TOWNSEND’S TRIAL

Hokitika Guardian, 19 November 1930, Page 3

TOWNSEND’S TRIAL

plea of insanity

lil telegraph—Bretsc Aatocicliuuj

NEW PLYMOUTH, November 18,

The trial of Alexander Townsend, charged with the murder of Ins wife, Cora Alice Townsend, was continued to-day, when evidence for the prosecution was given on the lines of the evidence given in.the Lower Court.

The taxi-driver who drove accused from Waitara, to Onaero, on the morning after the alleged murder, said that accused was rambling in his talk and witness though it was duo to drink. He dul not have the thick speech of a drunken man, and could walk straight. Accused went on with 'his rambling conversation during the whole car ride.

Ernest Frederick Huse, brother-in-law to Airs Townsend, said that he thought the reason for Townsend visiting them with a shotgun, was because his wife and daughter stayed with them. Huse added: “T always took him to be a dirty coward !”

Afi s Cherry Isabella Vickers said she hod known Mrs Townsend a time. She went out on September loth just before Airs Townsend arrived. She returned between 10.39 and 10.40 p.m., and went into the kitchen, where she saw the Townsends and her sister, Aliss Patchel. Townsend spoke to her. She could smell drink strongly, but he was quiet and civil. He discussed family matters, saying that he would not pay any more money for Jean’s board. He wanted Mrs Townsend to go outside, but she refused. When he asked his wife to go with him for a settlement witness suggested getting a taxi for both of them Townsend was willing to do this, hut Mrs Townsend refused, and said something in an undertone. He went away, after telling his wife to put her hat and coat on, as he would wait for her at the gate. It might have been a quarter of an hour later that he came back, and stood at the door. He was given a cup of coffee. He was speaking more loudly, and he looked pale. He and his wife went down the passage towards the sitting room. Airs Townsend said that she would fineet him' in the morning. Arrangements were made that AUs Townsend and Miss Patchel should sleep m the sitting room. Witness then went to bed in a room with one of her daughters. She could not say what time it was that her sister came to awaken her. She came out into the passage, where she saw the two Townsends and .Miss Patchel by the telephone. Townsend was sneaking rather loudly. He asked where the telephone was. AVitness showed him, whereupon he broke off the receiver. The husband and wife then .went towards the sitting roolm. “Bella.! Bella.! 'Oh, Bella.!” called Airs Townsend later, “I’m a dead man now.” said Townsend, “No, not yet Alex!” replied his wife.. Witness heard neither of them speak again. She heard no sounds of struggling' or fighting in the sitting room. She went into another room with her -girls.

Constable King told of the finding of the body, lying face downwards in a pool of blood. When taken to the police station, Townsend had said, “I’m the man. I know what I have done, and T have done it tor a good mirnose. T must sav I was drunk last night. I did it for mv daughter’s sake. Ts she dead 9 ” Detective Meiklembn replied that she was dead. and Townsend said : “That’s a good iob! Don’t have a court! Hang ice right away. Tt ought to have been done years ago.” They noticed a knife and gun. arid Townsend bad said “That the knife, arid that’s the gun. Tt was not used, but I can tell boys, if you bad come along, it would have 1 <?en 'used.” Constable King said Townsend’s condition was as if be were recovering from a drinking bout. He was not. drunk, and be appeared to know what lie was talking about.

The concluded the Crown case

“Tt must be obvious,” said Mr L. M. Moss, in oocning bis address to the iurv, “that you will have little di.fficeltv in find that the tiling which killed this unfortunate woman was the hand of tire accused. Our defence is that, at the time of the commission of the act. Townsend was insane—a man who nrotests his sanity when his mind is disordered, the test of insanity is roughly his sanity; lie has invited police to hang him at the present moment. This is his desire.” The intention to commit mass murder, contended counsel, was evidence of insanity. It was part of the Crown’s case that Townsend went to Onaero with the intention to wipe out the Buses (his sister-in-law arid bro-ther-in-lay), and the Lathams (Latham being his father-in-law). Taylor’s “Medical Jurispudence” had it that a same man might kill two persons, but when a man went beyond that, and showed ail intention to ooirtmit mass murder, lie was insane. Townsend bad a knife and a gun and twenty cartridges. Again, unlike a saite infill, lie had announced his intention to commit the murder.

Robert Henry Townsend, a farmer, of Hamilton, and a brother of aroused man, said that in recent years a change seemed to have come over the acciised. Occasionally he would pa if? acquaintainces in the street and not recognise them. Patrick Crosbie, a farmer, of Claudelands, said that he had livetl opposite to Townsend for several years. He described him as a nice Plan generally, but very changeable. During conversation he would change from one subject to another apparently without reason.

William Walter Smith, a retired forester, said lie had observed Townsend closely. He was a man of violently changing moods. He appeared to have an arrested mentality. His conversation was always of a frivolous nature, and his conversation never seemed to rise above that of a boy of eleven or twelve. When alone 1 he would occasionally work himself into violent moods. Ho would curse to himself. On the night of the tragedy, Townsend came to the boardinghouse, shook bands, said good-bye, and said be was going to swim the ocean to Sydney. Witness knew Townsend was going through bis money at the rate of £7OO a year. Dr. E. A. Walker told of lus interviews with Townsend in prison. He seemed calm and collected, and be was clear about the last few hours, but was confused concerning the time of the tragedy. He bad no remorse, and saidf “The deed is clone—well done.” Apparently be did not remember taking the knife, out of bis pocket, but lie. said be found it there next mornin'l- with blood on it. The doctor’s evidence was not concluded when the court adjourned till to-morrow.