New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-07

FIRM OF DUNHAM PUCKLEY &
co VP TO JANUARY /.
William T Buckley. for twenty years. until
January |. a member Of the firm OF Durham.
Buckley & Co.. one OF the largest and most i'm
portant drygoods houses in America, found
early yesterday morning at his home in Wave
Crest Far ROckaway. Lons Island. with bullet
wound IN his head and he died an hour later.
The family declare that his death due 10 the
accidental discharge OF a selt-acting revolver.
which he had been using shooting at target,
while the police say il clear case Of sui
eide
From the statements OF Coroner S. s Guy
and Detectives Mccarthy and DonOhue OF the
New-York Central ONCE. who are stationed at
Far Rockaway. the shooting occurred at about
$50 o'clock Mr.. Buckley left the house shortly
before this 70 go to a small boathouse one hun
dred and fifty feet away from the house be
,ore going he ordered the coachman to have
the carriage at the house for the 90l train on
the Long island Railroad for New-York, as
his sen. Townsend Buckley. was TO start for
,h,s city on his return to Princeton University
m that train, and Mr. Buckley intended 10 ac-
company his son 20 the Far Rockaway station
He also told the coachman 10 have the carriage
ready again at 1920 o'clock. as he intended to
start for the city at that time
CONFLICTING STATEMENTS.
Thus far the statements given out by the
d.,oc,ives and the Coroner agree to the
Incidents prior 70 the shooting. AS to the rest
~ the facts in the case. the Coroner says that
NJ Buckley had the revolver with him as he
left the house. and that he was heard to fire
Two shots on his way to the hoathouse NO
other shot was heard and when Il was time
>or the carriage to start for the station the
son went 20 the boathonse and found his father
s,,.,rr f., an UPHOLSTERED armchair. with
bulet-hole in his head.
The son NJ once sent for DR.. J Carl schmuck
Of Lawrence. When he arrived Mr Buckley
uss stu alive. but the docto. said the case
was hopeless and summoned Coroner Guy Mr.
yucklev did not regain consciousness. Coroner
c,v with his physician DR.. W. H Nammack
later hold an autopsy. and discovered that the
bu,let had entered The head at the edge OF the
right temple one and one-half inches above the
I'm OF the ear. and half way between the ear
and the right eye and that It had come Out
IN The left side ot the head. two and one-han
inches above and back Of the left ear
The Bullet was found imbedded in the wall OF
the boathouse.
Both Coroner Guy and DR.. Nammack said
that they believed the shooting was accidental
Detac,ives Mccarthy and Donohue. after their
INVESTIGATION. reported 10 'il'A -4ON~-' N
I, was clearly a case Of suicide. In their in
vesrgsuon It was found that NJ. Buckley had
gone 10 the boathouse and taken the revolver
from shelf where il was kept. and then shot
himself The shot was heard by one OF the
servants in the house who gave the alarm
which brought young Buckley to his fathers
assistance. The detectives also stated that the
revolver used showed that it had contained
only two shells and that only one OF them
had been exploded. In speaking Of their re-
port one Of the detectives said last night;
We see no reason, after the close cf our In
vestgation. to change our first report Of sui
eide"
The detectives also called attention to the
large-sized C44-calibre) revolver used. which
they say could hardly have been accidentally
raised 10 the place where the wound was made.
THINKS IT ACCIDENTAL.
Charles r. Buckley. Of Brooklyn brother Of W.
T Buckley. was the only member Of the family
who could be seen last night at Wave Crest. He
explained that Mrs. Buckley. his brothers wife.
vas prostrated by the affair. Il have made
careful inquiries" sad Mr. Buckley since l
reached here this afternoon and have satisfied
myself that my brother did not intend to XIII
himself. He killed himself accidentally; Of that
J have not the slightest doubt. and am in
formed the medical examination goes toward
proving this 20 be the case.
The Coroner's inquest will be held at the
Town Hall. Far Kockaway on Monday.
The time and place OF tae funeral had not
been decided upon last night
HIS BUSINESS RELATIONS.
James II. Durham Mr.. Buckey's former part
ner IN the firm of Durham. Buckley & Co., when
tpoken to regarding the death Of his former busl-
ness associate, said: The news that Mr.. Buckley
had taken his own life was a great shock and
surprise 10 ne. l have known him well for a
quarter Of a century. and for twenty years Of
that time as a business partner have always
found him 70 be man OF even temper and a
well-halanced mind, neither moody excta-
bic lie came into the Office few days ago.
although did not see him at that time. ara
told that he was suffering from a severe cold.
On January our partnership under the name
of Dunham Buckley & Co. expired by lmitaS
ton. and Mr Buckley retired from business, the
new firm being called James II. Durham & CO.
] know Of 10 irregularities whatever in his
financial dealings. and have always found him
E thoroughly upright and honorable man.
All through the drygOOds district the greatest
regre, was oppressed a, Mr.. Buckey's death.
IL was a man oc exceptionally pleasant man
and genial temperament that made nm a
host of friends during his twenty years of ac-
tive business life n the firm he leit only few
days ago. Nobody could be found who could
give any reason why he should take his own
life
Mr Buckley was hfty-two years old. His
father Thomas r Buckley, the senior
member Of the oid-tme firm Of Buckley, Well
irg & Co. and with this firm the son was asso-
cis,ed until it was dissolved by the deatn OF ms
father He then became member Of the firm
OF Dunham, Buckley & Co. Mr.. Buckley mar
ried Miss Fowler. daughter Of the senior
partner Of the drygoods firm OF Fowler, CrahP-
ton & Co. lie was q member Of numerous ciuDs
and societies among them being the Union
I.T2gle Century. the Pl2NfrS the MeT-
chants the Down town Assoc iatiOn. the Seawdn-
heka CoriEthian Yacht club the South side
Sportsmens club, the Rockawsy Hunt club
and the Dunlap Society. His wife and son
Townsend Buckley, a Princeton student survive
him
The home O, Mr.. Buckley at Wave Crest Is a