The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1859-03-05
MATRIMONIAL BROKERAGE IN THE
METROPOLIS.
NO. XII.
A New and singular Chapter la the His.
tory Of Mrs, Canning ham Burdell.

NJ. ANI.
A New and Singular Chapter Ia the His
tory Of Mrs. Cunningham Bardell.
The excitement caused by tie murder
of DR.. Burdell, at 81 Bond street, on the
night Of January 80, 1857, had scarcely
q parallel in the criminal records of this
city, The extraordinary circumstances
! Of the affair; the relations which the in
notes of the house sustained to the vic
tim; the long aud pedant'c inquest Of
the coroner the subsequent trial and ac-
quittal of Mrs. Cunningham for murder,
and her attempt to bring forward false
heir to the Burdell estate, for months
filled the columns of the public prints,
and were read with absorbing interest.
After the decision of the Surrogate,
which denied the marriage of Mrs. Gun
bingham to DR.. Burdell, and excluded
her from any share in his estate, she dis
appeared from public view, and nothing
has been heard from her except an occa-
sional newspaper paragraph, one of which
announced her marriage to Mr.. Ecke',
which that gentleman promptly denied.
Other paragraphs have represented her
as living in fine style up town, while 9th
ers have located her in New Jersey 9TH
ers have married her youngest daughter
to wealthy southern planter, and 9TH
ers again have denied any such marriage
The writer is in possession of a singu-
lar aud authentic history, which will
throw some light upon her recent move
ments and present position.
In November last, young man giving
the name of C. Frank Fitzgerald, Of St,
Louis, Mo, went to the matrimonial Of
lice of Mr.. Jessie Willis, No West
43d street, in this city--an office which
was started in the sammer Of 1858, and
has been quite extensively advertised.
We copy the following specimen of the
advertisements from the NV York Her
aid Of January 9th:
Mrs. JESSIE WILLIS will give in.
Productions to ladies aud gentlemen with
q view to matrimony, n, her office, West
Forty-third street, from ) to L. VI
Parties suited; references required. Gen
,lcmen's fees 81; ladies' free. Letters
from the country must be postpaid with
return letter stamps. n. BAH bust
ness confidential.
The house of Mrs. Willis is situated
near Fifth avenue, and is plain but neat
ly furnished. She is Splrltuallst in
faith, and on her table are found Judge
Edmonds' work, aud several books BY
spiritual mediums.
Mr.. Fitzgerald was understood to have
plenty Of money, and was promised an
introduction to young widow, who was
represented as possessing every desirable
mplishment; and for this purpose he
made his second vis,. to the office one
Monday afternoon, but the young widow
did not make her appearance according
to agreement
MIR. Fitzgerald waited near half an
hour beyond the time fixed, and Mrs.
Willis several times expressed her sur
prise that the lady did not come, and
finally said:
This lady is always SO prompt, | fea7
she will not be here to day. If you
choose, however, you can walt little
longer and if you would like to pass away
the time pleasantly, meanwhile, there Is
a widow now in the next room, to whom
| will introduce you, merely for passing
acquaintance. She is considerably older
than yourself, and | do not suppose you
would think of marrying her; but she is
intelligent and lively in conversation,
and | think you would be pleased with
her"
every well," replied Fitzgerald; ''let
her come in; shall be happy to see
her.
Mrs. Willis then retired to the room
adjoining the parlor in the rear, which
communicated by folding doors, aud led
in the widow.
I, happened that Fitzgerald was in
New York at the time Of Mrs Cunning
hams trial for murder, and having visit
ed the court several times while it was in
progress, retained distinct recollection
of the prisoners features and countn-
nance. Ard when Mrs. Willis led the
woman into the room, he instantly recog-
vised in her the same Mrs Cunningham
Burdell whom he had seen in court.
She was dressed in deep black, as she
was during her trial, and had on heavy
veil Of the same color, which was thrown
back over her hat. But her garments
bore evident marks Of time, end she look
ed much older than when he saw her a
few months previous.
1t was perhaps with some difficulty that
he suppressed an exclamation or look Of
surprise at this sudden and unexpected
apparition but Immediately it occurred
to him that he would feign ignorance,
which might enable him to learn some
thing of her character, and perhaps salts
| fy his own mind in relation to the awful
mystery connected with her history.
| BE It known that the introductlons of
a matrimonial broker differ from intro
duc,ious in general, in that the broker
gives no names-only an obscure ejacula-
ton, which one might possibly think rep
resented name, but which he had not
understood Such was the Introduction
of Mr.. Fitzgerald to Mrs. Cunningham,
whereupon he arose and bowed in his po-
litest manner.
Il am spending few weeks in New
York, madam" said he. "and having
seen Mrs. Willis advertisement, it occur
red to me | might make some pleasant
acquaintances by calling here | am
happy to see you, and trust our acqualnt-
ance will be mutually agreeable.
Mrs. Cunningham gave Fitzgerald a
piercing look, as if to satisfy herself
whether she had ever seen him before !;
and Of this he was perfectly conscious. -
His self possession, however, If shaken an
instant upon the frst recognition, had