The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-03-15
She Was Mother Law Of
Edwin Burdick
DID NOT 7REMLE ON STAND
When She Saw the Body on the cush-
ions She Did Not Go In the Room,
But Screamed as Loudly
as Possible.

mony of Mrs. Hull, mother of Mrs. Bur-
dick, attracted the most interest at to-
days session of the inquest into the muir
der of Edwin L. Burdck which was be-
gun this morning in the police court
here before Judge Murphy On account OF
the small size of the court room, only
limited number of persons were admit
ted.
Mrs. Hull was the first witness at the
afternoon session. Replying to questions of
! District Attorney Coatesworth she said
that her daughter was at Atlantic City
on the night of the murder While Mrs.
Burdick was at Atlantic City the witness
received letters and kilograms from her.
After the murder witness telegraphed her
daughter: Come home; Mr. Burdick is
| dead"
The reply was, Leave tonight; will be
{ home in the morning" Mrs. Hull said that
Burdick came into the dining room ON
Thursday evening, the night of the mur-
! der, with a bottle in his hand. She did
not know what it contained and she did
rot see 1t again. Burdick and his daugh-
ter. Marion, were in her room about 100.
she did not see Burdiek again that night.
but heard him talking with his eldest
daughter. whom he kissed good night and
went down stairs.
Did Not Leave the Room.
| She did not leave her room again that
right after putting the children to bed
about $50. She got up the next morn
ing at the usual hour without being called.
The Murray girl called to her that the
front door was open. that the kitchen
window was open, and that she had called
to Mr. Burdick and received no answer.
Mrs Hull averred that she heard no
| voices after 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 little way ard
\ called ED" several times. She saw soms
| thing on the couch. 1t was dark in there.
| Shs saw the Murray girl in the hall and
said: Maggie, | fear that something has
happened. do not dare go in there, do
you? What shall we do?" Then | said
that we had better send for DR.. Marcy
why did you not call next door neigh
bors?'
II thought it best to call the DOCTOR
''Why did you not go into the den that
morning."
| II was too nervous"
What did you think?'
'I did not know what had happened
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. l was afraid
to find him in there. OF course did not
| know 1t was Ed"
She Screamed Loudly.
"Then you did scream?'
| Eyes, as loudly as | could. 1t did not
arouse him and | was frightened"
"You had no reason for expecting to
find him dead in there"
mo, except that he did not respond to
my screams"
she did not use the telephone In the
house to call DR.. Marcy because 1t was
! close to the childrens room and she did
not want them to hear her When DR..
Marcy arrived she told him she was
afraid something had happened.
| Previous to DR.. Marceys arrival Mrs.
Hull said she had just stepped over the
threshold and looked in.
| At this point Mr.. Coatesworth handed
| Mrs. Hull a photograph of the den with
| the body of the murdered man lying on
the couch covered as DR.. Marcy found it
| covered.
Mrs. Hull took the photograph without
so much as trembling of her hands,
and looked at 1t intently and calmly Then
she discussed the picture and pointed out
the familiar objects In the den.
Mr.. Coatesworths examination was con-
Quoted all through with the evident pur-
pose of breaking down the witness. He
kept the photograph before her for many
minutes.
Does this photograph represent the den
as you saw it that morning?" he asked.
II do not remember"
1.-THE body on the couch was covered
/. .~l.of n ulaA
81 think so3
Mr. Coatesworth then showed Witness
photograph of the den taken after the
covering had been removed from the body
1t showed the body of the murdered man
en- the couch with battered and bloody
head.
Her Hands TrenbIed.
Mrs. Hull took the photograph from
Coatesworth and looked at it. Her hands
trembled a trife.
s.Is that the way the den looked after
DR.. Marcy arrived?' asked Mr.. Coates
worth.
II never saw the room after he came,'
replied Mrs. Hull, looking the district at
torney squarely in the eye.
Witness sad 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-
versation 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
| II do not know that | did
IT certainly thought she was imprud-
ent 1 thought that If he had done dif-
| ferently she would have
Witness said she and Burdick had new
| er quarreled.
Mrs. Hull said Burdick had always
treated her kindly and with great con-
sideration addressing her as Mother
| Hull"
Isn't 1t a fact that you stayed in
that house after your daughter left only
on account of love for the children?'
YES and for Mr.. Burdicks sake"
Mrs. Hull's examination ended at this
point and she smiled family as she left
! tho stand.
The Cook Called.
| Maggie Murray. the cook at the Bur-
| dick house was the next witness. She
+; detailed h' movements, as previously