Editing Case File: Dr. Harvey Burdell (section)

=== Margaret Jones ===
Margaret Jones was the next witness. She was sworn, and deposed as follows: I live at No 93 Second-avenue; I was in this house (No 31 Bond-street) for one year; Dr. Burdell rented the place to me; I kept a boarding-house in these premises; I left here last May; I left to make other arrangements; I had no dispute with Dr. Burdell or with anybody in the house; I had a little difference with Dr. Burdell about the household arrangements; he disputed paying his gas-bill; he burnt gas in his apartments, and when the bill came in would not pay for it, so I had to pay; Mrs. Cunningham was in the house when I resided here; she was a boarder with me; I never observed any intimacy between Dr. Burdell and Mrs. Cunningham; I never knew of Mrs. Cunningham having a child; my cook said something very strange had happened; a lady that was boarding in the house at the time, but not now here, told me to have nothing to do with it; I never suspected any thing wrong betweeen Dr. Burdell and Mrs. Cunningham; at the time she was sick he attended her in her bedroom; I do not know anything of a docotr being called in to Mrs. Cunningham to cause abortion; I never heard them quarrel.

Coroner: Your evidence is quite contrary to that of another witness who refers to you; I wish you to understand that you must, by virtue of your oath, answer the questions I ask you faithfully

Jones: I never heard any threats pass between them; they sat together in one room; I do not know whether they slept together; I did not tell a girl who was in the house that I looked through the keyhole and saw things that I did not like; I never heard from any one that they did sleep in the same room; I never heard of any of the domestics threaten to do an injury to Mr. Burdell; I saw Mr. Burdell some week ago in the street; I have had no conversation with Mrs. Cunningham since I left about Dr. Burdell; I heard of Dr. Burdell's death yesterday afternoon; was told by a person who is a patient of Dr. Burdell's cousin that he had told her that Dr. Burdell had died suddenly; I know no more regarding this matter.

[To a Juror]: I am no relation to Dr. Burdell; Mrs. Cunningham's sickness was in the Fall; she remained two or three weeks in her room; I think Dr. Burdell attended; I believe another physician attended her; I was not at home at the time; I never had any difficulty with Mrs. Cunningham; nobody has been to me from this house, since the murder; I do not know of any improper doings in this house; I never heard that Dr. Burdell said he was jealous of Mrs. Cunningham; I have seen the cook since; I cannot remember what she said. 

[The Coroner here again warned the witness, who gave her evidence very reluctantly, that she had beeter try and remember. She was accompanied into the room by a male relative, who began to whisper to her, immediately her examination was commenced.  The coroner told her to desist, and on his exhibiting symptons of contumacy (stubborn refusal), a policeman was called to remove him. He stepped back some paces, and did not again interfere.]

Jones to a Juror: I have heard Mrs. Cunningham speak of females that Dr. Burdell brought into the house. she thought they were not proper persons; I never saw any of those females to my knowledge; Mrs. Cunningham said their conversation was not refined and ladylike; she said she thought they did not all come for dentistry; she said she thought they came there to laugh and to joke instead of for professional services; there was an agreement between Mrs. Cunningham and Dr. Burdell about the doctor's sittingroom; Mrs. Cunningham sat in the doctor's room, and slept in a room upstairs. 

Jones to the Coroner: I never heard that Dr. Burdell and Mrs. Cunningham were married.

Jones to a Juror: Before she came to the house, Dr. Burdell asked me if I could not accomodate her and her daughter for two or three days, while she was looking about for a place; I consented, and she came; she afterwards said she liked the place so well she would stay if I would give her a bedroom, and that she would sit with the doctor; he used to go out with her considerable; they seemed on intimate terms; she said he was an old friend of her husband; I never saw or heard of her sitting on his lap.

[A portion of the evidence of his witness relative to the miscarriage of Mrs. Cunningham, was unfit for publicatoin]

Further proceedings were adjourned to Monday morning, Feb 2, at 10 o'clock.