Evening journal., 1903-03-25
MRS. BURD|CK
GIVES NO CLUE
Swears That She Does Not
Know Who Killed Her
Husband
PENNtLL NEVER MADE THREATS


Or Heard From Pennell Since the
Murder Except Note Of Sympathy.
Burdiek Children On Stand.
Buffalo, N. y. March 25.-"Have you
received any information as to who
killed your husband?" mo sir"
you swear you have no knowledge
or information as to who killed hlm?"
81 do"
These questions were addressed to
Mrs. Alice Hull Burdick yesterday af-
ternoon by District Attorney Coats
worth at the inquest into the death of
her husband The answers we're re-
turned by Mrs. Burdicly IN calm, clear
voice The questions came abruptly
while the district attorney was draw
ing from Mrs. Burdick information
about her relations with Arthur H.
| Pennell. She had denied that Pennell
took her key TO the front door OF tho
| Burdick home while they were in New
York together and had duplicates
made Of It.
To complete the examination of
Burdick home on the night of the
murder the district attorney yesterday
called to the stand the two youngest
Burdick children. Carol and Alice,
aged respectively 13 and 10 years. The
children displayed no more sign Of
emotion than did their grandmother or
mother or older sister while talking
about the terrible death Of their father.
Their recollection of the happenings
At the time of the tragedy was rather
hazy. and Il don't remember" was
usually the answer they gave when
the district attorney pressed Ahem
closely on any point
Mrs. Burdick trusted Pennell i'm.
plicitly in everything The district at
torney read a number of letters writ
ten TO Mrs. Burdick by Pennell, in
which he said life was not worth liy-
ing without her and that death would
+ not be unwelcome. She knew nothing
} Of a document found in her safety de-
] posit vault bonding pennell 10 pay
i her S25,0O0 in the event Of his being
! unable TO marry her. Although II was
; among Mrs. Burdick's private papers
in the vault, she claimed to have been
? ignorant Of its existence.
Mrs. Burdick admitted that Pennell
b had promised to marry her after her
divorce from Burdick, their intention
being, she said. Pennell had declared,
ito go out west and get n divorce from
Mrs. Pennell," after which marriage
would be easy.
Mrs. Burdicl declared that the last
time she saw Pennell was on Tues
day before the murder He left her
that night in Atlantic City. arriving
In Buffalo Wednesday. She was in
formed of Mr.. Burdicks death by a
message from Mrs. Hull on the fol-
lowing Friday, and hastened to Buff
falo. A brief note of sympathy from
n Pennoll came 10 the house Saturday.
She never heard from him OF saw him,
s she said. between that time and tho
Z day he was killed by his automobile
< plunging into the stone quarry
4 Mr.. Coatesworth showed Mrs. Bur
5 dick a letter written from New York
to Mr. Burdick by Mrs. Pennell on
. December %, 1902. In Il Mrs. Pennell
e asked Mr.. BurdiclS If he was absolutely
e crazy in taking the burden Of pressing
the divorce proceedings. She called
attention to the fact that Ponnell did
not value life too highly, and inti-
mated that he might commit suicide
and take Mrs. Burdick with him.
'What did she mean by that?" ask
, cd Mr.. Coatsworth.
-on't know" replied Mrs. Durdick
q letter written December 28
49,, by Mrs. Burdick to Mr.. Burdick
she told him she intended to go "a
Atlantic City. The letter also con
talned a yeiled threat at suicide She
had never talked to Pennell about put
ting himself out Of the way or about
committing suicide herself
Mr.. Coatsworth read another letter
= written by Pennell to Mrs. Burdicl
y from Boston, in which he said;
Dearest Love-This is also q very
hasty note. | got your letter. wa:
{ not surprised that your note was un
: happy. We seem to be powerles!
u against our fate, but we had our op
portunity and failed to take advantage
. of it,"
= "What did he mean by We had oul
= opportunity and failed to take advan
v tage of it?"
e Il don't know, unless he was re
n ferring TO the time we went to Allan
tic City and came back again"
n When she went to Niagara Falls OF
= December 8 she had with her a Ike.
IS to the outer door Of their house, ant
e she carried that key to New York ant
It Atlantic City.
l. "And MIR. Pennell also had o koy 4
g the door?"
10 "Not that know Of"
Ir where is that key now7"
"At home"
"Win you swear that Pennell did nc
(Continued on Sixth Page).