The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-03-17
Daughter Of Murdered Man
Not Easily Confused While
on the Witness Stand
ADMITS THAT SHE KNEW
OF LIVORCE PROCEEDINGS
Or. Marcy Tells of the Murder and
Explains Why He Wanted to Make
1t Case of Suicide-Pen-
nell Is Mentioned.

Buffalo. N Y, March 16.-Miss Marion
! Burdick, daughter of Edwin L. Burdck,
who was murdered at his home two
weeks ago, was a witness at the inquest
before Judge Murphy today She volun-
teered no information. She answered in
monosylables whenever possible. She
was not easily confused and there was no
sign of agitation or emotion when the
district attorney questioned her closely
regarding the events that occurred at the
time her father was murdered. Attorney
Coatsworth began by speaking kindly to
the girl and later he fired questions in
rapid succession, all of which were met
with replies both sharp and declsivt 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 clear en-
phatic II don't know" Nothing or i'm
portanee was elected from her while she
was on the stand
Marion admitted that she knew OF the
divorce proceedings instituted by Burdicx
against her mother. She sympsthized
with her father but would not admit that
she thought he was right in driving her
mother from home. Neither would she
admit that she knew of her mothers
meeting Arthur Pennell.
In reply to questions she said Mrs Hull.
her grandmother, first informed her OF her
fathers DEATH
Did Not Go In Den.
! Before learning that her father was
| dead. Marion said she did not go near the
! den She knew he was very i'll and tnat
no one was taking care of hin
why did not you go to him?' asked
the district attorney.
Because l knew something dreadful
had happened.
How did you know it?"
From the way my grandma looked.
She was very pale.
why did you not ask her about your
father?"
II knew when 1t was proper for me to
know she would tell me. l knew that If
care would do any good, grandma would
have been in there taking care of him."
The district attorney again asked Ma
rion just why she did not enter the den
that morning; what made her think
something dreadful had happened to
which she replied
Il did not know"
did you think you were doing right
not to ask about hIm?'
Yes"
You do not think you should have
done differently"
II do not"
When asked IL she believed her father
did right in sending her mother away,
Marion replied that she did not know.
She sympathized with her father.
Did you not know a year ago tlA
your mother was meeting Arthur X. Pen
nell?" asked District Attorney Coats
worth.
Il did not"
DR.. Marcy a Witness.
DR.. William Marcy the family physi-
clan and the first person to see the dead
body after the murder and covered it up
with cushions, the first witness OF
the day. He admitted that he told DIR.
Rowland, the medical examiner, that II
It was suicide or looked suicidal 1t would
be all the better for the family to make
1t out a case of suicide.
Later he agreed with DIR. Rowland that
the suicide theory was untenable Upon
being asked to relate the conversation be-
tween himself and DIR. Rowland in which
the word suicide occurred Dr. Marcy
said:
1T was after the police came there.
When DIR. Howland came down stairs VIC
went into the parlor and sat down and
talked the matter over. | said that If IL
was suicide or II 1t looked like suicide.
and he could make 1t out a case of SUI
eide, why, II would be all the better for
the family. He said it not suicide.
and | replied that was all right I spoke
of 1t on the impulse of the moment
1T was quite a while after you had
reached the house when you spoke to
Rowland about it being suicideT'
Yes, sir.
"And yet you spoke Of II on the impulse
OF the moment?"
We'll. / thought II would save Bur-
dicks good name. / saw him almost dts
robed lying on the couch and | saw the
lunch on the table and 1t all looked very
shady. especially as the divorce proceed
ings had been started"
Witness said Mrs. Hull had not asked
him at any time how Burdick mad been
killed. He told Mrs. Hull to go upstairs
before he entered the den. He Cid net
think she would be near the den Wit
ness remained in the house until about
1870 o'clock
A Woman There.
To Justice Murphy, DIR. Marcy said he
was of the opinion, judging from the
lunch. etc, that Burdick's murder had
grown out OF the divorce proceedings. He
thought he had had a woman visitor
there.
In response to Attorney Hartselrs qu.s-
tions. Or. Marcy said he had come to ras
conclusion that Burdick was killed be-
tween midnight and o'clock in the morn
hg.