The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-03-06
POLICE HESITATE.
No Arrest Has Been Made in
Burdick Murder Case.
Officers Still Insist That a
Woman Did It.
MRS. PAINE'S STORY.
Woman Whose Picture Was
Found in Burdick's Den
Makes Straightforward State
ment Of Her Whereabouts.

of the identity of the person who muir
dered Edwin L. Burdick and that the
person was a woman, they still hesitate
to make a decisive move
An official in a position to know the
exact situation was asked:
DO you expect an arrest today?"
No. not today nor tomorrow nor the
next day.
We must have strong evidence when
we arrest anybody for we know that
as soon as an arrest is made, lawyers
are standing ready to apply for a
habeas corpus writ to rush US into court
and make US disclose our case at the
first jump"
Does suspicion still point to a wo-
MANI"
1T does. It points to one who had to
meet expenses amounting to about $1O0
a month without any visible means to
meet them. We will name no names
until it is written in the warrant charg-
ing the person with murder in the first
degree
Perhaps the most interesting develop
ment in connection with the crime itself
is the interview given by DR.. Marcy in
which he says that the victims head
was not only beaten to pulp, but that
the murderer carefully wrapped quilt
around the murdered mans body to
smother any possible outcry. If the
/ blows on the head had not been fatal
! the victim certainly would have smoth-
cred in the tight folds of the quilt
around his head and the upper part of
| the body.
MRS. PAINE's STATEMENT.
Buffalo, March 6.-Mrs. Seth T.
Paine of 492 Elmwood avenue whose
picture was found in Burdick's den,
has made a statement. Her name has
frequently been used in connection with
4 the investigation OF the murder. Her
home has been searched and she has
been questioned by the authorities.
/ While in Mr.. CoatsWortls office the
ca abnaan who met an unaccompanied
woman on Ashland avenue on the night
of the murder was taken into the room.
Mrs Paine said: I know absolutely
nothing of the murder of Mr. Burdick
have no idea who committed it. I
have no theory as to who did it how
it was done. simply know nothing at
all about it.
My maiden name was Gertrude
Barnard. I am % years of age.
came from Albion, Orleans county. My
father was an Episcopal minister; later
I moved to North Tonawanda At that
time Dr. Paine was not a dentist, but
he was working in TonaWanda.
We were married. Since then he
became a dentist and now practices in
Batavia, coming home usually at least
once week.
We have one child. a girl of seven
years. She is now living with me
Both my husband and I know the
Burdieks we'll Yes, we also knew the
Pencils and the WarrenS. Mrs. War
rem formerly lived in Buffalo, and we
were well acquainted I know nothing
of the divorce action of Mrs. Burdick
and Mr.. Burdick. My name has not
appeared as correspondent in any
action for divorce by Mrs. Burdick
against MI Burdick- There is no rea-
son whatever why it should. My hus-
hand and I have visited or called on
the Burdicks and they have called on
us. I do not recall having called on
them without my husband and 7 am
positive 1 never called alone on Mr.
Burdick at his house. For the past
two years I do not think DR.. Paine and
I have called regularly on the Bur
dicks.
The last time I talked with Mr.. Bur
dick was last Thursday. CThe day before
the murder). 1t was over the telephone
On Wednesday he called uD on the
phone and asked me about matter
that was purely social and did not re-
late in any way TO an appointment. l
told him I would let him know the next
day and on Thursday I did call him up
on the phone. This was shortly after
noon 7 think. We had a brief converse
ton and that was the last time talked
with him. I did not see him thereafter.
On Thursday evening I had dinner as
usual between and o'clock. 1 did
not go out of the house after dinner.
Some people live in the house with US.
One of them is the young woman named
Mrs Mary Cunningham. She is not my
maid. She is employed down town and
works for a living She knows that I
did not go out after dinner.
she had a caller on Thursday even
ing and they sat chatting in her rooms
After dinner 1 went into the DarlOr and
read the naDerS- took some water Up
to her room. knocking on the door and
at that time she and her caller were sit
ting chatting. After leaving them I
went to my room Before retiring I sat
for about ten minutes with my little
girl while she played and scrawled on q
blackboard. Then she wane to bed and
soon afterward I retired
I slept as usual and awoke as usual
on Friday morning I positively was
not out of my house between dinner on
day. I passed no one on the street for
/ was not on the street. ExceDt those
in my house no one saw me and l saw
no one
All of Mrs. Paine's statement regard
ing her movements have been corrob-
grated by Mrs. Cunningham.
DR. MARCY'S STORY
Dr. William r. Marcy, who was the
first man to reach the Burdick home
after the murder, consented to an inter-
view today Some details about the To-
cation of the body and Burdicks cloth
ing which have been in doubt wer 2
given by DR.. Marcy. He said:
7 was summoned to the Burdick
home by a telephone message which re-
ouested me to come to the house at
once. 7 asked if there had been any
trouble and the person at the other end
Of the line said she did not know [
arrived at the house a short time later
and was met at the door by Mrs. Huh,
Mr. Burdick's mother-in-law went
Immediately to the smoking den on the