The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1857-02-27

NEW DISCLOSURES IN THE BURDELL MURDER
Since the verdict Of the Coroner's jury, DR..
Spicer, partner of DR.. Burdell in his pro- &
fessional business Of dentistry, has published
a statement of facts in his personal knowledge
Of the relations Of Mrs. Cunningham and DIR.
Burdell. He labored with DIR. Burdell in the
Office in the house and was cognizant of many
things that happened between Mrs. Cunning
ham and the doctor He left New York city
and removed to Sacketts uaTbor on the LIST Of
October last, for the benefit Of his family's
health.
He was witness Of interviews between
Mrs. Cunningham and the doctor, in Septem-
Der, in one of which she made formal de-
mand on the Doctor to fulfill his engagement
to marry her, telling him that he had agreed
to marry her, and she wanted him to fulfil
his engagement; that he had put her off from
time to time, but that it had gone out to the
world that she was engaged to be married to
him; she had hired part of his house and
came there with the understanding that he
was to marry her, and now what disgrace it
would bring upon her family if he reused
Who could have her daughters? All this
time she kept cool and mild, and at the con-
clusion shed tears Dr. Burdell did not deny
he would marry no woman.
The Doctor had accused her OF abstracting
la note for $500 from his safe, and upbraided
her with dishonesty; DR.. Spcer had heard
these accusations and had at her request
lsearched her drawers for it, without finding it
and was convinced OF her innocence. | asked
her if she loved DIR. Burdell. after his abusing
and talking to her so; she SAID, "Tes, size lored
him as she did her very being, anil tie children
\ iOJeI him." She stated that she intended TO
make him fulfil his contract, or she would
take the law of him. She was always very
retiring and discreet in her demeanor toward
me, and never called him any names or used
abusive language.
Dr. Burdell was always very free to tell me
of his business, and private matters; recol-
; lect the same day on which | searched for
the papers asking him i! he agreed to marry
| her; he laid he had given her encouragement
that he would marry her, but never intended
so to do.
After the search for the lost note which
Mrs. Cunningham was accused of abstractiny,
DR. Burdell told Spicer in confidence that the
note was not missing at al, but that it was
his desire to drive Mrs. Cunningham, to whom
he applied gross epithets, out of his house,
and to compass that he had got up this story,
and was willing to resort to other measures
still worse.
In the SANDER suit instituted BY Mrs. Cum
ningham against the Doctor, Splcer made an
affidavit in Sacketts llarbor and sent il TO Mrs.
Cunninghams counsel in New York. After
the receipt of this affidavit in New York, and
Q after the alleged marriage on the 2Sth of Oct,
. DR.. Spicer received a letter at Sacketts Ilar-
Dor from DIR. Burdell, dated New York be-
tween the I'd and 9th OF November, in which
Dr. Burdell commences by reprimanding Spi-
Q Ger for betraying his confidence, saying,
"D-n it, what have you made an affidavit for
!, of what told you in confidence? IL has caused
me TO do lohat hare alloays toll you nerer
: lcoaM do-that u.s. hare married Mrs. Gun
q ningham; 1 don't t0ant yOu to take tie trouble "a
0 dnSCer this letter. bit tell no one Of my mar
riage," or words to that effect; Doctor Spcer
deeming the facts in his knowledge important
and per tinent to the inquiry being made by
t the Coroner went from Sacketts Harbor to
9 New York. and on his arrival az once dis
patched note to Coroner Connery, in which
he said that he had known the murdered man
i for many years. and knew facts which would
( throw great light on the matter Of inve 'tiga-
: ton. Receiving no reply from the Coroner
DIR. Spicer went to the inquest, was shut up
with other witnesses for three successive days
and continued in attendance for the residue oil
the week, and until the rendition Of the ver-
dict; bu. though the Coroner was more than
c once reminded that he was waiting to be ex-
/ amined, he not iCds pat on tie stand.
! The Coroner is severely reproved for the
manner in which he conducted the nveStiga-
: ton. lie appears to have been weak and
! shallow man, and having prejudged the case.
G seems not to have wished TO hear any testi-
: mony that did not tally with his preconcep-
tons.
DR.. Parmaly an eminent Dentist living op-
posite Burdell's house testiiies that in passing
S the house at ii o'clock on the night of the
t murder, with his dog which is something of a
hunter, the dog run up to the door of DIR. Bur
dell's house, as If smelling something and Oh
: stiRateiy persisted in snu6ing at tie door, from
lrience he hal to take him by force aud az las
arms. DIR. Parmaly then went to bed in a
I chamber opposite where Mrs. Cunningham's
: room is now known to be. In that room, he
!. CDR. Parmaly,) had often seen a man and wo-
man, now known by him TO be Mrs. Cunning
ham and Mr.. Eckel-but not then so known
who, from their intimacy, he had no doubt
l were man and wife. On this particular night
. there were persons III that room, and strange
and peculiar light, strange and peculiar from
[, its huttering and peculiar character, now being
|, brilliant, as if something were thrown on to
: burn, and then darkening, or nearly dark, as
: if the fire had been extinguished. The light
was not that of candle or of gas, but as Of
paper, or something as luminous.
This new aspect Of the case does not change
the theory that the murder was committed
r by the inmates of the house. DR.. Burdeil
had made will, in which the bulk OF his
property was given to his own relatives.-
That will has not been found since his DEATH
{; and if there was actually marriage and the
r DIR. had determined notwithstanding to rid
4 himself of her, the feelings that prompted the
murder would have been strengthened by the
{ facts now disclosed.
" The Senate of the United States have
: