Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-02-18

and nothing was known of his antece-
dents He taught scnool and became
well-known in educational circles.
He also took Up two pieces of govern
ment land and tried his hand at farm
ing. in time he paid his respects to
Miss Mary Watson, and they were
married. Before long she complained
to her family of her husbands brutal
treatment. She alleged that he took
her to lonely home upon the prairie
and there denied her the privilege OF
leaving the house or receiving mem
bers of her own family. Last summer
she instituted divorce proceedings,
and fierce feud sprang up between
Townsend and the members of the
Watson family The court granted
her divorce and the custody OF the
two children, with permission to
Townsend to see the children at all
convenient times, so long as he con-
Quoted himself as gentleman.
'.Since the divorce was granted,
said Mr.. Harrison, Townsend has
made repeated threats against the
lives of the Watson family. and has
further threatened to use dynamite
against them. Some time ago he
upap+ 20 +bo bouS4 opJ da,,,onJoJ .,
see the chilnlen. He had some candy
for them, but as attorney for the mo-
Their, having heard in the meantime
that he was under suspicion in Wis
cousin, of having poisoned the entire
family of his brother, l warned her
not to permit the children TO eat any,
thing that he might offer them. Fran
tic with a fear that the candy might
be poisoned, she ATTEMPTED to take it
from the children, when he grasped
her and struggle followed. Escap-
ing, she ran for revolver. For this
he caused her arrest and also the ar
rest of her two brothers
''How did you obtain the clue to his
past life?"
when the divorce proceedings
were pending, letter came to his adj
dress urging him to send money for
theasupport of his child. This was
the first knowledge his wife had that
he had ever been married before she
net him. Upol this clue | went to
Grant county. Wisconsin. two weeks
ago, and learned the facts regarding
his life there
''ln that country he married a
young country girl-a good girl, but
not to his subsequent testes and liking
They had two children and he fretted
under the duties of married life. He
was anxious to escape from his thraIl
dom and attend large school at Val
paraiso, Ind. That was the motive.
Zone day he was cleaning a loaded
revolver. He was standing three feet
behind his wife, with the muzzle
pointed at her. The hammer was
up, and the pistol was discharged. his
wife falling fatally wounded.
1.-The coroner's jury returned ver
dict of accidental death, and no pro-
ceedings were brought against him.
Soon thereafter he left the country
After he had disappeared other cir
cumstances came to the surface which
created strong presumption that he
had killed his wife. 1t was alleged
that he had taken one of his children
and hit its head violently against the
wall, and that from these injuries the
child died a few days later
s'But he had disappeared from the
country, and no active steps were talk
en- by the authorities to search out his
whereabouts. When | went to his old
home and told the story Of his present
troubles the authorities promptly took
steps to secure his arrest and extra
dition from the state of Washington.
The facts stand clear against him,
added Mr.. Harrison. Il am confident
he will be convicted. 3"
When Townsend wasarrested hemade
no demand for the authority Of the
sheriff whom he had kown back in
Wisconsin. but went aboard the train
without a word ofprotest