Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-08-01
A VIGOROUS VIRAGO
Assaults her Paranour with an Axe
for ''GiviDg her Away" to her Hus-
banda Story of Heceit and
Abandoned Liying-The
Husband in Despair.
Special to the St. Paul Pioneer Press

CLEAR LAKE, MINI, July 26.-Ycur spe-
cial reporter dispatched to obtain full partic-
ulars, in addition to those heretofore sent to
the Pioneer Press, of the tragic affair which
occurred last Sunday at Corinna, eighteen
miles from Clear Lake, reached here yester-
day noon, and at once proceeded to the scene
of the assault, which excels in atrocity any
that it has ever been his misfortune to re-
cord 1t will be remembered that Mrs.
James Ownshend was the aXWielding vir-
ago, and that William Durham, an employe
on the farm Of her husband, the injured man.
The people throughout this region are great
~ excited over the affair, and had it been a
man who committed the terrible assault it is
doubtful II he would have been alive to-day
to boast of his bloody deed. Mr.. John
Townshend, the husband, is an honest, up
right farmer. The wife. late Mrs. Jane Rum
barger, came to Comma nearly two years
age. The best Of evidence is produced to
show that previously she was woman OF
loose reputation, and was for time the mis-
tress of a somewhat prominent Minneapolis
gentleman. She is a woman of good address,
has seen much Of life, and at last, like those
who follow her vocation, reached such
Strengthened circumstances as to lead her to
lock about tor some one as a better half. So
she came up into Wright county and met the
unsuspecting John Townshend. By the aid
Of her fascinating powers she captured the
honest old granger, and they were married
about a year ago. Her victim, Dunham
also arrived from Chicago few months since
and commenced work ON Townshend's farm.
He is a man Of light build, black hair and
eyes, smart, active, and has travelled consid-
erably. For time all went well, and the
family, consisting of husband, wife and
daughter, was happy one. Soon the terri
BILE temper of Mrs Jane Townshend began to
crop out. At the least provocation she would
10 %o,.-r Ia pxyt,, -.
sense nor reason. The indulgent husband
rented an organ, and the mother and
daughter both took lessons This
soon caused u jealousy between the
two, which soon ripened till the kind
mother took a hoe and was going to beat
out the brains of her daughter in a cornfeld
One day last spring the father and daughter
went to St. Cloud for a short time, and DUR
ing their absence grand-chld remained at
the house. Mrs. Townshend and Durham
were left alone with only the little girl. 1t
was bad leave, ard the twain became init
mate. Upon the return of Townshend and
daughter the grand child had noticed too
many things for the good Of Mrs. Town
shend, and child-like, told her grandfather
of many Of the actions. Honest John grew
suspicious, and held a long talk with Dun
ham, who denied anything criminal, but
claimed that the woman had tempted him.
but unlike Adam and like Joseph he would
not yield. Then the old granger, who had
pledged his heart and hand to this woman,
and had supposed she was pure and chaste,
was aroused. Said he to the reporter, visi-
bly, affected with emotion. 81 told Durham
if she was such a woman | must know 1t. We
would not live together. He must furnish
me proof He said he would, and at
two different times plans were laid
to catch her, but | was lust too late, and she
concealed her criminal relations. Finally
her acts confirmed my suspicious, and the
woman whom ! had welded as an honOra-
bic, high minded lady, proved to be only a
prostitute. The blow was too much for me-
and it seemed as though life was blank. A
few mornings previous to the affair Durham
and | were talking about the organ which
was causing trouble, and he advised me 10
send it off. Mrs. Townsend overheard the
remark, and from that moment turned upon
him like a tigress, and the trouble be-
tween them commenced. Durham and Julia,
the daughter, were engaged. In every way
she tried to break the engagement. She ac-
grew more intense each day. She threat
that purpose. She also wore to kill me if
my mind to leave her. Sunday afternoon,
the day of the terrible deed, | was in the
cornfeld, and she came down, just after
conversation with Dunham, and walked
down to the lake. When upon the beach
we had a talk, during which she said if
Durham did not leave she would kill him.
SheI, aid he would tell she was unchaste, and
asked me not to believe him, when, for the