The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-03-15
FOUND BODY
 OF BURDICK MOther-in-laW of Dead Man TeStifieS. POINTED QUESTIONS ASKED District Attorney Attempts to Break Down Witness. Mrs. Hull Says She Was Afraid to Enter Den, Though She Had No
 Idea Burdick Was
 Corpse.
POINTED QUESTIONS ASKED

Buffalo, N. r., March A-The testi- mony of Mrs. Hull, mother of Mrs. Bur dick, attracted the most interest at to- days session of the inquest into the murder of Edwin L. Burdick, which was begun this morning in the police court here before Judge Murphy. On account of the small size of the court room only a limited number of persons were ad- mitted.
 Replying to questions of District At torney Coatsworth, she said that her daughter was at Atlantic City on the night of the murder. While Mrs. Bur dick was at Atlantic City, the witness received letters and telegrams from her. After the murder the witness telegraphed her daughter: Come home. MT. Bur dick Is dead"
 The reply was: Leave tonight. Will be home in the morning."
 Mrs. Hull said that Burdick came into the dining room Thursday evening, the night of the murder, with a bottle in his hand. She did not know what 1t con- tained and she did not see 1t again. Bur dick and his daughter, Marion, were in her room about 7:30. She did not see Burdick again that night, but heard him talking with his eldest daughter, whom he kissed good night and went dwn stairs. She did not leave her room again that night after putting the chil- dren to bed about s:30.
 Opened Door of Den.
 She got up the next morning at the usual hour without being called. The Murray girl called to her that the front
 
 was open and that she had called to MT. Burdick and received no answer Mrs. Huh averred that she heard no voices af- ter she went to bed; she did not hear the Murray girl come in or hear the bell ring. When she went to the den she said she opened the door a little way and called Ed several times. She saw something on the couch. It was dark in there. She saw the Murray girl in the hall and said: Maggie. fear that some thing has happened 1 do not dare go in there. do you? What shall we do?" Then I said that we had better send for Dr. Marcey." she continued.
 Why did you not call next door neigh bors?" asked MT Coatsworth.
 q thought it best to call the dector." Why did you not go into the den that morning."
 "I was too nervous"
 What did you think?
 T did not know what had happened. I thought perhaps it was Ed on the couch. Why were you afraid to see him sleep ing?"
 If he had been sleeping my screams would have awakened him. was afraid to find him In there. Of course I did not know 1t was Ed"
 Then you did scream?'
 Screams Failed to Arouse Him. "Yes, as loudly as I could. It did not arouse him and I was frightened"
 You had no reason for expecting to find him dead in there?'
 No; except that he did not respond to my screams"
 She did not use the telephone in the house to call Dr. Marcey because 1t was close to the children's room and she did not want them to hear her. When pr. Marcey arrived she told him she was afraid something had happened.
 Previous to pr. Marcey's arrival Mrs. Hull said she had just stepped over tho threshold and looked in.
 At this point Mir Coatsworth handed Mrs. Hull photograph of the den with the body of the murdered man lying ON the couch covered as Dr. Marcey found 1t covered.
 Mrs. Hull took the photograph without so much as a trembling of her hands and looked at it intently and calmly. Then she discussed the picture and pointed out the familiar objects In the den.
 MT. Coatsworth's examination was con ducted all through with the evident pur- pose of breaking down the witness lie kept the photograph before her TOT many minutes
 Does these photographs represent the den as you saw that morning." asked he. ''I do not remember" "The body on the couch was covered as this photograph shows?"
 T think so."
 Photograph of Body.
 MT. Coatsworth then showed witness a photograph of the den taken after the covering had been removed from the body. It showed the body of the mur dered man on the couch with battered and bloody head
 Mrs Hull took the photograph from Coatsworth and looked at it. Her hands trembled a uife.
 'Is that the way the den looked after pr Marcey arrived?" asked Mir Coats worth.
 .'I never saw the room after he came" :" replied Mrs. Hull looking the District At torney sauarely in the eye.
 Witness said she never had asked for and had never been told of the details of the tragedy She denied having said that she thought she knew some one who might have done it She had had no con- yersation on the subject except with the officials She had never told Burdick he was as much to blame as his wife.
 But you thought he was?"
 ''I do not know that l did. certainly thought that she was imprudent. thought that If he had done differently olwould have"
 Witness sair she an dBurdick had never quarrelcd.
 Mrs. IIuli said Burdick had always treated her kindly and with great con- slleration. addressing her as Mother Hull"
 ''Ts 1t not a fact that you stayed in that house after your daughter left only on account of love for the children?
 Yes and for MT. Burdick's sake" AIrs. HulVs examination ended at this