Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-03-17
IRE BURD|Ck INQUEST.
Searching Investigation Begun Into
the Buffalo Murder Mystery
BY Authorities.

ny A0k2oIAhASVs
IMPORTANT WITNESSES ARE PRESENT. |
Mrs. Paine, and Miss Aaenets, the
stenesrapher, AAons Those In
Court-Dr. HowlanA First to Testt-
fy-Declarss Durdisk Was Killed
In His Den While % Csueh.
Buffalo, N. Y, March le.-The in
quest into the murder of Edwin l.
Burdick was begun IN the police court
here Saturday before Judge Murphy.
The courtroom lie small and only = hm-
tied number Of persone were admit
ted. Among the frrt witnnssee to ap-
pear were Mrs. Seth T. Paine, Miss
Barnett, the stenographer, who
boarded with Mrs. Paine, and A. Carl
son, another boarder at the Paine res
idence. Mrs. Paine was accompanied
by counsel. Only one witness at 4
time was admitted into the court
room. The inquest began with the
calling of DR.. Rowland, assistant med
ical examiner, as the first witness.
DIR. Rowland handed to Judge Murphy
the report of the medical examiner on
the death of Burdick, which stated
the cause of the death.
Under the law we are compelled to
hold this inquest" eaid Judge MUIR
ply. 1--WE charge no one with this
crime. The purpose of this investi-
CATION is to lay this crime if possible
ct the door of some one"
DR.. Howland Examined.
DIR. Rowland was examined by Dis
trict Attorney Coatsworth. He said
he had been summoned to the Burelick
house by telephone on the morning of
February 81, shortly after eight
O'Clock. DR.. w. II. Marcy met him at
the door and told him that something
had been going on there, and that Mr..
Burdick was dead" II am not sure"
continued DR.. Howland, "but think
he told me that he was not certain
whether it was murder or suicide. He
asked me to make it out as case Of
suicide il possible, as there had been
q good deal of gossip in the neigh
borhood respecting the relations ex-
listing between Mr.. and Mrs. Burdick."
The witness said he then examined the
body and told DR.. Marcy that it was
impossible to entertain the suicide
theory for a minute Asked as to what
further conversation he had with DR..
Marcy the witness said the former
fLO1 pf
In the Burdick family.
Body Moved by Murderer.
Mr.. Coatsworth brought out the
fact that Burdick's body had been
moved by the murderer after the
crime had been committed.
Witness saw no weapon in the
room.
What was your conclusion as to
whether Burdick was killed in the
den?" he was asked.
II think he was"
DO you think he was killed on the
couch?"
II think he was on the couch"
when he was killed was he lying
on the couch in the position in Which
you found the body?"
Judging from the location of the
wounds he must have been lying in
some other position at the time he
was struck"
Taft of Hair Found.
DR.. Rowland stated he found tuft
Of hair on the couch. He was of
opinion that 1t was longer than Bur-
dicks hair.
DR.. Rowland stated that from the
condition of the body he was of the
opinion that Burdick was killed about
two o'clock. This is regarded as i'm
portant, as it would tead to nullify
the statements made to the district
attorney by Officers Meyer and Reid
regarding the "lone woman"
In reply to another question. an
affirmative answer to which would
have shown that woman had been
in the room, the doctor gave a mega
tive reply.
Replying to question by one of
the attorneys representing the Bur-
dick family, the witness said it was
his opinion that the blood found on
the door was thrown from the in
strument used in committing the
murder.
Detective Testihss.
Detective John w. Holmlund, who
followed DR.. Rowland on the stand,
described the scenes in the den and
related the conversation he had with
one Of the maids. He found some let
ters and revolver in Burdick's coat.
The trousers. he said, were lying on
the couch and looked as If they had
been placed there carefully and fold
ed over. Two Of the letters found
in Burdick's pockets were from q
Mr.. Cleveland Of Cleveland. He gave
them to superintendent Bull. The
witness had talk with DR.. Marcy.
The doctor, he said, gave him the
Impression that he wanted the mat-
ter kept quiet. He did not wont the
affair made any more public than was
necessary.
At noon recess was taken until
two o'clock.
Mrs. Hull on Stand.
Mrs. Hull. the mother OF Mrs. Bur-
dick, was the first witness at tho
afternoon session. Replying 10
question of District Attorney Coats
worth she said that her daughter was
at Atlantic City on the night of the
murder. Mrs. Burdick was last at