George Vail Snodgrass
Biographical Information
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| Name | George Vail Snodgrass | |
Testimony[edit]
George Vail Snodgrass, was the first witness called. (The witnes is a young man not over 25 years of age, of youthful appearance):
I have resided her, with Mrs. Cunningham, in the middle of November last; I didn't come here to agree for board, I was invited by Mrs. Cunningham to come here as a friend; I have been intimate with all the family - that is Mrs. Cunningham and her two daughters; was not intimate with Eckel; I knew him by sight; have not been in the habit of sitting in Mrs. Cunningham's bedroom with Mr. Eckel, but have done so; never saw Mr. Burdell sitting in Mrs. Cunningham's bedroom while Eckel was in the there. never saw him in the room at any time; never observed any close intimacy between Mr. Burdell and Mrs. C., but I suspected ii; I suspected that they had been married; Mrs. Cunningham never told me that she was not married to Mr. Burdell, or that she accused him of breach of promise of marriage; I heard that they had a difficulty in consequence of Mr. B's not fulfilling a promise of marriage to Mrs. C; I heard it from Miss Helen Cunningham
Mrs. Cunningham never told me anything regarding the breach of promise; did not know that Mr. Burdell had accused Mrs. Cunningham of stealing papers otu of his secretary; I have been constantly in the house during the principal portions of the day; Mr. Burdell used to leave the house about 8 or 8:30 o'clock in the morning; I do not know at what hour he dined; never saw him dine in the house; I do not know at what hour he usually came in at night; on some occasions I have let him in at 12 and 2 o'clock; I let him in on Thursday as late as two o'clock; the door can be opened with a night key; the door was locked on Thursday night, but not bolted.
Never knew the hall door to be bolted at night; I last saw Mr. Burdell on Friday morning between 8 and half-past 8 o'clock; did not see him after that during the day, or until after his death; I was eating my dinner at 7 o'clock on Friday evening in this house; Mrs. Cunningham, her daughers, her son Geroge dined with me; I met Eckel on the stairs as I was going up; suppose he went out.
After dinner I went up stairs into the drawing room; there was nobody in the room at the time; I remained in the room about twenty minutes, after which I went up stairs, I believe; I came down again; I think Mrs. Cunningham came down with me; I then went out with Miss Helen Cunningham; it was then abotu 7:30 o'clock; Mrs. Cunnignahm and her other daughter were in the parlor when we left; I was out about three-quarters of an hour; when I returned I found George and Willie Cunningham were in the back parlor; Miss Cunningham and I went into the parlor and remained there from about twenty minutes to half an hour; I then went up stairs to Mrs. Cunningham's room; it was then about 9 o'clock; Miss Augusta Cunningham was in the room, but no other person was there; Mr. Eckel was not there; cannot state positively that Mrs. Cunningham was up stairs at the time; did not see her; I remained an hour and a half up there; I then went down into the kitchen; saw nobody in the kitchen; I went down for a pitcher of water, and intended to get some cider; got only a pitcher of water; did not observe the hall doors when I passed; when I returned to Mrs. C's bed room, Mrs. C., her two daughters, Mr. Eckel, and I think her two sons, were in the room at the time; do not know what they were talking about; Mrs. C's daughter said something abotu going to school; I remained in the room from ten to fifteen minutes, after which I retired to bed; it was then near eleven o'clock; I am positive that I left Mrs. C. and her two daughters in the room; think Eckel left before I did; I went direct to bed; I sleep in the 4th story; did not go down stairs again that night; heard no noise in the house; cannot swear that Eckel went to bed before me;
The first notice I received of the murder was at 9 o'clock the next morning; when the cook informed me of it I went immediately up stairs to inform the family; Mrs. Cunningham appeared ot be much affected and began to rave and pull her hair, and it was as much as I could do to hold her; I then wnet out for Dr. Roberts, at Mrs. Cunningham's request; he is a friend of the family; when Dr. R. came Mrs. Cunningham commenced raving; Dr. R. tried to soothe her; Mr. Eckel did not breakfast with the family that morning; I did not hear at what time Eckel left the house; he left before the usual breakfast hour we were all in the habit of breakfasting.
Mrs. Cunningham told me that Eckel had gone out that morning very early.
Q: Are you not aware that a short time after Eckel lef the house Mrs. C. left the house in a carriage?
A: I am pretty sure that she did not. I was in her company from the time of the alarm during the whole morning. I did not hear that she left the hosue that morning.
The evening before when Mrs. C. and I retired, I saw a note lying on the table in the parlor, requesting Eckel to be the store of a gentleman down town, precisely at 8 o'clock on the following Saturday Morning to settle up some accounts, which might account for his absence.
[The witness here stated that the shirt found in the store room marked "I. G. Ketchum" was one that had been lent him by his brother-in-law; I sleep in a room on the 4th floor, adjoining the store room; do not sleep with the bed room door open; do not lock the door; on Fridnight night the door was open; after I had put the light out I saw that it was open, but did not care about getting out to shut it. Both Mrs. Cunningham's sons slept with me that night.]
Documentation[edit]
Census Records :[edit]
- 1850: "George V. Snodgrass" 12, student, at Goshen, New York
- 1855: "George V. Snodgrass", 16, with parents at Goshen, New York
City Directories:
- 1882: "Snodgrass George V., household specialties, 72 Hudson ave. h do.
- 1889 (index): "George V. Snodgrass", 112 S. Pearl, and 95 Hudson Ave, furniture.
Probate Records:[edit]
- 1890: Last will of George Vail Snodgrass