The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-03-19
Officials have No knowledge
of Alleged Epistle.
BURDIcK CASE RUMoR MILL
Many Discoveries" Reported Daily in
Buffalo Mystery-Pennen's
Win Found.

/ BUFFALO. March 19.-The theory ana
rumor mills that are grinding out ma
/ terial about the murder OF Edwin L,
burdiek still continue to make up one
or the principal industries OF this town.
and there was the usual grist today.
With the inquest postponed until Mon
( day. the police were at work in all
quarters trying 10 gather fresh matter
for District Attorney Coatsworth 70
/ present. and Mr.. Coatsworth himself was
looking after his sore throat. which was
given out as the reason for the adjourn
ment
What was gathered by the detectives.
OF course. they will not tell They have
gone over their ground and sifted every
square inch or 1t in the days since the
murder was committed, and II IS doubt
ful II they found anything that they had
previously overlooked
Alleged Threat to Kin Burdick.
The latest sensation OF the rumor
mills was the story OF a letter. said to
have been written by Arthur r. Pen
nell to Mrs. Burdick. in November 1900
In this letter he is said TO have writ
! ten: There are times when his Bur
dick's) manner 10 you makes me want
/ 10 XIII him"
Another sentence in the letter. accord
ing 10 the report. was las / looked
into your eyes the night before. I felt
that you were withholding something
from me-
Later on in the letter, the story had
it, he told OF the kiss ne gave her
When talk about this letter was
bruited abroad yesterday afternoon,
every person in position TO know about
il was seen. At that time Il was said
to have been in the hands OF the dis
trict attorney. Mr. Coatsworth denied
absolutely that he knew anything about
it.
Officials Know Nothing of Letter.
Chief Of Detectives Cusack said:
I have seen no such letter. although
I have heard the rumor about it. and
some one told me It was In the hands
OF the district attorney II there is any
such letter il is strange that PenneiI
was fool enough TO put any such
thoughts on paper, and equally strange
that Mrs Burdick should keep such
letter"
superintendent OF Police Bull said
that he knew nothing OF the communica-
ton
Mrs HuIPs Rumored Illness
Another rumor that spread late last
night was that Mrs. Maria A Hull. Mrs.
Burdick's mother, had met with some
accident or was seriously III in her
home At the house all information was
denied. No one is allowed 10 see the
members Of the household. DR.. William
NJ. Marcy. the family physician, was
seen this morning, and he said:
Il have not heard that Mrs. Hull has
been hurt or is III. II that were the case
/ would surely know"
Lawyer Frederick B. Hartzell, sttor-
ney for the Burd.s5S Tzuiiy. is making
every effort to show that the murder Was
an outside Job. He attaches much i'm
portance TO the peculiar electric push
button used TO turn the gas on and or
in Burdick's front hall. The condition
in which il was found. he said. showed
that IL must have been tampered with
by some one who did not know how 10
use It. A murderer from the outside.
who in this case was evidently familiar
with the house. would hardly light up a
whole hall on his way to meet his vic
tim in his room. and the fact that the
the burner instead of by using the push
button would seem TO indicate that the
crime was committed b. some one unac-
quainted with the house.
Pennell's VIII Found
Il was learned yesterday that PEN
nell left a will in which Mrs. Pennen is
named as sole executrix in the event OF
her surviving. Three alternates are
named 10 act should Mrs. Pennell die
FIRST. In view Of the fact that Mrs Pen
nell died so soon after her husband was
killed it was suggested that the execu-
tors named in the viii be allowed TO act.
The matter has not been definitely set
tied and an administrators for the estate
may be appointed by the court
1t has developed that after the murder
OF Burdick. PenneH spoke TO others than
the authorities OF the hostility between
him and Burdiek On the day he was first
arranging 10 give out a statement for
publication he spoke OF part OF Nhat he
intended 10 say.
"Burdick No Saint"
''It deals with Burdiek.'' said PenneIl.
Some say that it comes with i'll grace
from me 70 abuse a dead man. hat Bur-
dick was no saint, and when the time
comes that l must make a statement in
the newspapers in defense Of myself
from what other newspapers are print
ing about me l intend to let people know
just the kind Of man he was. and then
perhaps some OF them viii turn a little
of their time TO him that they now are
devoting 10 prying into my affairs.
Il did not like him and he did not ike
me. and We both knew II and I have told
the police frankly that we were not on
good terms His death coming at this