The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-06-23
KENNETH BUCK
LINKS M'MATH
TO KIDNAPPING
Plot Engineered So Father
Could Get Money, He
Tells Court.
By United Press

By United Press
BARNSTABLE, Mass, June 23-
Kenneth Buck, %. jobless chauffeur
charged with the kidnapping of 10
year-old Peggy McA1ath, testified
late Thursday that he became in
volved in the case only after a
bootlegger told him Neil c. Nc
Math, Peggy's father. needed
money and this was the only way
to get it."
The bootlegger was known to him
only as Bill" Buck said, and in
formed him that it was not a real
kidnapping, as McMath knew all
about it."
Kenneth testified after his older
brother, Cyril, Al, also charged with
the abduction for 100000 ransom.
He testified that Bill" first ap-
preached him at Hyannis in regard
to a bootlegging deal. The deal, he
said, developed into kidnap plot,
with Bill" assuring him that Nc
Math was aware of it and wanted
money from relatives in Detroit.
Breaks Down and Weeps
Bill" Buck said, gave him de-
tailed instructions as to how to go
about the kidnapping. He told him
to blacken his face with burnt cork
before going to the Harwich Center
school, where Peggy was seized, and
to wear his chauffeurs uniform.
Kenneth said he asked Bill
how he knew he had a chauffeur's
uniform, and Bill" replied McAIath
had told him of it.
Several times during his scnsa-
tional recital, the witness broke
down and wept.
The stranger, Kenneth said, asked
him to store 800 cases of liquor for
81 a case. During his search for a
storage place. he continued, he en-
tered the vacant small estate, where
Peggy eventually was concealed, and
decided it might be a suitable spot
for storing liquor.
Not Real He Says
81 told Bill about the places I
had found for the liquor" Kenneth
said, land Bill said, forget it, I
have a real job for you and you
can make $4,000. All you've got to
do is wait for a girl at school and
take her and hold her a couple of
days for ransom"
II said to Bill I didn't care to
have anything to do with a kid
naping, and he said didn't have
to worry because this was not a
real kidnapping. Bill told me about
the McMath girl and that her father
knew all about it, that it was all
planned and if got in any trouble
McMath would help me.
"He said McMath needed money
and that he couldn't borrow any and
that this was the only way he could
get it from some relatives. Then
he told me to think it over, but if
I mentioned a word about it he
would kill me-"
Police Were "TOo Active"
hGIlI1GUu GIl61 QGSCI1USQ E6BBy
kidnapping and her concealment at
a shack in a cranberry bog. Bill"
met him there he said, and told him
he did not dare get in touch with
McMath because the police were
too active. The witness said he was
told to take the girl to the small
estate and hide her for a few days.
HE told me to take care of her."
Kenneth said, land make it look
like a real kidnapping and get a
contact man and said I must not
mention to this man anything-to
him it must be real. He told me
to ask for $250000 and 1 would get
$4,000. I was to get $4,000, the
contact man $4,000, and I was to
hold $4,000 for Bill"
He brought food to Peggy, hid
den in the half-cellar of the small
estate, he said, and stayed all night.
Peggy told him, he said, that "she
didn't mind because she was used
to crawling under houses"
Next day, he said, he went to his
brother Cyril's garage, bringing a
note from Peggy telling him he was
hooked up" with the kidnapping.
At this point Judge Hanify ad-
journed court until today because
the witness was tired.