The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-03-24
Mrs. BURDIGK ON The STAND
LETTERS 70 HER FROM ARTHUR
PENNELL READ.

Into the Darkness aud Kissed-The
Piace Enshrinsd to PenneII Because of
the scene-The Only Woman in the
World for Him-HIs Expressed Fenr
That He Might XIII Burdick--Mrs.
Burdick Hoped to Marry Him-DOubio
Divorce PIanned-The Furnace Man,
PenneII'a Servant Girl and BurdIck's
Lawyer Also Testify.
Buffalo, N. Y, March 2S.-Mrs. Alice
Hull Burdick, widow of Edwin L. Bur-
dick, underwent a relentless examina-
ton by District Attorney Coatsworth
this afternoon at the resumption of the
inquest into the death of her husband
who was murdered February 26. Mrs.
Burdick was on the stand when court
adjourned until 10 o'clock tomorrow
morning. She will be recalled to-mor
row to complete her testimony. With a
package of letters in his hands, some of
which were written to Mrs Burdick by
Arthur r. Pennell, correspondent in the
divorce proceedings instituted by Mr..
Burdiek, and other communications be-
tween Mr.. Burdick and his wife, Mr.
Coatsworth- forced Mrs. Burdick to tell
the story of her relations with Pennell
from the time he first made love to her
In New Haven in 1898 until 1901 when
there relations were renewed after Bur-
dick had forgiven his wife and had
taken her back to his home for the sake
of their children. Mrs. Burdick was
deathly pale while on the witness stand.
She answered questions in a low, fall
tering. town, evading a direct answer
whenever possible and reluctantly ad-
mitting facts when the district attorney
pitilessly read extracts of the love let
ters written to her by Arthur r. Pen
nell.
Not since the inquest into the murder
began has there been such intense in
terest in the proceedings. AS early as
ii o'clock in the morning men and wo-
men, mostly the latter, applied at the
police court for seats. Judge Murphy
ordered the room cleared and no one
was admitted until o'clock When the
inquest was resumed at 2 o'clock three
quarters of the spectat tors in the crowd
ed court room were women.
George G. Miller, attorney for Edwin
L. Burdick, In the divorce proceedings
against Mrs. Burdick, was the first wit
ness called. He told in detail the steps
that had been taken at the request of
/ Mr.. Burdick to secure a divorce. He
last saw Mr.. Burdick on the afternoon
of the day he was murdered. Burdick
spent half an hour with him discussing
the divorce matter. He did not state
! that he had an appointment with any
one at his home that night.
t'Mr. Burdick was ready at all times
to sacrifice his own interests for those
of his children" said Mr.. Miller. "He
carried a revolver, but I never heard
him say that he feared harm from
Pennell. AT a conference held at my Of
flee Pennell made one or two state
ments from which an intimation of
suicide could be drawn. never heard
Pennell say that unless the divorce ac-
tion was Withdrawn he would kill him.
self and Mrs. Burdick.''
Henry j. Orrett, the Pennell furnace
man, was the next witness. His testi-
mony was unimportant. He simply stat
ed that he removed the ashes from
Pennelrs furnace on the morning after
the murder He found no buttons
buckles, or metallic substance in the
ashes. Pennell put on the coal and
shook down the furnace as had been his
custom.
The next witness was Miss Lizzie
Romance, maid at the Pennell house a,
the time of the murder. She said Mr.
Pennell was with his wife in their room
reading at 7:45>on the night of the mur-
der. She saw them again at 10 O'Clock
when she passed their door. She did
not see them again until the next morn
ing. The servant said she did moi
notice the suit Of clothes Pennell had
on Thursday night before the murder
or the one he had on Friday morning
The girl admitted that she pressed Pen.
nelPs trousers, but she said she could
not remember which he Wore on either
occasion. She had not noticed whether
any of his trousers were missing
whether Pennell went to the furnace
Friday morning, nor whether or moi
Mr. and Mrs. Pennell left the house af.
ter 10 O'Clock Thursday evening.
Miss Romance did not notice anything
unusual in Pennells manner on the
evening he and Mrs. Pennell started fol
the automobile ride which ended in theil
deaths.
There was hum of interest in the
room when Miss Romance was excused
and Mrs. Burdick took the witnes:
stand.
Mrs. Burdick testified that she would
be forty-two years of age on April 80.
She was married to Burdick in 1886.
They had three children. She met Pen
nell at a card party five or six years
ago, at which Mr. Burdick was pres
ent. She went to New Haven and New
York with the Pencils in 1885, Mr..
Burdick did not go, being detained by
business. No unusual friendship
sprang up between her and Pennell.
Witness did not recall letter from
Pennell written in New Haven in 1900
in which he said: Yesterday I was
at the gateway on the campus grounds
where more than two years ago I drew
you in in the darkness. This place is
enshrined to me-
At this point Attorney Hartzell, Mrs.
BurdiclS's counsel, asked what was the
purpose of the questions. Judge Muir
ply said he could object to her answer
ing any questions that might hold Mrs.
Burdick UP to public ridicule.
Il zt~A l. H. 4