The Washington herald., 1907-01-29
Print May Solve Identity Of
TOWnsend's Slayer.
JOHN BELL IS ARRESTED
Police Declare street Car Conductor
Bore Malice Toward the Murdered
Physician, Who Died on Ami
versary Of Mrs. Bells Death-De-
mics the Mysterious Shooting.

I
man who broke into the home of DIT
Charles Wilmot Townsend at New Brigh-
ton, S. l., early Saturday morning. and
shot him to death. The mysterious man
| left distinct marks Of fingers and thumbs
on the glass. These have been photo
graphed and transmitted 10 the regula-
zion glass plates at police headquarters.
where they viii be carefully studied under
powerful microscope.
The arrest of John Bell, of 684 Hart
/ street Brooklyn, is considered "A most inn
Portant step toward the solution of the
mystery. The finger marks of the pris-
oner viii be carefully scruti.dzed and line
| by line they viii be compared with the
prints left on the window Of the Town
| send home by which the murderer gained
entrance and made his escape after firing
| the two mortal shots
The minutest lines on Bells hands Will
/ not be overlooked. Detective Sergt Fou-
rot, the expert in this line of fixing the
| identity Of such as fail into the clutches
/ Of the police, viii trace out each one under
powerful lenses, and If they conform 10
| those left on the window of the Townsend
house, the police will look.no further for
the man who slew the wealthy physician
It was by this rare system Of Identified
/ ton that Mark Twain's famous ''Pudd'n-
/ head Wilson" was wont 90 keep his rec
| ords. Time works great changes in the
/ human features, but the lines Of the
hands never change from the cradle to the
grave.
Widow Frustrated.
| Mrs. Townsend is completely Frustrated
/ over the tragic death Of her husband, and
/ is under the care OF her physician and
nurse. The prisoner was taken to-day
| from police headquarters and arraigned
/ for a hearing in the Tombs Police Court
| He was held Tor examination and then
taken 10 the Townsend home on Staten
! Island 20 see IL Mrs. townsend could
identify him as the man who confronted
her and her husband az their bedside and
fired the fatal shots
Was Absent Friday Night.
According To the police there are many
circumstances that seem 10 point TO Bell
as the slayer Of Dr. Townsend The de-
Jeetives say that he was absent from his
home In Brooklyn all Of Friday night.
returning there about 7:21 "a. m. on sat
urday Under a sharp examination be fen
far short of giving satisfactory account
Of what he was doing that night. He
made several conflicting statements in his
attempts To explain how be happened 70
be out all night.
why did YOU shoot Dr. Townsend"
the captive was asked by Detective O'Con-
nor when he arrested Bell
Il didn't shoot him. exclaimed Bell.
He was no friend OF mine. that much
III say lie killed my wife, bat / swear
did not kill him."
well. where were you on Friday night
and early Saturday uighte' the captive
was asked
That's my business" he replied.
Says lie Went 10 Theater.
Nothing further could De obtained from
him until police headquarters was
reached There he told IL story about
going 70 a theater on Friday night and
then spending some time afterward with
friends. He was far from explicit. and
modified his statement every few minutes.
as the detectives piled him with questions.
The police are inclined 90 the belief
that Bells mind is unbalanced. by reason
Of his grief over the death Of his young
wife a year ago, while they We're living
on Staten Island. Her maiden name was
Mamie Meigher. and the marriage took
place two years ago. She fell III last
January, and DR. Townsend was sum-
moned by Bell 90 attend her The physi-
clan said that the only hope of saving
the woman's life lay in an immediate
operation. She lived only a few hours
after the operation was performed. and
Bell is said 10 have denounced the physi-
clan bitterly. The police say he told
many Of his friends that his wife would
have lived If it had not been for Dr.
Townsend.
WOoed Girs IN Car.
Bell. is thirty-two years Old and for
several years lac has made his livelihood
as a surface car conductor AT the time
of his wife's death he was employed in
that capacity on Staten Island He was
employed on a line running 10 Flushing. /
where he met Mamie Meigher and wooed /
her. The girls parents objected 20 his /
attentions, and finally there was an elope- /
ment and marriage When the parental (
wrath could not be appeased Bell gave Up I
his place in Flushing and moved with his /
young wife TO Staten Island.
Bell lives with his father, stepmother /
and stepbrother. Alfred. in the Hart
street apartment. Shortly after the death I
of his wife he gave up the home on /.
Staten Island. which was at y Tompkins +.
avenue, TompkinsviIle, and told his /
friends ne hoped he would never have 10 I
go to that neighborhO0d again i'm his life 4
Many times he is reported to have said 1
that if his wife had not fallen into tha
hands of Or. Townsend she would stiu be 4
alive and a mother
RUmOr Leads TO Arrest.
The arrest of Bell came about through 4
talk Of neighbors of the Bell house /
hold. The police of the Hamburg avenue /
station got wind of the fact that some of /
the friends Of the family were telling 4
about Bells bitterness against DR..
Townsend, and some of them said that at
times Bell appeared In his deep grief to /
be mentally unbalanced
That man killed my wife. he is re- 4
ported TO have told friends OF the family. |
He killed her with his knife"
Mrs. Jack Gardner ReOpens Museum. 1
Boston, Jan. 2S.-Mrs. Jack Gardeners /
museum was reopened to the public to- /
day from noon to o'clock. for the first f.
time since last spring. There were some
additions to the collections on view. In /
the Raphael room is a small painting by /
Matteo de CualdO. representing Christ on /
the cross There is group at the foot
of the cross. including the Virgin. with /
Mary Magdalen. St. John, and others 4
Two angels appear against the sky.
Ocean Steamships.