Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-05-20

the hoor. There was a par Of shears
aud a strip Of calico on her lap and a
piece Of apple rolled off her when
she was picked up.
took revolver off Of the stand
where it was lying. took it out doors.
One chamber contained an exploded
cartridge shell, the others had cart
ridges in them. took the cartridges
out and put the revolver back Oh the
stand | did not see Townsend ID
the room where his wife's body was.
He did net weep that saw went
II the funeral and saw Townsend
there. saw nc indications OF grief.
! did not see him look at the remains
at any time I attempted to show
Bessie. who sat on my lap most Of the
time during funeral, her mothers re-
mains. Mi Townsend put his hand
kerchief over the glass and would not
let her see aud asked me to take her
away which l did
Irented the house to Townsend in
May before the shooting He told
me be wanted to study to get states
certificate After the funeral he put
everything II my charge until he
should return | had charge for a
week and examined the revolver every
day. The empty she'll remained in all
week. | made many experiments
with the revolver and found to GER
tainty that il was only when the ham
mer was at full cock and pressure was
applied to the trigger that the reyolv-
er could be fired ana make an impress
sion on the cartridge like the one on
the empty she'll in the revolver when
picked it up of the stand. Ii the
hammer was dropped from any point
below the safety notch it would not
explode cartridge, the impression il
would make was very slight. If the
hammer was dropped from any point
between half cock and full cock it
would catch inthe safety notch unless
the trigger were pulled back. and if
the trigger were pulled back the i'm
preston would not be IN the position
on the end OF the cartridge that the
one On the empty shell was. In such
a case the impression would be part of
a line drawn across the end of the
cartridge but not through the middle.
When fred from fun cock the impress
sion was well defined reaching from
the circumference toward the center
and nearly to it-iust like tie impress
sion on the empty she'll Ia no other
position or manner could like inn
preston be made
Townsend returned from Mt. Hope
about q week after the funeral. lie
came to my house. l pointed him to
chair, l did not want to shake hands
with him. He said he had heard he
was suspected. said Mark, do you
wonder at it?" He said it was an ac-
eident. I said. ''Marf, have exam
med this case in all It. bearings and
have come to the conclusion that
there is not an element of accident in
i, but that ii Is cool, deliberate mur-
Ter. He responded Henry, | wish
could convince YOU Of my inuo-
eence
told him further, Mark. you did
not intend to put that revolver into
The stand drawer as you gave the cor
1ner's jury to understand for no sane
man would keep d loaded revolver in
l stand drawer with a little girl like
Bessie running around" He said
'he couldn't open it, said, ..Ah,
Mark. that won't do for | have opened
t hundreds Of times with my little
niger that way Gndicating) and the
irst thing my little girl. the same
'ize as Bessie, did when she came into
he room was to run up and open That
drawer"
examined the clothes Townsend
wore when he shot Esther aud there
vas not drop Of blood to be found on
hem. | examined them minutely
or that purpose.
A few weeks after the tragedy /
wrote out complaint for his arrest,
igned and swore to it and filed it
With Justice Baldwin in Lancaster.
left Grant county about three months
ater
The next | heard 81 the case was
'eb. y, last. when saw by the Seattle
POST Intelligence that Townsend was
Lrrestpd did not know where !