The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-03-20
BURDICK PAPERS
ARE MUCH WANTED
AFriend Of tho Dead Man Tells
OF Letters Not Yet
Produced.
MADE
Associate of Burdick Deelaros His Be-.
lief That Somebody Wanted to
Suppress the Scandal of a
Divorce Suit.

Divorce suit.
Buffalo. N. r., March 10 The Express
prints an Interview with person who
at one time was a stotkholder in the
Buffalo Envelope company and for
twelve years a close friend of Edwin L.
Burdicl. The interview in part is as
follows: M
! had been acquainted with Mr. Bur-
dick for twelve years prior to his death.
came in almost daily contact with
him and for some time past had been
more or less in his confidence. First of
all I want to say something in defense
of his character, which has been un-
Justly maligned by statement and in
sinuation. Mr.. Burdick was a gentle
man in every sense of the word. This
talk about his intimacy with women I
believe was wholly without foundation
Though 1 knew in the early part of
December that Mr.. Burdick had made
a&will cutting off his wife, it was not
until after Christmas that 1 learned
anything about the divorce proceed
ings. He then told me Of having be-
gun suit for divorce in the early part
of November.
morusF 70 2SIoP 9sSHQat' lt
81 cannot help believing from all
for the crime might hake been desire
to suppress the scandal that would
have been incident to tBae trial of di-
Vorce suit. Soon after Mr.. Burdick told
me of his having begun divorce pro-
ceedings he showed me a letter he had
just received from New York. Mr.. Bur-
dick handed me the letter and read
every word of it.
In the letter the writer was trying
hard to bring about reconciliation
between Mr.. Burd.ck and his wife. She
pleaded with Burdick to take Allie
back. The writer also wrote in this
letter something that Burdick con-
strued as a threat that unless there
was a reconciliation there would be
a double suicide. I cannot remember
the exact words but they were some
thing like this: Do you want to put
an end to all our lives?
"Mr. Burdiek pointed out that partic-
ular- part of the letter to me and said:
That means suicide. Well, let them
go ahead and do it,
1t seems to me that this letter ought
to be found. What has become of it?
Did he have it in his desk in his den
at his home and was it taken by the
murderer when rifling the drawer that
was found open?
Another paper that should be found
was a list of twenty meeting places
that Mr. Burdick had occurred for use
in his divorce proceedings"
Burdick's Daughter Testifies.
Miss Marion Burdick, the pretty,
rosy checked daughter of the late Ed
ward l.. Burdick, was the most inter-
esting witness at the inquest before
Judge Murphy today.
Marion is 16 years of age, and bears
a striking resemblance to her mother.
Like Mrs. Hull, she volunteered no
information. She answered in mono
syllables whenever possible 1t was
Yes or No" or when those replies
would not suffice she used as few words
fused, and there was no sign of agita-
ton or emotion when the district at
torney questioned her closely regard
ing the events that occurred at the
time her father was murdered.
Mr.. .Coatsworth began by speaking
kindly to the GIRL and carefully choos-
ing his words in putting questions to
her. Later he fired questions in rapid
succession, all Of which were met with
replies both sharp and decisive. At
one time, when the district attorney
asked the same question several times,
the girl caused q murmur in the court
| room by raising her voice sharply in a
clear, emphatic IT don't know
Nothing of Importance was ELECTED
from her while she was on the stand,
and the district attorney finally gave
her up in despair.
Mrs. HulPs Actions.
She said that Grandm Hull first
informed her that her father was Ill in
his den, before Nj. Marcy arrived, and
before Mrs. Hull knew positively, ac-
cording to her own testimony, that II
was Burdtck's body lying on the couch
The district attorney tried to get Ma
rion to tell why she apparently took Sc
little interest in her fathers Illness
when she was told Of 1t by her grand.
mother. Marion replied that she knew
grandmother Hull would tell her. She
loved her father, and he had always
been good to her, but she would not
admit that there was anything wrone
in her not inquiring about his illness
or that she should have done differ.
emily. ~
Marion admitted that she knew o,
the divorce proceedings instituted b,
/ Burdick against her mother. She sym.
4 pathized with her father, but would nd
admit that she thought he was right ii
driving her mother from home. = Meth.
er would she admit that she knew q
her mother meeting Arthur R.gPennelf
i DR.. William Marcy, the family ply.
sician, and the first physician to Sc,
the dead body after the murderer GOV.
cred it up, was the first witness Of tn,
i day.
DR.. Marcy admitted that he told DR.
] Rowland, the medical examiner, that i
1t was suicide or looked suicidal. i
would be better forsthe family to make
Il 1t out case of suicide. Later h,
agreed with DR.. Howland that the sui
eide theory was untenable.