New-York tribune., 1903-03-24
MRS. BURDICK ON RACK.
HER LOVE FOR PENNELL.
She Tells the Story of Their
Relations
rRr rrELEcRApH TO THE rR1BCNE-I

examination of District Attorney COats"Orth
Mrs. Alice Hull Burdick. widow Of Edwin l.
Burdick was compelled to-day TO tell the detallS
of the clandestine Iovema king between her and
Arthur r PenneT which, according to MI Bur
dicks partner, ultimately led 10 Burdcks death
at the hands Of "PenneH OF a hired assassin
From the occasion in Nevy-Haven when Penneit
took me in his and kissed me-. MI coats
worth by series Of letters which Mrs BurdlcN
was obliged to identify as they were presented
to her. led her to the quarrel with her husoahd
over PenneII. the reconciliation. when she prom
ised TO give him up and the renewal or thelF
intimacy in violation Of this promise She was
still on the stand when the inquest was ad-
journed. and will be the first witness when It ls
renewed tomorrow morning.
Court did not open to-day until 2 O'Clock, but
by 10 in the morning the room was hlled with
men and women asking Judge Murphy for seats
at the inquest. He ordered the room cleared
then. hut in the afternoon. when the inquest
was called It was filed again with spectators
mostly women who waited impatiently through
the examination of three minor witnesses until
Mrs. Burdick called
MRS BURDICK PALE AND WASTED
She was pale and wasted, and answered Mr..
CoatswOrth's questions in low and trembling
voice. evading direct answers whenever posSf-
BILE and only admitting facts when the District
Attorney pressed his questions homo With ax-
/
would be forty-two years old on April 30, and
WAS married to Burdick IN 1888 They had three
children She first met Pennell at a card party
at which her husband present, and in 1888
went to New-Haven and New-York With the
PennelIs and it was IN 1893 that Pennen began
to make love to her
Here Mr.. Coatsworth showed her . letter
written from New Haven by Pennen In 1900, in
| which he safd Yesterday I was at the gateway
on the campus grounds where. more than two
years ago drew you in in the darkness THIS
place is enshrined to me" Mrs Burdick SAID
in a whisper that she recognized the handEr1t-
ing as Pennelrs and recalled the incident OF
/ which he spoke. PenneH went into doorway.
/ drew her in. took Ler in his arms and kissed her
! She thought she demonstrated"
PENNELL FEARS HE MAY KILL BURDTCK-
! The District Attorney then handed her several
| other letters from PenneII. written in 1900 In
/ one he spoke OF teIephoning to her from New
| York lust to hear her dear voice." while in
/ another he said that he should telephone to her
/ the next day, and "on Thursday he hoped 10
/ know the exquisite happiness Of seeing her
| In still another letter Pennell said As looked
| into your beautiful eyes last night feared
| there was some trouble hidden there did not
| know, but I feared 1t was because Of some other
| reason than because I was going away. II there
| was dearest. / wish you would tell me- There
| is that in the manner of your husband toward
| you that makes me fear sometimes that might
/ kill him
| Mrs Burdick identified the handwriting Of
/ all these letters. but said that she could not
| member receiving the last one
| She said that she kept her letters locked in
| a box and did not know whether her husband
! knew that PanneH writing to her She
/ thought that It January l. 1901. thIt
/ Mr. Burdicl first learned Of their intimacy q n
| that day she told him. IN reply 10 question
I Don oil
! Burdfck said that she was very inprudent. she
| agreed with him then, and did now.
| "Dfd YOU give the letters in the box 70 your
| husband then?" asked Mr.. Coatsworth-
! "I unlocked the box" Mrs Burdick replied
CHoKED BY HER HUSBAND.
How did you happen TO unlock IT."
| He forced me to-"
| How did he force your"
He took me by the throat"
| Mr.. Coatsworth then passed to the divorce
| suit phase Of the trouble. and Mrs Burdlck SAID
| that ar first IL was she who wanted TO get
| divorce from her husband in order to marry
| Penneu. 1t was expected that MI ana MIS-
| Penneu would be divorced In order tnar tn1s
| couId be accomplished Mrs. Penneu had oeen
| asked to consent to a divorce--sorneclneS SI10
did and sometimes she didn't
In Nav, 1901. Nj Burdick decided that ne
| had endured the condition long enough and
| san+ her away on account OF PenneA she
| went to Atlantic City and hired detectives "a
watch her husband. At the same time SnS was
| INVITING letters to her husband begging 70 De
| .eLen back as Mr.. CoatSworth showed ~
| nroducIng the letters which she Identtded-
| In one she promised never to SEQ ArH1UE
again and said that she would be a Uus ana
| loving wife She could not promise that PSn-
| rau would leave town. but declared that NJ
vyonId do what she said In another she Eaid
that she and Pennen realized that they must
Give each other up but that Pennell decl4nsd
| 70 40 ANYTHING that would mean a loss OF h1s
| selr-respect-'
NOT R1.AMED BY HER HUSBAND
On Nav 27 Burdick wrote to her that she
copId not be trusted. He said that II she loved
| rerreu as she said she did he did not blame
ber. that If he loved a woman she did Pen
nell he would do as she was doing. He referred
] TO her wearing a ring given to her by PenneIl
! over her lawful wedding ring. and declared that
| he had no faith in PenneIrs promises. and that
| she wished to be taken back only until PenneA
was freed from his wife
| In A later letter Rurdick declared that he had
| determined to fight for the little honor she had
| left him. and, after getting a divorce, to fight
| FOR the children He would insist on the coun-
| open court
| Three weeks after this letter Mrs Burdtck
| was taken back by her husband
! Mrs BurdIck said that after returning from
| Atlantic City. and after promising her husband
/ to be a good Wife. she met PenneI 1t was not
| her habit to meet him. but he was constantly
po,icittnE her TO do so. and she did meet him in
house in seventh-st She was there once
A,vr har 1ar