The Washington times., 1933-06-13
COURT To RULE
ON ADMISSION
LATE TODAY
Mother of Buck Brothers COL
Iapses; State Asks Guilt
Verdict for Both

DAtIN0 A6AG, Mass, JUNE Id
HN.S0 .-Attorney for Kenneth
and Cyril Buck, brothers on trial
for the KIDNAPPING of 10-year-old
Peggy McMath, today resisted ef-
forts of the prosecution to intro
duce as evidence a confession
Kenneth is alleged to have made
on the evening of May 6, four
days after the abduction.
Judge Edward F. Hanify ad-
journed court during the argu-
ment. saying he would rule on the
question later today. In the con-
fession? Kenneth said he alone
conceived the kidnapping of Peggy
because he was broke, jobless.
and needed the money"
On the stand when the confes-
sion issue arose was Lieut.. Detec-
tive Ernest S. Bradford. of the
State police, who played a lead
ing role in the capture of the
Buck brothers.
Mother COlIapses
A high-light of the days pro-
ceedings was the collapse of Mrs.
Bertha Buck, 65-year-old mother
of the two defendants. She
crumpled in a front row seat
while District Attorney William
c. Crossley. in his opening ad-
dress to the jury, was declaring
that both of her sons. Kenneth
and Cyril. we're equally guilty"
of the kidnapping crime. She was
carried from the courtroom by
her son, Lawrence.
She returned later, however,
declaring she would "see this
through"
The district attorneys state
ment asserting both brothers
equally guilty, came as surprise.
Cyril Buck had claimed pc was en-
tirely innocent. that he consented
to act as Intermediary for his
brother solely for the purpose of
seeing that Peggy was returned
safely to her home.
Explains Charge
Crossley told the jury that both
Cyril and Kenneth Buck we're
guilty of extortion as we'll as kid
naping. He said that while Ken
meth was the one who spirited
the child away, it was Cyril who
first established contact with Neil
C. McMath, Peggys father, the
day after the abduction, and
sought to extort a quarter Of
million dollars. He said:
Cyril made misrepresenta-
tions to Mr.. McMath. He said
he knew how a contact could
he made with the kidnaperS.
although he claimed he did not
know who they were. All the
time he knew the kidnaper was
his own brother.
First Cyril wanted S25O,OOO
ransom. The father said it
would be impossible to raise
such an amount and cOuntered
with a $4,000 proposition.
Finally, after several visits by
Cyril, the price was set at $780,
OOO-as the kidnaper's lowest
amount for the return of the
child"
Sketches Entire Plot
District Attorney Crossley told
the jurors how. on the afternoon
of Tuesday, May 2, Peggy Nc
Math was summoned from her
classroom as a result of tele-
phone message from her father
who was sending a car for her.
Kenneth had done the telephon
ing.
Crossley related how arrange
ments we're made to procure the
$4,000 ransom money which had
been asked.
Cyril Buck. he said. had asked
for $4,000 as-his commission for
acting as intermediary but when
it was later offered to him he
refused to accept it.
Cyril Drove Car
1t was Cyril Buck who drove
the car when Peggy was re-
turned to her father early Fri
day, May S. The child was
driven to Wychmere Harbor, a
short distance from the McMath
home, and taken aboard the
boat, Bob, in order to allow the
kidnapers a 48-hour start for
their getaway, the father having
agreed to this plan.
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