The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-01
BURDELEMURDER REVIVED
AN LLLE6 I'D CONFESSION hi MRS.
CUNNING HAM COMES TO LIGHT

who WAS murdered in his Office. " Bond street.
on Jan. 80. 1857. is no longer In doubt
according 10 the Chicago journal The
Journals information shows that three
years after the commission OF the murder
q confession was made by one OF tho par
ticipants-a w~oman-who also told the name
OF her %nccomplicc. According to the story
tod here, the woman was Mrs. Emma Au-
Rusta Cunningham, DIR. Burlcll's housckcepor,
md the one who inflicted tho death wounds was
John Eckcl. n wcll.known manufactures, who
was infatuated with Mrs. Cunningham. For
her sake he committed murder at hor bidding.
Eckel was arrested for the crime, but was never
tried. his case depending on tho conviction or
a~cquittal OF Mrs. CUNNINGHAM.
Mrs. Cunningham was tried for the crime in
May, 1857. and acquitted. Three years later
she confessed to Mrs. DIR. james Fowler. the
wife OF DIR. Burdell's former partner. who prom.
Used to keep her secret. The secret would
never have been divulgcd but for tho I'M.
pleasant experiences it cost the Wood and
Fowler families TO make claim to the estate
of DIR. James Fowler, who died a year ago at
Bordeaux, France. where he established himself
as 4 dentist one year before the Burdell murder.
The claims OF the Woods aud the Fowler.
brought out threatening letters to William
Wood, who was one Of the most active claimants
and q grandson OF Mrs. DIR. Fowler.
In New York city young Wood received three
mysterious missivcs from as many different
points informing him Of the Burdcll murder and
warning him to refrain from striving to secure
my OF his grandfather's estate under penalty of
death. lie was warned not 10 so TO Bordeaux.
In what manner the affairs OF young Woods
grandfather and this aimost-forIottcn murder
are connected ia as much OF n mystery as was
tho crime itself. Young Wood returned from
New York this morning. and the expose Of the
family skeleton was made by him In an inter
vitw in as nearly rs possible the exact words OF
his grandmother ten years ago. The story told
hrsAaa as follows:
'H" Three years after the trial Of and acquittal
OF Mrs. Cunningham Mrs. Or. Fowler was sit
ting In the parlor OF her residence. at y Van
dam street, when the door bell rang and Mrs.
Cunningham entered. Mrs. Fowler was dunn
founded. and was about to have her put out
when Mrs. Cunningham fell upon her knees and
begged her to listen to her. She said she had come
to make a confdant OF Mrs. Fowler. She had
becn the only woman in New York who had had
q kind word for her during her trouble. She
said she had but that night returned to New
York from California, and wanted a friend
whom she could trust She 50 worked on Mrs.
Fowler's symp0thies that she softened toward
her and told her to speak her mind freely. as
Whatever she said would be held inviol ate.
Airs. Cunningham. It Is said. then confessed TO
having aided Eckel in numbering Burdell. Sne
planned and executed the murder in order TO
secure his fortune. estimated at 500. 600. in
tending to obtain the estate by posing as Bur
dell's widow. After securing the estate she in.
tended marrying EckeL She confessed the crime
had been committed with u long. slender instru-
ment known in the profession OF dentistry as an
excavaior, and By strangulation with a linen
cord.
She said the murder in its most minute de-
tails had been, planned by her in one OF the
upper rooms OF Dr. Burio!ls house weeks be-
Nnra Sha ~ - had AFFnnDA that rfA .aa
victim was possessed OF great strength. she had
aeslst in order that there would be no failure.
The nigh, chosen for the murder was an ideal
and wind storm that prevailed from nigh,fali TO
ssriy morning; In one Of the upper windows
the woman saw DR.. Burdeli. envelopet in a
big shawl. enter the house BY the front door
made his way into his operating room. the as.
sassins saw him. worn out with tho fatigue his
himself into his big operating chair and fall into
u profOund siumber.
awaken. the two stole into the room. In her
hand Mrs Cunningham carried a stout linen
cavator, as sharp and Keen a. a razor. Mi.
cunningham crept behind the chair in which
reposed her unconscious victim.tshii- Eckel sta.
toned himself in front with uplifted hand, in
which he tightly grasped his weapon.
With a swift movement Mrs; Cunningham
drew II tight with all her strength. and at the
?sme mpment Eckei plunged The excayator
plunged 1t repeatedly into the Doctors form, in
ticting at least twenty wounds. lie also dis.
But one cry escaped, the lips Of DIR. Burdel.
A. the time the cord cut into his throat he
the noise of the storm. and was heard by a
pasSerby In the street. 80 suddenly end with
he had no time to make move.
The body was rolled to the floor by the Assas.
aims and MI. Cunningham searched the cloth
Ing Tor papers That would Aid her in proving her
claim to the doctors fortune. She only found a
sums she owed the doctor. This. together
With the cord used IN the stransling.
box she made up in 4 parcel which she weighted
aud threw into the East, River FROM one OF the
f fSe pio wni OF the inen Br ssoGf ON B ihf eFe en tie s't Ne St
York side OF the river, Che and Eckel then re-
turned to the Burde!l house. The doctors body
Alter telling her story 10 Mrs. Fowler. Mrs.
cgnningham left; saying she was going 70 stay
Mrs. Fowler ever saw or heard of her until she
saw a notice OF her death.
dropsy in a h9gse At 1s7th street and Aln;ter:
she was known as Emma Augusta RoOinson.
died inthG Albany rcnitsntisry a short lin:
in wnisXey frauds in BrooEiTn. lie and Mrs.
Cunningham never married, as planned. but
separated: and MEYER met again after Mrs. Cum
The ATTEMPTS, of Mrs; Cunningham to claim
INC ~ VI AI'. bufutIl W dlItRInR 10 nave
been married to him at the Dutch reformed
Church. Blccckcr street, New York. on Oct. ~,
1856, and her efforts 10 palm OF u bogus heir 10
the estate caused IL great sensation, which was
further intensified later by her confession VI
fraud.
Ex'sfnyor a. Oakley Hall was the District At,
torney VINO prosecuted he case against Mrs.
Cunningham. When seen at his residence, 0S
West Tenth street; last night, Mr.. Hall said:
From absolute knowledge | cannot SAY thai
Mrs. Cunningham never confessed. I know as
well as l want TO. though. that she never did
TO confess anything, she had more nerve than
any man or woman ! have ever met.
aside from that. however. there are other
flaws ~ the story. IL says that Mrs. Cunning.
hnIn died In 1887 in this city. where she had
been Twins under the name OF Emma Augusta
Robinson; E%'Po,ice Inspector George ".
Dilks. who was Captain OF police IN the
old Fifteenth Ward and who work ed
up the cnse against Mrs. Cunningham,
told me not over twO weeks ago that
he had recently returned from Gal.
%ifornlh. and that he met Mrs. Cunning.
ham In san Francisco, She told Dilks that
she had married a wealthy copper mine owner