Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-08-02
A FAMILY TRAGEDY.
The Romantic story of a BIandered
Wife and Jealous Husband.
81 pauI QIoha Jui,, OK

VIE anu JeaAoub huADAnOs
st. Paul Globe, July 25
On Tuesday last Sheriff Nugent,
of Wright county, brought to this
city Mrs. Jane Townsend, whom he
lodged in Jail to await the action
of the next grand jury, she being
charged with an assault that may
yet prove the death of the victim.
Mrs. Townsend was visited in Jail
yesterday by Globe representative,
for the purpose of gathering the
particulars Of the alleged crime.
Without being strictly handsome,
her face is decidedly prepossessing,
and her intelligence being above the
ordinary type, she told the history
of the assault with remarkable pre-
cision and apparent veracity. Mrs.
Townsend was married year ago
TO Mr.. Townsend, who is sixty years
of age, and since that time she has
continued to live with him at his
farm in Corinna township. Both
had been previously married, and
Mr.. Townsend has daughter, Au-
gusta, aged sixteen years. The re-
lationship between this man and
wife has been of the most cordial
and happy character until recently.
Early last spring, however, a man
named William Dunham, thirty
two years of age, obtained a posi-
ton in the Townsend household as
the hired man. He signalized his
entrance into the family circle by
commencing the most devoted at
tention to the young daughter, Au-
gusta. His attentions to her were
extremely distasteful to the step
mother, Mrs. Townsend, who be.
came possessed with the idea that
Durham had either accomplished
Augusta's ruin, or would encompass
it, and on July Sd last she succeeded
in causing Augusta's removal to
Clearwater, Wright county, where
the latter has since remained, Mrs
Townsend hoping thereby to wean
the girl from her infatuation. OF
late Mrs. Townsend had noticed
whispered conferences between hel
husband and Dunham, which would
take place when the two were
near the barn and out of other pee.
pies ear.shot. Prompted by the
curiosity inherent in every daugh.
ter of Eve, she stole down upon
them on one occasion, aud hearC
some fragmentary remarks, which
induced her to believe she was The
object of talk in these secret barn
door conclaves. Last Sunday, to
ward evening, while she was playing
"Home, Sweet Home" on the or
gan, Dunham came in. His pres
e,cce caused her to tremble violently
hut she continued the music fol
some minutes. She then told hin
he must quit the premises, to which
he replied in effect that, il he LEI
she would have to leave also, as HI
would tell her husband something
about her that would lead to hel
being driven out. With that sh'
ran down to the lake where hel
husband was, and told him wha'
Dunham had threatened to say
Townsend said Dunham had a.
ready told it. Dunham had accused
Mrs. Townsend of unchastity t,
her husband. Sinking down upol
her knees in the sand of the lax
shore, she asked her husband if h
believed Dunham, and Townsen,
said he did.
evil you not believe me, you
own wife, before him?" she fren
ziedly asked.
81 don't know" he answere,
vacillatingly.
''Here, on my knees before you,
she pleaded, II assure you by q
that is holy and good that Dunhan
has lied to you. Instead of belieN
ing him you ought to defend you
wife's honor | have always bee
true to you, have always loved 20
and have been good wife to yoe
Save me from this disgrace. 1t is
lie from beginning to the end"
This did not seem to soften th
obdurate husband. She saw ths
his mind had been poisoned b
Durham, and she became wild wit
passion.
81 knew" she said, 81 was Graz,
and yet ] remember every lit
thing | did"
She then went back to the hous
preceding her husband through I'll
gate. Dunham was sitting on I'll
steps, and two or three nelghbo
were present. Lying at tl
foot of tree, near the hous
were two axes, one double bitted an
the other single bittod. She seize
them both, walked up to whel
Durham was sitting and threw Il
double bitied ax at him, but