The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-22

Buffalo. March "A bad quarter Of an
hour is promised for Mrs. Burd.ck when
she IS placed on the witness stand Monday.
Z In many ways Mrs. Burdick's testimony
2 is expected to throw a great deal of light
20 on The subject OF the murder, as II will. II
she tells the truth under oath. make clear
the relations that existed between herself
ana Pennell and between Pennell and Bur-
s.,dick.
~ For, in spite of the earlier theories Of the
police and District Attorney. the belief has
grown to be almost a certainty that Pen
senen did the murder and afterwards killed
himself and his wife by deliberate plunge
,-over the cliff into the Jamerthal quarry.
1owhila this view was taken very early by
sdthe general public. It is only within the last
Gsfcw days that the police have been willing
11soto admit even its possibility.
General Bull, Superintendent Of Police.
ssias said:
y ut looks more like Pennell than ever. But
,1who was his acconplice?"
The police are not willing to abandon the
idea that there was a woman, whether an
inmate OF the house an outsider inapli-
Gated In the murder. and there are many
things that seem TO bear out this theory.
The view that Penneli YVES the murderer
however, cannot be attributed in any way
TO the fact that he is dead and cannot de-
fend himself from such attacks, but IL
borne out by long chain OF circumstances
the strength and length of which are in
creased almost daily.
PENCILS EFFECTS SEARCHED
II was learned from the police that PEN
nells personal effects were thoroughly and
completely searched by trusted men, not
directly connected with the Police Depart
ment. but in their confidence, the day after
his tragic death Every private pigeon hole.
every safe-deposit box and every drawer
was Tansacked fer something that might
THROW some Light on the Burdick tragedy.
=, Not paper or scrap OF writing OF any
kind, bearing in the remotest way upon PEN
eeneus relations with the Burdicks was
found.
This fact in itself is held by those who
care acquainted with It to bear out the sui
eide theory in Pencils case
How the tell tale letter came into Bur-
w. dicks hands rs something that was not
-~made clear to Mr.. Coatsworth. He has
received information that for several
81 months prior TO her leaving home Mrs. Bur.
r, dick had private letter box at the gen.
eral post Office. to which Burdick in some
away had obtained a key and from which
he used some times to take letters ad-
dressed to his wife.
Whether he got this Pencil letter IN tina,
. way or whether he found 1t in his wife'i
rEefects IL not known. Of course, tut that
Il had been In Buriic1's possession for some
time Ia said to be plain by the condition
-erof the letter and its envelope. which hsd
evidently been much handled.
M The letter Is dated about eleven month.
ago. or about the time that Mrs Burdick
was driven from her home by her husband
sawhen he began his suit for divorce 1t con-
sists OF four pages of note paper. Beside:
the expression already referred to, It dis
c,isses the conferences which Pennen haa
with Burdck. the necessity for having Bur
Esdiclcs suit withdrawn, and in a genera
way throws a good deal of light on the
relations between the Burdicks and the
Pencils.
ENDEARING TERMS IN LETTER.
following up this introduction with term,
of endearment that show It to be . low
letter Of the most impsssioned type suci
letter as q man would write who woult
sscsrry IN his pockets such articles about
love and life as those which were found
on Pennell when he died.
n That Mrs. Burdick must have written hin
3 IN earlier letter. some time early last year
telling him that her husband was AGAR
n suspicious is evineed by Pennells expires
mons of regret that anything should have
nsflappened to make her home Life unhappy.
Pennell assures Mrs. Burdiek Of his con.
Germ for her happiness. and tries to en-
courage her to bear " and Be Of good