The true Democrat., 1857-03-03
From the New York Times of the I ith ult The Burdell Murder. The Curtain Lifted The Mystery of he
 Murder DisEeiled.

Inc pond street drama approaches ItE close Yesterdays proceedings at the inquest sub- stantially fastened upon John c. Echel and Mrs Cunningham the guilt of the blpodiest and most awful murder that has startled this city for many years. The parties, of course, will be put upon their triaI-and il Is possible they may not, upon that full and final exami- nation, be convicted. But ptiusu facie case has been fully made out against them. There seems IttIe reason to doubt that Eckel did the Geed--and he cannot be connected with it without duplicating Mrs Cunningham.
 A remarkable feature of the case is that the witness by whom this con>ummation has been ached, has been entirely unknown and un heard of until the last moment An anony- mols letter was sent to the Coroner. yesterday. stating rumor that d Mr. Farrell was in Bond street on the night of the murder, and had evi. deuce to give Of some importance-hut that he decuned tn come forward, Hest he should be Nept rom h.s family and incnnvenienced by ap- petHng as a witness, as he is poor man." In E'ew nt the Coranei'S treatment of witnesses, it must be confessed he had some grounds for this apprehension. In consequence of this commit hcauon, Mr. Farrell was summoned to attend, anu test'led that he was passing through Bond street at about Il o'clock on the night in Ques- uon-that he sat down upon the steps of the house No. 3l, and was there seated when a man with shawl came up the steps and enter ed the nouse--that not more than a minute and halt elapsed before he heard the cry of mur. der and then the fall of heavy bodv-and that in half minute after Mat a man, in his shirt sleeves, with buShy hair, opened the door looked out--asked him what he was dnipg there--shut the door and went back. Mr. Far reil got up, and hearing nothing further, soon after went away
 The witness was then taken by the Coroner into an upper room, ln which the jury, report CTS, policemen aal some ten or fifteen others had been introduced without his kuowledge. and asked if he could identify any person there present as the man whom he had seen looking out at the door on the night in question. He
 looked slowly, carefully, and searchinglv into the lace cf every man prsent--his eve ranging round the whole crcle--and seemed abont to abandon the effort, when his eye returned 10 the last man in the circle, rested for minnie steadily upon his unmoved countenance and he then declared that he was the man. This man was Eckel. And Mr. Farrell afterward stated that he had no doubt whatever of his ldenlty, though he had never seen him on any other occasion than when he opened the door on that fatal Friday night. Thus the very precaution which Ecke took against beipo ob- served-his going to the front door and look. mg out to see if anybody was in the street proved the means, and thus farthe only means ol his exposure.
 The Tact thus developed of his going to the lroht door explains the indication which led us ofSlnaliy to the belief that the murderer left the mouse alter the deed was done.--the appear- 'hce or blood upon the stairway wall and the basement ol the outer door. It seems now aI'hos' ,l certain that Eckel was secretcd in the poCVot room when he entered, and that he dealt him the fatal blow almost immediatoIn alter he had come in and seated himself at b;s desk. The rapldlty with which the whole was accomplished is shown by the statements of ina witness Farrell, ,-that not more than n,;n,,to and half elapsed after the Doctors entrance before he heard the cry and then the fall.-and that within half minute after that. Eckel came to the door. Mrs. Cunningham is also ldenrhed as having, in company with cen. tleman on Friday, purchased sword cane in oadway,--descnbing the kind desired, and saying they must have it on that day. This leaves It Impossible t. doubt her complici " Tn the murder,--or that the whole affair ,,ns aeF'0erdtety and systematically plan,aed How lar other parties in the house were implicated It Is Impossible to conjecture. Nothnq has yet been shown to connect them with this most shocking affair. But it will be very difficult to convince the public that no noise was heard by any of the Inmates on that night. If Mrs Cunningham personally had any part in the murder, her daughters must have sworn falsely wheo they testified that she did not leave her bed alter retiring that night. Of this, however there Is yet nothing like positive proof
 It seems to be established by several witnes seS that there was a noise--that 1t was very peculiar and loud enough to attract attention Tn the street. Ecke was probably in the front room when Burdell entered the back room. and on gong in to deal the blow he would be very ikeiy to leave the door between the rooms