Daily globe., 1878-10-21

|
visit Vleksburg, Grenada, Memphis and other
places affected with the disease, inquiring es-
peclalty as to the sanitary condition and drain
age of those cities.
| UNDOUBTEDLY INSANE.
Conclusion of tho Trial of Mrs. Townsend
for the Murder of Dunham at Buffalo
| The Evidence for the Defense--The Pris-
oner's Story of Her Wrongs--The Case
Summed Up. and Verdict of Not Guilty
Because of Insanity.
Especial Telegram to the Globe.
BUFFALO, Mimi, Oct. 17.-On the opening of
the trial of Mrs. Townsend for the murder of
Dunham at Clear Lake, Mr.. Bartlett was the
first witness. He testified that he had heard a
| conversation between Townsend and Durham,
IN which the latter had endeavored to preiu-
dice Townsend against his wife. Mrs. Town
send became aware of the talk and insisted
that her husband should send Dunham away,
and SAID that Durham was making trouble
and that she had given him notice to leave. At
At about P. II. l was out doors sitting on q
log. Jane came out, excitedly, and asked her
| husband to take a walk. She wished to talk
They were gone towards the lake about an
hour. When they came back she was ahead
i've rods, walking very rapidly. The fatal
| blow was struck with great strength.
| Mary POnsford was sworn and testified that
she was the daughter OF Townsend by a former
| wife. She merely repeated the testimony of
| other witnesses as to Mrs. Townsend's excited
condition on the day of the murder.
DIR. w. Z. Collins said he was called the fifth
day after the blow to attend Dunham. He
| found the wound had been neglected-not
properly treated, but was confident from the
nature of the wound that it was necessarily
tatal with the best of care. The doctor then
gave clear and very fair description of the
wound, It's present and successive effects upon
Dunham's system, and the reasons why he
could not recover in any event.
| The State here rested.
The defense was then opened to the jury by
u. IL. Farnham, of Cokato, associate of Mr.
Erwin, who addressed them at length. In con-
cluaing he eaid.
| person is insane at the time Of the COM
mlsalon OF an act, when he is, relative to that
act, unable to choose between right and wrong
unconscious of doing wrong, and controlled
solely by an irresistable impulse. We can
show that, on the lake shore on that Sunday.
just prior to the murder, it was first made
known to her by her husband that Dunham had
told him that he had had sexual intercourse with
her, and that he CFownsend) believed it. De.
fendant asked: ''if I make oath that 1 am
innocent, will you believe me?" Townsend
SAID, II WILL She then dropped upon her
knees upon the lake ahore. and swore before
nigh heaven that she was innocent. Townsend
| then told her that he believed she was guilty,
and he would not live with her-she must 90
She fell prostrate, then tried to grasp Town
send kness, but he kept her off with a stick
townsend then left and went toward the house
She then rose, ran by Townsend to the house
| picked up the axes, ana made the assault as
| described.
Mrs. Townsend was then placed upon the
ho fol ELL
was Andrew H. Hallet. had St. Yitas' dance
from 8 to IL, and in fact have never wholly re.
! covered from it. Mave cramps nov. Anv ex-
c1tement brings on the symptoms. Was mar.
rled IN 1853 to Frank Rumbarger Have been
divorced. Have two children now living. Fell
| when IL years old from a wagon seat, high; was
struck my head severely; was inscnsible for
some time; suffer from pain in my head at
| times ever since. with intense heat and much
| loss of sleep. Had brain fever at Cincinnati
SIX years ago, Game to Corinna three years
ago. First stopped with Charles Gordon nv
| uncle. Was married q year ago last June.
There was trouble between Dunham and myself
relative to Townsend's daughter, Augusta. He
showed a letter showing an engagement to a
girl IN Chicago. He was trying to get Augusta,
and was engaged to Augusta. Durham made
trouble. He said things about me for inter
fering with him. One day, Wednesday, July
~, went to the barn yard. Saw Townsend
LIE
say to Durham, Il think I shall have to buy
| that organ for Jane Gt was then in the housel.
Ii she don't get it she will feel bad.' Dunham
said, Let her feel bad, Cd d-n her; what
IN hell do you care2" They had not seen me.
stepped up and said to Dunham, 'If that is
leave the place; will give you one week to
Leave III. II you don't go then will put you,
clothes outdoors" Townsend said to me. :sBe-
have yourself. I went to the house and told
Potts and Paulsly what had heard; Durham
and Townsend stood by. Sundayd was at the
orr, organ playing. Durham came in and said,
You have made trouble: if you. don't stop
will tell Townsend that have slept with you !"
arose, went out, found Townsend; said that ]
wanted to see him. We went down to the lake.
There told Townsend Dunham's speech. He
said he had been told SO, and believed it.
asked would he believe me on oath. He said,
Yes" took an oath before God, and told
him my Innocence. He spurned me. I fell
down on the sand. tried to clasp Townsend
about the knees. He drove me off with stick.
and started toward the house. ran past him
and then saw Durham.
Especial Telegram to the Globe.
BUFFALO, Mimi, Oct. 13.-There was con-
siderable interest in the Townsend trial to-day.
Mrs. Townsend was cross examined but added
little to her testimony heretofore given. Mrs.
Chas. Gordon testified as to the insanity of her
projenitors. Mrs. M. E. Pauldiug swore to the
excitable temperament of the prisoner. Mr..
Gordon testified that Mrs. Townsend was born
while her mother was bordering on INSANITY
caused by st. Yitus dance, and that she had
frequently suffered from that disease and
shown other evidences of insanity. DR.. Board
man, of st. Paul, swore that he believed the
defendant to be insane.
At OF clock the court re-convened, when the
counsel proceeded to close the case, Mr.. Wen
dell for the State, and W. w. Erwin for the de-
tense. The latter spoke two hours. To saw
that his effort was the ablest ever made in our
county is to give him simple justice. He has
ADDED another trophy to his professional career,
winch Will ever he remembered in this com
munlty. Jury and audience seemed carried by
him to his stated conclusions.
Especial Telegram to the Globe.1
BUFFALO, Wright County, via Delano, Oct 10.
Judge Young charged the jury in the Town
send murder case at 8, o'clock this morning.
AT half past this afternoon The jury returned
a. verdict OF not guilty, by reason of insanity.
court to determine what disposition should be
made OF the defendant. Counsel for Mrs.
townsend moved her immediate discharge. and
asked the court to hear proof to the effect that
the defendant was not dangerous to the safety
of any person within the State. The court re-
Iused 10 hear any proof as offered, and stated
that under the statute and upon the verdict he
considered it unsafe to permit the defendant to
go at large. The court, against many s"ecifc
objections urged by Mrs. Townsend's counsel.
ordered that she be taken by the sheriff to the
asylum for the insane, and there confined until
further disposition was made concerning
her. The prisoner stepped forward and in tears
grasped the hands Of the jurors. The verdict
was anticipated by all who heard the argument
Of Mr. Erwin last night. Mrs. Townsend is
stopping with sheriff Nugent Her counsel
will apply to the supreme court Immediately
under writ of habeas corpus for her discharge
from custody. The jury stood nine for acquit-
tai on the first ballot.
Honors to Bogardus.
1Snecial Teleoram to tho GJnha