Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-08-19
MURDER AND SUICIDE
ATTEMPTED.
Ii. +. Purcell Kidnaps Maggie HoR
man and Attemps 10 Drown her
and Himself.

u. +. Purcell Kidnaps Maggie HoR
man and Attemps 10 Drown her
and Himself.
Last Thursday afternoon about sun.
down weems was thrown into the
widest ex iiemeht-all kinds of rumors
were In circulatioL-of q f. Purcell
taking Maggie Hoffman, the II year
old daughter of sohn Hoffman, by
force in boat and rowing across the
river with her. A number of men soon
gathered and secured gasoline boat and
went iu pursuit, nut darkness prevented
capture. fthe culprit nd been captured
that night It would have Jared bad with
him.
little before shutdown Maggie Hoff-
man, with William Cash, was fishing
for crabs off her home on the river, when
commanded her TO get into 1t. She
demonstrated and told him that she
would fall overheard in passing from
one skif To- the other. MIR. Cash then
interfered, when Purcell took up Win
chester rifle and told him If he opened
his mouth again he would blow his head
off. The girl was forced to get la with
Purcell. He took up the oars and rowed
towards the middle OF the river. On the
way out Maggie. who was thoroughly
frightened, began to cry and pleaded
with him TO take her home He told her
that he loved her and intended TO kill her
aud himself also, and asked her who she
loved besides her father and mother. She
compromising the purpose aud inten-
ton of the man, told him she loved him
She was so frightened she would have
told him anything to escape harm. He
told her 20 stop crying or he would blow
his and her brains out. He asked her
again, "Who do you love;" she cried out
"Before God love you better than any.
one else" He asked ibid you not see me
this morning when you went rowinsH II
you had come towards me instead of
going the other way would have killed
you then" She asked "Why do you talk
so, Mr.. Purcell" Because love you and
cannot live without you" he answered.
When they reached the middle OF the
river OF Towles Point he grasped her
around the waist and sttemptei 10 throw
her overheard. She threw her arms
around the seat aud held on for her life,
but the mans strength soon tore them
apart and threw her overheard head first.
and jumped in theiiver with her. Maggie
knowing little about swimming soon
grasped the side of the skin, but the brute
pulled her under wster again. She strug-
gled away and in coming to the surface
her hand &c uched the painter of the boat
which WAS trailing the water; she wound
1t around her wrist. With the aid OF this
she succeeded In getting into the boat
nearly exhausted, her clothes nearly all
torn from her body except her shirt and
underskirt. While she was getting in the
boat Purcell came to the surface on the
other side and struggled aboard, and
fell in the bottom of the boat exhausted
and nearly drowned After he came
too she pleadedfor her life, promising to
do anything he wanted In return for her
life.
The desire to end his and her life now
gave way and reason returned, and with
IL the love OF lie. He promised il she
would not tell what had occurred be would
let her go ashore, which she gladly did On
nearing the shore he kissed her and she
jumped over IN water up to her waist
and ran home Shiverlng with cold and
fright she reached there about 0 o'clock
in the night.
Nothing was seen Of Purcell that night,
but early next morning Mr.. Hoffman
saw his skif at the shore, and thinking
that Purcell had ended his own life went
TO see what was In the skiff. As he got
near the boat he was hailed by Purcell,
who was In the woods near by, aud asked
to come TO him. Hoffman told him TO
throw down the gun and he would come.
aud AS he came up to Purcell he took
up the gun and told Purcell To follow
him. He was soon Joined by others and
Purcell was taken to Weems whaIf and
turned over TO the authorities
Hoffmsn's family cannot account for
the attempt on the life of their daughter,
as Purcell has not shown any special
fondIess for the girl, has never called on
her, although he told Hoffman day or
two before that he was lady's man.
Purcell has only been widower about
two months, Is about Is years old,
and lives next door to Hoffman. He is
a man OF all work, bricklayer and plas-
terer principally. and at night watches
the Oyster shore of the George Bros.
Some people say that he was temporarily
insane, but he calmly and deliberately
resolved TO end his and the young girls
life, for he wrote two letters. one to his
son, VIM. Purcell. and the other was a
letter to the public telling In each his
Intention to kill both himself and the
young lady and what disposition to make
OF his property.
He was tried in Squire Eilskov's
court and sent on to the grand jury
Of the county court.