The New York herald., 1870-01-30
A BRUTAL MURDER.
A WaAt0n Thief Kills an Old Man In the
Presence Of His Children--No Provo
cation-The Victim, the Prisoner,
the Wounds and the Weapon.


sive, gray headed man was Drutally and most wan
tonly murdered In bis own house, and before tn,
eyes OF his own family. by q bloodthirsty nent
known as Jack Reynolds, who acknowledges that ht
has made his living for years by thlevng. Shortly
before nine O'Clock last evening he went into thu
store OF Mr.. william Townsend, No. 1872 Hudson
street, and walking up to Mr., Townsend, told
HIM he was brother OF his. Mr.. TOWNSEND
said he was not, and disclaimed ever having
seen him before. Reynolds insisted that hi
was his brother, and, In attempting u
subsrantiate his claim to relationship with Mr.
Townsend used some rather profane and abusive
language. He finally sat down on box In the store
and made himself very much at home Mr.. Town
send not hiking his appearance, and thinking, per
haps that ne intended to steal something, ordered
him out Of the house. Reynolds got up from
the box upon which he had been sitting
and, walking up to Mr.. Townsend, deliberately
drew from an inside coat pocket knife which nt
plunged into his breast, at the same time catching
hold Of him and dragging him to tie door, where he
struck him second blow, this time however, In the
left arm, about three inches from the wrist.
THE ARREST.
Onncers Robb ana Tuck were standing on the op
posite side OF the street. when some one who wal
near the scene of the buchery called out that mar
was killed. The officers Immediately ran over te
the store and met Reynolds as he was coming ur
the steps. They at once seized MIN, when he stru9
gied desperately 10 get away, at the same time ex
claiming,
GIVE US A FAIR SHOW"
While o1icer Tuck secured the prisoner rounds.
man Robb went to the assistance Of the murdered
man, whom he found lying in the doorway in q
dying condition. Seeing the blood running from
his breast he tore away the clothing and found the
nlrnA ho Ot0 -
knifeblade, about an inch and half long, after
which he Immediately ran TOR Or. Kennedy, who
arrived about I'VE minutes later, but Just In time to
see the wounded man expire.
Reynolds was Al once taken to the Fifth precinct
station house, where he gave his name as ABOVE:
would not answer any OF the questions put to him
by the sergeant upon the subject
WILLIAM TOWNSEND
England, but has resided In this country aoOut
twenty-five years. He was fifty-hve years OF age
ana Leaves nv we o ana SS SIX cndfen T one 81 them
grocery store in Hudson street for o number OF
years, and was very much liked and esteemed Dy all
VINO knew him' ,.cv urvso,ns
the murderer, is TWENTY-FIVE years OF age, is 1ve
feet seven inches high, very. light built has
and was born In the United States. He has
long been known to the police as notorious
the sergeant at the station house that he was thief
ahd that he made his living by stealing. He said he
had no home, but lived about the city prOmiScu-
ously. He was evidently under the influence OF
liquor when he committed the murder although not
10 any great extent The HERALD reporter went to
his cell q few moments after he was locked up and
found him lying on the bench sound asleep, with
nothing on but his vest and shirt, he having taken
of his coat pants and boots "a soon as he was
shut up.
THE WOUNDS AND THE KNIFE.
As stated above the murdered man was cut in two
places. The wound that caused almost instant death
was made IN the left breast three inches from the
breast bone and q like distance above the nipple
and is from two inches and a-nalf to three inches
deep, extending inward to the heart The wound IN
the left arm Is about al incn ana half long, fand
extends into the BONE separating the main artery.
The weapon with which this bloody work was done
IL O common shoemaker's knife, which has the ap-
pearance OF having been broken OF and grOand
down to q point again. The blade is not over three
inches long ana was broken of about the middle
when the wound was made in the breast OF the de-
ceased.
short time before Reynolds entered Mr.. Town
sends store he went into shoemaker's shop near
by and stole the knife; but whether he at the time
designed killing the poor old man is not known, Dui
1t certainly looks very much as though such was the
case.
At the time the murder was committed two OF the
deceased's daughters-one thirteen years old, the
other eteven-were standing IN the store. John
Colby John Belcher. Peter Klein and Thomas Woods
were also present