New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-06
NO LIGHT ON THE MYSTERY
THE INQUEST IN THE CASE OF JOHN TOWN
SEND, JR., BEGUN.
HE WAS PROBABLY SHOT WITH TIL REVOLVER
FOUND NEAR HIS BODY, BUT LITTLE
ELSE Is DISCLOSED.

III we hDDNDh1 Wv win InG Wv 80
FOUND YEAR HIS BODY. BUT LITTLE
ELSE Is DISCLOSED.
The inquest held at Englewood, y. j., yesterday by
Coroner Hill in the case Of John Townsend, jr, tho
lawyer. whose manelcd body va, found al the i'ot oi
the Palisades over a week ago threw little or no hsht
Oh the mystery surrounding the cp,c. no theory has
yet been advanced which meets an the known facts.
Discredit was thrown upon the theory that m ALLEGED
"donble' Of Mr.. Townsend WAS in some way connected
with the mystery. The only person known VINO at
all resembles the dead lawyer j, the Rev. Reuben W.
H0wes. jr, who live in this city and i, a ncphc" OF
Mr.. Townsend. Mr.. Iowes does not consider himself
to resemble his uncle and declares that the theory Of
a Double Is nonsense. The theory appears 20 h'Vo
no Trustworthy evidence to rest upon, and Mr. Town
SENDS relations are Indignant that it should have been
suggested.
County Prosecutor Campbell assisted the coroner
yesterday In conducting the inquest. The room "a'
crowded with spectators. Timothy COiklcy, the
hacknan. was the first witness. and he repeated the
statement previously made by him. a. 10 how EDWARD
Lacey, another employc of Mr.. Taylor. the under
taker, had on the day Of the tragedy made an agree
ment with a strange man who arrived on the tram
due from New York AT L. - to convey him in Coax
lcy's carriage. when they arrived at the Palisades
the man got ont and handed the witnc-, a dollar. ana
walked away without -%pcaking. COAX cy wa, POSITIVE
the man wore a darh ovcrcoat and carried an umbrella
Tie coat found on the cliif was shown To him, but he
could not say whether it Wa, the same worn IS his
mysterious passenger Coakley said he did not see
the corpse.
Edward Lacey testified that he wa positive the man
ne nut in Coaklcy', hack was Townsend. lie couli
not Identify the coat found ON the clin a. bcInS worn
by CoalIcy's passenger.
Louis, Norman. the twelve year old boy. told sub
stanttaIN the same story that he first related to the
authoritic-. and aid that while he was at the foot 81
the Palisades he heard a p.-tol-hot. and. loo"lna
80, .,V tM. h,dv ~ A man come luuUdIUg over the
brow If the cif. lie said he could probably nave
counted five from the time hc heard the shot I'D the
time he saw the body fall. II va, about 3 ,. m. ana
he fixed the time by the passing Of the steamer sara.
jerks. which went M. the river every dAN "O'"' '''
time.
lanes uarcerty. another boy. testified that ON the
FRIDAY afternoon in question he saw a strange man
Oh the Palisnde, and Oh the ROAD - little 0'I"" "'
new convent building. lie was positive 'I' 10"
wore a brown oyercoat. derby hat, and carried h'
umbrella. He WAS about 800 feet from the ma" anu
became frightened at him because Of the pc'nHAi
manner In which he acted. The time Wa h'V"''"
3 and halpa-t , O'Clock. The mans overooat was
unbuttoned with the exception of The top button but
witness did-uot notice wlctlcr the man wore = "at'h
chain.
At different stage, of the proceedings. Justice 'a~S
Insisted upon putting questions 70 the witness b"' inc
County Prosecutor stopped him each time.
Frederick ". Cole testified mat h" Wa ODD t' M
suronr. lu,ncs, and va, related o. Mr. Townsend
lLy marriage. lie last Jaw him I'm the latter part 81
september. VI. Townsend boarded with Nr. I'"''
AT luwoA. lie never knew any ht pleasant relations
between Mr.. Townsend and Nj. Howe. vi. I'"n~'h'
wa, very aiuiahlc and we'll lib'd. and a. tr - tc
wltnc,, knew had u, enemies. lie had 300 hno"Icdte
Of Mr.. TJwu~cnd'- bu>Iuo-, aHars. lie Knew h'"
ever. that Nj. Townsend lad no bn,inc-' occupation
and W., in the habit o.: leaving hi7 home boz ln""i
for an afternoons stroll without telling an' one ""'''
he va, going. lie could not believe Nr. I'"n-c"1
committed suicide. lie knew - nothing l." maze I'
dc,pondcnt. lie. however. hd 10 particular reason
tn believe Nr. Townsend met VIA foul PLAY. l' ''
NOT know whether If, ~, va insured and never bheN
him IA carry a pistol. The witness said That VII. Town
sands Immediate relative wcrr Reuben vs.. Howe ana
Mr.. Howe. the Rev. Reuben ". Howe, lf-A hrrh'"
If Nr. Townsend. and TIrieriok y. Howe ana J'lh T."
Howe. both ucphews also Of The dead uan. Frederick
VA, about forty. I've and John about twenty hFc years
DID,. The witness could not SAY that amy 81 III" rH'
tive, bore amy resemblance 10 the dead man. Ie h"d
heard that Mr. Townsend hid made a wHl o1 On" d'y
before III, death. but he hpi no positive h1""Ird-e ''
to this.
The Rev. Reuben ". Iovc,. lr. va, then called 20
the stand. lie is about forts Use 'g hfty f"lr, "d.
ha, % high forehead, prominent nose. mn''''h Do" ana
.lle whI,.cr-. some comments were made among the
spectator, and other. Within A, hearing ~ Dds Re-"
.%.mbIance e., Nr. Town.rad. Tho witness. however.
dd mot seem ln IN" least disturbed hy Do. a-l promptly
answered the question, pat ., him. H. .ai Dr." WIS -
clergyman q th, Episcopal Church in Sc" York CIV
lie was d nephew u Nr. Iown~rni'-. Dui h'd H"i seen
hlm until no viewed h, d"ad body in tn" m't-I' 'ln'o
the latter part II october. lie had o." business TAi
ton, with hin. aui AWAY, know VT. Townsend t'i " Il
man # exemplary character. lie never Aa"w iam r."
be de- poudout. and "a, lr As ho knew VI. IoNr-'Hd S.
AFFAIR, were PHEASANT. lie had heard # Dds father and
Mr. Townsend visiting the P,llsidc, together last sum
MGR. IL. Nr. Townsend had an idea II purchasing
property There. lie had heard that Mr.. Townsend
made a Will -horly bcioro h- death. but be- did not