The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-02-28
A PrinceIy Home the Scene
of a Weird Crime.
"A MYSTERIOUS VISITOR
Who Ate and Drark There in the Dead Of Night
and Afterwards Dashed Out Burdick'S
Brains in That Frightful
Strugglt?

Buffalo, N. Y, Feb. 27-Edwin l..
Burdck, president of e. l.. Burdick &
Company, and of the Buffalo Envelope
Company, was murdered early today at
his home on Ashland Avenue, in one of
the finest residence sections of the city.
While the police claim to have several
important clews, no arrest has been
made.
Mr.. Burdick was last seen alive last
night at 10:30 when he bade the other
members of the household goodnight
and started TO rhis room with the inten-
tion of retiring for the night. This
morning his body, clad in an undershirt,
was found lying on couch in small
room off the lower hall used by Mr..
Burdick as a smoking room. The couch
was covered with rug and a number of
sofa pillows. The couch was saturated
with blood and the walls and floor of the
little den were bespattered with brains
and blood The head had been crushed
with some blunt instrument
Chief of Detectives Cusack took charge
of the case. A thorough examinat ton Of
the house and its Occupants was made.
Nothing of valde was missing The ont
side door was locked and the soring lo} k
was in its place when the servants got
up this morning The inner door was
ajar. A kitchen window was partly
raised but there were no marks on the
snow outside or upon the window sill to
indicate that another one had entered
there. All the other windows and doors
of the house were securely fastened
That shattered the theory of an unknown
intruder
Some interesting discoveries were made
in other parts of the house To begin
with, no weapon could be found any
where. The body was clad OILY in an
undershirt At the foot of the couch
were found the drawers and stockings.
The trousers and other articles OF ci bth-
ing which Mr. Burdicll had worn were
in his bedroom on the floor above. The
bed had not been occupied On the table
in the smoking rom, the detectives found
a bottle partly filled with whskey and
the remains of light lunch Members
of the family declare that Mr.. Burdick
never partook of the food of which the
( lunch was composed and never drank IL
quor while eating In this connection
Chief Cusack this afternoon gave out the
following statement:
made I would conclude that Mr. Burdick
was called down stairs by a ring or a
knock at the door after he was ready for
bed for he was clad only in his under
shirt. He evidently admitted some one
he knew we'll and took the visitor into
the den 70 ra talk, and to partake of the
luncheon found there.
There are some signs of struggle
The fact that two of the fingers of Mr.
Burdick's left hand were broken ind-
Gates that he put up his hand to ward OFF
a blow which he saw coming.
"The body was covered with a rug
and several pillows so that nothing could
be seen but the blood which flowed from
under the pile.
"The force with which the blows that
killed Mr. Burdick We're delivered seems
to exclude the possibility that woman
delivered them
Mrs Burdiclk, the murdered mans wife
left home two months ago with the in
tention, it is said. of not returning. On
December 5. proceedingse for divorc
were filed in the county clerks office by
Mr. Burdick. 1t is understood that Mrs
Burdick went to Atlantic City. What
connection Burdick's domestic trouh
may have had with the crime the police
do not presume to say.