Evening star., 1940-03-10
F ~ s.4. a. ~ r
Events Preceding
Staying Described ]
By Mrs. BurIeson
DeeIores She Sought
Finonciol Settlement
From Ex-Husband

FinoncidI Settlement
From Ex-Husbond
By the Associated Press,
COLUMBIA, 6. G., March 10 (sun-
daD.-Details leading up to the
shooting In . hotel cafeteria Of Mrs.
Richard G. Burleson, 55-yeaY-old
wife OF q United States Army colonel,
were recounted early today by Mrs.
May (Masiey Walker Burleson, the
ot1cer's former wife.
Chief of Police w. II. Rawlinson
said the first Mrs. Burleson, 5l-year-
old Galveston aTex) artist and one
time suf1raGette leader, related that
she came to Columbia when she
learned thAt her former husband
was stationed at Camp jackson. She
hoped to get q financial settlement,
Mr.. Rawlinson said she told him and
other officers.
Her purpose at the hotel Friday,
Mr.. Rawlinson said Mrs. Burleson
related, was to approach Col. Burle-
son when he came to lunch from
camp. When he failed to arrive
during the noon period, she left her
watching place on the mezzanine
floor and started to leave the hotel.
Does Not Recall" Shooting.
Mrs. Burleson told the officers she
suddenly felt tired as she walked
through the lobby and, sitting down
on a lounge, saw the colonels Sec
ond wife enter and cross to the
cafeteria.
"As to the shooting" Mr.. Rawlin-
son quoted the woman, II do not
remember-perhaps shall recall
something later"
Mind "Goes Blank"
When Mrs. Knowlton (the sec
ond wife's name by a former mar
riage) walked by me-we would
have bumped into each other II
had not sat down. suddenly re-
membered the scene where my moth
er was dead at our Texas home"
At this point in the story, Coroner
John A. Sergeant. who conducted
the questioning with Mr.. Rawlinson,
said the woman's mind suddenly
went blank"
Mr.. Rawlinson said the first Mrs.
Burleson came here Thursday by bus
from Fayetteville. N. c., and took
small apartment, where 13 pieces
OF baggage, ranging from q trunk to
small satchels, were found. The
woman told him, he said, that she
saw her former husband and his sec
ond wife in the hotel lobby Thursday
night, but that she did not attempt
to approach them and that they
did not see her.
| Earlier, before she started relating
events preceding the Staying, the
divorce said her memory was a
blank.
Chain smoking and eating cough
drops frequently, she told police
questioning her:
Il don't mind being behind bars
I've been behind them before. !
was a mental case three times last
year. I feel like a girl in the insti-
tuition whose mind was a blank. No
I can't answer any more questions
because I forget"
Mrs. Burleson's face frightened
when she chatted enthusiastically
about her art. But" she said, Tin
no good at it, know 1t. I'm punk.
She was given pencil and paper
to take to her cell In the womens q
section of the City Jail, where she
is attended constantly by . matron
and trained nurse. --
Mr.. Rawlinson said she had prom
ised to write out an account Of the
circumstances of the case If she
should remember anything.
Left With Artist Friends.
The first Mrs. Burleson left Gal
weston, Tex, two weeks ago with q
group of artist friends presumably
for California. Thursday, according
to police, she registered at hotel
under an assumed name, and Fri
day she walked up behind the
second Mrs. Burleson in the hotel
cafeteria and shot her twice with q
rusty revolver she kept concealed In
black bag.
Simple funeral services were held
for the second Mrs. Burleson yester-
day afternoon. Fellow omcers Of
Col. Burleson and townspeople At
tended the services at q funeral
home. The body was sent to Weston
Mass. for another service at 2:3Q
pm. tomorrow.
Col. Burleson, who had remained
in seclusion since the tragedy, ac-
companied the body east. His face
drawn with grief, he sat with men,
bers of his family while the services
were conducted by 1t. Col. James
L. McBridge, chaplain Of the 9Th
Division.
The 9Th Division, of which Col
Burleson is artillery adviser, is hold
ing winter maneuvers at Camp
jackson, near here. Col. Burlesor
was divorced from his first wife ir
1898 after q long litigation. HI
married Mrs. Knowlton, widow Of .
Boston lawyer, about q year and &
half ago.
Held on Technical Charge.
Mrs. Burleson was held by thu
police on q technical charge. Ar
inquest had been. tentatively set fol
Tuesday night.
Police said the second Mrs. Burle.
son received the following telegram
last December 8 signed simply Mrs
Burleson":
Mrs. Richard Bur1eson,
"(Name for purpose Of delivery
only,
Jefferson Hotel,
Columbia, s. c.
Mrs. Knowlton, with all you tool
/