Richmond planet., 1903-03-28
WHO KILLED BURDICK?
His Wife Swears She Doesn't Know
Who Committed the Crime.
PENNELL HAD NO KEY TO HOUSE

Mrs. 6urdick Claims She Never Saw
Or Heard From PenneII Since the
Murder, Except a Note of Sympathy.
surdick Children On Stand.
Buffalo, N. Y, March 25.-"Have you
received any information as to who
killed your husband?" No sir"
you swear you have no knowledge
or information as to who killed him ?"
Il do.''
These questions were addressed to
Mrs. Alice Hull Burdick yesterday af-
ternoon by District Attorney Coats
worth at the inquest into the death of
her husband. The answers we're re-
turned by Mrs. Burdick in a calm, clear
voice. The questions came abruptly
while the district attorney was draw
.s5 sEoEa Ms ss. 2,:-dich Information
about her relations with Arthur r.
Pennell. She had denied that Pennell
took her key to the front door of the
Burdick home while they were in New
York together and had duplicates
made of it.
To complete the EXAMINATION of
SNSI1 one knOWu W NAVE DStQ III the
Burdick home on the night of the
murder, the district attorney yesterday
called to the stand the two youngest
Burdick children. Caro-. .nd A. &c,
aged respectively 13 and 10 years. The
children displayed no more sign of
emotion than did their grandmother or
mother or older sister while talking
about the terrible death OF their father.
Their recollection of the happenings
at the time of the tragedy was rather
hazy. and 'T don't remember" was
usually the answer they gave when
the district attorney pressed Them
closely on any point
Mrs. Burdick trusted Penneil inn
piicitly In everything. The district at
torney read a number of letters writ
ten to Mrs. Burdick by Pennell, in
which he said life was not worth liv-
ing without her, and that death would
not be unwelcome. She knew nothing
OF document found in her safety de-
posit vault bonding PenneIl to pay
her $25,000 in the event of his being
unable to marry her. Although it was
among Mrs. Burdick's private papers
in the vault, she claimed to have been
ignorant of its existence
Mrs. Burdick admitted that Pennell
had promised to marry her after her
divorce from Burdick, their intention
being, she said, Pennell had declared,
ito go out west and get divorce from
Mrs. Pennell." after which marriage
woulee easy.
Mn Burdick declared that the last
time she saw Pennell was on Tues
day before the murder. He left her
that night in Atlantic City, arriving
in Buffalo Wednesday. She was in
formed of Mr.. Burdick's death by a
message from Mrs. Hull on the fol-
lowing Friday, and hastened to Buff
falo. brief note of sympathy from
Pennell came to the house Saturday.
She never heard from him or saw him,
she said. between that time and the
dey he was killed by his automobile
plunging into the stone quarry.
Mr.. Coatesworth showed Mrs. Bur
dick a letter written from New York
to Mr.. Burdick by Mrs. Pennen on
December %, 1902 In 1t Mrs. Pennell
asked Mr.. Burdick if he was absolutely
crazy In taking the burden of pressing
the divorce proceedings. She called
attention to the fact that Pennell did
not value life too highly, and init
mated that he might commit suicide
and take Mrs. Burdick with him.
What did she mean by that?" ask
ed Mr.. Coatsworth.
Il don't know" replied Mrs. Burdick
In letter written December o.
1902, by Mrs. Burdick to Mr.. Burdick
she told him she intended to go to
Atlantic City. The letter also con-
tanned veiled threat at suicide. She
had never talked to PenneE about put
ting himself out of the way or about
committing suicide herself.
Cross-examined by Attorney Hart
zell, Mrs. Burdick said that Pennell
learned at the charity ball that Bur
dick had secured from her the letters
which Pennell had written to her. He
seemed much agitated and wanted the
letters back.
did he fear the revelations of
divorce action?" Eyes, very much"
Were your relations with him ever
criminal?" mo sir"
did he ever make any indecent sug-
gestions to your" mo sir"
HE was always a perfect gentle
man?" "Yes sir"
"Then why was he afraid of the di-
vorce proceedings?" He was afraid
of being humiliated."
By the court: Didn't you know that
Mrs. Pennell loved her hAsband?"
"She may have once"
"Did you and Mrs. Pennell ever
have any conversation on the subject?
herr"