Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1900-1903, 1903-02-28
MURDERED MANS WIFE
Returned To-Day To The Home
She Had Left

Mystery Still Clouds the Affair, Al
though the Police Have Clue-Tuft
of Hair, Probably Torn from His As
sailant's Head, Found in the Dead
Mans Hand.
Buffalo, Feb 2S.-1MrS e. l.. Burdick,
the widow of the man found murdered
yesterday in his home, arrived here to-
day from Atlantic City, and was driven,
to the house on Ashland avenue. Dis
trict Attorney Coatsworth,, Assistant
Abbott and several detectives worked
together on the case until an early hour
to-day. The most Important clue so far
is the finding Of the hackman who
drove an unidentified man to within
few doors of the Burdick residence
about midnight on Thursday night.
A second most valuable clue is In the
hands Of the authorities. It Is a tuft
Of hair, about sixteen or twenty hairs.
They were found on the person Of Mr.
Burdick, but are not Of his hair. They
look as If they had been torn out Of
some ones head Whether they were
in the head of man or of woman
the authorities do not say. The hair
is Of a color and texture which can be
quickly matched with the hair of
which 1t was a part.
The picture of a married woman of
this city was found in the "den,' but
the district attorney laid aside so far
as it's Immediate value Is concerned.
A paper sent to Mr. Burdick by a
| Cleveland woman, containing an ac-
count Of the granting of a divorce from
her husband was likewise found. The
police learned that the woman was in
| Cleveland Thursday night, and that her
| former husband is working in New
York or some other eastern city. A
visit was made after midnight upon a
| wei known attorney residing in the
| same locality. He and his wife were
| questioned at length. The officials
| simply endeavored to get all the infor-
nation possible relating to Mr. Bur
dicks affairs.
BUFFALO, Feb 2s.-Edwin L. Bur-
dick, president of e. L. Burdick & Co.
/ and Of the Buffalo Envelope company
/ has been murdered at his home on
/ Ashland avenue, in one Of the finest
residence sections Of the city. The
theory at first advanced-that the
| crime was the work of q burglar-was
| abandoned as the police probed deeper
into the case, and while they claim to
| have several important clews no ar
| rest has been made.
Burdick was last seen alive last night
/ at 1890 when he bade the other mem
| bers Of the household goodnight and
started for his room, apparently with
the intention of retiring for the night.
5. In the morning his body, clad in an un-
dershirt, was found lying on couch
i in small room off the lower hall used
| by Burdick as a smoking room. The
body was covered with a rug and
number of sofa pillows. The couch
| was saturated with blood, and the
walls and floor of the little den were
bespattered with Burdick's brains and
blood. The body when uncovered pre-
sented CHASTITY sight. His head had
been crushed with some blunt instru-
/ ment, and the blows were delivered
with such force that the skull was
crushed in several places, and brains
were oozing out upon the couch.
Chief of Detectives Cusack took
charge of the case. A thorough exami-
nation of the house and it's occupants
was made. Nothing of value was miss
ing.
. Mrs. Burdick, the murdered mans
| wife, left home two months ago, with
the intention, it is said, of not return
ing. On Dec. proceedings for divorce
were filed in the county clerks Office by
| Mr.. Burdiclz.