New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-08-05

The intelligence that Mrs. Cunningham was
under arrest for felony in attempting to palm of
anothers child az the fruit of her alleged marriage
with DR.. Burdel, spread like prairie fire through
the city yesterday. The evidence the full details
of which appear in another part of this paper,
fixes the crime upon her beyond q question. 1t
shows that while still in prison under Indictment
for murder, che feigned pregnancy, the advancing
symptoms of which she has, with the knowledge
and adroitness of q woman shown from time to
time, and by her appearance and the statements Of
her counsel taken pains to keep before the public.
That lattery she has caused it to be given out that
her confinement was approaching, and with re-
msrknble hardihood and self reliance, has prepared
the materials for the plot and brought it to COM
pletion. Thanks to the honor and secrctiveness of
one of her confidential ply sicians, and to the skill
and energy of the District Attorney and his agents.
this Infamous design has been utterly foiled and ts
author exposed.
The Revised Statutes of this State affix PEN
atty to the crime of which Mrs. Cunningham hiss
been guilty in the following words:
Every person who shall fisuduenty produce infant
would Be- entitled any personal estate, inherit
any r. estate with the intent intercepng
property from any person lawfully entitled thereto shall upon
conviction, BE- punished by imprisonment In State prison not
exceeding ten years"
However sufficient for ordinary cases the extreme
penalty of the law thus declared may be, it is GER
tainly dispropOrtionate to that Of Mrs. Cunning
ham. Taken in all its circumstances and cOncomi-
tants, there is nothing like it in the annals of crime
Here is woman, who has for at least three months
devoted herself to the object Of producing pre-
tended heir to DR.. Burdell in order to obtain the
whole Of his property, large share Of which she
had before claimed as bis widow. While impris-
Oned on charge Of murder she pretends to be
pregnant, and when upon trial causes it to be
whispered about the courtroom that such is the
fact thus creating sympathy in addition to that
called forth by the grouping of her children about
her. Before the Surrogate the prospective, event
is artfully introduced and commented upon by her
counsel, and, strange to say, no longer ago than
yesterday, additional points were submitted by Mr..
Dean, the gst of which is that legitimacy as well
as marriage is involved in the judgment to be pro-
nounced upon her claim upon the Burdell estate.
Can this be all every one will inquire. Isl
woman who could be guilty Of crime like this
likely to be innocent of those other ones which have
been laid at her doer' Was her pretended mar
risge with the murdered Or Burdell real or
sham ODe1 Did she murder him. What did she
intend to do with the child which she hoped would
alone stand between her and tt coveted property
Can this be tragedy. Of which the first act was
performed nearly year ago, and the last was yet to
Gomez All that the transaction Of the fictitious
birth proves, is that motive, both for the sham
marriage and the murder. did exist, and that the
woman was capable of both. With the motive
and the opportunity supplied how much more
would be wanting to make ont case against Mrs.
Cunningham, whether within the strict rules of
criminal law or not, every one must decide for
himeelf