Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-08-12
The Last Act in the Burdell Tragedy.


the most remarkable of the whole performance,
a great sensation" was created in New York
last week by the announcement that Mrs. Oun-
ningham had given birth to child, the verlta-
bic heir to the Burdell estate This event had
been anticipated for some time, as the lady APP
pearancc gave unmstakable evidence OF ap-
proachng maternity. One Of her counsel made
allusion to the matterson her trial, and as soon
as the birth of the child Yves announced the same
gentleman stated to the Surrogate (who has not
vet rendered his decision in reference to the al
legged marriage of Mrs. Cunningham to Dr. Bur-
delD that it was mot only question OF marrl'
age, but question Of legitimacy !"
The facts of the case are briefly these: DR.
Uhl, physician of New York, was called in to
visit Mrs. Cunningham professionally during her
imprisonment at the Tombs, and subsequently
visited her at her residence in Bond street. She
informed him that she was to be confined in
short time, and he repeatedly represented to her
the Importance of having medical examination
After good deal of persuasion, she finally con-
sented that he and Dr. Catlin, of Brooklyn, her
former family physician, should make the ex-
animation. DIR. Uhl says in his affidavit: "Iwent
to see her a few days after that in the morning,
and she told Inc then, very plainly, that she was
not in the family way, and that we should have
to get hold of a child in some way or other, Tor
that DR.. Burdell's family had acted SO badly that
she was bound to have child at MI hazards
4 -. L., oafi ofI hn
but went to District Attorney Hall and told him
all he knew about the matter. MIR. Hall advised
him to enter into the plan, and assist in an ex-
posture. DR.. Uhl proceeds 81 did so, and visit
ed Mrs. Burdel occasionally, and it was finally
arranged between Mrs. BurdellNhd myself that
she must be sick or confined from the 1st to the
18th of August. She was given to understand
that lady was to be confined in the vicinity OF
Elm street, and whose child she was TO receive
as her own, and it was finally arranged that she
should be confined either on Monday or Tpes-
dav night 1.-THE Srd or Ath inst) then went TO
Mr.. Hall on Monday, and it was arranged be-
tween MS that his brother-in law, Pr. ne 10
Montagnie and myself should engage room OF
rooms on Elm street We did engage rooms at
No. 100 Elm street, and they were furnished the
same day, and DR.. De Ia Montagnie went up to
Bellevue Hospital and obtained, as heard and
believe, child and after birth, or ptacenta
which we're taken to No. 100 Elm street. call.
ed Oh Mrs. Burdel during the afternoon and
told her the place." Another account states tlal
physician was engaged to lie in bed with q
night-eap Oh, and personate the newly-made
mother in EIm street. DR.. DE Ia MQntagnie al.
so placed marks upon the infant so that he coulc
identity it again The plan being thus arranged
Mrs. Cunningham, in disguise, called at the house
and carried the child away in basket furnish
ed by the Attorney DR.. Uhl vas then hastily
summoned to wait upon Mrs. q. lie arrived
and found there Dr. Catlin and female who
pretended to be Mrs O.'s sister. nurse also
shortly afterwards came The child was in one
corner of the room, and Mrs. Cunningham on
the bed, pretending tQ have all the symptoms Of
severe labor. Dr.. Catlin was officiating. hen
all was concluded, DR.. U. left the house. BE-
tween u and ! o'clock at night DR.. DE la Mon.
tagnie end several police officers arrived, and
effected an entrance into the apartment notwlth
standing the opposition oft "sisterH and purse
One of the officers asked Mrs. @. if she claimed
the child as DR.. Burdell's and she replied, wi
course-whose else could it be-" The Dr. TOOK
the child to the light and recognized it, Mrs
! c. saving, HDop't take my dear baby from me-
The infant was then carried back TO the Hospital
and delivered to its mother, and the officers pro;
ceeded to arrest Mrs. Cunningham, her 'sster,
the nurse and DIR. Catlin. The three latter were
taken into custody, and Mrs. @. was guarded in
her house, as she still kept up the sham. The
following day Tuesday she pleaded, at numer.
ous intervals, that her 'dear baby" "her legal
baby" 'her poor murdered Doctors baby
might be brought to her. "Why have they Ia
ken my baby from lnel" she demanded. Then
she would half raise herself in bed and protest
that never was woman so ill-treated before. She
was very anxious to see the newspapers, but
none were allowed to be brought inside the
house.
The crime of setting up false heir is made a
felony by the New York law, punishable with
confinement in the Penitentiary for not more
than ten years The propriety Of the course per-
sued by the District Attorney and the two Piy'
sicians admits of doubt. Instead OF nlpplng
the affair in the bud, they made themselves &C
cessories and aided the miserable woman in
carrying out the imposture in manner which
seems to US highly improper.
The New York papers of Thursday, coctalp
DR.. Catlin's affidavit, he having turned States
evidence. The distress of Mrs. Canningham's
daughters, Augusta and Helen, excites universal
sympathy. They seem perfectly heart-broken.
Both of them were examined as witnesses oy
the Justice on Wednesday, but their testimony
amounted to nothing. 1t was stated by some
parties, protesting to DO sell informed, that Au-
custa had opposed her mothers course eyer since
the conclusion of the trial and to an ofhcer,
who proposed to lead her to her mother and
sisters, she replied that she desired to return to
her aunt's. in Lexington avenue, for that she
would never enter the house, 81 BONG street, D.
gain, so long as she lived.
It is supposed that ii Mrs. Cunningham had
been permitted TO enjoy the Imaginary success
of her plot for twelve hours the baby would not
have been particularly long-lved. She would
have exhibited it to O sufficient number OF wit
nesses and then haye quietly disposed of it. As
heir to the baby all the property would then
have REQUIRED to her. AS it was, the poor llttle
thing had pretty narrow escape OF It's life, not
withstanding the completeness OF the arrange
ments. for when it was being taken from her she
squeezed il 70 her breast so atfectlonately that
1.-two officers had not taken hold OF her arms
the Bur,lell heir would have been killed with
Kindness. In that event q nice question wouio
have arisen whether the District Attorney and
the other eounterplotters had not been acces,,
series to the child's death, and were not exposed
10 an indictment for infanticide. As it is, how
ever, Miss Elizabeth Anne Anderson, Qor that
is the childs nan,e,j is safe and snug in the ma
ternal bosom.
Mrs. Cunningham still lies Of her residence,
81 Bond street, grooming terribly from latter
palms," and refusing to submit to an exalnlna-
ton. Her physician, DR.. Fisk, says she is now
certainly suffering from Inflammation OF the
stomach, and that her removal to the Tombs or
any where else, would be attended with prob
able danger,
EUROPEAN IrEas.-The National Intelligen-
GERS London letter Of July 18th has the follow
ing:
1t appears from recent intelligence from the
north of Ireland that riot and bioodshed, caused