The Washington times., 1903-03-29
PENNELL FAILED TO
TELL POLICE THAT He
PURCHASED REVOLVER
In Describing Movements on
Morning of Murder.
HIS AGITATION REMARKED
Clerk IN Main Street Store Noticed
That Suspected Man Acted
Strangely.

BUFFALO. y. Y. March 2S-Arthur
r. Pennell bought a revolver at the
Main Street store Of walbridge & Co. or
the morning of Friday, February p.
within two hours after the discovery OF
Burdick's dead body and before the news
or the murder had been made public.
Pennell was an old customer at Wal
bridges. and that may be one of the rea-
sons that the police did not lean OF tho
sale until today
E W Fox. who has charge Of the
sporting goods department and who
made the sale. said this afternoon that
he had not related the incident because
until now he did not consider it Impor-
tant The revolver having been bought
after the murder. he said. caused him TO
think the matter of no moment.
Mr.. Fox was well acquainted with
Pennell, having sold him golf sticks and
other sporting goods About a month be-
fore the murder BE sold revolver to
Pennell. IL was a Smith Wesson of
.s2 caliber. and cost Sl1 Penneu said
someone had broken into his house ana
had stolen his revolver and that he liked
10 have one on hand. He seemed aef-
lated that morning IL was between Q
and 10 O'Clock that he entered the store
by the Pearl Street entrance.
Give me cheap revolver" he said
to Fox, who brought out an Iver q
johnson pattern. also Of 50 caliber.
Nervousness Remarked.
Pennell paid 50 for the weapon. put
1t IN HIS pocket and went away. While
waiting for the clerk 20 wrap the re-
volver he walked nervously up and
down Fox noticed this. and after Pen
enll's departure he remarked TO an
other clerk named Edmunds that PEN
nell bad acted strangely and That he
seemed 20 be In great hurry.
Penneil never told the police or the
district attorney about buying this re-
volver. He told thern-that when he
came down town on the morning after
the murder he went 20 the Hotel Iro-
Quois and was shaved Then be wen.
TO his Office in the Austin Building aad
about noon took trolley car 20 an
automobile factory at Black Rock.
There. he said. ne talked about some
repairs that were to be made to his
machine. Undoubtedly thaJ was true.
While at the factory he teIephoned 10
his wife that he was going to Niagara
Falls and asked her TO follow him, say
ing that be would like TO have her view.
the ice bridge before the thkw demoi-
ished IL. Mrs. Pennell accepted tho
suggestion and went 10 Niagara Falls
by train. while Pennell took the trolley
that runs by the automobile factory.
Before leaving Buffalo Mrs. Pennell
bought frst editions OF the evening pa
pers, containing meager accounts OF the
murder They came from the presses
al about = a m. and zap TO that time
no mention had been made By the police
or anyone else OF the relations between
Burdick and Pennell
Saw Early Reports.
The hrst editions referred chiefly to
the suspicion that Burdick had enter
tanned woman visitor late at night |
without the knowledge OF his house
hold and the crime was committed by
this woman or some person who had /
her TO the Bureick house
Pennen saw those carly reports as
soon as he met his wife al Niagara |
FaIIg lie told the police that that was |
his first knowledge OF the killing or 1
Burdick. The late editions OF the even /
ing papers did not mention PenneIls 4
name. brt said that the police would /
leek out the correspondents named in the /
Burdick divorce suit and see whether he /
.ould ehlighten them.
"Swested" BY Detectives
II is not known whether Pennen saw
hese late editions before he returned
10 Buffalo he did not come back until
$40 O'Clock i'm the evening. and al IL /
D clock the district attorney and 1--WE
detectives were with him in the parlor
1f his home.
They remained with him for two hours
md the examination was rigid. Penuell
was nervous, but considering his rela-
ions with the Burdicks ;he agitation
was not remarkable. He told an appar-
sntly Straightforward story. declaring
hsf he did not 90 out or his home the
night before His wife and his servant.
-iZzic Romance. were questioned sep |
irately and both said that they were
'eTtain Pennell was at home all OF
Thursday night
Since the tragedy of the Pencils sev.
raj OF the detectives az work on tho
.ase have evinced curiosity as 10 what
he course OF events would have been II
ne newspapers which Mre. PcnncL
'rought 20 her husband had said that
he police We're locking for him.
That OF course. ia speculative. but
he certainty remains that Pennell was
% Niagara FANS and that he wss arm
a. and his wife wsH b. his side. as she
vas on the afternoon when he left his
iouse for su automobile ride in the cold
nd heavy rain. She always was ready
> 60 wherever he wished her 10 go.