The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-01
PENNELL, MURDER SUSPECT.
HE HAD THE MOTIVE AND THE
OPPORTUNITY.

BUFFALO. March si.-The verdict or
decision which was given to-day by Police
Justice Murphy In the inquest on the murder
Of Edwin l.. Burdick charges Arthur r.
Pennell with the crime TO the extent OF
declaring that he had a motive and an
opportunity and that were he still living
a warrant might be issued for his arrest.
Two sentences In the opinion express the
weight given by the Justice to the testimony
against the dead correspondent His. OF all
others, was the motive strong enough to
incite a desperate mind already STEPPED In
wrongdoing to no foul and cruel murder
Again, after reviewing the evidences: AL
together, these facts would In my opinion
constitute just grounds OF suspicion on
which warrant could he issued were he
alive
The report is interesting throughout. for
the Justice had no legal kinks to explain
and his review Of the occurrences before
and after the crime Is terse and. as far as
il goes. accurate. The report assumes that
it would have been an easy matter for
Pennell to get a key to the Burdick house.
although the evidence never showed that
he possessed one. No other opinion Is given
as to the exact circumstances OF the crime,
n point on which public curiosity is still
sharp.
There are words Of blame or absolut ion
for most of the characters in the case. Jue.
tice Murphy censures Mrs: Burdick. and
adds that her punishment has bs en- great.
lie considers that the evidence has not
disclosed single immoral act on the part
Of her husband, and he overturns the theory
that Buftlick had woman visitor on the
night Of the murder.
Burdick's friend Mrs. Paine il exone-
raied, and so is Miss Hutchinson. who
worked for him. There is gentle censure
for the actions OF Mrs. Hull. Burdicks
mother in-law., and praise for pr. How
Ivy Dr, Marcy that Burdick had killed
himself
A crowd awaited the Justices appear
ance in the police court but II was not the
crowd Of the inquest days. Most OF the
auditors had come as witnesses in assault
cases and the absence OF the more fash:
ionable element showed that the general
interest in the case has been satisfied.
Justice Murphy's report which he read
aloud. was as follows
JUSTICE MURPHY's DECISION.
1 find and, certify that Edwin l., Burdick
came to his death in the early morning hours
Of Feb y. 1903. az his residence. ioi Ashland
was compound comminuted multiple fracture
II the skull; that, said fracturewas the result
Cd on
hack Of the head; that said blows were de-
OF said person has not been proven, :.
This inaues, was held for. the purpose q
waehes , or crime no nse
is reasonable ground to charge some certain
person with the same.
was living with his three little girls. whose
ages range from Is to 10 years. together
S W' na sfe residenSe His wife. The Children
mother, had not been home since nett the early early
Atlantic City. The deceased went home to
has never been seen since. 1t does not appear
from the evidence that anything unusual
cSsnns R sad Gr
tired with the children as usual.
One Of ths maids Ess out that n ss, eRS
into a %, lSs f SEG hsii lie sssppsd S.sS and
she heard some one shaking the furnace n
s ~ The farp.cs THE o.Ssr maid had
s"!Sst .ss Viz 9i Ss: En- sworn
went doSnstsirs as usual In the morning
Was open. and spoke Of burglars. The other
S the shs snf Gaor o
Then a doo1
ope n rSS'' Kitchen s windows We're raised,
and they thought maybe burglars were in
Burdick was nv. n his bedroom and the door
of his den was closed.
The Se III on Ge NJ; GS1 Tss . pos
when the maid called, The maid states that
and the grandmother were talking and ex-
claimed: Why. I heard papa 20 doSnstairs
that t'N i was s Alice, the younger sister. who
II liz = ss ,s vi. sr AZ rs ss
downstsirs that morning Mrs. Mrs Hull se;tifsd
and then rushed downstairs. dressing as she
went, and that was the first time she saw the
ra sd ,S n tSSt sSs was The b..
S1 se Of M HS sa' ss
the landing to the den door. Then she came
saan se re aer Miss 'sr vent
down the back stairway.
door nd called Mr. Burdick's first name
thro lines: that there vas no light In the
and they asresd to s send for pr; Marcy. the the
OF Mr. Burdick. but was nervous, alarmed
thynS 70 make him slee pit II. was he.
thing had happened. There Was mo no reason sS
why I should hesitate to go into the room
only fear did not know but might find
him dead IL II was he. didn't know who
was there. From the pile 1 saw on the couch
was afraid there was human being there
She did not want to alarm the children.
so instead OF using the tele phone In the house
she sent the maid to the drug store. from
which place DR.. Marcy. was called. He
was just getting up and hurried over with
out eating breakfast. Mrs. Hull met him
at the door and said she was afraid some
thing had happened That was about all she
could remember OF her conversation,
y.isaticp; but 5.' not fuzzy saplainsd That sas
Il WA: All ttIs dsrf In there, he said 20 be
pulled a blind down to admit the Hight He
then saw q stream Of blood on the hard wood
door near the centre of the couch. He could
not have told from outward appearance
that there was a body under the covering on
the couch. He removed two pillows and
came down 70 the cabin blanket, He ufted
that up far enough TO see the back Of the
head covered with blood. and upon touching
IL discovered a fractured skull. He immedi-
ately dropped the blanket back as u Was.
looked around the ROOM saw the remnAnts
OF lunch on the table. stepped out and closed
the door. Soon thereafter he telephoned
TO Dr. Rowland. the deputy medical exam.
inef, He accompanied Dr.. Howland into
,be DEN, raised the quill; as before and showed
He said that he told Or. Rowland aoout