The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-10
BURNS IS HELD ON
 CHARGE OF MURDER
Coroner Still Investigating
 Mrs. Burns Death
WAS BURNED IN HOME
Understood That Testimony Is Being Introduced to Show That There Had Been Domestic Trouble
 Between the Couple

Samuel R. Burns was placed in the county jail yesterday morning charged with murder in the first degree. The spe- cifc charge against him reads, "Edna Burns came to her death by being lnur- dered and burned at the hands of Sam Burns. same being unlawfully done and against the peace and dignity of the state of Alabama. B. l.. Brasher."
 Burns was arrested on a warrant sworn out by Coroner Brasher after constant work on the case since Monday morning. jury was at once empaneled and the investigation begun Monday. The arrest of Burns followed yesterday about noon and was made by Deputy Sheriffs e. T. Helton and Newt Curl near the Burns home on Richardson avenue, Germania park.
 According to the statements of the ar resting officers, Burns did not appear to be surprised at his arrest, and made no objection to accompanying the officers to jail He Is said to have made several statements to the officers but absolutely refused to make any statement to a rep resentative of The Age-Herald.
 The jury under the direction of Coroner Brasher Is still Investigating the death of Mrs Burns, and will not be ready to make a complete report until Friday. Tn the meanwhile Burns will be held in the county jail without bond. It is stated that he will be called upon to testify before the jury on Friday afternoon. It is probable that the preliminary hearing will not be held until after the final yer dict of the coroners jury has been rem dered.
 It will be remembered that Mrs. Edna Burns,' the young wife of Burns, was discovered Sunday at noon in the kitchen of the Burns home burned to crisp. a can of coal oil was near the body of Mrs. Burns, who was lying on the floor with her knees drawn up as if she were trying to protect her face from the flames. It was stated that her garments had been saturated with coal oil.
 The death of Mrs. Burns was called to the attention of Coroner Brasher and he immediately began an investigation. He stated Sunday night that he believed that Mrs. Burns did not commit suicide and that Burns was suspected of having some knowledge of the case He stated to reported of The Age-Herald that Burns was being kept under surveillance by the coroners office, he deeming 1t more advisable to keep a watch on him rather than make the arrest then. fa
 The case is one of the most mysterious on the records of the coroner's office, states Coroner Brasher. It ranks next to the famous Coleman-St Strickland poisoning last night that he deemed it unadvisable to give out anything for publication just at present.
 A trained nurse, who is said 10 have been intimate with Mrs. Burns, who was also a trained nurse before her marriage has been summoned before the jury. It IS understood that she will testify to the fact that there had been domestic trou- ble in the Burns home
 Another feature of the case unearthed yesterday was that an examination or Mrs. Burns throat had been made and marks had been found on her neck similar to marks that would have been made had she been choked
 Burns is 29 years old and for some time has been employed as mechanic in the shops of the Birmingham Railway Light and Power company. He has been a resi- dent of Birmingham for a number of years.