The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-03-15
THIRD SECTION.
-I2-Illustrated Magazine Features.
MRS. BURDICK'S MOTHER
WITNESS At INQUEST
Subjected to Awful Ordeal, But
Gave No Clue to Murderer.

BUFFALO. y. Y. March l4.-Maria A.
Hull. mother of the wife OF Edwin L.
Burdick, was the central and remark
able figure today at the opening ses-
sion OF the inquest which is intended to
solve the murder puzzle She was made
so by the relentless examination which
she underwent at the hands of District
Attorney Coatsworth for two hours
At no moment could the county prose
cutOr be accused of bullying or Offend
Ing the woman. yet the ordeal was
terrific. The severe cross auinat tion
was not unexpected to those who know
the district attorneys determinat lion %
draw into the light every fact connected
with the murder. nor did It disturb the
presiding officer. Police Justice Murphy
who had declared that he would snare
no ones feelings in getting at the truth
The court permitted the district at
torney 10 make his own way. now aad
then injecting a few questions 70 make.
the case more clear.
Without warning the district attorney
placed in Mrs. Hull's hands one after
another. photographs of the room in
which Burdick's body was found one
showed the smoking room. or den. as IL
was when the discovery was made The
other was taken after the pillows and
rugs had been removed. leaving the
body of Burdick as IT was found. She
looked at them without a sign except
70 lean far back in her chair. fheu
she looked COatsworth in the eve and
handed back the pictures She left the
witness stand without having given an
mixing of any Idea she might have as
to the Identity of the murderer. or as 10
I theory Of the method OF the crime.
So we'll prepared were the authorities
for the inquest that the witnesses came
and went like actors. and in five hours
four Of the most important we're exam-
ined- They were John D. Howland. the
deputy medical examiner: Detective
HolmIund. the first policeman to visit
the house after the murder; Mrs. Hull
and Miss Maggie Murray. the cook.
DR.. Rowland told OF the remarkable
things said to him by DR.. William II
Marcy, who was the first person 10 SEE
he body That Dr. Marcy should have
made suggestion of suicide. after se,-;ur
the battered skull or the victim is so
strange a feature that the district At
torney probably will have some rapid
questions for DR.. Marcy and that physi-
clan Will get ample chance to explain
Or. Howland's charges
Another new item in DR.. Hov-Iaud's
testimony was the fact that there were
blood spots on Burdick's leg. which ap-
Dcared 10 have been made by a thumb
indicating perhaps. that the under
clothes had been removed from Bur
Hicks body after the crime. \ third i'm
Dortant statement made by the deputy
examiner was that Burdick was not
killed until after o'clock in the morn
rs. while the lone woman seen by Po-
Iiccman Meyers went her way nearly an
hour before that time.
Detective John W. Holmlund was the
Sherlock Holmes of the day. His de-
tailed story OF what he found in the
smoking room was the recital Of an ac-
-uratc investigator. Both these wit
uesses were questioned. not only by the
district attorney. but by three law
5ers. who came with Mrs. Hull. and
.yho said that they appeared for the
,amily-
All IN all. II was a remarkable day
made SC chiefly by the vigOT OF the in
vestigators. They may go at later wit
nesses as sharply as they went at Mrs
Hull II they do. and there are no
.rcakdowns. then the murderer is either
\ person of astounding control or Is
not on the witness list.