Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1867-12-07
NEWS AND MISCELLANY.
The BurdeII-Cunnlngham Affair Again
The Marriage.

The BurdeIl-Cunnlugha affair Again
The Marriage.
The death of Hon. a. ". Bradley
brings up again the name OF Mrs. Gun
ninqham. Mr.. Bradford was Surrogate
when Mrs. Cunningham's claims were
presented as the wife of DIR. butdeil'
Ar Bradford decided that her claims
vvera snuriOus. These claims were
snD,,orted bv the oath of Mrs. Cunning
nom and the oath of her daughter, who
swora that she was present and saw the
marriage ceremony. That Mrs. Gun
DinCbam was married to some one, to
DIR. Burdell, or some one pretending 70
be the Doctor, no one has any doubt.
DIR. Marvin, then minister to I'll Q Bleeck-
er Street Dutch Church, was the officiat-
ing clergyman. The Surrogate decided
quite as much under the excitement OF
the hour, created by the attempt OF
Mrs. Cunningham to palm of bogus
babv- "a ON the merits of the case. Ii
can do no harm to review the proofs
of that marriage, aud / think that no
candid man can doubt that Dr. Burdell
and Mrs. Cunningham were really
Joined in marriage by the Rev. DR..
Marvin, az the time and in the manner
testified ID by the daughter before the
Surrogate.
The testimony of Dr.. Marvin before
the Surrogate did himself and the cause
no Justice. He was under great excite
ment. He had never seen EckeL he
fell into the strong current then rowing
through the community" Eckel had
personated DIR. Burdell, so all said-sO
DIR. Marvin believed, and ne bOPglad
and stammered at the hearing, and did
not give the clear, straightforward
statement he was able To- give. When
he afterwards saw Eckel. aud looked
on the little fellow, he knew that be
could no more have persOnated DIR.
Burdell than the STRIPPING David could
have stood before Israel as the giant
sou of Kish.
one bright Sunday afternoon DR..
Rurdell called on DIR. Marvin at his
home in Greenwich stree t. He called
to arrange about a marriage with Mrs.
Cunningham. lie was In no hurry.
He sat awhile and talked aEOut the
wedding and other matters. The room
was we'll lighted, and the person of DR..
Burdell was plainly seen. Lelsurely
DIR. Burdell went from the room. DIR.
Marvin attended hi to the door, and
stood on the steps and talked Tor some
moments. At the appointed time DR..
Burdell came to the house of DR.. Mar
vim attended by Mrs. Cunningham and
her daughter. The marriage WAS eele-
brated. The parties were III no hurry
to depart, but rat for some time and had
a COSY chat. On leaving. il was agreed
l. n
appointed for the marriage certificate.
On the day named, clear sitern o.,
DR.. Burdell called He sat III the par
Tor while the certificate was being pre-
pared. The room was very light and
full Of sunshiEe-Dr Burdell read the
certificate quite leIsursly some altera-
ton was needed. He pointed it out
and DIR. Marvin made the corrections ;
after which he re-read the certificate,
folded it and put il in his pocket; SGT
and chatted awhile aud then went his
way. DE never saw the man after that
till be looked on the corpse of DIR. Bur
dell In the coffin, and he has 10 DOUBT
that the man he married the man
ne saw In the coffin was the same. He
had three long interviews with him at
his house-sat and talked with linn at
each interview. have heard hIm say
that he has no doubt that Dr. Burdell
whom he saw IN the coffin was the man
whom he married to Mrs. Cunningham.
and to whom he afterwards gave the
certificate.
just before the reputed marriage, DIR.
Burdell and Mrs. Cunningham visited
Saratoga and put up at Congress Hall
one of the daughters of AIRS. G. vas at
DR.. Beecher's Seminary then located at
the Springs. Dr.. Burdel and Mrs. e..
visited DR.. Beecher ct his hOnse "a the
evening. He told DR.. b. that he had
come up to make arrangements about
the tuition of Mrs. Cunningham 8
daughter-that he should pay ell the
expenses Of her education that he was
about to visit Europe aud wanted DR..
Beecher to hsve no trouble about col
lectiDg his bills. All the needed
arrangements were made so that all
dues could be collected in New York.
The business done, De. Beecher s!yly
said" L presume you intend to go to
to Europe alone"-giviGg a glance at
Mrs Cunningham, Who sat by his side.
The lady laughed-sO did DR.. BuIdell,
who with a shrug of his shoulders gave
q grunt Of affirmation. In view of
these facts all candid minds must admit
that the probabilities Of the marriage
are strOng.-BrOOklyH Eagle.