The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-27
BURDICKl INQUEST CLOSED.
THE MYSTERY or THE MURDER
STILL REMAINS YELLED.

lie Told Him Of Threats by PenneiI
Said lie Would Make Public the
Letters n Penneil Persisted In De
tending His Divorce Suit-drs. Hull
SAYS she Asked Penneil Personally
and by Letter TO Let Mrs. Burdick Alone
BUFFALO. March 2e.-The inquiry into
the murder of Edwin l.. Burdick ended to.
dav without having revealed the identity
Of the murderer in any way that would
warrant conviction in trial by jury.
Testimony that would create q public
opinion is not always evidence to convict
So rs far as the law is concerned, the in
quest closes with the mystery still yelled.
Justice Murphy has the Testimony, but
he may not give his decision quickly. Next
Monday he will begin an inquest whose
purpose is to determine whether the PEN
nell automobile tragedy was accident or
suicide, or suicide and murder. When
that inquiry is out OF the way, the Bur-
dick decision will be handed down, proba-
bly, not before.
District Attorney Coatsworth had no
comment 10 make at the close Of the in
quest. AN the testimony has been made
public he said, "and all the information
was have has come out
The Pennell inquest might have followed
the Burdick inquest to-day II Justice Murphy
had had time to hear it. Thomas Penney,
former District Attorney, who has been
acting as counsel for the Pennell heirs,
protested to Justice Murphy against having
the Pencil inquiry practically merged
with or annexed to the Burdick inquiry.
Justice Murphy heard the protest in
chambers and later announced that the
Pencil case would be taken up on Mon
day. One of Mr. Penney's objections was
that il the Pennell case followed the Bur-
dick case 80 closely it might cause public
belief that Pennell had been implicated
in Blu rdick's death.
The District Attorney will participate
in the Pennell inquest This does not
mean that Mr.. Coatsworth thereby de-
cares a belief that Pennell was the MUIR
derer. At no time has he authorized the
expression Of any opinion that could in
dcate the identity Of any person he nav
believe to have had guilty knowledge
of the crime. He will enter into the PEN
nell inquest for the obvious reason that the
Burdick inquest has shown that, Pennell
figured prominently in Burdick's affairs
prior TO his death. and because he con :
may throw more light on the affairs of PEN
nell as they affected the affairs Of Burdick.
Mr.; Coatsworth is going to see the finish
II there be finish.
Among the witnesses to be subppnaed
20 the Pencil inquest are Lizzie Romance,
the servant; the two boys who saw the
Pencils plunge into the quarry; Volk, the
saloonkeeper at whose place Pennel had
drink few minutes before his death;
Wallace Thayer. to whom Pencil is sup
posed to have given 600 in trust for
Mrs. Burdick,. and many residents Of the
kensington district, where the horror
occurred. Some Of the life insurance com
panies are understood to have a lively in
ierest In the Pennell inquest, for in the
last year he took out policies amounting
10 $4,000 which would be null IL il
should he proved that he was a suicide.
BuRDrcK's PASTOR TEsTIFIEs.
The Burdick inquest ended without
dramatic climax. None was expect ed and
,ss!s fSs Rev.. sA os Y The Gss
Of the ehmoh Of the Messiah O'niversalist).
a man who recently named Pennell as the
murdePr. was the first witness. The
Burdicts attended his church and he had
severaltalks with Mr.. Burdick about domes-
tic affair. and also spoke 10 Mrs. Hull on the
subject, Mrs. Hull told him that Mr.. Bur-
dick would probably get his divorce. She
ihought her daughter would make a mis-
take TO night u. Burdick told him almost
everyt hing that came out AZ the inquest
relative 10 the divorce acion.
q. What question do you call to your
mind that has not been found out at this
inqucaf A. He told me that when the
trouble frst became acute in the family,
Mr. Pennell had threa, ened to kill himself
and hat he had evidently NO impressed
Burdick thai she believed IL and al Mrs.
Buriick's request Mr.. Burdick had gone 20
s~e Mr.. Pencil and told him no, 10 do it
hui o brace up and get out Of town and he
would let the whole thing 60. and ] think
he odd the that he had a written agreement
from NJ. Pennell that lie would do that
. Did he say anything Ia you about
the condition that existed since last Decem-
her when Mr.. Burdick went away from
his homet A. j don't know. just what you
mean by that. He told me about Mr.. PEN
n,els forcing Mrs. Burdick to fight the suit.
Tie aid when she went away she had agr,ed
not To do Il and he did not blame her for
10" action that wa taken. because he knew
thar think lac said when hs saw her at
the d'en.se- later she told him that she
did not, thai II wa not her fault that the
.ilit Sas being contested.
hrhDIck PROPOSED TO PUBLISH rHK LETTERS
y Now do you recall anything els thar
le said To you ~ that time. Doctor, thai YOU
lhinb las not already been brought ouf al
ihi- fact has loen brought oui that lac tod
~" that n Mr.. Pennsll continued 10 pr--s
ili' -'ni ~ Contest the suit. that lac Proposed
:" maze the i-ttsrs which had lSt,.u pub
hrls-i pubic aud hs impressed uIsbn my
nind how very ridioulotis u would make /
H. lrnnsll aiTHaf
. lad is al llsi time sllO~ YOU any ~
tIu.- l"ltsfrf No bu' be quol.d son,s
II tis ~inisiils IA me-
= ind y.u .rs. lim az fsq.ssi han ~ |
go 'hr hfsi Ds asian. zee. sif
y AHd sisi $40 lac nihyf A Nhy I