The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-03-05
ON The TRAIL.
Buffalo Police Firmly Convinced
1t Was a Woman
Who Murdered E. L. Burdick in
His Home.
AN IMPORTANT CLUE
Another Mysterious Carriage in
Ashland Avenue
The Night on Which the Crime
Was Committed.

Buffalo, N. Y, March 5.-There was no
development throughout the night in the
Burdiclz murder case. The officials claim
to be absolutely certain that the murder
was committed by a woman; that they
know the woman and that they can
make an arrest the moment their claim
of evidence is sufficient to secure a con
vietion- A house in the Elmwood dis
trict is being watched day and night.
The police decline to say why they arc
watching the house. Last night for the
first time the detectives were Withdrawn
from the New York Central and other
stations. This move is regarded as
strong evidence that the police believe
they know where the murderer is and
that there is no danger OF escape. An
important fact made public today IS
that on the morning when the body oil
Burdick was discovered the top drawer
in table at the head of the couch
| where the body lay was open. Assocl1
ated with facts and circumstances un-
covered since then, the open drawer
looms up. the police believe, as a most
important clew.
The police questioned the occupants
of the Burdick house and were informed
that the drawer was open when the
body was found. In the drawer the
letters and papers were disarranged,
and on the floor were several papers, in
dicating that they had been dragged
/ out Of the drawer and left where they
fell. The police say that certain letter $
were taken from the drawer. They are
confident that they are on the right
track
What is more, they claim to have IN
their possession at the present time a
strong card which they have not played.
Buffalo, March 5.-District Attorney
Goa CVrOrfhfG =
again the place around which interest in
/ the Burdick murder mystery centered
today. Several unknown men and WO-
men were admitted at the private en-
trance to the office and later were hur-
ried away from the city hall in closed
carriages While Superintendent Bull is
quoted as saying an arrest-the arrest
OF a W0mau-naay occur at any mo-
lnent. the authorities are working as
hard on the case today as they did tie
first day after the tragedy was discoY-
cred. I'VE think we could make an ar
rest now in safety, said Superintendent
Bull today but we prefer to wait. as
we believe that certain evidence which
we wish to gather viii lead to success
full results.
Less information is allowed to find its
way out OF the district attorney office
than heretofore. The publicity given the
names of persons who have called at
the office no DOUBT has prevented many
who might be able to give suggestion
from imparting that information to
authorities. Today the district attorney
announced through the press that those
desiring. to confer with i'm might do So
by telephone OF If they called at the
office their desire to conceal their ldenti-
~ would be respected The result OF
this announcement it is stated, has been
to bring flood Of new material into
the hands of the authorities.
One new fact developed from this
source brings into the case another
mysterious carriage which was halted
in Ashland avenue, north OF the block
in which is situated the Burdlck nome
late on the night of the murder This
new development is looked upon as one
Of the most important cleWs of that
particular kind that has come to light
since investigation began.
The police now say they have discov-
cred indisputable evidence that Edward
L. Burdick was murdered by a. woman,
that he was lying defenSeless on a couch
when the first blow was struck, and that
no struggle occurred. The evidence
from which these conclusions are ad-
duced is considered the most importan nj
yet secured.
The assertion that Burdick was lying
down is based on the fact that there
was not even a spot of blood on the
floor of the den except just beneath
1.-The couch, and that had soaked through
from the couch. That the attack came
unaWareS is shown by the further fact
that there were no evidences OF Strug-
/ gle 1t is probable the first blow dazed
the unfortunate man and incapacitated
him for resistance
That the assailant was not a man the
criminal authorities believe from SONS
things they have disclosed and some
things they decline to make known. Nc
one now doubts that a woman was witr
Burdick that night and in his den.
THE direct evidence of the crime was
concealed by woman" say the police
I'VE are satisfied Of that fact; and if il
was a woman who piled the cushion:
on Burdicks body it was a woman who
killed him
The woman who struck the fata
blows had some things to do before she
left the room. and to do these things She
required a light. But all who under
stand a WOn1sn's nature know tha
women cannot bear horrible sights. This
womans nervous system could not bear
the appearance of a corpse. with thg
head horribly mutilated, lying on the
couch, even for the few minutes whicf
IT was necessary for her to remain II
the room.
1T was no doubt necessary for this
woman to put on her wraps after the
murder While she made her prepara-
tions for going on the street, therefore
she concealed the corpse of Burdick by
< covering it with cushions.
These. however, are not the only
reasons we have for believing a woman
committed the crime. We have othei
2 evidence but cannot disclose it now
Assistant superintendent of Polio.
: Cusack said today.
I am as firmly convinced as eve
that it was a woman who killed Bur
! dick. This woman was not a woman
-. of the street either Tt was. in m.
! opinion, a woman of some social stand
2 ing. particularly one of the set il
? which Burdiek moved"
I fully expect the murderer will b
apprehended and punished. but this be
lief is not based on any evidenc
which we now have in our possession.
= said Assistant District Attorney Alb
/; bott
The woman who conversed with III