Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-01-25
A MIDNIGHT TRAGEDY ON THE MARSH


Neither Being Aware of the Others
Presence = Buekmaster Was Behind a
Blind, Watching for Ducks, and Faske
Saw His BEARD, which Ho Mistook for
an opossun, and Fired With Fatal Re-
suIts--Faske Held to Await the Action
of the Ooroner's Jury.
Dennis Buckmaster, car-builder by
trade and an expert marksman, was shot
and killed, at an early hour Tuesday
morning, in Christiana marsh, by August
Faske, who mistook him for an opossum.
The shooting occurred near the light
house at the mouth of the Christiana
river. Death was almost instantaneous
Faske, together with Charles S. Hur-
lock, grocer at Sixth and Poplar streets,
went TO the marsh about II o'clock to
look for "marsh rabbits" or muskrats.
Buckmaster was in the marsh looking
for wild ducks. Neither Faske or Hur-
lock knew that Buckmaster was in the
marsh.
In order TO get a better shot at the
ducks ii is supposed that Buckmaster
concealed himself in "blind," which is
made of reeds and furnishes an ambush
for the gunners. Occasionally he would
stick his head out of the "blind" to get
an opportunity to fire at the ducks. He
was about 60 years old, and wore a
round beard, entirely gray.
A MAN, NOT A MusKRAT.
Hurlock and Faske continued their
hunt for muskrats. Finally Faske caught
sight Of the round gray beard sticking
out of the reeds, and aiming his gun at
the supposed opossum blazed away. 1t
was then that the gunner realized the
terrible mistake he had made and saw
that the object was living target.
Buckmaster partially arose to his feet,
exclaiming;
'MY GOD, I'm SHOT, IN SHOT"
He then reeled and fell TO the ground.
Hurlock and Faske rushed to the injured
mans assistance and found him then in
a dying condition. Hurlock then ran
to the house Of John Hayes, farmer,
and notified him of the shooting. Hayes
sent his hired hoy to the shops of the
jackson g. Sharp Company, where a
telephone message was transmitted to
the city hall.
Several officers went in the patrol
wagon To the marsh, butte their arrival
Buckmaster had passed away He lived
only few minutes after the shooting.
The body was carried to the patrol
wagon and taken to the morgue. The
shooting took place between and 2
o'clock Tuesday morning.
| Faske was arrested and locked up to
await the action of the coroner. Hur-
lock was released ON his own recogni-
zance.
uURJooK's VERSION OF THE AFFAIR
Hurlock was seen at his grocery store
the shooting. He said that Buckmastel
did not accompany him and Faske tc
the marsh, as at first reported, and that
neither of them knew OF Buckmaster's
presence there until the shooting. Hur.
lock said Faske was about 90 yards dis
tant when the shooting took place. The
shot entered Buckmaster's forehead and
face, and probably pierced the brain
Hurlock denies that Buckmaster raised
his gun and attempted to shoot Faske
after the latter's fire had struck him.
Buckmaster was member of thu
Wawaset Gun Club and was one of the
best marksmen in the State. He leaves
| wife and family. He lived on Eleventh
street, near Claymont, and was EN-,
ployed by the jackson & Sharp Com
pany, His brothers are Charles IL.
Walter d. and Frederick Buckmaster
all of them well-known marksmen.
Faske is a contractor and builder, anC
has frequently done work for Building
Inspector Daniel Dohl. He is much dis
tresscd over the affair.
FaslSe was taken before Judge Ball
and held without bail to await tn
action of the coroner's jury.
The jury selected to investigate tn
case assembled in adjourned session
Tuesday afternoon. Charles s. Hur
lock, Mr.. Faske and j. Albert Curr,
were called upon to testify and CAV
evidence which corroborated the news
paper accounts of the shooting.
MIR. Hurlock said he knew Mr.. Buck
master. Four or five years ago, Will
ducking down the bay, they spent /
days together. No bad feeling existe,
between Mr., Faske and Mr.. Buckmastel
Immediately after the tragedy MI
Faske told him he had never seen Nj
Buckmaster before. The moon wa
shining brightly, but there was q heaY
fog over the river and marsh.
Mr.. Faske testified that he saw some
thing about as big as hand shining i
the moonlight, and, thinking it was a
, opossum, he fired. He declared he di
not know Mr. Buckmaster.
Mr.. Curry stated that the evidence c
Messrs. Hurlock and Faske was simila
to the information they gave him fo
publication.
A verdict of accidental shooting VIC
rendered and motion to release M
, Faske from custody was adopted.
When he appeared before the jur
Mr.. Faske's collar was greatly soilei b
/ blood, which had saturated 1t while h
, was assisting the wounded man to th
river bank. HIS grief was mirrored |
, his countenance and evident to all VIII
! attended the inquest, He thanked th
jurors for acquitting him and asserte
, that he would never use a gun agail
, When he departed he was weeping.