The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-08-06


REST OF MRS. CUNNINGHAM
despatch appeared in Geographic column yester
aay briefly announcing the arrest of Mrs Cunningham
who was few weeks ago tried for the murder of DIR
Bure and acquitted The particulars of her arrest
with all the astounding developments in the case
thus given in last Tuesday evenings edition Of the New
York TIibune
Mrs. Cunningham, her sister, and DR. catlin Of
Brooklyn, have been arrested charge OF being
oerned in the production of child falsely purporng to
be the offspring of DR. Burdcll The arrests made
early this morning. and produced no little excitement
While Mrs. Cunningham confined in the Tombs
on the charge of numbering Dr. Burdell, she sent for
Dr. Uh her family physician, to attend her. DR. Uhl
in reply expressed his inability unwngness to attend
without written order from Mr.. Hall, the district at
torney which he obtained On waiting upon Mrs. Cum
nngbam he asked to prescribe for symptoms similar
those person might have who in the family way
Upon the strength of this remark Dr. Uhl asked her If
abe eee to which she remarked that matter
in which she could give any information present
but speaking with Mrs Foster the subject the lat
intmaed to DR. Uhl that she understood that such
was the
After the discharge of Mrs Cunningham from prison,
she informed DR. Uh that she pregnant, and wished
him to attend her during her confinement The doctor
said he was willing to do so, condition that other ply
ians might assist him, much had been said of her
that he thought such precaution advisable He fur
her suggested the popriety of settling the fact of her
pregnancy without delay He said that he would be will
ling to attend her professionally for that purpose in
mentioned.
She readily acquesced, but from that time to the
present avoided all further allusion to the subject This
aroused the doctor suspicious and he spoke OF 1t to
of the gentlemen whom he designed to call in to assist
him. and thought it important to hasten examination, If
the fact she stated Uh then consulted counsel
apprisng him Of the whole case and asked what
i he ought to pursue
The latter advised caution and delay for few days
when if the matter did appear right, to lay the
whole matter before the district attorney Dr. Uhl at
lanyth ipfnr ALL Tho nit tho
made his affidavit, and wished to leave the in
l his hands.
The district attorney however, said it duty he
| owed to the public to continue in the
His friends counseng him to the course, he fol-
lowed their advice and placed himself under Mr. Halls
directions. Uhl continued to call upon Mrs Cunning
ham, and it finally arranged by Mrs. G. that DIR.
Catin, of Brooklyn should attend her and DIR. Uhl
should consult with him during the fictitious childbirth
Catlin privately told Uhl that he had concocted the
whole scheme himself The district attorney then hired
in No. 100 Elm street in the Of DIR. Montag
MA and furnished it from his house DIR. M. then
got newborn infant from Bellevue Hospital, together
with nurse, last night, and Dr. Uh was sent for to go
there and assist in carrying the scheme through.
II Mrs. Cunningham was then given to understand that
there was woman going to be taken sick, and that the
child could be obtained She then intimated that she
would send lady there to look at the premises Subse
| queny lady went there to look at the place, who
proved to be Mrs. G. in disguise. About at night the
lady called again was asked to walk up stairs did
SO; got the child in basket and took it away.
The detectives her track Identified her in the
| as Mrs Cunningham She was traced to No. 81 Bond
street
Soon after she sent for Dr. Uhl telling him to
immediately she in labor. He went; ushered
into dark ROOM and found her in bed apparently in
i great pain.
At this uncure the police came in and arrested her
and all the parties implicated
PARTICULARS
The first announcement of Mrs Cunningham preg
nancy Indirectly made by Judge Dean in his speech
before the surrogate the Sd of July, when he made
use of the following language mere true that in the
ordinary gestahoa child should be born Harvey Bur-
DELL then not only all the ties of blood and nature but
oil the dictates Of humanity, demanded that the court
should lean in favor of that innocent unborn child rather
than in favor Of those who have direct claim upon the
property He would say nothing of the consequences Of
decree Of bastary in advance With consequences
i have now nothing to dc"
was shortly after this that DR. Uhl was and
waited upon her The doctor it will be borne in mind
had attended Mrs G. before the murder and believed in
her entire innocence Of that crime He informed by
her that she enceiate by Dr. Burde and expected
about the middle of August to give birth to child and
desired him to become her medical attendant that
cason. DR.. Uhl consented In a few days he called
again. and advised with her about her condition. Upon
pressing certain medical inquiries her evasive
swers excited very grave suspicious in his mind.
In fact his faith in her innocence of the murder became
much shaken that he determined to consult with bis
COUNSEL Mr. Wheeler BY his advice he, with much
uctance went to District Attorney HALL about the 10th
i Of July, and communicated his suspicious Mr. Hall
told him that If such thing was contemplated by Mrs
Cunningham 1T felony ana referred
the doctor to that section OF the Revised Statutes which
says:
Every person who shall fraudulently produce in
liant falsely pretending it to have been born of parents
whose child would be entitled to share of any personal
estate to inherit any real estate, with the intent of in
cptng the inheritance of any such real estates the
distribution of any such personal property from any per-
lawfully entitled thereto shall upon conviction, be
punished by Imprisonment in State prison not exceed
& Ing ten years.
The result that DR.. Uhl placed himself under the
direction of the district attorney, and continued his visits
Mrs Cunningham. The district attorney advised him
20, and concealng his doubts and suspicious learn
from Mrs Cunningham her full views and arrangements.
pom another interview Mrs. c. admitted to him that the
approaching confinement humbug, and offered him
$1,000 il he would undertake. the job of finding child
and assisting at the accouchmaa,' Whereupon DR.. Uhl
apparently asscnted and returning to the district attor
@y reported progress
Thedstrot attorney then laid down the following plan
n action 4 'ti' '.' -
Dr. Uhl should concoc story of California widow
neohs patients Who her husband being away, had been
ndscreet and ready to bring forth Responsibility,
for which her husband not responsible; that being
sent for to 90 TO California, she anxious TO bestow it
upon any Of those kind ladies who are perpetualy adyer
Using for ',inans to adopt and ANXIOUS to con-
a her shame that there would DO probability of her
appearing to reclaim her child,
This child to be taken to place In Elm street
where Mrs Cunningham could procure 1t. NJ ~
being very busy, also anxious t nrrv mn the dnna
Ment ' W '"e ueAouo-
Nhen the doctor communicated the plan to Mrs Gun
hal she expressed herself highly delighted with the
S tl She was to egn all Of the pains of child