The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-03-02
Brutal Murder OF a Social Leader
at Los Angeles, Cal.
SLAIN BY HER FORMER cOAcHMAk
Victims Husband Was Born in Wa
SEGA County; Rich and influen-
tiai Gentleman.

Los Angeles, Feb. 27-The bruta
and unprovoked murder of Mrs. Charlie.
A. Garfield, social leader famed fol
her beauty and wife of the California
OIL king, by her former coachman, Nor
ris Buck, has caused a sensation almost
national i'm effect.
A remarkable feature of the crime i.
that 1T was fOretold over year ACC
by gypsy woman, who, in gratitude
for aims received from Mrs. Garfield
told her fortune and warned her OF
the impending fatality which she de
serlbed In some detail. No attention was
pald to the prophecy, however, and il
was not until after Mrs. Canfeld's muir.
der that the gypsy's words were re.
called.
Buck was former retainer in the
Garfield family, serving as coashman
and leaving their employ about five
years ago. 1t is thought that he dis
covered some family secret, and, re
Gently, finding himself short of funds
made a demand upon Mrs. Garfield fol
$1,000, which she refused He depart
ed saying that he would return on the
following day and this he did, evident
~ having planned his crime in the in.
term. Mrs. Garfield being out for a
drive, Buck awaited her return on the
front porch of the Garfield mansion
lS nf hn ha -,
Southern California.
Mrs. Garfield entered the house by a
side door and was warned of Bucks
presence as well as of the fact that he
had acted i'll a menacing manner. Hav-
ing no fear, however, she decided to
give him an audience and almost imme-
diately after their meeting Il shot was
heard by the servants, who, rushing out
arrived in time to see Buck fire a sec.
ond shot into the body of his PROSTATE
victim, who lived but brief time.
After desperate chase Buck was
captured. Since then he has declined
Ia give any explanation of his crime
and by some is thought to be insane.
Charles Garfield, the dead wOman's
husband, was absent in Mexico when his
wife met her DEATH He is heartbroken
over the catastrophe. Garfield is one
of the richest men in the west and has
a romantic history, having made his
fortune, after being disinherited through
a small venture in the then almost I'M
tried oil fields of Southern California
Both Mr. and Mrs. Garfield, referred
to in the above dispatch were born and
brought up in Waseca county, close to
the Blue Earth county line. DR.. Can
field was born and raised at Alma City
Mrs. Canfield's maiden name was Chloe
Westcott. She was born at Vivian, anC
moved to Alma City. where she spent
five or six years before her marriage tC
Dr. Garfield. The two grew up togeth
er in Alma City, and their marriage
occurred about twenty ight years ago
Mr.. Westcott, father of Mrs. Garfield
was engaged in the milling business al
Alma City for a number of years, il
partnership with d. p. Young of this
city. who remembers the murdered WON
an very well.
DIR. Garfield made about $4,000 be
fore his marriage, but lost it. Afte1
the marriage, DR.. and Mrs. Canfielt
went to Grand Island. Neb., and from
there to Los Angeles, Cal, where the!
accumulated fortune in the oil fields