Evening star., 1936-03-11
.RUXTON, SOBB|NG,
DENIES MURDERS
Charge He Committed "Beef
Tub" Crime Fantastic
Story, Doctor Says.
BY the Associated Press.


MANCHESTER. England. March II.
DIR. Buck Ruxton, sobbing and dash.
ing tears from his eyes. testified at his
murder trial today that the charge he
killed his wife and nursemaid and
then dismembered their bodies was
"a deliberate and fantastic story"
Standing in the dock of the smoke
grimed court room, the Indian -blooded
medico, accused Of the gruesome
devils beef tub" murders, told Jury
that he and his wife were "the sort
OF people who couldn't live with each
other and couldn't live without each
other"
Ruxton's attorney, soon after put
ting the physician on the stand, said:
1T is suggested by the crown that
you killed your wife,
The doctor burst into sobs.
Admits They Quarreled.
1T is a deliberate and fantastic
story" he replied. You might as well
say the sun is rising in the west and
setting in the east"
The attorney continued:
1T is suggested also that you killed
Mary Jane Rogerson."
Its buncombe with q capital B."
Ruxton retorted.
A moment before DR.. Ruxton testi-
ned that he and his wife sometimes
quarreled, but insisted the tiffs lasted
only two or three hours"
Wiping his eyes. he added:
Every time quarrel arose paid
dearly for it,"
He explained that following the dis
putes Mrs. Ruxton often would ask
him why they kicked up a row." and
then inquire: How do you think I'd
look in blue suit or a blue costume?"
Says Fingerprints Matched.
Ruxton, accused of cutting up the
bodies Of the two women and throw
ing them in a ravine called the
Devils Beef Tub" took the stand
after the prosecution had completed
its case with the testimony of a Glas-
gov police fingerprint expert.
The expert said there were 20 points
OF similarity between the fingerprints
on body No. l." identified by the
prosecution as that Of Miss Rogerson,
and those on number of articles
examined in the Ruxton home.
At the outset the doctor told his
counsel:
Il am Speaking the truth. You can
ask me any questions you like
He added a remark in French, and
explained: Just used a French prov
erb: Who loves most chastises most"
always Thinking OF Men"
The witness, who the crown charges
was motivated by jealousy. admitted
he had accused his wife of unfaith-
fulness.
She was always thinking of men,"
he said.
He denied. however, that he ever
had threatenef to kill the woman be-
cause of this.
Wiping his hands feyerishly with q
handkerchief. Ruxton said he finally
suspected Robert James Edmondson,
a minor town official at Lancaster, of
relations with Mrs. Ruxton. Edmond
son. in crowns testimony, had denied
the inSinuation.
The physician denied testimony Of a
witness that he once had
been seen with his hands around his
wife's neck. adding:
ut was exactly the reverse. I was
squeezing my belle. She said. oh! Let
me GOT"
Denies Making Threats.
He also declared he never had
threatened to bring her back to the
mortuary" and never had threatened
Mrs. Ruxton with knife.
Buttons voice rose several times
to shrill pitch as Norman Birkett,
his chief of counsel. led him through
a series Of questions eliminating with
his testimony that he last saw Mrs.
Ruxton, to whom he continually re-
ferred as my BELLE" with Miss Roger
son on the morning of last Septem-
ber Is.
At that time, he said, they were
leaving the house, telling him they
were going to Edinburgh.
1t was Is days later that the mutt
lated bodies were found in the Scot
tiSh ravine.
Tells Of Cutting Hand.
The physician then described how
he cut his hand with q can opener
while trying to open a tin Of fruit in
Mrs. Ruxtons bedroom. He was pre-.
pairing breakfast for his three children
at the time, he said.
"A fair and appreciable" quantity Of
blood, Ruxton said, spurted from the
wound while he was going from the
third-floor bedroom to the bathroom
on the floor below.
The prosecution had presented sew
eral witnesses who told of finding