The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1892-04-07
ROBERT TOWNSEND'S FATE.
HANGED Between Two JOiStS at the New
Municipal Building

His Lifeless Body Found Dangling in
the Air Late Wednesday Afternoon
He was Buried Thursday After
noon-A Warning to Adventurous
Lads.
Little Robert Townsend, the ten
year old son OF Mrs. N. Townsend,
who conducts a boarding house in
the upstairs of the Jacob Tise block.
on Main street, met with a horrible
death late Wednesday afternoon by
hanging himself between two joists
at the municipal building.
The exact hour of the accident is
not known. Mr.. Anderson Baker,
who is experimenting the erection
of the wood work, was the first man
to find the boy after he was dead.
.Ir. Baker says that Robert was
playing around the building when
they all stopped work at six O'Clock,
and that he told him Just before he
left to leave the building, as he did
not care for him to get hurt. A SIM
liar request was made of the boy
every day. Mr.. Baker says that 1t
was nearly half past six when be
left for home. Shortly after he
came over in town and while pass
ing by the thought struck him that
he had left his square out on top of
the building. Upon going up there
in search of it he was startled to
find the body of young Townsend
dangling from two joists near the
centre of the market house proper.
Without thinking for a minute
Mr.. Baker hurried to the scene and
lifted the body out. and, finding that
it was still warm he laid it across
some timbers and then hurried off in
search of a physician.
Near the court house square he
met Chief of-Police Bra d 0 d
whom he Informed of the sad acci-
dent. The chief then hurried to the
scene, picked up the boy and car
ried him over to Browns drug store
where DIR. Dalton made an examina
ton to see if there was any hope of
restoring life. He found the body
warm but there was no sign of a
movement of the heart, hence he re-
dllZ0u DIT OhC0 ludt OESdlh ado lSIL
him for good.
DIR. Dalton did not make a
thorough examination to see if the
neck was broken, but he is of the
opinion that it was not, that death
was the result of stranguiation. The
doctor is of the opinion that had he
reached the boy within five minutes
after the accident he could have re-
suscitated him
The only theory advanced as to
how young Townsend came to end
his life in such way, is that he at
tempted TO slide down a rope which
was tied around q heavy
joist. The latter was not nailed and
when he caught hold of the rope,
which was hanging down, his weight
drew the timber over, and as his
head and neck had not passed below
the two joists he was caught by the
one, to which was attached the rope,
falling over. thereby causing a heavy
pressure against his neck. Many
are of the opinion that he hung at
least twenty minutes in this position
before found.
The mother, Mrs. Townsend, has
the sympathy OF the entlre commu-
nifty in the loss of her son. No
blame for the accident can be at
tached to any one. However, it
ought to teach every boy in Winston
Salem valuable lesson about climb
ing around buildings in course of
erection.
Young Townsend few years ago
sustained painful injuries by falling
on the brick sidewalk from the bal
cony of the Buxton-Lemly block on
Liberty street.
The funeral services were conduc-
ed from ST. Paul's Episcopal Church
by the pastor at 9 o'clock Friday
afternoon, after which the remains
were inferred at the Union Grove
graveyard.