Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-05-31
MRS. BURCH SAYS
A SECRET ENEMY
WAS HER UNOOING
Rich New York Doctors Wife
Tells Story in
Jail.
DECLARES SHE OWED BUT
$l3 TO H0TEL-KEEPER
Perhaps Woman in Black at
Lizzie Borden Murder
Trial.

Mrs T. Hamilton Burch. heiress, wife
of prominent and wealthy New York
physician. of 100 West Fifty-seventh
street, and woman of mystery, who was
arrested for a board bill of s13 at the
Hotel Clinton, East Orange. and held
in default of 5000 bail, told her story
to an Evening STAR reporter today In
the bare barred, visitors room of the
county Jail.
80 far as I was concerned with the
Hotel Clinton" she said, everything
was correct and honorable on my part.
But some enemy-some secret enemy of
mine-told the proprietor-said some
thing against me. That's why l was
arrested.
Our arrangements had been that l
was to stay there until the first of
August. I expected a check on the
first of June. They knew that. and the
plan was perfectly satisfactory. I
hadn't been there week. No bill was
due. Then they received word from
someone"
But who?" she was asked
Il don't know-I can't say. Some
enemy. When they asked for the
money | didn't have it. And l wasn't
running away, either 1t was my maid.
German girl l guess she ran away
Mrs Burch smiled at what was prob
ably her recollection of her maids ter
ror when arrest seemed imminent
Society Marriage Failure.
She was asked whether she had mar
ried DR.. T. Hamilton Burch at a society
wedding in Grace Church, New York
in January, 1900
Yes she admitted. "But 1 have
been separated from him for a long
time"
When she was told that her husband
had said, She has spent about 100000
which she received after the death of
her father Emerson NJ. Stockwell. of :
Worcester, Mass" she refused to con-
tradict the assertion.
Il think that's aU--that's all the
story she parred.
After was arrested she continued,
however, Henry L. Parker, of 1 Aga
wam street Worcester. the trustee of
the estate my father left me, was no.
titled, but he hasn't had time TO answer,
expect, perhaps on account of the
holiday. My income was due on June
=, and If it hadn't been for some enemy
everything would have been all right;
but I think that's all"
She arose from the hard bench of
the visitors room with the same easv
politeness marred by an occasional
nervous twitchins of her hands, that
she oil ba w diep1axad l., n
room
Did you ever know anything of Liz
zie Borden?" she was asked.
II did not-no!" she returned with
startling emphasis, in place of puz-
zled hesitation that might have been
expected. as she retreated toward the
cell corridor entrance.
1t is rumored today in Worcester
that Mrs. Burch was the famous
woman in black who was a remark
able figure in the courtroom during
the trial of Lizzie Borden, charged
with numbering her father and step
mother in Fall River Mass. in 1893.
Lizzie Borden was acquitted. but the
secret of the mysterious attendance of
the woman in black" remained un-
solved
The courtesy and ease of manner
which Mrs, Burch displayed in the bare
prison reception-room $, med almost
incongruous. 1t would have been moro
fitting in the soft light of parlor
with the sheen of silk and the rich
coors of fine tapestry and mahogany.
Husband Told of Love Potions.
But she was married as she herself
said. at a society wedding in Grace
Church. Soon afterward she began
suit for separation. DIR. Burch filed a
cross suit, charging that she was ex-
travagant, consulted clairvoyants and
negress fortune-tellers, and that she
had administered to him "unpalatable,
noxious and disgusting concoctions
known as love potions." She accused
him of cruelty referee decided in
favor Of DIR. Burch, but the Appellate
Division Of the Supreme Court refused
to confirm this finding.
Il have tried to check her money
spending procllvities,' said DR. Burch
yesterday. but in vain. We separated
ten years ago, and l have paid her a
generous allowance. She is a good
woman, but is recklessly extravagant
and, in addition to spending all the
money l have given her, has spent
about 100000 which she received after
the death of her father
James II. Brennan. owner of the
Hotel Clinton. explained that his sus-
picions had been aroused by a tele-
phone message, purporting to come
from a detective agency in New York
and warning him to look out for Mrs.
Burch.
In this his version corresponded with
that given today by the prisoner.
Brennan said that he had given her
bill for $13, but that she had left the
hotel. Then he had her arrested un-
der the stairs in the rear of the hotel.
where, it was claimed, she was hiding.
This she denies fatty.
p She had at the time of her arrest
thirty-one cents. twenty-five of which
she had borrowed, the police assert.
from DR.. Mibourne Munroe. an East
Orange osteopath, whose card she had