The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-02-28
RICH BUFFALO MAN MURDERED
Found Dead in His Smoking Room-No
 Clue 60 AssassIH.

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 Buffalo, Feb. 27.-Edwin L. Burdick, president of F. L. Burdick & Co. and of the Buffalo Envelope company, was murdered early to-day at his home on Ashland avenue, one of the finest resi- dence sections of the city. The theory at first advanced, that the crime was the work of a burglar, was abandoned, as the police probsd deeper into the case, and tonight, while they claim to have several important clues, no arrest has been made.
 Burdick was last seen alive last night at 10;30, when he bade the other mem bers of the household good night and started for his room, apparently with the intention of retiring for the night. His body, clad in an undershirt, was found lying on couch in small room off the lower hall used by Burdick as a smoking room. Tlie body was cover ed with rug and number of sofa pil- lows. The couch was saturated with blood and the walls and floor of the lit tie den were bespattefed with Burdicks brains and blood. His head had been crushed with some blunt instrument and the blows were delivered with such force that the skull was crushed in several places. .1~ ..,-
 A thorough examination of the house and it's occupants proved that nothing of value was missing. A kitchen win dow was partly raised, but there were no marks on the snow outside or upon the windowsill to indicate that any one had entered there. All the other win dows and doors of the house were se- curely fastened. f., -. .egs-
 The body was clad only in an under shirt. At the foot of the couch were found the drawers and stockings. The trousers and other. articles of clothing which Burdick had worn were in his bedroom on the floor above. The bed had not been occupied. On the table in the smoking room the detectives found @ bottle partly filled with whiskey and the remains of light lunch. Members of the family declare that Burdick nev- CT partook of the food of which the lunch was composed, and never drank liquor while eating. In this connection Chief Cusack gave out the following statement:
 From what investigations I have made I would conclude that MT Bur dick was called down stairs by ring or knock at the door after he was ready for bed for he was clad only in his underclothing. He evidently ad- mitted some one he knew we'll and took the visitor into the den for talk and to partake of the luncheon found there.
 There are some signs of a struggle. The fact that two of the fingers of Burdick's left hand were broken indi- cates that he put up his hand to ward off blow which he saw coming"
 Mr. Burdick was very fond of feni- nine company. The force with which the blows that killed Burdick were de- livered, however, seems to preclude the possibility that woman delivered them.
 Mrs. Burdick, the murdered mans wife, left home two months ago with the intention, it is said, of not return ing. On December 3 proceedings for divorce were filed In the county clerks office by MT Burdick. IL is understood that Mrs. Burdick went to Atlantic City. What connection Mr. Burdick's domestic trouble may have had with the crime the police do not presume to say.