Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-02-24
From the n. Y. Herald.
The Murder of Dr. BurdeII-The Inquest


1t is finished. The inquest in the matter of
the death Of Harvey Bnrdell is over. After
fourteen days of investigation the evidence
has been completed, the Coroner has summed
up, the Jury has rendered its verdict Mrs
Cunningham, Mr.. Eckel and Mr.. Snodgyass
are held as having been implicated in the muir
der. They will now be held in custody to
await the action of the Grand Jury.
The evidence of yesterday was important in
one or two particulars. Madame Alviset, who
keeps shop for the sale Of cutlery in Broad
way, testified that at or about the day of the
murder she sold to Mr.. Snodgrass a dagger
She produced fellow TO the weapon, and it
appears that the wounds were made with such
an instrument Mr.. Snodgrass swore positive
ly that he bought no dagger, but he was posi-
lively identified by the saleswoman. Imme~
diately after she had given her testimony he
was committed to prison.
The Coroner also received dispatches PROV
ing that the man Evans, who had threatened
DR.. Burdel's life, is now in the Maryland pen
tentiary. The coroner's summing up is es-
pecially muddy where he attempted to ana
lyse the evidence aud explain his theory of the
crime, which was that Of q majority of the
public and the journsls-that the murder was
committed by some persons within the house..
lie succeeded, however, in giving to the jury,
the points Of the testimony, and the verdict is
in accordance with the sentiment of the COM
munity.
A great deal has been written about the
philosophy, but the real point of the matter
has never been touched. Without entering
into the question as to the guilt or the inno-
oence of the parties accused, very valuable
moral is to be deduced from the revelations iG
regard 10 a certain class of New York society,
which have been given by this Investigation.
We have bad house unroofed before our
eyes. We have seen a woman and her daugh-
tiers absolutely becoming brigands of society.
The mother was at the same time the mistress
of two men-each of whom had another mis-,
tress-and the women occupying q semi re-
spectacle postion-half way between heaven
and earth The resident mistress visits in the
Fifth avepue-gives a sOiree daHsGRte without
a cent in her pockets a strict member of
the church, and has a 'clergyman's son as
cGpqIier serUiSnte to her daughters in order to
give an odor OF saDciity to her establishment.
These parties visit each others sleeping apart
ments-live on the Mormon principle general
", and have "nice time" of it, until one fine
morning the person who finds the funds TO
carry on the reyelry is found with his carotid
artery severed, and three wounds IN his heart.
A direct personal benefit is to accrue to the
parties who have been sheltered in his house,
and the public voice accuses them Of the deep
damuaton of his taking off,
What picture of metropolitan life does
this case present! The initiated are full well
aware that we have many women in our
midst, who live splendidy by forced levies
from wealthy bachelors, and whose hold up,
on fat bank account has the tenaclty OF
death itself. The victims bleed, and bleed,
and bleed, and say nothing. The victimizer
holds up her head in the drawing room-has
the best box ut the Opera-the finest sables on
the promenade-the softest cushion in the
fashionable church. She is oftener in society
than society imsgBes. for her work is done
secretly, aud she enjoys almost entire immuni-
~. Generally the victim is tractAble; wheB
he rebels-well, we have seen how insurree.
tionists are treated in Bond street Il is the
thirst Tor god-the desire to outshine yonr
neighbor-to outshine people with your mag
nihcence, that leads to such crimes es the
murder Of DIR. Burdell. Moreover. Il teaches
he of repeated lesson To the yoa,h OF this
'ornmuniiy "Beware Of strange women
their FEET lead down to the pit; their steps
take hold on hell"
Suppose some of onr fashionable preachers
give Us powerful eE.empore sermon to day on
the above text