Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-03-19
BuRD|CK PAPERS
ARE MUCH WANTED
n Friend OF the Dead Man Tells
OF Letters Not Yet
Produced.
THREATS THAT WE'RE MADE
Associate of Burdick Decls~-s His Be.
lief That Somebody Wanted to
Suppress the Scandal of "a
Divorce Suit.


prints am interview with person who
Buffalo Envelope company and for
twelve years a close friend of Edwin L.
Burdicil. The interview in part is as
follows:
II had been acquainted with Mr.. Bur-
dick for twelve years prior to his death.
came In almost daily contact with
him and for some time past had been
more or less in his confidence. First of
all l want 10 say something in defense
of his oharcater, Which has been UNI
justly maligned by statement and in
situation. Mir. Burdick was a gentle
man in every sense of the word. This
talk about his intimacy with women 1
believe WAS wholly without foundation.
Though / knew in the early part of
December that Mr.. Burdicil had made
will cutting off his wife. it was not
until after Christmas that | learned
anything about the divorce proceed
inss. He then told me of having be-
gun q suit for divorce in the carly part
of November
Murder to Stop Scandal.
II cannot help believing from all 1
heard from MIR. Burdick that the motive
for the crime might have been a desire
to suppress the scandal that would
have been incident to the trial of di-
vorce suit. Soon after Mr.. Burdick told
me of his having begun divorce pro-
ceedings he showed me a letter he had
just received from New York. MIR. Bur
dick handed me the letter and l read
every word of it.
In the letter the writer was trying
hard to bring about reconciliation
between MIR. Burdck and his Wife She
all lnI wifi, 1i,.lr f,1yo to-
back. The writer also wrote i'm this
letter something that Rurdick con-
strued as a threat that unless there
was a reconciliation there would be
a double suicide. l cannot remember
the exact words but they We're some-
thing like this: DO you want to put
an end to all our lives?'
Mr.. Isurdiek pointed out that partic-
ular part of the letter to me and said:
That means suicide. Well, let them
go ahead and do it,
1T seems to me that this letter ought
to be found. What has become of it,?
Did he have 1t in his desk in his den
at his home and was ii taken by the
murderer when rifiing the drawer that
was found open?
Another paper that should be found
was list of twenty meeting places
that Mr.. Burdick had occurred for use
in his divorce proceedings"
Burdick's Daughter Testifies.
Miss Marion Burdick, the pretty.
rosy checked daughter of the late Ed
ward L.. Burdick, was the most inter-
esting witness at the inquest before
Judge Murphy today.
Marion is l6 years of age, and bears
a striking resemblance to her mother,
Like Mrs. Hull, she volunteered no
information. She answered in mono
4, Gil n. IL
Yes or No" or when those replies
would not suffice she used as few words
as possible. She was not easily con-
fused. and there was no sign of agita-
ton or emotion when the district at
torney questioned her closely regard
ing the events that occurred at the
time her father was murdered.
Mr.. Coatsworth began by speaking
kindly to the girl, and carefully choos-
ing his words in putting questions to
her. Later he fired questions in rapid
succession, all of which We're met with
replies both sharp and decisive At
one time, when the district attorney
asked the same question several times,
the girl caused a murmur in the court
room by raising her voice sharply in a
clear, emphatic II don't know"
Nothing of Importance was elected
from her while she was on the stand,
and the district attorney finally gave
ger up in despair.
Mrs. Hul's Actions.
She said that Grandmother Hull first
informed her that her father was i'll in
his den, before Mr.. Marcy arrived, and
before Mrs. Hull knew positively, ac-
cording to her own testimony, that 1t
was Burdick's body lying on the couch.
The district attorney tried 10 get Ma
rion to tell why she apparently took so
little interest In her fathers illness
when she was told of it by her grand
mother. Marion replied that she knew
when it was proper for her to know
Grandmother Hull would tell her. She
loved her father, and he had ALWAYS
been good to her, but she would not
admit that there was anything wrong
in her not inquiring about his illness.
or that she should have done differ
emily.
Marion admitted that she knew of
the divorce proceedings instituted by
Burdick against her mother. She sym
pathized with her father, but would not
admit that she thought he was right in
driving her mother from home Meth
er would she admit that she knew of
her mother meeting Arthur r.. Pennell.
DIR. William Marcy, the family ply
stefan, and the first physician to see
the dead body after the murderer COW
cred it UP, was the first witness of the
day.
DR. Marcy admitted that he told DR..
Rowland. the medical examiner, that if
it was suicide or looked suicidal. ii
would be better for the family to make
it out a case of suicide Later he
agreed with DIR. Howland that the sui
eide theory was untenable.
PENNELL'S NAME USED.