Hannah Conlan
Biographical Information
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| Name | Hannah Conlan | |
Next to nothing is currently known of the life of Hannah Conlan apart from her testimony. She had been employed as a private cook at 31 Bond St on 6 Jun 1856. At that time Mrs. Jones was renting the house from Dr. Burdell, who kepts his own rooms, while Mrs. Jones subletted the rest as a boarding house. Mrs. Cunningham and her children were also already in the house at that time.
Later in Aug of 1857 Hannah brought a suit against Mrs. Cunningham in the amount of $35.50, which she alleges to still be due to her from services rendered in Sept, Oct, Nov, and Dec 1856, and part of Jan 1857, that she was employed at the rate of $7 per month. She also complained that she had received $1 as a New Years gift which Mrs. Cunningham took under the pretence of keeping it for Hannah but never returned, despite several requests to do so.
Testimony[edit]
Hannah Coulon being duly sworn, deposed as follows: - "I have been living with Mrs. Cunningham since the 6th of June 1856; I acted as cook; the deceased owns this house; Mrs. Cunningham boarded with a Mrs. Jones when I first came to the house; Mrs. Jones left the house because she and the doctor did not agree; Mrs. Cunningham took the ouse after Mrs. Jones left the house; the only boarders in the house were Mr. Snodgrass and a minister's son; Mr. Eckel often sat with Mrs. Cunningham; I have often seem Mr. Eckel sit in the parlor and bedroom with Mrs. Cunningham; Mr. Snodgrass used occasionally to sit with Mrs. Cunningham in the same way; I never heard any of the conversation; the girl who lived here, and is now absent, told me that she did not life the conduct that was going on; I knew Mr. Burdell; he was a quiet, respectable man; I heard a dispute between Mrs. Cunningham and Mr. Burdell in reference ot some papers which deceased accused her of stealing; this Mrs. Cunningham denied; last Thanksgiving day Mrs. Cunningham asked me to attend to it; a doctor also attended Mrs. Cunningham; he lives about three or four doors from Broadway, on the other wise of the street; he dressed a wound which was on the left side of her nose. He gave Mrs. Cunningham no medicine. Dr. Burdell, as I understood it, gave Mrs. Cunningham some medicine at that time; I was called upon last Thanksgiving day by Mrs. Cunningham; she said "are you doing to let me die?" I said she ought to get a doctor; I went with her to her chamber, and she bled freely from the nose; I ran for a doctor, and when I returned the other girl and myself saw that a feotus was in the chamber; she said that the child belonged to the doctor. Sine that time Mrs. Cunningham and the doctor have been on unfriendly terms; the girls reported quarrels as haivng occurred between the deceased and Mrs. Cunningham; I saw the doctor yesterday there at 4 o'clock; he was then in good health; I saw Mrs. Cunningham last night about 10 o'clock; she came to the basement and ordered me to go to bed; Mr. Eckel was down with her; she and Mr. Eckel then went up stairs to bed; I saw Mr. Eckel in Mrs. Cunningham's bedroom; Mrs. Cunningham was not in the habit of ordering me to bed except on some nights; I went to bed; heard no noise in the home last night; Mr. Snodgrass, Mrs. Cunningham and Mrs. Cunningham's daughter came down to breakfast next morning; Mr. Burdell's boy told me this morning that the doctor was dead; he asked me if there was any row in the house; I said not; Mr. Eckel did not come down to breakfast; it was after breakfast when I heard from the boy that Mr. Burdell was dead; I informed Mrs. Cunningham and her daughters that the doctor was dead; they all seemed ocnfused; Mr. Snodgrass went to Mr. Burdell's room and came up and said it was true; Mrs. Cunningham then seemed crazy and tore her hair; I left the room and went for Dr. Roberts; Mary Donoho lived here last; I think she now lives at 272 Spring street; she left here last Tuesday; she knows I think more about matters than I do; I know Mr. Eckel was not in the habit of going out any morning before breakfast; why he went away early this morning I cannot say; heard that a jealousy existed between Mr. Eckel and Mr. Burdell, in regard to Mrs. Cunningham; I heard the doctor (deceased) say at one time during this month, that he looked through the keyhole of Mr. Eckel's room door and he said he did not like it; this converstaion was between Mrs. Cunningham and deceased. The conversation took place on a Sunday afternoon; Mrs. Cunningham told me that deceased was jealous of Mr. Eckel; nobody lived in the house as females except Mrs. Cunningham, her two daughters and two servant girls; Mrs. Cunningham was in the habit of going into Mrs. Burdell's room; I don't know that she went in there last night; I did not hear that she did; I solemnly swear I know no more; if I did I should tell it if I were to go to the gallows for it; when I informed Mrs. Cunningham, her daughters and Mr. Snodgrass that deceased was dead, I did not observe anything strange in their conduct; I was too excited at the time, perhaps, to notice it. Nobody told me who sent for the Coroner."
Documentation[edit]
Newspaper Articles[edit]
- 5 Aug 1857 - New York Daily Herald: A suite by Hannah Conlan against Mrs. Cunningham