Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-02-27
Butchering Party
Turns Out a Hoax
Wild Tale About Barbarous Man
Proves To Have No Foundation.

rible in detail was the story that
came to County Detective Parker's
office at Mount Holly, on Sunday af-
ternoon from Justice of the Peace
Tustin, of Tabernacle, that James
Crossley. of Moore's Boys, had al
ready chopped his wife's head with a
Ratchet several times and had threat
ened to finish her before sundown
She was bleeding terribly, it was
said, and something ought to be
done to prevent real murder
About five miles from the scene of
this alleged butchering, Tabernacle's
official circle was doing nothing to
disturb its usual Sunday calm and
SO far as anybody there was con-
cerned the woman was still bleed
ing; fully twenty miles from the
scene, County Detective Parker was
called, and he quickly grasped the
the seriousness of the reported sit
uation. 1t was investigated quicker
than scat. considering that there was
distance of twenty miles to cover.
Parker being tied to the house
with cold, County Detective Cain
and Carabine, accompanied by two
strong body guards, made the trip to
Tabernacle, heard Justice Tustin's
statement, got instructions about the
way reach the tragedy spot and sped
on through dust and over the wind
ing and rough trail through the
woods to the Moore property.
Finally the end of the journey was
reached and the first thing that look
ed like house was approached. 1t
was the right place. The detectives
dismounted, were greeted by three
dogs and then by man, who, in re-
spouse to a question whether he was
Jim Crossley, said "That's me" He
was then asked about what he had
done to his wife, where she was, and
|
SO ON. Crossley hadn't seen such a
good looking crowd before in a long
time and he was noticeably nervous
over the invasion of his property, but
he answered all questions in a
straightforward manner. The detect
ives asked him for the Ratchet with
which he had done the alleged chop
ping, and then he got his Irish UP
in good shape.
"Chop hell" he said. "Whadaya
mean?"
where's your wife; come across,
snapped out one of the detectives,
while the body guards were looking
around for the horrible sight that
had been pictured to them in Tab
ernacle.
"Why, she's out here close by get
ting wood; just left about two minu-
ties ago." came from Crossley.
The search was then made where
she usually got her wood and there
the supposed-butchered wife was
found. 1t was true that she looked
as though she had gone through a
wild night, but Crossley denied any
responsibility for her appearance
and shes corroborated all he said
She had a couple of dark lanterns
and cut on her head, but she made
it quite clear to the officers that the
cause rested with her and she was
the only sufferer from the effect
She admitted that it was all her
own fault, that she had imbibbed
some medicine that made her have a
dizzy spell and she fell against the
step. Her explanation about getting
the two black eyes was not quite
clear, and then came the further adj
mission that she and Jim had little
dispute over $40 bill with which
the medicine had been purchased
but she considered that all her fault
and had no complaint to make.
That was the situation that the de-
tectives found, Crossley was home
in as peaceful manner as anybody
could be, the wife was gathering
wood for the fire in the stove or
which the evening meal was being
cooked and the dogs were adding
life to the surroundings with an oc
casional bark. With complete de
NAL of the butchering and no com
plant from the woman, there wa
nothing for the detectives to do bu
return home.