Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-24
HIS WIDOW A WITNESS
Resumption Of Inquest Into
Burdick Murder.
WAS A FAITHLESS WIFE
COoLLY CONFESSES HER LOVE
FOR PENNELL.
Letter From Her Paramour, in Wh1ch
He Threatened to Kill Her
Husband.
WAS A FAITHLESS WIFE


Mrs. Burdick testified that she would be
forty-two years of age on April 80 She was
married to Burdick in 1885, They had three
children She met Pennell at a card party
five or six years ago. at which Mr.. Burdick
was present She went to New Haven ana
New York with the Pencils in 1898. MI
Burdick did not go, being detained by pusl-
ness No unusual friendship sprang up be-
tween her and Pennell. Witness did not re-
call letter from Pencil written in New
Haven in 1900, in which he said: "Yester-
day I was at the gateway on the campus
grounds, where more than two years ago
1 drew you in the darkness. This place Is
enshrined to me-"
At this point Attorney Hartzell, Mrs. Bur-
dicks counsel, asked what was the purpose
of the questions. Judge Murphy said ne
could object to her answering any questions
that might hold Mrs. Burdick up to public
ridicule.
1--WE do not wish to object, but we trust
that no unnecessary questions Will De
asked" said Mr. HartZell.
The district attorney produced the letter
and handed it to the witness, who trembled
violently.
Recognized Pennell's Handwriting.
do you recognize it as Pencils hand
writing7"
YES" whispered Mrs. Burdick.
"And you recall the incident now?"
Yes, SIR
Mrs Burdick In recalling the incident
confessed that Pennell went into a door
way, drew her in, took her in his arms and
kissed her. She thought she demonstrated.
She did not remember that Pencil was at
Shelter Island in September, 1900, nor let
ter from him in which he wrote that he had
found her gloves in the pocket of his Tux
edo. The letter was handed her. She read
boo flxr a,,1 Il Of IN
contents. 1t was written by Pennell, she
said, but she did not remember having seen
it before.
Mrs. Burdck was shown another letter
from Shelter Island, written in September,
1900. and 1t was identified by her. She did
not recall Pennells telephonng her from
New York, as stated in the letter.
Mrs. Burdick was then questioned at some
length relative to the meaning of 81, g. 3d.
referred to in letter from Pennell, in
which he said: Il will meet you at 1, 2, 3,
Wednesday morning." but Mrs. Burdick
answered that she did not know. There
were two or three houses, she said, at
which she used to meet him.
Another Letter Produced.
Mr.. Coatsworth produced another letter,
postmarked New Haven, September 10, 1900.
Mrs. Burdick said she recalled receiving 1t.
Pennell wrote: Il shall try and comfort my
self by telephoning from New York, and on
ness Of seeing you He referred to her
dear picture in the locket," and declared
her my love- life, my dearest one" Mr..
Coatsworth produced another letter. written
from New York, September Is, 1900, adj
dressed to Mrs. Burdlck.
In this letter he wrote:
Il just came from telephoning you and
hearing your dear, sweet voice. Am I fool
lsh to telephone you from way down here?
1t was worth all it cost me. 1 realize more
and more that you are the only woman in
the world for me-
DO you remember getting that letter?'
mo, sir"
I'm this same letter he says: Only day
more and I shall once more see the love-
light in your eyes and experience the par
adise within your arms what does he
mean by that, Mrs. Burdick?'
Il don't know
within your arms?"
II don't know
Pretty strong language, isn't it?''
Mr. Coatsworth showed the witness an
other letter written from New York by
Pennell and addressed to Mrs Burdick
Sne said 1t was his handwriting, but she
did not remember having received it.
Il will read and see If 1t will refresh
your recollection: AS 1 looked into your
beautiful eyes last night l feared there
was some trouble hidden there. 1 did not
know, but 1 feared it was because
of some other reason than because 1 was
going away. If there was, dearest, 1 wish
you would tell. There is that in the man.
ner of your husband toward outhat makes
me fear sometimes that 1 might kill him.
Do you remember receiving that letter."
mo, SIR
Mrs Burdick said she did not know
whether her husband was aware of the
fact that she was receiving letters from
Pennell. Her habit had been to keep her
letters locked in a box. Her husband first
knew of her intimacy with Pennell she
thought, on January 1, 1901, when she told
him, In reply to a question, that she had
been walking with Pennell. He told her
she was very imprudent. She agreed with
him then and did now.
Did you give these letters to Burdick?
Il don't know"
Did you take some letters from that box
and give them to him?'
II unlocked it,
How did you happen to unlock it?'
''He forced me to-"
How did he force your"
Burdick Clicked His Wife.
"He took me by the throat"
She did not remember whether at that
time Pennell was the subject of discus
sion with her husband. She did not know
whether some Of the letters read were in
the box at that time 1t was in January
1901. when he choked her. She could not
remember when she rented a box in a safe
deposit company's vaults. 1t was not about
the time her husband choked her, but re-
Gently, when she received papers from de-
tecttves about Burdick.
Her husband had not started the divorce
proceedings. It was she that wanted a d.
vorce from him. She had no love for him:
but did love Pencil, whom she expected
to marry. He had a wife, but he expected
they would be divorced. In reply to q
question as to whether Mrs. Pennell had
consented to a divorce, she said:
Sometimes she did and sometimes she
did not
Witness admitted, however, that she had
never talked with Mrs. Pennell on the SUBJ
1ect. Pennell had hired the detectives who
Swallowed her husband. Her husband had
sent her away in May, 1901, on account of
Pennel.
MIR. Coatsworth showed her letter writ
ten by her from Atlantic City, May n,
1901, in which she begged to be taken back,
promising never to see Arthur" and that
she would be a loving and true wife. In
the letter she said she could not promise
that Pennell would leave town, but de-
clared he would do what she said. She ad-
mitted writing the letter, and said at that
time she had hired no detectives.
A second letter written by Mrs. Burdick
to her husband the same year was read, in
which she spoke Of having received Bur-
dicks letter, and said that Pennell had not
promised to leave town If Mr.. Burdick
took her back; that she and Pennell had
realized that they must give each other