Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-02-18
The REPORTED CONFESSION OF fnE
MURDERER or DIR. BURDELL.

Unpublished last evening q brief dispatch
rom New ioTE, referring TO a long account IN
the World OF the circumstances of the murder
OF Dr. burdell In That city on the 3Ist of Jan.
nary, 1857. In noticing the account editorially
The World says: The murderer of DIR. Burdeil
: discovered according to his own circum-
s,antlal confession and all the probabilities of
the case, to have been the same Charles Jefferds
who in 1S6e killed John Walton and John
Maiths VS., ana who was himself murdered by
8 fellOwconvict a. Auburn about q wear ago
Jcrerd's declaration rs all the more con yincing
II mat IL does not release Mrs. Cunningham
iTOu the charge OF completely with his crime
He, too, was n friend of that malign woman
between whom and his mother, Mrs Walton
here appears TO have been a close intimacy
he boosted of the same Illicit favors from Mrs
cunningham which We're enjoyed by her
hoarder, John j. Eckei, and claims TO have
been, instead of Eckel, the instrument of her
IPNenge."
The confession is said to have been made N
q detective who was manly instrumental in
COnvIcting Jefferds of the murders of Walton
and matthew's. He having previously Obtained
an intimacy with JeIeIds IN the character of a
TREND, the criminal confided 70 him, he alleges
the facts IN relation TO the BurdelI murder as
well as OF those mentioned above. Ine man
points OF the confession are contained liz the
following extract:
..Jefferds stated 70 the detective that on the
fatal night he was visiting a the BuTdell house.
and was IN the parlOr with the young girls and
was playing the banjo for their anu Ssmapt
TIE baIjo, he sand, belonged 10 him, and not 10
Snodgrass, as had before been stated. Snodgrass
Z
B1rdell came in and Mrs Cunningham. with
whom he had a violent quarrel, after W hich ne
proceeded at once 20 his room. Jefferds then
weEttc the room of Mrs. CUNNINGHAM and hear.
ing from her the particulars OF the quarrel, he
became much incensed against BurdelI, and vol
nnteered 10 go mp stairs and do for the old ras-
sal In This proposition he was encouraged by
slrs. Cunningham, and resolved he would 10 IT,
accordingly, drawing twO-edged, slender
dagger, " hIch h. habituaIly carried, ana being
IEfJTmed by her of the exact position of the
sd h -fa a N =tatr
The doctor was seated At his desk, looking over
some p3pers by single gas light. So engaged
Uas he that he did not hear the step OF his
murderer, and the first intImation he had of
sanger was sudden blow, struck from be-
hind, over his shoulder, aud aimed at his
heart. The blow WAS Instantly repeated, a nd
again reiterated a rapidly as the nervous
energy OF the assassin could WELD the knife.
With a single cry or murder" the doomed
man sprang from MS char and grappled with
-letSrds; they struggled from side 10 side of the
room, overtnrowing the chairs and dragging
the table out OF place, the doctor striving TO
seize the dirk or TO hold the murderous arm.
every blow OF which was cutting away his life
AT one time" said Jefferds. .tne old fellow
caught my arm and twisted me against the
Wall, and for minute j thought he'd be too
many for me, but put ny hand against the
wall and saved myself from gong down, and
with the other i reached under and hit him
IN the Kidneys, and that fetched him.
II was our lighting about the room thai made
me blood ny so all about on the walls. The
% fellow was stronger than gave him credit
Tor, and We had mighty tough tumble of it,
but you see / bad the knife, and Kept all the
lime labbIng him With that, and he BLEED q great
deal, and that weakened him, suppose. Yes,
SIT, dld that little Job myself" Then musing
a minute as II to recall the scene more clearly
10 has mind. he continued - 1 did for him, but
he fought like the devil; once thought he'd
a got the best o me, but the punch in the ribs
fetched him." The murder accom- pl is he'd. JET
fSrds left the room. and was let Of the house
~ one OF the inmates, by whom all necessary
precautions We're taken afterward TO cover up
ne tracks OF the real murderer and cast sus-
piclon IN other directions. Aside from the story
Of Jeferds himself the close intimacy existing
between the Walton and Cunningham fami-
lies, and the thorough similarity in their do
nestle relations, together with the well kno VT
desperate character of Mrs. Cunningham, are
all strongly cOrroboratiye of its truth.