Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1907-01-31
DR.. TOWNSEND
SHOT IN HOME
Staten Island Physician Knows Who
Tried to Kill Him But Went Tell
1T WAS A COLD BLOODED MURDER
Masked Man Entered Bedroom, Ordered
Townsend 10 Get Up and Then tired
Two Bullets Into His Stomach.
1T WAS A COLD BLOODED MURDER

New York, Feb. 26.-Dr. Charles W.
Townsend, one of the best-known ply
sicians and surgeons on Staten Island,
was shot and probably mortally wound
ed while in bed at his home at New
Brighton, S. L., early today. The case
is surrounded by mystery, but from the
meager details which have been per-
mitted to leak out by the officials it is
believed that the doctor was the victim
of man who sought vengeance for
some real or fancied wrong.
DIR. Townsend first declared that his
wounds were inflicted by burglar, but
later said he knew the man who did it.
81 know perfectly well who shot me, -
he told the police, ''but l shall not tell
you his name. do not want the man
arrested. There is no need of sacrific-
ing still another life"
A cabman named Silverman, who an
swered the description given by DR..
Townsend of his assailant, was arrested.
When taken to the bedside of the dying
man, however, the doctor ref lsed to
identify him. 81 didn't tell you it was
Silverman that shot me, ''said the doc
tor to the officer who made the arrest.
Il merely said that my assailant looked
like this man. Silverman is a friend of
mine, and he is not the man who fired
the shots at me-" The cabman was
held.
DR.. Townsend's home is handsome
residence block from the New Bright
on Railroad Station. The doctor and
his wife occupied the front bedroom on
the second floor, his aged mother slept
in room in the rear of the doctors,
and his four children in another room on
the same floor.
About 3:45 o'clock this morning the
Doctors wife was awakened by some
noise and saw a strange man in the
room. In one hand the intruder carried
q lighted match and in the other re-
volver. The lower part of his face was
covered with a handkerchief. Mrs.
Townsend screamed and her husband
awoke. The stranger advanced on the
doctor and declared that he was going
to kill him. He ordered DIR. Townsend
to get up and it is understood that he
said something, but what it was the
coroner will not reveal.
DR.. Townsend was in half sitting
position when the intruder fired. The
bullet struck the doctor a glancing blow
in the stomach and then buried itself in
the bed clothes. Again the stranger fir
ed, and this time the bullet hit the doc
tor in the abdomen and pierced the in
testines.
AS soon as he had fired the second shot
the assailant fied from the room, ran
down stairs and escaped.
The intruder gained admission to the
house by forcing a window in the doc
tors Office on the ground floor. Tracks
were also found leading from the house
to the waters edge and it IS believed
that the assailant, after his crime, made
his escape in boat, which had been
provided in advance for that purpose.
The Townsend home is scarcely half a
mile from the home of Charles L. Spier,
which, not more than year ago, was
the scene of a tragedy strangely like
that of today. Spier was so shot in his
home during the night and died from
his wound. 1t was at first believed that
he had beer the victim of burglar, but
an investigation proved that he had tax
en- his own life.