The Mysterious 1903 Murder of Ed Burdick w/ Kimberly Tilley

In February of 1903, wealthy businessman Ed Burdick was beaten to death in the den of his Buffalo, New York mansion. Investigators were faced with a strange crime scene and a multitude of suspects. Among them was his own wife Alice and her lover, a close family friend named Arthur Pennell.
My guest, Kimberly Tilley, author of "Cold Heart: The Great Unsolved Mystery of Turn of the Century Buffalo," comes on Most Notorious to share the salacious details of a scandal and murder that rocked the city to its core.
More information about Kimberly Tilley's book can be found at her website: oldspirituals....

[@jenniferspor1382]

Kimberly is a truly gifted storyteller! She has an innate ability to share the story in a way that really makes you feel as if you were there!

[@madelinekhurma6110]

I love the way Tilley's books and this podcast bring back to life these old lost mysteries! It's as if Kimberly was reincarnated to tell the town gossip.

[@maryginter8143]

Really enjoyed the book. It was a page-turner for sure! Loved hearing the author discuss the book. She's very articulate and engaging. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good mystery.

[@isatubah9115]

I can’t wait to read the book! Kimberly is such a great storyteller!

[@loriknudsen1915]

Kimberly has a gift for bringing these old mysterious to life! I enjoyed listening to this interview!

[@tempuraadamsson6905]

Kimberly is such a great storyteller.

[@Girlytang]

What a great guest and fascinating interview. I plan to buy the book. Thank you, Eric, for bringing Kimberly back! 🤗❣️🌲

[@shelawatson8727]

I'm anxious to get Kimberly's next book, Love the way she tells a story.

[@yeonjunglee8869]

I like the way Kimberly conveys her story. And she articulates so well that it is easy to understand. :) can't wait to read her book!

[@linharvey9177]

I'm so happy that I found your channel! I really enjoyed Kimberly Tilley. Thank you!

[@beverlypittenger5712]

Kimberly, is a great story teller. I have just finished the book, very well written and the research done is amazing! I would recommend it to anyone that loves a good mystery.

[@sashawitwicky]

Can’t get enough of these!

[@ManyLobsters]

Juicy!! Kimberly tells this story like she was there- very engaging. I’m subscribed to Most Notorious now and now I’m obsessed!

[@Mykelaugustinereed1963]

A brilliant book such an interesting story and a wonderful fast read!

[@kjay15993]

So happy to be linked into this one.. had never heard about it but very interesting.

[@janethayes5941]

These are amazing!

[@henryottis295]

I think the mother-in-law is a great suspect due to the fact that a divorce was imminent, and with Ed showing interest in other women, a new marriage was plausible and normal. Which would have left her homeless and outside looking in. With the divorce looming, she knew Ed would have to die before it was legal, leaving her daughter Alice sole beneficiary of all the property and thus ensuring her security and future. While Ed being a decent man in allowing her to stay in the home was commendable, if not highly unusual, no new wife would have tolerated her presence in that home, and she intuitively knew that..... Her days living in luxury were numbered, and with Alice safely away from the home with the perfect alibi, she killed Ed and staged the rather strange setting. It also completely explains her odd behaviour in having the doctor sent for before the door was even opened. She knew the horrific scene that lay behind that door, which is why she wanted a professional to be first on the scene to discover the body. She probably derived some comfort from the doctors presence knowing only too well what would be found and decided to make him an ally. Apparently it worked out well for all concerned, excepting Ed of course. She gets to keep her comfortable style of living, her daughter Alice returns to the home, and the status quo remains unchanged. The fact that Ed was agreeable to her staying in the home after her daughter repeatedly cheated on him and left, shows that he was indeed a kind and generous man. It may have been his undoing. I find it odd that the police didn't zero in on the mother-in-law, as she had motive, and lived in the house giving her opportunity, knowing the routine of all concerned living there....... She probably ran the household entirely after Alice left and considered it hers anyway. With Ed out of the picture, it was hers by default in her eyes, considering Alice would be grateful and allow her a home for the rest of her life. I think mother and daughter conspired together, and both were to benefit the most by Ed's death.

[@MostNotorious]

Hello all, and welcome to the Most Notorious Podcast! Just a reminder, most of my episodes are not uploaded to KZbin. Regular episodes are released every week and available at my website www.mostnotorious.com/ and your favorite podcast apps, including: Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/most-notorious-a-true-crime-history-podcast/id1055044256 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/1JeYsvYZI4OxGTC9TJljLV Spreaker: www.spreaker.com/show/mostnotorious Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/show/most-notorious-a-true-crime-history-podcast Pandora: www.pandora.com/podcast/all-episodes/most-notorious-a-true-crime-history-podcast/PC:16671 Amazon Music: music.amazon.com/podcasts/39005731-4486-40a2-a16b-1bc62255b243/most-notorious-a-true-crime-history-podcast?refMarker=null Google Podcasts: podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc3ByZWFrZXIuY29tL3Nob3cvNDY5ODMxNS9lcGlzb2Rlcy9mZWVk TuneIn Radio: www.pandora.com/podcast/all-episodes/most-notorious-a-true-crime-history-podcast/PC:16671

[@MAllen-ng8pl]

So where is the wife, Alice, now? They should question her again.

[@MostNotorious]

Alice died in 1944.

[@marieyatestaylor5732]

I suspect Mrs. Hall. If the doctor admired her, he would protect her. But, I would follow the money. If Alice doesn't gain through divorce, or didn't know she had been replaced as a beneficiary, mother may had arranged their financial future while Alice was out of town. Seems as though, Alice had long since Not loved Arthur. Possibly she was enamored with a sensitive man, who would not rearrange his life for her, had she even asked him to. Possibly he had become an inconvenience when Alice's livelihood was compromised. No burglar? 2am, who was inside the house ... the mother-in-law, who covered his face (and protected the furniture). The doctor may have suspected someone inside the house, too. Arthur was a poor unfortunate soul who saw no way out of his infatuation and received little in return. Seems everyone was angry that the father was making such a fuss, that is a public fuss, and all were resentful about the way their lives were going to change should a divorce occur. Yep, my vote is the mother-in-law.

[@henryottis295]

Great minds think alike. See my post above. I especially like your comment about the mother-in-law protecting the furniture, it made me laugh ! Who but the mother-in-law, who expected to basically inherit the the house with her daughter would care to protect the furniture??? Certainly no burglar. Why ruin a perfectly good couch ? She was being entirely practical, and it's a dead giveaway pointing in her direction yet again!! Good work Sherlock. 👍

[@sheryldalton8965]

This story sounds like an Edith Wharton novel with a dash of murder thrown in.

[@berger1510]

If you were a modern day Detective investigating this crime then you'd definitely want to be sure where the Wife was and be sure that she couldn't possibly have done it. After that, if ruled out, you'd be looking closer still at the Mother in Law. I don't think there are any more suspects than those two.

[@mortenthomassen4957]

The mother did it.

[@anaolguin5710]

I think it was the husband of the woman he was courting that got divorced from her husband ! He was probably with her that night when the now ex husband surprised them and he killed ED and to avoid any suspicion he threatened the ex wife to help stage the crime scene 😮

[@johnalucard7860]

Mrs hall did it.for her daughter.

[@sheryldalton8965]

I think Mrs Hull did it so her daughter wouldn't lose her position & money.

[@johnalucard7860]

Buffalo!!!! Go bills!!!!!!!!

[@charleswinokoor6023]

I find nearly every author to be very interesting but not this one. Can’t win them all.