Delaware weekly Republican. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1841-188?, 1857-08-06

I
prove these statements to be true. W..
ARREST OF Mas. CUNNINGHAM FOR FELONY.
Mrs. Cunningham, who figured ia the Bur
dell murder case, has been arrested in New
YORK city on u charge OF felony, connected
with tho fictitious birth of an heir to the
Bnrdell estate. The contemplated fraud was
made known to the District Attorney by her
medical adviser, and measures were adopted
TO detect and expose her design. Under the
counsel OF the officer mentioned, the doctor in
compliance with Mrs. Cunningham's plan, and
pretended to have found a "Caiiorna widow
who, being about to become mother, desired
to dispose of her child. Mrs. Cunningham
eagerly seized upon this and undertook to get
III. The doctor borrowed u child from the
Bellevue Hospital, and it was sent to the house
III Bond street, where the denouemont took
place on Monday at noon. There Mrs. Cum
bingham received it with motherly affection,
IN the presence of a nurse and her former
physician, DIR. Catlin. In the midst of the pro-
ceedlngs the police marched in and arrested
all the parties. DE-. Catlin and the nurse were
taken to the police station house but Mrs.
Cunningham, still leigning to be i'll from her
ac0ncllnent, was allowed to remain in her
chamber under the surveillance of the police.
Directly after ths child was taken into the
house by Mrs. Cunningham, says the N. Y. Ex-
press Of Monday evening the latterwas heard to
scream and cry as if in the most excrnciating
pans. These sham cries were heard by the
officers, who were then waiting outside on the
sidewalk, and who soon afterwards proceeded
to perform their duty.
When DR.. uhl arrived in the room, he found
Dr.. Catlin and Mrs. Cunnngham's sister. Mrs.
Cunningham was apparently In the agony of
labor pain. The child, which had been washed
and partially dressed, was exhibited to DR..
Uhl. Blood stained clothes, &c., were also dis
posed about the room, as il q genuine birth
had taken place. A nurse was sent for from
Second avenue, and came in lust as DR.. Catlin
was disposing of the bed clothes. The nurse
condOled with the supposed mother, and things
being properly arranged, DR.. Chl went home.
DIR. Uhl says that when he first agreed to aid
Mrs. Cunningham, and it was arranged that DIR.
Catin should ollicate, being in happy mood
at that time, and doubtless believing that she
would ultimately succeed in recovering all the
property left by DR.. Burdell, Mrs. Cunning
ham remarked that she had Dr. Catlin complete
ly in her power, and could use him 9s she lilS-
ed, or language to that effect 1t might not be
amiss to state here that DIR. Catln was the
physician who attended the late Mr.. Cunning
ham during his last illness in Brooklyn, some
years ago. His death was sudden, and since
the Bnrdell murder many have been so unchar-
table as to express Il belief that MIR. Cunning
ham did not die natural death.
Should Mrs. Cunningham be convicted of
the crime laid TO her charge, the penalty will
be very serious, as will appear by the following
section Of the Revised Statutes, applicable to
her case:
''Every person who shall frauduently pro-
duce an iciant, falsely pretending it to have
been born Of parents whose child should be
entitled to a share Of any personal estate, or
to inherit any real estate, with the intention of
interceptmg the inheritance Of any such real
estate or the distribution Of any such person.
al property from any person lawfully entitled
thereto, shall, upon conviction, be punished
by Imprisonment in Il State prison not exceed
ing ten years."