The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-04-27
THE LUCKY ESCAPE
0fan Invalid Wife From Death at the
Hands of Her
WICKED PREACHER HUsBAND.
Rev. DR.. Buckle. Pastor Of a Fashion.
able Elizabeth, New Jersey,
Church, Wanted on
Serious Charge.


having attempted to murder her b.
strapgling and sufocation as she lay
sleeping. and facing arrest and dis
missal from his pas5orate, the Rev.
DR.. George Buckle, for twenty years
pastor Of the fashionable Greystone
Presbyterian Church at Elizabeth, N.
j., fed Wednesday with $4,000 ir
cash and securities. Detectives failed
to find him, and it is believed that be
has left the State. This is the seque.
Of an amazing and, according tc
members OF the Buckle family, a
fendish attempt at murder. The only
motive attributed for the alleged
crime is that the would-be slayer was
tired of his wife because she was an
invalid.
DAUGHTER wEDs SHORTLY BEFORE.
Romance is blendid with the tragic
element of the case, as the murder is
said to have been attempted early
Tuesday mcrning few hours after
DR.. Buckle solemnized the marriage
of bis eldest daughter, Ruth, to Rufus
Stuart Adams, wealthy resident OF
Montclair. This ceremony was per-
ormed in the parsonage drawing room
directly under the sleeping apartment
where husband and wife later aad
heir terrible struggle.
Although the attempted Staying oc-
Cured two days ago, it was not pntil
Wednesday that the Elizabeth police
we're notified. Because she shrank
from the notoriety Of public COM
olaint, nearly thirty hours passed be-
fore Mrs. Buckle applied to Police
Justice Mahon, Of Elizabeth, for a
warrant for her husband. Before
papers could be served on the accused
pastor, who learned in some mYSteri-
Gus way that his arrest was threaten
ed, disappeared.
FAMILY PROMINENT IN SOUTH.
Never has the aristocratic section OF
Elizabeth been so stirred as by this
narrowly ayerted tragedy. This is due
not only to the prominence of the
Rev. DR.. Buckle, but to the populari-
ty of his wife and daughters, the two
eldest being leaders in the most ex-
elusive younger set of Elizabeth.
The marriage Of Miss Ruth Buckle
on Monday evening was a society
event of the season. Only one fea-
ture, in the eyes of the bride, marred
the ceremony-lhe absence Of her
mother. It was learned Wednesday
that she had protested against her
husband performing the Ger r.mony, in
view of certain allegations which were
under consideration by the church
elders at the time All was otherwise
pleasant, however, and the young
couple started on the way to San
Francisco and the Orient on their
honeymoon.
According to members Of the fami-
ly the Buckles retired early, following
the departure Of their guests, and by
midnight the only persons in the
parsonage were the the husband and
wife, with their seVenteen-year-old
daughter Virginia, and four-year-
old baby girl Graded In the same room
with her parents.
wIFE's WEIRD STORY.
Shortly after midnight, Mrs. Buckle
SAYS she awoke to find her husband
standing over her. Frightened by
the hatred in his eyes, she hurriedly
asked him what was the matter.
oh" she says he replied, Il just
wanted to see if you were asleep"
She complained of having headache,
and he offered to dampen towel, she
said, and put it on her forehead.
What occurred then was told to police
Justice Mahon by the complainant,
as pale and still bearing marks Of a
violent struggle, she VividiY described
the terrible ordeal as follows:
When my husband offered to relieve
my suffering l was somewhat Surpris-
ed, as he seldom showed me any cour-
tesies Of the kind. But be left the
room and returned in few minutes
with a large Turkish towel. Before
bringing it to me be carefully closed
the door leading into the adjoining
room occupied by our daughter, Viz
ginia.
Then be brought the towel to me.
1t was dampened with warm water
instead Of cold and I told him that a
warm towel would not relieve head
ache. He replied that it was good
enough and folded it in thick
square. I noticed this, as we always
kept a dim light burning in the apart
ment because or our baby, who slept
in a cradle near the bed.
TOWEL COVERS NOSE AND MOUTH.
Suspecting nothing, l permi ted
him to lay the towel over my .ce,
out remarked to him that it was too
far down, as it covered my nose md
mouth. He said. NO matter: .Iou
will feel better in few moments.
was grateful tecauSe Of his un-
usual kindness, and was slow to real
ize that tina towel was being firmly
and gradually pressed closer. Then
came the awful realization that I was
at the mercy Ct a murderer. His
look Of hatred, which | had noticed
upon awakening, now came into my
mind and l tried to scream. But it
was useless. Tie damp towel com-
pletely shut OF utterance and my
breath was rapidly leaving me.
Several times raped on the head
Of the bed with my ring in hopes OF
arousing my daughter in the next
room. as soon Us my husband heard
this sound he grasped my arm and
pinioned it under one hand, while he
placed his right knee upon my breast
so that it was impossible for me tc
move. My strength was rapidly Civ
ing way, but by desperate effort ]
managed to give feeble scream wher
be raised the towel slightly to peer
T.