The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-07
WIN. I. BUCKLEY SUICIDE?
FORMER DRF GOODS MERCHANT
KILLS HIMSELF.

Boathouse Mt Hlis Country Homc-Coroner
says n was Accidentally ID Been Dropped
from this Firm OF DunhAm. Buchioy q Co.
william T. Buckley, formerly a member Of
tho wholesale dry goods firm OF Durham, Buck
10y & Co. Of this city, shot and killed himself
In n boathouso near his summer residence,
Wave Crest, ut Far R~ockaway, yesterday morn.
ing. Mr.. Buckley's family insist that tho
shooting was accidental and Coroner Guy is
inclined to that belief. Detective Sergeant
James Mccarthy reported tho case to Police
Headquarters as one Of suicide. McCarthy's
report was made after n careful examination
OF the position of the body when found. Ac-
cording to his reasoning 1t was highly i'm
probable that n wound such as killed Mr..
Buckley could have resulted from accidental
shooting. The bullet entered the right side of
tho.head, q little back of and an inch and n half
above tho ear. 1t went through tho head,
coming out on tho other side about half an inch
higher up.
For tho past two years Mr.. Buckley has
lived ut Wave Crest. The establishment is a
lno one, including elaborate grounds, n stable.
kennels, and n boathousc. He kept several
fine horses and had thlrty.hvo finely bred dogs.
Mr.. Buckley had a city homo at 3 West Six.
tecnth street, but had not occupied 1t for some
time. Last winter he and his wife, who was o
Miss Fowler. daughter of tho senior member
of the old dry goods firm OF Fowler. Champion
G. Co., spent several weeks In tho city, but
stayed ut tho Waldorf.
Mr.. Buckley had but one child, n son, T.
Townsend Buckley, who is a student at Prince
ton Young Buckley has been spending the
Christmas holidays with his parents and was
to. have returned to college yesterday morning.
On "Wednesday night his father told him to get
up in time to catch tho o o'clock train for this
city. He said he would ride to tho station
with him.
Father and son were both up at 1880 O'Clock
In the morning. They took breakfast to-
eether and Mr.. Buckley seemed in his usual
GOOD spirits. After breakfast he told the coach
man to have the carriage at the door at twenty
minutes before 8. Young Buckley then went
to his room to pack his satchel.
Neither Mrs. Buckley, her son, nor any of
the servants saw Mr.. ,FbNae Buckley KEY Leave ct the h,6 6o nnn:
~ Ths sb ilrs soa int,mstio %bi thSsY Is h oaIf th IA fe es f h%n speds
feet away, was when they heard two shots
come from that direction. Down on the beach
and shotgun. and he generally shot at it from
the penthouse.
started to look for his father. Remembering
the shots, he went down to the boath9use. His
fe1hsG vas slo sest %as IN fo aR inph from tbe c @onnd n in "a
his head, and his revolver, a 44-calibre weapon,
was lying on the arm of the chair.
failing, ran to the house to.tel the news. DR..
Carl Schmuck of Cedarhurst was summoned,
and also Detective Mccarthy. DIR. Schlnuck,
after an examination, said that there was no
hope for the injured man. A few minutes
The revolver had only contained two car
tridgos. Four of the chambers were empty,
and only one or the two cartridges had been
exploded. One of tho two shots heard by the
household Is supposed to have.becn fired by q
man who was shooting further down the beach;
was not in a line with the door of the boathouse
and while sitting In it he could not have shot at
the target without leaning over the left side of
the chair.
When the story that Mr.. Buckley had COM
mitted suicide reached this city men In the dry
the result OF his having been dropped from the
! firm with which he had been identified for SO
many years. His partnership with James II.
Durham expired on Jan. !, and ut Q meeting
held by the members Of the firm or. Jan. . Mr..
Buckley was dropped. - reaso2.for the &C,
the firm are Charles II. Webb. William Z.
Webb and w. A. Little.
Mr.. Buckley is said to have been despondent
SINCE his departure from the house which he
had practically established. The members
of his family deny that he has been In bad
low their names to be uscd. say that he was
very disconsolate.
MIR. Durham said Yesterday that Mr.. Buck.
ley's death was a complete surprise to him.
Ho could NOT believe that he had committed
suicide, He declined to give any explanation
but declared that the best feeling existed be-
tween Mr.; Buckley and his former partners.
AS far as Mr.. Durham knew, Mr.. Buckley was
not in pecuniary difficulties.
MI. Buckley was As years old and belonged
to a number Of clubs in this city.