New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-07
DIRECTING TO THE YER DICT
CoRoNER's JURY DECLARES THAT JOHN
TOWNSEND, JR. KILLED HIMSELF.
TUE FAMILY OF THE DEAD MAN AND THE
PEOPLE AT THE INQUEST DISAGREE

Coroner Hi and his jury at Englewood ~ D., yes
tsrday finished the inquest in the case OF Jom Io"n
ond ir whose death at the Palisades has gwen r7o
20 many theories The jury rendered verdict that mr.
,rc.,serd came TO his death from pstOshot wouhu |
teic,et nv his own hand. The verdict was not re |
cnived with favor by most Of the people in the court
room. ooo -.
The coroner resumed the inquest at 1890 yes |
to-day morning in the presence Of large NUMBER Oh
enectators The first witness was Walter Evlns OF fo1
90 ,rho esfied that he worked I'm carriage factory
an weel, DAYS and drove cab on Sunday lie sald
that last sunday stranger engagM MIN a' @lc ror'
Lee ferry to take him over tn Ensie"ood' on oio
rav the man told the witness that he was going
over to look the body whlch ifd oeen io'nu az
the foot Of the Palisades and which he believed to be
that ~ vr Townsend The passenger said ne was
emnoved an the estate at Inwood where Mr. Townsend
lived with Mr. and Mrs. IIowco. He said that on
rbantsgiving Day the Thursday before Mt Townsend
met hi, death he made will and that ne the pas
sAprer was a witness 10 the document
When they arrived at the morgue at Englewood the
man promntly identified the body that Of Mr. Town
send, and also the Ovcrcoat which was iouhu On inc
cug on the vay back 10 the Fort Lee Terry inc
witness and his passenger who dd not Uen Ms Hdio'
STONED at the Palisades and went to the spoC "here
Mr. Townsend is supposed TO have met his death Inc
witness saw blood on the outer edge vi ue
cliff, but did not see blood Oh inc "p
NJ the rocks or elsewhere. The man got
oe ferry on the way. he said 10 witness
+ hope TO God the old man has left me couple
# thousand Anyway am good for two good SUITS
Of clothes
He also told the witness that Mr. Townsend wore
pickoI Waterbury watch. The stranger said that he
va, acquainted in Fort Lee and CoytsVhle' anu A"'"
Tom Mountain and Jim" Allen.
At mi, point the Rev. Reuben W. HoweS, IT. en-
tered the court room. Coroner HILL addressing Mt
Ilowcs said
Mr. llowcs do you mind taking the witness stand
again.
Mr. Howe, smiled and promptly stepped mp 10 me
witness chair when he asked several questions DS
.,. cor,rcr He .sid that the man spoken 4 b. the
pr.y.ou~ wituc-, wa probably man whom he kne"
- Jake" who was employed on the pii'e ana din "ld
,oh. Mr. Uowc> said ne never heard u ms man
el name Tie witness was also questioned As to Mr.
Townsend having made viii on tn LAY previous 10
rI, death Mr. IIowe- ,ad that he understood mat
Yr Townsend made a viii. but he had no positive
knowledge # the matter.
G. roncr Hll hers. announced that he had nothing
further 10 present 10 the jury and no comments
- make on the testimony He then turned the case
yor 4, the Jury and the latter retired At II o'clock
| rhc Rev. Mr. Howe, walked over 10 the oor"ner'
| chair where the two had long and earnest con
| vcr,atior. The coroner ~ad that the case was a
mysterious one. and mat the investigation h'u o'o'-'
| uut little nothing.
The lury returned a IS. and when the foreman
Mr. H,loe,. announced The verdict Of suicide much
| surprise Was expressed among the spectators out
Justice Ca,, and ire undertaken Jacob TAYLOR seemed
| to be pleased with the vcN.ct They had from the
| first De, AIRED that it a case 81 suicide
| Coroner HI said he had 100 comment 10 make on
| IN. verdict and that he did not that he could
do ans more IN the case County Prosecutor camp
bell when ASKED his opinion of the verdict said That
while there were doubt, to whether Mr. Townsend
bad slot himself the jury had given their verdict
| lrd De. DID not care t. critici>e them. lie didn't
| think pc could do anything more IN the case uhI'>'
| u-re we're additional developments which WouN war
rant him iu calling the attention Of the Grand Jury
| 10 tho cl,e.
