Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-03-24
Widow of Edwin L. Bur-
dick on Witness
Stand
IN THE BUFFALO CASE
Shocking Details of
Scandal Piti1ess1y
Brought Out.

Buffalo, \. Y, March 24.-The in
quest of the murder of Edwin L. Bur-
dick was resumed in the police court
at 10 this morning. The widow of
the dead man continued her testi-
mony.
When Mrs. Burdick took the wit
ness chair she looked pale and worm
The district attorney read numerous
letters written by Burdick and Mrs.
Burdick bearing on her relations with
Pennell. and in answer to his ques-
tions the witness told of, after
service of the divorce proceeding on
Dec. ,. her trip to Niagara Falls,
New York and Atlantic City, accom-
panied by Pennell. She said her hus-
band told her mother that he did not
blame Mrs Burdick as much as he
did Pennell.
Letters were introduced from Mrs.
Pennell to Burdick. in which she
pleaded with him to take his wife
home and drop the divorce proceed
ings and not blast the lives of his
children.
Buffalo. y. Y, March "a. = Mrs.
Alice Hull Burdick, widow of Edwin
l.. Burdick, underwent merciless eX-
animation by District Attorney Coats
worth yesterday afternoon at the re
sumption of the inquest into the death
of her husband, who was murdered on
Feb. %. Mrs Burdick was on the
stand when court adjourned for the
day. With a package of letters In his
hands, some Of which were written TO
Mrs. Burdick by Arthur X. Penneh,
correspondent in the divorce proceed
ings instituted by Burdick, and others
communications between Burdick and
his wife. Coatsworth forced Mrs. Bur
dick to tell The story of her relations
with Pennell from the time he first
made love TO her in New Haven in
1898 until 1901, when these relations
were renewed after Burdick had for
given his wife and had taken her back
to his home for the sake of their chill
dren.
Women Most Numerous as Spectators.
Mrs. Burdiek was deathly pale
while on the witness stand. She an
swered questions in low, falterlng
tone. evRding q direct answer when
ever possible, and reluctantly admit
ting facts when the district attorney
pitilesSly read extracts of the love let
ters written to her by Arthur X. Pen
nell. Not since the inquest into the
murder began has there been such in
tense interest in the proceedings. As
early as II q. m. men and women
mostly women-applied at the police
fnV.
dered the room cleared, and no one
was admitted until 1 p. M When the
inquest was resumed at p. m.,. most
of the spectators in the crowded court
room were women.
Mrs. BurdIck Takes the Stand.
There was a hum of excitement
when Mrs. Burdick took the witness
stand Mrs. Burdick testified that she
would be AZ years of age on April
80. She was married to Burdick in
1856. They had three children. She
met Pennell at a card party five or
six years ago, at which Burdick was
present. She went to New Haven and
New York with the Pencils in 1898.
Burdick did not go, being detained by
business. No unusual friendship
sprang up between her and Pennell.
Witness did not recall a letter from
Pennell written in New Haven in 1900,
in which he said Yesterday 1 was at
the gateway on the campus grounds
where more than two years ago drew
you in, in the darkness. This place is
enshrined to me-"
HER MEMORY Is REFRESHED
She Recalls the Incident Referred to in
paunaII's -