Evening journal., 1910-08-13
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Strange Impulse That
Established a Record
BY "H0lIand..
BY "HOlland."

In 1871 the country was stirred
with the intelligence that the Towns
end Savings Bank OF New Haven,
Conn, had been robbed at one fell
swoop of 100000 in money by it's
paying teller, jeremiah Townsend.
Then It was stated that this was the
largest actual grab robbery ever COM
mitted by an officer of bank, and to
this day, so far as ! have been able to
learn, this remains the case There
have been much larger robberies by
bank officials stretching over "a per-
iod OF months or years, Dut this was
a robbery tnat took place in its entire
~ in a given moment, young Towns
end grabbing all the actual money in
sight, stuffing It into handbag and
fleeing abroad with his ill-gOtten
u easure. subsequently he met rel
alive in a Liverpool hotel, restored
TO him all but a lew thousand dollars
of the money, and voluntarily-even
willingly to this country,
10 be convicted and sentenced to seven
years I'm the states prison after max
ing practically no defense.
AS a resident OF New Haven, | had
come 10 know young Townsend quite
well during the three years preceding
the robbery, and in common with ali
who knew him, | was unable to ac-
count for his act. He was without
any bad habits or associates; he was
a regular attendant at cnulcn, an act
i've worker I'm the Y. NJ. G. A. and in
the Sunday School-in short, in every
way his deportmentway his deport-
way his department was that of a
young man of high character, and the
utmost integrity. And as we thus re-
viewed his life we could find no an
swer to the question; why did he do
it?" And almost seven years later,
however. Jerry" Townsend himself
answered the question for me.
At that time l was paying a visit
to the states prison. The warden
learned that | knew Townsend and
volunteered to let me see him. Avail
ing myself of the opportunity, found
my old friend and acquaintance in
the capacity of a trusty, sitting in the
infrmary before little table, or desk,
upon which stood various bottles con-
tanning ordinary drugs. He greeted
me cordially; no one would have
dreamt from his manner that he was
a convict.
He motioned to the bottles before
him, 81 have learned the business
of a druggist since | have been here,
he said. Il can put up an ordinary
prescription. am really the drug
clerk of the prison. When my term
has expired ! am going to the Pacific
coast and either buy out or establish
a drug store, and ! am going so to
live as to gain the respect and conf
dence of all who know me. / think
however, 1 shall change my name
have it legally changed. II may be
easier for me to begin in the West
under a new name"
For a moment he was silent. Then
puzzled look came into his eyes.
II have thought a great deal since
! have been in prison about tue
strange, over-mastering impulse
which led me TO commit the robbery
he said quietly, "and l can't explain
it. Nothing in my life had tainted my
character so as to make 1t easy fol-
me to become a c~'~'inal. ! was in
the bank that eve - 5riting up my
books and as ! ope.1s up the vaults
to put the books away and saw al
the money there, a sudden overwhelm.
ing, irresistible desire to take ii al
mastered me. And ] took the money
and put It i'm an old valise that was
thereSand went away on the midnight
train.
Can you explain how it was thai
7, a young man of no bad habits, who
had an honorable career before me