The Savannah morning news., 1903-03-26
FRIEND OF BUROICK
TELLS THE STORY OF THE IN.
HAPPY PAIR.
WAS RELATED BY BURDICK
WHO UNBURDENED HIMSELF OF
HIS WOES.

reports n Story That Was Told
Him by Burdfck-Rice Considered
Burdick an Estimable Man-HOw
Burdick's Wife Treated Her Hus-
band-Burdick's Attitude Toward
Her.
Indianapolis, Ind, March 25.-E l..
Eurdick, the murdered Buffalo manu-
factUrer, confided his troubles to Her.
bert Fl. Rice, a business man in this
city, only a few weeks before Mr..
Burdicks DEATH Mr.. Burdick and
Mr.. Rice were personal friends. The
former made frequent business trips
to Indianapolis. His last visit was on
Jan. 27, when he called on Mr.. Rice.
He appeared troubled, and he took the
opportunity to unbosom himself to Mr.
Rice.
lie led me to a quiet corner in the
factory" said Mr.. Rice, and began
telling me his troubles, prefacing his
know why he should tell them to me.
but'k was so far from Buffalo that it
would be all right. He talked of his
wife and Pennelrs attention 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 Pencils soon
ripened into friendship. The families
were together a great deal. They
played golf, attended dances and par
ties, and the Pencils had the free
dom of the Burdick home.
He said Pennell was a brilliant
chap socially, and that he admired him
and knew that his wife admired him
also. He said PenneL and Mrs. Bur-
dick seemed to enjoy each others
company particularly, but that he had
no suspicious at first.
"Burdick said he afterward learned
that Pencil and Mrs. Burdick were
having clandestine meetings. He did
not state the source of his Informal
ton, but he said he confronted both
with accusations, and both confessed
to having had improper relations.
Pencil Promised to Leave.
ION promises of Pennell to leave
| Buffalo and the promise of his wife
not to meet Penneu again, Burdick
| said he agreed not to take any action
| in the matter. Neither promise was
| kept, he said, as Pencil remained in
| Buffalo and Mrs Burdick soon was
| meeting him again.
when Burdick learned of the mat
| ter, he threatened to bring suit for di-
! vorce. Again they pleaded with him,
he said, and on the solemn renewal of
| the promises, he let the matter rest
| once more. Notwithstanding these
PROMISES, Pencil stayed in Buffalo
| and continued to meet Mrs. Burdick.
Mr.. Burdick said he found a slip of
paper, containing a list of meeting
places and dates. made out 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
Pennell and Mrs. Burdick together.
I with this evidence, he determined
| to obtain a divorce, he said. Burdick
held a conference with Pennell and
Mrs Burdick, and Pennell and the
woman agreed that they would not con-
| test the suit for divorce, but would
aid in securing it in a quiet way to
avoid notoriety as much as possible
! They promised to file an answer to his
complaint without delay. They did not
file the answer, however, but instead
| put detectives on the track of Mr.. Bur-
dick, having resolved between them
selves that they would contest the
suit
Swallowed by Detectives.
"Burdick said the detectives followed
! every move he made and trumped UP
| lot of false evidence against him
| which involved his friends, respectable
| people, of whom he thought a great
| deal Burdick said he lived at a hotel
apart from his wife for some time, and
| the detectives, knowing this, drew con-
| illusions adverse to his moral charac-
| er 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 that he sought the society
| of his friends for relief from his state
| of depression. He said that he had
! taken highly respectable women rid
| ing in his automobile and had stopped
| at respectable eating places; that he
| had met his friends on the street and
! treated them to soda and candy, and
| that he had played golf and attended
social functions. He said that he could
J see readily how persons intent in do
! ing him wrong could misconstrue his
| actions and impugn his motives.
"Burdick did not know of the evil
! dence obtained against him, until aft
| err the detectives had reported to Pen
nell and Mrs. Burdick. They then en-
! deavored to get him to withdraw his
! suit for divorce, threatening to use
such evidence as would tend to be-
| smrch the character of several respect
| able persons. Mr.. Burdick said that
this evidence was all untrue. He told
me that he conducted himself with
| propriety, and had done nothing that
! would 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 leave her one at time,
| if she would deliver into his hands the
| false evidence she prepared against
him and agree not to make use of it,
which she refused to do. He said Mrs.
| Burdick told him that she loved Pen
nell in a way she could never love him.
"He said that he could now realize
] that there had always been something
! lacking in her affection for him. He
| had provided her with a good home,
and they lived happily until Pennell
disrupted their family relations.
Double Suicide Threatened.
"He said that on more than one oc-
cAsion Pennell had threatened to COM
init suicide. He said that while the
| Pencils were IN the East Mrs. Pencil
| had written him a letter pleading with
/ him 70 drop the divorce proceedings.
| stating that II he did not. there would
/ be a double suicide-that OF herself
and Arthur. About the last thing that
/ Burdick said 20 me was that he had
| about decided not 20 push his suit for
a year or more In order 20 keep PEN