New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-22
CANNOT IDENTIFY BELL
Mrs. To7cnsend Not Sure He Shot
Her Husband.

Al the close of the second days session Of the
trial of John Bell a former trolley car conductor,
for the murder of DR.. Charles Wilmot Townsend.
q Staten Island physician. at Richmond the jury
had been completed and eight witnesses had been
put upon the stand by District Attorney Kenny
who is prosecuting the
Mrs Townsend the wife of the dead physician. was
one OF the witnesses called. She the only wit
ness Of the shooting of her husband. When asked
TO identify Bell the man who was in the room
of her husband the morning he was shot, she
said she could not tell whether he the man
who had fired the fatal shot. While she could not
identify him. Mrs. Townsend said his appearance
and build greatly resembled The man.
When court opened in the morning the eight
Jurors who had been accepted by the prosecution
and the defence in their seats. Just before
the court about TO swear in the jury District
Attorney Kenny challenged Thomas ". Merre,
without any explanation Edward A Ettinger,
Juror No g. excused the plea that his health
prevented him from serving, The twelve Jurors
are: Ernest T. Depuy 6oreman). Carl S Cries
baber, Franklin A Errington, William B. Merritt,
Daniel c. Deane. James II. Depew. Paul Latourette
John VI. Hardy. Alfred E. Gibson. Abraham Blake.
Solomon S. BREASTED and Patrick O'Reilly
District Attorney Kenny opened the case for the
prosecution. He said that while there were no
eyewitnesses 10 the shooting. he would show that
Bell deliberately went DR. Townsends house
and shot him while he lay defenceIess in bed and
that the crime was committed because Bell be-
IeVed that he was responsible for the death of his
wife -+.
DR. George AIord coroners physician was tho
l'st witness called for the prosecution He testi-
heo mat he attended DR.. Townsend few hours
after he had been shot DR. Mord said death was
que to shock. following pistol wounds in the abdo-
men. Dr. William Bryant. of West New Brighton
: who followed Dr. Mord on the witness stand cor
foborated the latters testimony
Then Mrs. Townsend was called She said bo~
husband had been an active physician for sixteen
years and had a big practice on Staten island
said: ''
Il was in a sound sleep about o'clock on Ian
uary 20 when my husband awoke me. At the foo;
Oh the bed saw small, slender built man with
dark handkerchief over his face and dark cap
on his head 70 his right hand saw a cleaning
revolver. Put down that pistol Won coward cr
VIII notify the police DR.. Townsend said Tho
inan hred one shot where he stood and as he
started to go out Of the he fired a second shot
and then escaped
m dead man. my husband said Telepbone
the police. The number is ~ West Brighton
went downstairs to my husbands office and called
up the police l got Sergeant Cobb on the phone
81 once; Upon going back to the room in which my
and also for ambulance from the S r. Smith NTH
!nhrnary did as was told, and when l returned
pain ng down H' TO s s 6 Hseaa agan gaS
hoid OF satchel which contained medical instru-
bands side gave him two hypoderrnIc injections.
somewhat l went 10 the rear of the house and
opening the Ne window screamed Murder murder
of Nicholas Randall who lived in the stable of my
husband, in the rear of the house.
Herbert Crabtree, a next door neighbor, heard
my cries first and he came into the house to see
what was the trouble. Mr.. Randall arrived bout
the same time and both had a conversation with
my husband. The ambulance from the hospital
arrived by this time and my husband removed
10 that institution. where he died the following
morning.
At this point District Attorney Kenny asked Mrs.
Townsend IL she could identify Bell the she
saw I'm her house. Mrs. Townsend looked at Bell
for a few minutes and replied that she could not,
Mrs. William Coar. a sister of Bell. testified that
he arrived at her home about o'clock on the
morning of January Is. She said he had been
drinking, but would not say he intoxicated.
Bell she said, did not tell her of having shot DR..
Townsend
William Coar. brother-;n-law of Bell. said that
Bell made him open his saloon and give him n
drink he said Bell not intoxicated. Coar
said Bell told him he guessed he would not
him again why, where you going?' Coar
said he asked him We'll, ] killed DR. Townsend
to-day and now satisfied" Coar testified Bell
replied.
On cross-exaninatioD Coar said he could not
positively say IL o'clock when he talking
with Bell.
Mrs. Bell stepmother of John Bell on the
stand when adjournment was taken.