The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-03-06

Buffalo, N. Y. March 4-District At
torney Coatsworths office in the city
hall was again the place around which
interest in the Burdick murder mys-
terry centered today. Detectives came
in, held whispered conversations with
the district attorney or one of his depu-
ties and hurried away again. I'm
known men and women were admitted
at the private entrance to the office
and later hurried away from the city
hall in closed carriages.
While Superintendent Bull is quoted
as saying an arrest-the arrest of a
woman-may occur at any moment the
authorities are working as hard on the
case today as they did the first day
after the tragedy was discovered.
The superintendent of police, tho
chief of detectives, the district attor-
ney and the assistant district attor-
ney all concur in the belief that only
one person was concerned in the mur-
der of Edwin L. Burdick. Of the four,
Superintendent Bull, Chief Cusack and
First Assistant District Attorney Alb
bott concur in saying the rnur0eFe1.
was woman. District Attorney
CoatSWOrth, while maintaining that
one person committed the crime will
not state whether he believed it was a
man or a woman.
I'VE think we could make an arrest
now in safety" said Superintendent
Bull, but we prefer to wait as we be-
lieve that certain evidence which wa
wish to gather will lead to successful
results
One reason the police are observing
such extreme caution before making an
arrest is that they realize the imper-
tance of having enough evidence to
convict before a move is made. The
woman who committed the crime is Of
social prominence. they believe and
therefore. will have friends to back he
when the crucial time comes. There
will be money for her defense and a
hard legal battle will be made.
Less information is BILE to find a way
out Of the district attorneys Office than
heretofore. The publicity given the
names Of nersons who have called at
the office 10 doubt prevented many
who might be able to give some sug-
gestion relating some incident that
they deem significant, from imparting
that information to the authorities. To-
day the district attorney announced
through the press that those desiring
to- confer with him might do so by
phone, or if they called at the office
their desire to conceal their identity
NOulu DS ISSpcClSo ie VI lllib
announcement it is stated has been to
bring a food of new material into the
hands of the authorities.
One of the new facts developed from
this source brings into the case another
mysterious carriage. 1t is considered
to be of great Importance. 1t was an
ordinary coupe drawn by a team OF
dark colored horses. 1t was halted in
a spot north of the block in which Is
situated the Burdick home. The hour
was late and the carriage and it's un-
usual movements attracted attention
It was admitted by Chief Cusack to-
day that two houses in the Elmwood
section were searched by the police last
Sunday. There were the homes of Ar
thur r. Penne1 at 20S Cleveland Ave
nue. and of Mrs. Seth 7. Payne, of 491
Elmwood Avenue. Pennell was named
as correspondent in the divorce pro-
ceedings instituted by Mr.. Burdick
against his wife, Alice Burdick. Mrs.
Payne's picture was found in Burdick's
den on the day after the murder. CHIEF
Cusack said nothing Of Importance had
been found in either home.