Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-02-09

| tNularly, as they wanted Il for some special
i purpose had an idea first that she was his
wife, and after that had a different idea. as
she used little more freedom than consid
cred wife would use towards a gentleman
who was her husband. She was a rather
short lady, about forty years old. 1 told them
it was customary to Lave deposit before we
finished those articles, as they were rather
valuable, and We required deposit from
strangers. lDaguerreotype shown iden-
tlty this as the portrait of the man who called;
the lady said | ought to be better Judge of
! physognomy, and not to treat everybody in
the same way Ciaughter); the gentleman de-
posted five dollars they then left, and called
together the following evening, at dark, when
shaved his head and put on the toupee. l
would recognize the lady if were to see her.
The Coroner. 10 an officer. Take this
! gentleman up stairs, and carry him into Mrs
| Cunningham room; let him say nothing,
| only just look at her, and come out again.
l. The witness was taken up stairs accordingly.
Witness Con his return) That is the lady.
From the New York Herald Of Saturday.
The evidence taken in the case of DR.. Bur-
dell on Friday, has strong bearing against
the parties Immediately under suspicion We
have still further proof OF the bad feeling ex-
isting between Mrs. BuTdell and Mrs Cum
ningham. Mr.. Alvah Blaisdell, who seems to
have been confidential friend of the deceased,
swears that he saw the doctor on the day pre-
| cedlng the murder,-that he was then in NOR
tai fear Of Mrs. Cunningham, her eldest daugh.
ter, Mr.. Eckel, and Mr.. Snodgrass-that they
would go stealthily about the house, some
times coming to his apartments, opening the
door softly. and then retiring when he turned
to look at them-that he had tight the week
! previous, and desired witness TO come and
live with him. Three policemen made oath
to quarrel between Mrs. Cunningham and
| Or. Burdeil, when he accused her of stealing
his Keys from his pocket while he slept. Mrs.
| cunningham told these policemen that she
| was Burdells wife by every tie possible. One
OF the men swears that she said she would
have his (Burdelfsl 'theart's blood :" another
that in her rage she struck the Doctor the
breast. Miss Hubbard, cousin of the de-
ceased, swears that he told her that Mrs, Cum
ningam had threatened to take bis life in case
be told the witness something in relation to
Miss Cunningham the elder; that he did give
witness the information referred to. 1t is
hardly necessary to say that much of this is
not legal evidence, and that the threats of a
| Jealous woman are more frequently the ebulli-
tons of momentary passion than of settled
purpose; and that with an imperfect chain of
| physical evidence, the moral circumstantial
| proof must be stronger than this. Still it is a
| part, and very important part, of a chain
which is daily becoming stronger.
We have point of interest in the testi-
mony of the man who made Eckel's wig, who
identifies Mrs. Cunningham as the person
who accompanied Eckel when it was ordered.
| 1t is not direcs evidence, but along with other
testimony it shows Eckels completely in many
matters, great and small, and it is unfortunate
that he should have taken means to disguise
A.. al.
the act was committed from ,oitbin the house,
is strengthened by the testimony of the maker
of the lack upon the street door; it was
newly invented burglar proof lock, which
cannot be picked, and with key which can
not be Counterteited without the lock was ia.
ken of. 1t we take with this the testimony
OF Mr.. Ross, who saw a man supposed to be
the Doctor go into the house at half past ten,
and also that of Mr.. Brooks who heard the
cry OF murder at the same hour, we have
series of remarkable condolences which 90
strongly to prove that no parties other than
those within the house could have done the
murder. Add TO this the proof of enmity,
and eonstrue it as motive, and the case is a
strong one. As we said before, much of this
evidence will not stand the fire of cross ex-
animation, more of it will never be admitted :;
but we are not trying the parties, or laying
| accusations at their doors-we are simply en-
deavoriug to get at the facts and natural de-
auctions in the case.
From the evening edition of the New York
Tribune of Saturday we learn the following par :
ticulars of the coroner's investigation on Satur
day, the eighth day =
Miss Augusta Cunningham, eldest daugh-
ter of Mrs. Emma A. Cunningham, alias Bur-
dell, was placed upon the stand, aud her ex-
animation was not concluded when the New
York evening papers went to press. She
swore positively to the marriage of DR.. Bur
dell with her mother on the 28th of October
but no new facts were ELECTED having any
bearing on the case, SO far as the testimony
had been taken.
MR.. sNoDeRAss DISCHARGED.
Pursuant to two writs Of habeas corpus,
granted on Friday by Judge Brady, John ].
Eckel and George V. Snodgrass were on Sat-
urday morning brought before him in the
Court of Common Pleas. with view of OBJ
tanning their discharge from custody. Judge
lugraham also sat on the bench with Judge
Brady. A. Oakley Hall, Esq, at the open
| ing of the court, announced that, in obedi-
ence TO the writ, Mr.. Gray, Warden of the
City Prison, had made the proper return by
producing the bodies of John j. Eckel and
| George V. Snodgrass.
IL. l.. Clinton, ESQ.,, counsel for the parties
in custody, rose and stated that the commit
ments by which they had for the last week
been restrained from their liberty, failed to set
forth OIL what grounds they were detained in
confinement. The one ordered the warden
or keeper of the City Prison to receive and
keep the body of George v. Snodgrass for ex-
animation, until further notice, apart from
any other witnesses.
The other, in the case of John ]. Eckel,
was of similar import, except that the clause
| apart from other witnesses was omitted Mr.,
Clinton, as counsel ofthe persons imprisoned,
desired to know exactly upon what grounds
and in what capacity they were detained =
| Young Snodgrass had been examined on Sat-
urday, then at considerable length in the early
| part of the present week. Ii the coroner con .
templated considering him as a party to the
transaction, it was time he should know it,
| The commitment does not state whether he is
detained as a witness or as a defendant 1t
looked like whimsical exercise of authority
ON the part of the coroner.
After some little discussion between coun-
sci, Judge Brady said that it was plain from
the words of the committant--"apart from
other witnesses" that Snodgrass was detain-
ed as a witness. He must therefore be dis.
charged.
In Eckels case, it not appearing from the
return whether he was imprisoned as a wit
ness or party held on criminal charge, the
Judge said he had right to know in what
capacity he was regarded by the Coroner, and
that until he knew, he was entitled to refuse
to answer all questions put to him at the in
quest. His case was finally adjourned to this