! Not a fev persons commented on the failure II the
AutAoutio, To clear up several important point, IN the
-l,c II D., declared that further effort should have
been made t. fix the Identity Of the man
whom the hoy lIagserty saw with light
,verroat leaving the Gin not far from where
NJ To1n.ead met his death. and also To show how
Nr Townsend va, dre,>'d AT the time he lsft his
home Tlc autaoritic, are al-o criticised io falling
o make 1u ~ Iit to produce the man known a. Jake.
vh, According 10 Evln-. visited En-e"ood last sunday
lad identified Oh, b,dy. and VINO sid he Wa, a wit
.c., ~ M Townsend. HiI This IMAM 3; j, Aou7At
could have thrown sumo d sht on tie case.
Coroner nm, MASON TO- NOT maAinZ An eEort to
sub po.ua th. man that he he.n- non resident Of
uie state il would b" e d,ncait matter 10 set him 10
Sew Jersey II %" wcrr opposed To- coming.
The Rev. Vi. Howe, when asked n, opinion of the
,.rt -..d th, family OF t.r had man Wcr- ala
au.t HoId probably accept the ycNiCi II Che jury
&C. Ae could uo, -s tAt thefc W. 't ihil. cl>' 20 i"
| Townsend, life wa, heavily Insured and 10 rply he
adj o." could say nothing on tn!~ subject. he had no
| nIuV ledge 100 fur natter.
riWad Il Aut.,v-. q brother in law of John Town
.cnl. Ir. vas >ccn last night bN q Tribune reporter
llc aid that the verdict ui tine toiouei> Iuy was a
..1 murlrr,i Tie jur, had a",olut~ly uo te.t.nonr
.tf. "a f.Nt ID To-
llc sad thr jury were plainly more influenced boy the
,,--g OF ne t9va oAn 10y the c'dc9o, hr.asht be-
,..,.i Thar Coroner nm Of na,Arn,aeh ,hould have
sod .u, ton lu Ia, ,d,r AID thoger' Justice Cas-.
If En-cNo,d. should have had cAar-' Of &c.
line relatives and friends II Mr. Townsend felt. he
| said that M" character - one who laI hWaN- been
' l . Elt hy th~ n,,ft,~S .; "a few, ",no,nt
Dol, VIII ou THANKSGIVING Day. Nr Andrews wa, not
u All ,ulr tia, TIE paper that the dead man signed
| 30 that day WH~ his VIII. as no search lad Yet been
Thcr, Wa- nothing whatever In the life Of Mr. Town
send Nr. Andrews said. which o. base the theory OF
| ul,idr. Mr.. Townsend had uD business troubles oi
.-pon,ihl.tr, OF any tnd. b" lived up an abundant
| income. with most delightful fmilN relations had .
pleasant home was ~ cheerful d~p ',itiou and wa
| Nr Townsend wa, man of strong mental power an'
."Ii, it w. r.,.r snbir,t f. ~" ~ onv kind
| tud va, of AN agreeable. loving disposition.
Mr. Andrew, said 10 Va false that an tle mark
everything which had been found 300 vi Townsend
pochct~ were the article, b" usually carried Notmh
had been removed.
Dr. Terry. of Euglcwood, formerly an army sur
4 kcon. who had had large experience win Ghh>lo
wounds. had given his testimony Al the inquest te
clrinc cmphaticay thar II WI, impossible that IN
dead man should have shot himself. there was not
race of powder around the bullet hole neither va
'hc skin d.~colorcG. the hair about the W una a
All burned Away tho case when a man wa
. hot At short range. Or. Terry hal also aid that
the revolver had n,cu tr'i close % the 1nuo i'"e tn
bullet would have gone entirely through hl> head.
K wa said Yesterday that the revolver found nea
thr body Wa, OF a ~Nlc popular ten wears aSo. an
hat about that time Town -cud had travelled I'm EN pl
. | end had carried "A revolver. Nr. Andrews said thi
the revolver Mt rowu.cud carried while travelling
ENpl and IN" HON Land eighteen wears ag
wa small pocket pistol not more than thru
inches i'm cnrth. lie thought il WIS und'uhtcdl
| among the dead man effects which have no
Is | vet been examined An expert testified. Mr. Andrew
! aid that the revolver found near the suicides bed
wa, Of the latest pattern aud had been fired be
fore.
All this gocs to prove. Mr. Andrews Thought. that h
| hrot her ira law had been murdered Mr.. Townsend
. IA the habit of taking long walks. he said. and pc