The Seattle Star

William J. Burdett a Well Known Member of the Local Pressman's Union Kills Himself in His Own Door-yard--Body is Found By Messenger Boy.

Wm. J. Burdett, a well known member of the local Pressmen's union, was found lying dead in his front yard at 2614 Judkins street, at about 8 o'clock this morning, with a bullet wound through his heart. The circumstances point to suicide. The body was lying face downward, and under the dead man's right hand was revolver, from which one shot had been fired. The body was cold and stiff, showing that it had been dead for some hours.

The discovery was made by Foster Douglas, a messenger boy who was on his way to deliver a message in the neighborhood. As young Douglas passed he saw the body, and went to examine it. From the gate to the door is a distance of only 15 feet. Apparently the shot had been fired just after the man stepped inside. He had fallen forward, his head was close to the door.

Douglas says that the fingers of the dead man did not grip the revolver, but were outspread, resting just above the handle of the weapon. Douglas at once went to the police station and notified the police. The patrol wagon was sent up and the body taken to Butterworth's morgue.

Lucy Antoine, a little girl, discovered the body shortly after the messenger did, and telephoned news to headquarters. Mrs. Burdett knew nothing of the tragedy until told this morning after the finding of the body.

The failure of Burdett to save money is thought by his family to be the cause of his act of self-destruction. On two former occasions he made preparations to kill himself, but each time his wife found farewell letters written to her, in time to prevent him from carrying his declared purpose.

Last Monday Burdett went to Tacoma to do some work connected with his trade. Since then his wife has heard nothing from him. Shortly after 3 o'clock this morning, persons living in the vicinity of the Burdett home heard a shot, but paid little attention to it. Policeman Willis Milliken heard the report, but could not locate it, though he went to several houses in the neighborhood in an effort to do so.

Sometime during the night J. Pratt, who lives almost opposite the Burdett home, says that he heard a shot and got up and partially dressed. He went outside and attempted to find from whence the report came. Failing in this, he returned to his house, only to be disturbed again by the groaning of some person, evidently in pain. Again he went out, but as before, he did not find the source of the shot or the moaning.

Neither Mrs. Burdett nor Mrs. M. J. Shaw, her mother, heard the shot, although they were sleeping but a few feet from where it was fired. After Mrs. Burdett had been told of the tragedy, she rushed out into the front yard, where the body lay, and attempted to drag it into the house. She only succeeded in moving it a few feet. At this moment Police Detective John Barck and Sergeant Leighton arrived. They kept the crowd of curious away from the remains until the arrival of Coroner Hoye.

Several times Mrs. Burdett broke away from her friends in the house and rushed past the policemen to the dead body of her husband. She talked to the dead man as if he were still alive and chided him for not coming to see her before he killed himself.

The body was finally taken to Butterworth's morgue, where Coroner Hoye made a thorough search of it. Nothing that would throw any light on the cause of the suicide was found. In the pockets were found some papers of little value and 35 cents in small change.

The bullet which caused death entered the right side, a little in front and just below the armpit. It ranged in a slightly downward direction, passing through the heart and coming out on the left side. The leaden pellet was found in the upper vest pocket on the left side. It had spent its force and dropped when it pierced the inner side of the pocket.

There was no bullet hole found on the right side of the coat or vest. The coat and vest had been unbuttoned and the muzzle of the revolver placed against the shirt. The gun that was used is a .38 caliber Smith & Wesson.

William J. Burdett was one of the best known pressmen in Seattle. He had lived in this city for the past 12 years and was almost constantly employed on the newspapers. He has at various times operated the presses of the three daily papers and was counted a skillful mechanic.

Two brothers, Ed and Charles Burdett, live in Seattle. He was 33 years of age at the time of his death. Foster Douglas, the boy who found the body, is the son of A. J. Douglas, the optician.