Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1906-01-28

Because she refused to give him $260O,
which he demanded, Morris Buck shot
and killed Mrs. Charles A. Garfield
last evening at 6 o'clock on the front
veranda Of the Confeld residence at
S03 Alvarado street.
After he had fired two shots into his
helpless victim, Buck stood on the
porch upon which he committed the
dastardly crime and holding the re-
volver up to his temple said; "shall
do 1t, shall do it?' Members of the
crowd which quickly gathered cordially
encouraged him to shoot himself. but
apparently Buck lacked the nerve.
Fully twenty minutes elapsed between
the time the murder was committed
and the first move made toward the
capture of the criminal. During all
that time Buck sat upon one of the
porch chairs and made no effort to es-
cape until Special Officer Foster APP
peared, when the murderer started to
run.
Cornered in Boathouse
Foster Immediately gave chase and
after trailing Buck on Eighth street
to Lake and on Lake street to the boat
house in Westlake park. he finally cap
tured the man, who was covering be-
hind the counter of the boathouse. AL
though armed with revolver and big
knife Buck made no resistance what
ever to the officer and after the hand
cuffs were placed on him the murderer
was taken to the city Jail.
The story of the crime was told by
Lizzie Billingsey, an eyewitness to the
murder. Miss Billingsley was the cook
at the Garfield residence and saw the
whole tragedy of the crime
Miss Billingsley said Yesterday af-
ternoon about o'clock that man (Buck)
came to the house with a letter ad-
dressed to Mrs Garfield. Mrs. Can
field showed the letter to all of us in
the kitchen. In it he asked for loan
of $4,000, stating that he would pay it
back in small monthly installments.
At the close of the missive he said: IF
you lend me the money 1 will pay you
back, God being my helper Mrs Can
field laughed over the letter and said
that she could not see her way clear
to lend the man the money.
Needed for Business
"She told me that Buck had been a
coachman in her employ for two
was also stated that he wanted the
money for the purpose of going into
business for himself.
Mrs. Garfield paid no more attention
to the letter and no more was said in
regard to 1t. Then today he came to
the door about half past five. L went
to the door and asked him what he
wanted. He said he wanted to see Mrs.
Garfield. / told him that Mrs. Can
field was out driving and would not
be home for some little time. He said
he would wait and sat down on one of
the porch chairs. He looked so wild L
was afraid of him and would not let
him inside. He was dressed like a
tramp and looked like ruffian.
Mrs. Garfield soon returned from her
drive and came in by the side en-
front porch waiting for her and begged
her not to go out to see him.
"She said: You mustn't think / am
afraid of him, you know, and she and
Airline, her daughter, went out on the
porch and began to talk to the man.
She Saw Pistol
'I went through the house to the den
which is in the front part and looked
out of the window to see the contro-
versy. 1 could see that they were all
very much excited, but 1 did not know
what was the matter.
81 heard Mrs. Garfield say to Buck:
Now you sit right down there and
don't you dare come near me- Then
1 saw the man reach around to his hip
pocket and pull out a revolver.
"I screamed to Mrs. Garfield and Ar
line, Come in the house, that man will
kill YOU AS L screamed Buck looked
in the window and aimed the gun at
me. I lodged back of the curtains and
ran around to the front door.
opened 1t and screamed again to Mrs
Canfield to come into the house. She
paid no attention and gazed at Buck
with the revolver in his hand.
"Then he raised the weapon and
shot Mrs. Garfield in the breast. She
lurched toward him with a cry and he
shot her again in the stomach, then
she fell to the porch. ran out In
the yard to the coachman and told him
to come at once, for Mrs. Garfield
was hurt.
Drags Victim Indoors
"He paid no attention. ran back
to the porch and lifted Mrs. Garfield
up and dragged her into the house.
Buck was still standing on the porch
but did not look at me while / was
getting Mrs. Garfield into the house
"By that time the house was sur
rOunueu Dy SPECTATORS anu inc IlluI-
derer was kept from escaping by the
crowd. DR.. c. b. Nichols, DIR. Car
Kurtz, DIR. r. c. Moore, DR.. M. L.
Moore and DR.. Ralph Hagan were inn
mediately summoned, but in spite OF
their efforts Mrs. Garfield died at 6:3'
o'clock"
Special Officer Charles L. Foster was
at his home at 1895 Park View wher
the alarm came in from the Garfield
residence. He Immediately rode over
to the house upon his bicycle and ar
rived at the scene of the crime a few
moments after it had been committed
Mr.. Foster said in regard to his cap
ture of the murderer:
at was Just sitting down to dinner
when the alarm came in from the
Garfield place. 1 got over there as
quickly as l could.
when l arrived / was informed by
the crowd of people which had coll
lected that the criminal was ON the
porch and they warned me to be care
ful, for he had gun.
"I went up to the porch, and just
as l was stepping onto the first step
caW tho MON hr.aalr aud rim TIa