Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-03-26
TROUBLES
He Confided Them to a Friend
Not Long Before He Was
Killed
WAS BITTER TOWARD pENNELl
Blamed Latter For All the Disgrace
That His Wife Had Brought Upon
Himself and Their Home-Was 10th
to Take Steps to Divorce His
Wife.

j Indianapolis, Ind, March 26.-E. L.
Burdick, the murdered Buffalo million
laire, confided his troubles to Herbert
H. Rice, advertising manager of the
Norlyke q Marmon company in this
city, only a few weeks before his dead
body was found in the Burdick man
sion. Mr.. Burdick and Mr. Rice were
personal friends. The former made
| frequent trips to indianapolis in the
1 interest of the Roller Mill, publication
(which Burdick controlled. His last
visit was on January 81, when he
called on Mr.. Rice. He appeared trou-
bled and he took the first opportunity
to unbosom himself to Mr.. Rice.
He led me to a quiet corner in the
factory said Mr.. Rice. and began
telling me his troubles, prefacing his
remarks by saying that he did not
know why he should tell me his trou-
bles, but that was so far from Buff
falo that it would be all right. He
talked of his wife and Pencils atten-
lions to her. He said Pennell and his
wife went to Buffalo and were taken
into society and that the acquaintance
| of his wife and himself with the Pen
nells soon ripened into friendship. The
families We're together a great DEAL
they played golf, attended dances and
parties and the Pencils had the free
dom of the Burdick home. He said
Pencil was a brilliant chap socially
and that he admired him, and knew
that his wife admired him also. He
said Pennell and Mrs. Burdick seemed
| to enjoy each others company par
ticularly, but that he had no suspicious
at first
"Burwick said he afterward learned
that Pennell and Mrs. Burdick We're
having clandestine meetings. He did
not state the source of his information,
but he said he confronted both Mrs.
Burdick and Pencil with accusations
and both confessed to having had inn
proper relations.
ION promises of Pencil to leave Buff
falo and the promise of his wife not
to meet Pennell again, Burdick said he
matter. Neither promise was kept he
said. as Pencil remained in Buffalo
and Mrs. Burdick was soon meeting
him again.
When Burdick learned of the mat
ter he threatened to bring suit for
divorce. Again the guilty ones pleaded
with him. he said, and on the solemn
renewal of the promises first made he
1,A N.nt,v y,
standing these promises, Pencil stayed
in Buffalo and continued to meet Mrs.
Burdick. Mr.. Burdick said he found
la slip of paper containing list of
meeting places and dates made each
in cipher. On this paper was one
address and date Burdick thought he
deciphered correctly.
Accompanied by detectives he went
to the address and found Pencil and
Mrs. Burdick together.
with this indisputable evidence he
determined to obtain conference with
Pennell and Mrs. Burdick and Pencil
and the woman agreed that they would
not contest the suit for divorce. but
would aid in securing 1t in a quiet way
at once, so as to avoid notoriety as
much as possible. They promised to
file an answer to his complaint with
out delay. They did not file the an
swer, however, but instead put detec-
tives on the track of Burdick. having
resolved between themselves that they
would contest the suit.
Dogged by the Detectives.
"Burdick said the detectives followed
every move he made and trumped UP
lot of false charges and evidence
against him. which involved his friends
respectable, people of whom he thought
great deal. Burdick said he lived at
a hotel apart from his wife for come
time and the detectives. knowing this,
drew conclusions adverse to his moral
character and made the most of it.
"Burdick did not know that he was
being watched by the detectives. He
told me that he was in a state OF dis
traction and he had sought the society
of his friends for relief from this state
of depression. He said he had taken
highly respectable women riding in his
automobile and had stopped at re-
spectacle eating places; that he had
met his friends on the street ana had
treated them to soda and candy and
that he had played golf and attended
social functions. He said that he could
readily see how persons intent on doing
him wrong. could misconstrue his ac
tons and impugn his motives
"Burdick did not know of the evil
dence obtained against him until after
the detectives had reported to Pennell
and Mrs. Isurdick. They then endeav-
ored to get him to withdraw his suit
for divorce, threatening to use such ev
idence as would tend to besmirch the
character of several respectable per-
sons Mr.. Burdick said this evidence
was all untrue. He told me that he
conducted himself with propriety and
had done nothing that could reflect
upon his moral character. He desired
to protect his friends and his children.
He said Mrs. Burdick called on him
and pleaded for the privilege of hav-
ing the children with her and that he
consented to let her have one at a time
if she would deliver into his hands the
false evidence she had prepared against
him and not make use of 1t. This she
refused to do. He said Mrs. Burdick
told him that she loved Pennell in
way she could never love him.
He said that he could now realize
that there had always been some thing
lacking in her affection for him. He
had provided her with a good home and
they had lived happily until Pencil
disrupted their family relations.
He said that on more than one oc-
casion Pennell had threatened to COM
nit suicide. He said that while the
Pencils were in the east Mrs. Pennell
had written him letter pleading with