Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-03-27

The testimony of Mrs. Hull where it
was at varience with that of Maggie
Murray, the cook, and others is the rea-
son for her recall to the witness stand.
The Rev. Mr.. Powers recently made q
statement over his signature defend
ing Mrs. Hull and accusing Pencil,
then dead, of the murder of Burdick.
1t is said. however. that it is not so
much on account of this accusation
that he was subpoenaed, but because
he was Burdick's pastor. He knew the
murdered man well. Burdick. it is
said, had talked to him of his troubles
and of Pencil and even Of the letters
Pencil had written to Mrs. Burdick.
Chemist Hill has the formal report on
| the contents of Burdicks stomach.
Every seat in Judge Murphy's court
| was occupied when the inquest was
| resumed at 1880 A. M, today, but the
| crush of other days was absent. The
scandals revealed by the testimony of
| the witnesses on the stand have become
| an old story and public interest in the
| inquest is on the wane, the general be-
| lief prevailing that no arrest will fol-
| low the present proceedings and that
| nothing in the nature of material evil
dence bearing directly upon the MUIR
der of Edwin L. Burdick will be forth
| coming. The evidence thus far has
dealt entirely with the motive. There
has been not the slightest evidence
| tending to establish the identity of the
murderer.
Rev. L. M. Powers was the first wit
| ness. He said that Mrs. Hull and the
IL
congregation.
You have had several talks with Mr..
Burdick regarding his domestic af-
fairs:" Il had two talks with him."
Can you say when the first talk &C.
| curred?" about two weeks at his Of
| flee prior to his death. ] went there
voluntarily to talk to him about the
| trouble in his family"
do you mind telling who had in
| formed you that there was trouble In
| the family?" 1T had become common
| talk at that time"
Did Mrs. Hull talk to you about it %
Yes. once"
He said he called at her house.
Il think l mentioned to her that I
had some trouble and she remarked
that she had some trouble also. 1
| think it started from that" said the
witness. "She told me her daughter
had left and that a suit for a divorce
was pending. She said her daughter
was not without fault. but that she
was not alone to blame, either; that if
l knew the whole story would not be-
lieve that the fault was all with her
daughter"
Mrs. Hull did not ask him to speak
to Burdick about withdrawing the di-
vorce suit On the first occasion that
witness visited Burdick he walked up
home with him and was with him
about an hour. .Burdick told him
this examination.
come out?"
'He told me that Pencil had threat
ened to commit suicide if the divorce
suit was not withdrawn, and that
Pennell had succeeded in impressing
the sincerity of his threat upon Mrs.
Burdick to the extent that she had be-
lieved him and induced Mrs. Burdick
to go to Pennell and tell him that if
he would get out of town he would cali
everything square. / think he said
Pennell had given a written promise to
leave town.
He told me that he had made UP
his mind to make public all the letters
that Pennell had written to Mrs. Bur-
dick and he impressed upon me how
ridiculous it would make Pencil APP
pear"
During your second visit to him
did you talk about his divorce suit?"
mot very much. I called on him on
business matter"
did you ask him to withdraw the
suit?" mot that time. I did the first
time l saw him."
did you ask him to take his wife
back?" Eyes. sir"
From Burdick's answer the witness
concluded that Burdick would not take
his wife back under any circum-
stances. "Burdick had very kindly
feeling for Mrs. Hull" said the wit
ness.
II think I mentioned to her that I