The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-02-04
TIE MYSTERIOUS MURDER AT NEW YoRK-As-
sAsSINATION OF DR. HARVEY RuRnRIL

sAssIsATIoS OF DR. HARVEY BURDELL
Brief notice has already been made in tssgrAphc
column Of the murder Of DIR. Harvey BardsH in New
York Friday night last under circumstances which
fully justify ths extraordinary excitement which pre-
walls in that city in regard tragedy which destined 70
occupy most conspicuous place hereafter in the annals Of
crime In the local columns Of the New York Tribune the
murder is thus announced:
On Saturday morning o'clock servant bow in house
No 81 Bond street going into the Of Harvey
dell the weknown surgeon dentist found the Doctor lying
on the toor his person and the covered with blood
The boy Immediately the alarm and other parties in
me nonss came . me scene DIT Barde was found 70 DC
dead and the appearances Of the body gave report
that be had burst boodyesse and persisted before be
could summon help This the story which pub
shed IN the evening papers Of Saturday.
A closer examination Of the body however disclosed
the fact that he had been murdered There less
than fifteen sabs in his neck and breast made with
nArrow-bAdsd sharp instrument and his neck
signs Of attempt at stranguation, which further
proved BY the fact thai his Lungs full OF air and has
ongue proruded between the teeth one OF the bad
severed the uguar VEIN and another nearly separated the
verebr Two of the wounds in the breast had penetrated
| the heart
OF course an intense exeiismsnt was created DR. Bur-
dell widely known a writer upon and practitioner
IN dentistry He about As years Of age Of fine personal
appearances, and supposed 10 be wealthy He had his
cepton rooms office work rooms and sleeping apartments
the house in question, but took his meals at the Metro
politan Hotel.
A eoroners inquest was held but as have room
for the vounnou testimony that tbs inquest has thus far
ELECTED, give below summary of the evidence fur
nished in the editorial columns Of the Tribune
The particular of the murder s however chiefly
Of interest from It's tendency furnish clue
person by whom the act committed The facts deyel
oped the personal relations of the parties resident in
the house Of kind to attention in that direction
1t appears that the house belonged Dr.. Burde and
that he used the parors in his business dentist also
the room the back parlor operating room in
which room be found dead and the front
muucating with il as g sleeping Previous May
June last Mira Jones acted housekseper at which
time she succeeded by Mrs CGnnngham. 1t appears
FROM Mira Joness testimony that Mrs Cunningham
from Saratoga the autumn previous On the strength of
previous acquaintan with DR.. Bnrde she obtained tenn
porary accommodations in the house which led TO her
naming there permanent boarder and afte ward
when Mrs Jones led take another house she took
charge for DR.. Burdsll but what terms or under
| what arrangement does not appear. While still
boarder in the house, understand the testino-
ny, year ago last Thanksgiving she suffered niscar-
rage stating to the in the house who assist
cd her the OCCASION that the paternity of the child be-
lopgsd TO DR. Bnrde AT the time of the murder the in
of the house this lady who occupied the
that in which the Doctor found dead Mr. John
j. Eckel who occupied The hall room on the floor,
grown-up daughters of Mira Cunningham who occu.
pied the front room young Mr. Snodgass understood
be engaged of the daughters who occupied room
in the attic and cook. second girl had left
the Tuesday previous and her place have
manned unsuppled- When Mrs Cunningham first took
charge Dr. BurdeI had been accustomed take his
meals in the house, but by September difficulties
between himself and Mrs Cunningham, and since that
time he had elsewhere These difficulties described
by her and others having originated in charge made
by him against her Of purleining nots notes which
she explains it she had made his request by way
OF Offset to Judgment against brother OF bis which the
had purchased but which he desired TO have stand
in her To this charge she replied she states by
reproaches for bis not having fulfilled promise OF
ra9e which be had made her and for his having improper
IN the house which latter charge be denied The
he gave for not fulfilling his promise of marriage
preferred state Subsequently, however accord
ing certificate which she produced they married
on the 18th of October last 1t does appear however
4 n
anybody DR. Burdell had written agreement with Mrs.
Cunningham TO give up the house the FIRST Of May
twhen made does not appear The very day before his
death he expressed anxiety about safety this pa
eyincing alarm lest he continued TO keep II In the
house. il might be purloined from him Mrs. Cunningham
fRy identified by testimony, As the female party to
the marriage celebrated by the clergyman who signed the
certificate The Identification of DR. Burdel as having
bean the male party was not so complete The Mr. Eeke
above mentioned inmate Of the house would
hare become about the time of the first misunderstood
Ing between Dr. Burdell and Mrs Cunningham. He APP
pears from The evidence to have been object of jealousy
the part of Dr. Burde Mr. Snodgrass appears have
bsea inmate in the house for two months past
Il From the bloody clothes found in closet in the attic
and from marks of blood about the door Of empty
there used as of wash room the person committing
the murder would TO have ascended that storya
thing not likely to have been done except By person IA
milar with the localities OF The house The finding of
dagger said have marks of blood il and of loaded
revolver of Mrs Canninghars bureau drawers
facts which carry certain degree Of suspicion with them
and which along with other circumstances disclosed in er
dence will justify the dstenou in custody Of all the in
of the house I'LL tho inquest shall have been
Guided
The testimony before the eoroners jury Of Mrs Cun-
ningha who claims be the wife Of the deceased wss
| follows:
Ilsssed this house from DR. Burdel last MAY; DR. Bar
DEL used board with last since then be hiss
taken his meals outside; be slept in the house this house
il his Mr. Ecks il the only boarder who lves with
me elergymaus sen, Mr. Snodgras lives in the house
my request; Mr.. Burden had Judgment against his
brother WEI Burdel; that judgment be took from Mr..
Pierrepont in Wall street. DR. Burden assigned udg
ment me ard held il short time; after that be said
he wished TO give him note for the of the
Judgment at twelve months after dale; ! gave him
the note, and held the Judgment; angry words
Cured between at that time Dr. Bnrdeu accused
September Of stealing the note gave; said did nothing
Of the kind accused him then of making promises
that he would make bis lawful wife charged him
with having females in the house which be ought not
TO have. be denied il; he accused OF the
like; DR.. Burdell told he jealous of me
did tel my servant girl that be did saw Mr. Bur
dell last about Eve O'Clock yesterday be in good
health don't know hat time be returned last night
did hear when he returned last night between and
10 O'Clock there nobody in the house but my fam
iy, Mr. Snodgrass went out with of daughters TO
buy VEIL and returned about 81 O'Clock; be up
stairs mark the general wearing apparel of the family
was up stairs with them Mr. Eckel sitting in the
back parior between and 10 o'clock left Mr. Snodgrass
AID my daughters mp stairs; came down at 81 o'clock
Mr. Eckel in the parlor although both psrors
used as reception by Mr. Burde allowed the
fullest use OF them when down stairs and Mr.
Ec in the back parlor went ia and asked h II be had
got the fruit and candies for daughter be said he had
don't know whether Mr. Barde 10 the house then or
mot rang the bell for the cook and asked her II she
nearly done work told her what get for breakfast
then went up stairs followed by Mr. Erkl; when came
ND stairs Mr. Ecke into my bedroom he left room