The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1882-04-04
COLD BLOOD MURDER.
A History of T. c. Early's Crime
at Leadville, Colorado, on
Tuesday Last.


killing of Officer Samuel Townsend I'm
that city by Thomas &. Early. a former
resident of Sedalia:
Shortly before 5 o'clock this afternoon.
one of the most terrible tragedies i'm the
history of I.eadviile took place on upper
Harrison avenue, the victim being Officer
Samuel Townsend, one of the Oldest and
most popular officers of Leadville, and his
SLAYER. Thomas &. Early, leading young
lawyer of this place. At the hour men,
toned. the pa,sers-by on Harrison avenue,
near the corner of Fifth, were startled at
following the other m quick succession,
and thin, blue cloud of smoke, that
curled and drifted from the hallway of the
Union block. located the spot where one
man stood with heated weapon clenched
within his hand and another writhed i'm
the agonies of dissolution. Thecrowd that
hurried around the hallway were horror
stricken to see the well-known form of
Officer Sam Townsend. the constable OF
Judge Taibots court, prone upon the
landing. Mr.. L. T.. Early was standing on
the stairs, few STEPS above, and paused.
irresOlute which way To 60. His hat Law
at his feet and bis clothing was disheveled,
as though from recent struggle. Fortu-
nstely among the first who were at the spot
was Captain John Bvrne, the detective i'm
the citv's employ, and taking i'm the situa-
ton at glance, he placed Early under
arrest, and hurried with him into Bah
cocks hat store next door. Ere
this time the word that MUIR
der had been committed. passed
with lightning-lik. rapidity from mouth
to mouth. and the pavement was blocked
by dense crowd that surged into the
street and well nigh trampled ore upon
the other in their effort IL reach the scene
oil the killing. As Byrne arrested Early.
several gentlemen lifted Townsend up and
carried him across the street to Dr. Dodge's
drug store, where he was laid upon pal
LET placed upon the floor. and Drs. Dou-
gan and Galloway were speedily at his
side. lie was suffering the greatest agony,
and ii was only with the greatest difficulty
that he could be held down while an exam
ination of his injuries was made. His
garments were pulled open. and in the alb
domen, about three inches above the right
groin, q CHASTITY wound was revealed. The
leaden messenger of destruction had
buried itself i'm his bowels. and il was well
nigh certain that death was only a matter
Of the briefest time. \ messenger had
been sent at once TO his wife, and, with his
little boy, she arrived in few moments.
The poor woman was scarcely able 30 real
ize the magnitude of the blow that had
fallen upon her, and kneeling with stream
ing and agonized ewes by her husbands
side, she pressed his hand convulsively to
her breast while the little one with great
hewildered eyes stood holding to her dress.
1t was sight that will never leave the
memory OF those who witnessed ii.
The case that the quarrel grew out of
was replevin suit brought by a woman
named Mamie Mordell against Carrie
adams, the proprietress OF Third street
bagnio. Early represented the woman
MOrdell, and asked for a change OF venue. |
This was granted, and Early claimed that |!
Townsend had over-charged hun in fees
a matter of ten or fifteen cents.
Judge Talbot says: Townsend never !
either abused Early or threatened to whip !
him when in my court"
Irving HOuser, the jeweler. took Town |
sends gun out Of It's sheath after the |
shooting, and when it was prone Oh the
eyewitness of the tragedy, a well-known
citizen of Leadville, who is familiar with /
every shooting event I'm the bloody history 1
Of the camp, declares that the cold-bloOded /
and deliberate determination with which /
Early shot Townsend has absolutely no
parallel. The man took deliberate aim,
and fired successfully without the least |
sign of fear or trembling. His face. he !
says, wore an expression that can
only be described a. devilish i'm its
murderous determination. The victim
is a man about forty years of age, and has
been a resident II Leadville for about three
wears He was valuable and trusted !
member of the police force under Chief r.
Ii. Watson, position which he continued
to fill up To a very recent period, having
been reappointei by the present admins
tratiOn. He was also, during l.. X. fuckers
regime, faithful and efficient deputy
sheriff and during all his official career
1emeaned himself i'm such manner as To
co mmand the confidence, not only of his
,nperiors, but the respect of all with whom
his duties brought him in contact. He has
At various times engaged i'm mining, and
short time ago owned considerable mineral
property in New Mexico, as we'll as in the
vicinity of Leadville. BY a series OF re-
verses, however, he lost nearly all of his
possessions, and at the time the calamity
overlook him, TODAY was, a comparatively
poor man. He has a wife and child who
we're Immediately notified of the distressing
event, and at once hurried TO the place
where the unfortunate man was dying. Mr..
Thomas Chestnut, OF the firm of Newman,
Chestnut x Stevens, of Pueblo, brother-in-
aw of Townsend, was notified BY telegraph,
Ind will probably come up on the first
rain.
T. G. Early the murderer,is a man Of per-
,aps q or % years He is native OF the
outh, and has been resident of Leadvilie
or perhaps three years. He is lawyer,
md a member of the firm of Danford &
Early. He has never enjoyed very large
,r lucrative practice, but has engaged in
'ome outside speculations, notably Denver
exl estate, from which he realized consid-
.rable money. He has been known As a
ierce, partizan democrat, and figured tn a