The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-03-26
From Trend of Examination
This Morning, District At.
torney Seems to Think
Front Door and Kitchen
Window Were Opened
From Inside.
Clergyman Asserts That
One Year Before BurdiCk
Murder Arthur Pennell
Had Spoken of Suicide.
Wife Forced to Defend
Divorce Suit.

BUFFALO, y Y. March 2s.-Did some
person go down the stairs OF Edwin l.
Burdick's home on the morning he was
murdered, before the other members
Of the household we're about, and leave
the front door and kitchen window
opened TO create the impression that
the crime was committed By some one
from the outsider
From his line of examination at the
I inquest today it was evident that IL was
an answer to this question that Dis
triet Attorney Coatsworth was seeking.
I He recalled TO the stand Mrs. Maria A.
/ Hull. the mother-in-lawi Maggie Muir
ray. the servant. and little Carol Bur
dick, the twelve-year-Old daughter. AMI
put to them more searching questions
as to what went on in the house on the
morning Of the murder
That Open Window.
He was particularly anxious 10 find
ont when and where the Murray girl
first told Mrs. Hull that the door and
the windows were open. Mrs. Hull had
said and repeated that she was told
first while she was in the bathroom.
The servant was just as emphatic that
she mad told her while Mrs. Hull was in
her own room Much Importance was
attached 10 a remark alleged TO have
been made by cns OF the little girls
OF the house to this effect. why. heard
papa SO down stairs a little while ago
Mrs. Hull said she had never heard
the remark The servant said she was
positive that she had heard il. and that
II way made BY Carol Bardick. carol
+, Bardick said she had heard her younger
sister. Alice. say something TO thai ef-
feet but denied that she had made II
I herself
Interest Maintained.
/ With the opening OF the last DAYS
proceedings OF The inquest more than
the usual crowd OF womaa Rocked into
the musty little courtroom All were
particularly anxious 10 see Mrs Maria
A. Huh. the mother-in-law Of the muir
dered man. She was expected to ex-
plain lway, If she could. the discrepan
cies in the stories told by herself and
some of the children as 70 what oc-
CURED in the Burdick house on the day
the crime was discovered
Another important feature OF the
days program was the reading OF the
detailed report Of the city chemist on
his autopsy on Burdick's body. Before
court opened Detective Holimund had a
conference with Superintendent OF Po-
lice Bull after which he hurried away
in cab from police Headquarters II
was reported that he had gone TO serve
a new summons on an important Wit
! ness IN the case.
Pencil ThresfereS C,,;~.z
The Rev. Levi NJ Powers. or n.
Church CT the Messiah. which the Bur
dicks and Mrs. Eull attended. was he
first witness. He said thar he had DIX
ed with Burdlck regarding his don este
affairs about two weeks before MS
death The witness had known that
there was something wrong in the fam
lily. he JaliSeG 10 Burdick for an hour.
He told me OF the letters he had in
his possession. He said that when ne
trouble hrst started Pennell had threat
( ened 10 XIII himself He told me that
/ at that Tine ne went to Pencil aud
told him TO braSe Up and leave town.
This was about n year before tho Tnur-
der. ne said Pencil was forcing Mrs.
Burdick TO defend the suit. and ,hst
she had told him &c Eas not her fault
II IL was contested. When she went
away she agreed not 10 contest it,
Burdick Was Troubled.
Herbert H. Rice. business man Of
Indianapolis. and conddant OF Edwin L
Burd.ck las written to District Attor-
ney Coatsworth telling him Of his last
talk with Burdick.
The latter was in the habit or visiting
Indianapolis frequently. and OF all the
him as H. r. Rice. The last visit Bur-
dick made to indianapolis has on Janu-
AIRY .
"At this time. said Mr. Rice. Bur
/ dick was troubled about his family az
fairs. tie had learned OF :he many clan
destine meetings between Penneif and
/ Mrs. Burdick. and it prcyed on bis
MIND
Determined on Divorce
''Hc was determined he would get di-
vorce. but ne Wanted to keep Pencil
and Mrs. Burdick guessing for a time
before securing il. Be was conscious
Jhat detectives followed MIN constantly.
but he carried himself with such con
sistenJ propriety that no evidence Vas
secured against him
'Burdick knew that Fennell had On
more Than one occasion threatened sui .
eide. Burcick was crushed end heart
broken and when J asked him Thv he
did not sill the nan who had wrecked
his home ne said such a thing could
rot be thought OF because OF the chill
dren."