is given elsewhere cannot be described as
directly fastening the charge Of murder on this OF
that person. yet their evidence goes the one side
to narrow very materially the circle within which
the culprit must be sought, and on the other to
lessen the mprobability that person in a station
where murderers supposed to be uncommon
should have taken the life of the late Dr. Burdel.
There is risk and responsibility in giving express
cions that ferment in the public mind 1t is possible
that those whom the public eye now regards as
guilty may prove simply unfortunate. But we are
bound to say that up to this moment the burden of
the testimony taken is frightfully against John j.
Eckel and Emma Augusta Cunningham.
They may be innocent, and heaven knows we
hope they But it is, to say the least an unfor
txnate thing that Mr.. Eckel should have gone out
before breakfast that morning, and should have
deposited in his private desk paper which would
seem to have been purloined from Dr. Burde. 1t
is unfortunate that he should have been such
terms with the woman Cunningham as to lead the
housemaid to regard her as an indscreet mother to
grown up daughters. And it is still more unfortu-
nate that he should have allowed expressions of ill
will towards the deceased TO escape him. to which
fho innno aufu oiu
canoe. As for the unhappy female over whom the
public wrath now impends, every circumstance con-
nected with her is unfortunate. She had husband,
who died suddenly in his chair, leaving policy of
insurance for $4,000 in favor Of bis wife, Was he
poisonede We must dig his body up. She led
life after his death which is described in the evidence
Of the witness Hldrcth life evidently calculated
to harden her heart and steel her nerves. Her &C
quantance such as no honest woman would
willingly keep. Arrived at mature age, and not
destitute Of those artfnl charms charmfu arts by
which women in the meridian of life secure lovers,
she met, ensnared, and conquered DIR. Burdcll.
Entering his house as his mistress, she sought to
assert control over him against which the passion
ate and Grabbed temper Of the doctor rebelied He
gave her money. He gave her a home. He took
in her daughters. He lodged her friend Eckel
Not content with all this, the woman Cunningham
insists that he shall marry her. He refuses, and
she sues him. Burdell an angry, but not o perse-
vering hatcr, capitulates; on certain conditions,
Cunningham and her family his friendship through
life," and another that he shall rent her his rooms
at half their value, she wthdraws the suit. Burdel
confesses that from the woman to whom he has
vowed friendship through life he stands in terror of
his own. He declares he has caught her at his
safe. The servant indiscreety wakes at unto
ward noSe.-Ecka and Mrs. Cunningham leer at
each other across the table they speculate ou the
happy consequences of "a handy blow" on the doc.
tors head.
An l:x.o, IL
root, until night one neighbour smells burning
woollen flannel, another hears a stihed cry of
murder, and next morning poor Dr. Burdcll is found
by DR.. Main and the boy Burshe dead in his room.
We see that some organs of opinion abuse some
of the public unctionaries for prosecuting this in
quiry like public prosecutors; but how any man
in his senses look at the facts without coming to
some conclusion as to the guilty person-and that
conclusion perfectly clear and fair one9
The whole affair fills the honest mind with disgust
and loathing What shall we say Of the other resi-
dents of this i'll ated house? Of these two girls, Of
whom the elder is said to be % years of age, and
lady of much hauteur and of the youthful Snod
grass, the son of clergyman, who seemingly got
his board condition of being the cavalier of Miss
Cunningham? How came these people to hear
nothing of the murdered mans death struggle? Of
course, to suppose that they accomphces is
repulsve to common sense, but how came they all
to sleep sound that night? And what sort Of a
house was this, at all? Are there any more of the
same KIM elt, Wnere QiSSOlute women Try 20 Ill
veige amorous bachelors into matrimony and MUIR
der them when they refuse? Can nobody enlighten
this point"
The New York papers are still devotng great
deal of space to the testimony in this before the
| Coroner The last Times with an extra sheet con
tains thirty columns in fine type, devoted to the
evidence before the Coroner the incidents, explana
tions, &c. The Times evidently incnes to the OPT
nion that Mrs. Cunningham and Eckel are moi
guilty but that paper concludes editorial as follows
"The truth is, the mystery of this horrld affal
te deepen with the progress of the investiga
ton. The more evidence elicit the less we know
and it seems at present very doubtful whether tht
cloud which envelopes the murder will ever be dis
PEELED" -
GREAT FREsHETs.-The late thaw Of snow and ic
has occasoned great freshets in the rivers, which
have resulted in serious damage to property. Ii
many places navigation has been arrested, ships an,
steamboats, sunk, and portions of railways covere
or swept off, thus arresting travel.
The food was higher in Albany, N. Y, than eve
before known, and the loss of property is estimates
at 100000. The floods also very destructiv
at Chicago, Wheeling, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, an