The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-03-26
Business Man of Indianapolis
 Throws Some New Light on Tragedy
SAYS MURDERED MAN WAS
 AN ESTIMABLE CITIZEN
As He Told the Story of His Domestic Troubles MT. Rice Says Tears Stood
 Out In Burdlek's Eyes and
 Was Completely Crushed.

Indianapolis, March 25.-E. L. Burdick the murdered Buffalo manufacturer, con- fded his troubles to Herbert Rice, ad- vertising manager of the Nordyke S Marmon company, in this city only a few weeks before his dead body was found in the Burdick manson.
 MT. Burdick and MT. Rice were per sonal friends The formers last visit here was on January 27, when he called on MT. Rice. He appeared troubled and he took the first opportunity to unbosom himself to MT. Rice.
 He said Pennell and his wife went to Buffalo and were taken into society" said MT. Rice. "and that the acquaint- anee of his wife and himself with the Pennells soon ripened into friendship, and the Pennells had the freedom of the Burdiek home.
 "He said Pennell was a brilliant chap socially, and that he admired him and knew his wife admired him also. He said Pennell and Mrs. Burdlck seemed to en- joy each others company particularly, but that he had no suspicious at first
 ..Burdick said he afterwards learned that Pennell and Mrs Burdick were hav- ing clandestine meetings. He said he confronted both Mrs. Burdick and Pen- nell with accusations. and both confessed to having had improper relations.
 Neither Promise Was Kept.
 "On promises of Pennell to leave Buff falo and the promise of his wife not to meet PenneIl again, Burdick said he agreed not to take any action in the mat Ger Neither promise was kept. he said ''When Burdick learned of the matter he threatened to bring suit for divorce. Again the guilty ones pleaded with him, he said, and on the second renewal of the promise first made. he again let the matter rest. These promises also were broken he said. Burdick said he found a slip of paper containing list of meet ing places and dates made out In cipher. On this paper was one address and date Burdck thought he deciphered correctly. Accompanied by detectives, he went to the address and found Pennell and Mrs. Burdick together.
 ~He determined to obtain a divorce he said. Burdick held a conference with Pennefl and Mrs. Burdick and Penneil and the woman agreed that they would not contest the suit for divorce but would aid in securing it in quiet way, to avoid notoriety as much as possible. Instead, they put detectives on the track of Bur dick, having resolved between themselves that they would contest the suit.
 Detectives Followed Him.
 ''Burdck said the detectives followed every move he made and trumped up lot of false evidence against him, which involved his friends, respectable people, of whom he thought a great deal Bur- dick did not know of the evidence ob- tained against him until after the detec- tives had reported to Pennell and Mrs. Burdick. They then endeavored to get him to withdraw his suit for divorce, threatening to use such evidence as would tend to besmirch the character of several respectable persons.
 "Mr Burdick said that this evidence was all untrue.
 He said Mrs. Burdlclx called on him and pleaded for the privilege of having the children with her and that he con sented to let her have one at a tme if she would deliver the false evidence in her hands she prepared against him, and not make use of it. This she refused to do He said Mrs. Burdick told him that she loved Pennell in way she could never love him.
 He said that on more than one occa- sion Pennell had threatened to commit suicide.
 "Burdfck was heartbroken and com pletely crushed Tears stood in his eyes as he told me of his troubles"
 MT. Rice said he asked Burdick why he did not kill the man who had wrecked his life and Burdick replied that such a thing could not be thought of, on account of the children.
 Mir. Rice has written District Attorney Coatsworth at Buffalo telling him of Burdick's confession to him, with a view of contradicting the evidence that tends to besmirch Burdcks character Rice said Burdick had no bad habits that he knew of, and that he always considered him an estimabe man.