The Savannah morning news., 1903-02-28
KILLED IN HIS HOME
E. L. BURDICK WAS FOUND COLD IN
DEATH.
HEAD HAD BEEN CRUSHED.
POLICE BAFFLED BY MYSTERY OF
THE CASE.

Murder in a Home in the Finest Res
idence Section of DuffaIO-BOdy of
the Victim Was Found Stretched
on COuch-Was Covered Over
With Rugs and CushiOns-MOtive
For the Crime Not Apparent-De-
tective's Are at "A Loss to Solve the
Mystery.
Buffalo, N. Y, Feb. 27.-Edward L.
Burdick, president of E. L. Burdick &.
Co, and of the Buffalo Envelope Com
pany, was murdered early to-day 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 1890, when he babe the other
members of the household good night
and started for his room, apparently
with the intention of retiring for the
night. This morning his body, clad
in an undershirt, was found lying on
couch in a small room off the lower
hall used by Mr.. sBurdick as a smoking
room. The body 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 despatched with brains and
blood. The head had been crushed
with some blunt instrument
Detectives in Charge.
Chief of Detectives Cusack took
charge of the case. A thorough exam
ination of the house and it's occupants
was made. Nothing of value was miss
ing. The outside door was locked, and
the spring lock was in its place when
the servants got up this morning. The
inner door was ajar. A kitchen win
dow was partly raised, but there were
no marks on the snow outside or upon
the window sill to indicate that any
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
anywhere. The body was clad only in
an undershirt. At the foot of the
| couch were found the drawers and
stockings. The trousers and other ar
ticles of clothing which Mr.. Burdick
| had worn were in his bedroom on the
moor above. The bed had not been oc-
| cupied. ere - -
On the table in the smoking room tha
detectives found a bottle partly filled
with whisky and the remains of a. light
| lunch. Members of the family declare
that Mr.. Burdick never partook of the
| food of which the lunch was composed.
and never drank liquor while eating. In
this connection Chief Cusack this aft
ernoon gave out the following state
ment:
Theory of the Officers.
From what investigations I have
made l would conclude that Mr. Bur
dlck was called down stairs by a ring
or knock at the door after he was
| ready for bed, for he was clad only in
his undertaking. He evidently adj
mitted some one he knew we'll and
| took the visitor into the den for a
| talk and to partake of the luncheon
found there.
There are some signs of a strug-
gle. The fact that two of the fingers
OF Mr.. Rurdick's left hand were brok-
en- indicates that he put up his hand
| to ward off a blow which he saw COM
| ing.
THE body was covered with a rug
and several pillows, so that nothing
could be seen but the blood which flow
ed from under the pile.
The force with which the blows
that killed Mr.. Burdick were delivered
seems to preclude the possibility that
woman delivered Them
Mrs. Burdick. the murdered mans
wife, left home two months ago, with
the intention, it is said of not return
ing. On Dec. 5 proceedings for divorce
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
trouble may have had with the crime
the police do not presume to say.