THE NEW PLYMOUTH MURDER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4519, 18 October 1930, Page 3

THE NEW PLYMOUTH MURDER.

TOWNSEND TO 'STAND TRIAL

FOR MURDER,

New Plymouth, Last Night. The liearing of the charge against Alexander Townsend for the murder of his wife was continued to-day. T. O. Maliett, a. pensioner, residing at the Waitava hotel, stated that he knew' the accused, ivlio had hoarded there. Townsend came into his (bedroom and told him to get up and have a drink, stating that he was a hoarder. They had a drink. .Townsend said: “This' is the Oast drink we shall have together.” Questioned, he said he had killed a woman, but had not finished the job. He rang for a taxi to go to On aero. He said that if one policeman came he would go quickly; if they came in a body he would shoot the lot. The accused said he had a parcel, and retulrned with a. gun. 'Percy William Stanton, factory

employee, said he had known ac- \ cused for 20 years. On February 20, 1929, he met him in New Plymouth. They had two drinks. In answer to accused, witness said he was working for the North Taranaki Daijry Company. Townsend said something about Huso, tbe manager, and asked witness to tell him he (Huse) had a 'cloud hanging over him which would burst at any time. He said this several times. He also said something about Dick Latham going to Hamilton to “quiz” on him. He .talked about the whole family, and especially the “old Chap,”; and said that his (accused’s) "wife would take her father’s word before that of her husband. “Did you tell Huse what Townsend said?” “Yes.”

“Was he drunk when he said it?”

“I haive never seen him drank in my life, but would not say he was soiber.”

'Constable la Poulpe said he was notified of tbe murder at 6.30 a.m. on September 16. . He phoned Huse at 7 o’clock. Alt 8 o’clock he received a message from Huse that accused was’at his house a t Onaero. In company with witness’s son, he hurried to Onaero. Immediately after his arrival and while on the way to the house, which was. from 50 to 100 .yards off the main road, he heard a car tooting as it came down the hill from Urenui. It was O’Donnell’s car, which pulled up opposite witness’s car. He saw accused in the front seat. (Witness' opened the door of the car on the same side as accused was sitting. He helped Townsend out on to the road, told him he was under arrest and placed the handcuffs on him. Witness had been informed that accused was armed with a gun. After putting the handcuffs on him, witness searched his pockets. He found a pocket knife which had a hooked blade like a pruning knife. It was very sharp and looked as if it had bden recently sharpened on an oilstone. He found seven unexplodcd shotgun cali'tridges in a pocket, and two other live cartridges were handed to witness by O’Donnell, the car driver. The gun was handed to hint by O’Donnell. Witness saw the gun in the hack of the car while he was searching accused. The gun was not loaded, but was assembled ready for use. Witness told accused he was going to be taken to Wailara. He , resisted violently and said lie would kick the ’bus to pieces, and he would have to be dragged there.

Witness tried to humour him, .hut: without success. 'With the assistauee of his sou, witness threw accused on to the road and lashed his legs with a rope. He had then to he forced to witness’s car and brought to the Wiaitara lock-up, On the way he asked if his wife was dead and, when told she was, he replied: “It’s a b good job. I should halve done it years ago. When the knife was put on the table he said: "That’s what I did it with. 'That’s the knife. String me np six times over. I do not want any fjrial. I did it!” He also said: "That’s the knife and that’s the gun. I don’t want to put the country to the expense of trying me.” Witness said he was informed

by accused that he had walked ' from New 'Plymouth to Waitara, ten miles, that morning in the dark and rain. He,also said he was going to shootVMr. and Mrs. Huse and Latham, and expected the police would have followed him out from Hew Plymouth. If a car had stopped and the police had <u>t out, be would have shot the lot of them. He also said lie was going to kill the Huses and Mr. Latham and then give himself up to the police. He said he intended to kill himself after he had killed his wife, hut he thought he would kill the othelrs first.

Witness examined accused’s clothes, but could not detect any bloodstains on them. His clothes were not wet when witness got him. He appeared to be in a very , excited condition. Witness thought lie was suffering from the effects of

liquor., iConstalblo King described the finding of Mrs. Townsend’s body. The constable and •Detective Meiklejohn described how Townsend was brought to the Hew Plymouth police station. He appeared flushed and very talkative, and looked as though he was recovering from a drinking bout. He had said: “I’m the man. I’ve done it. I know I’ve done it for a good purpose. I must say I was drunk last night. 1 did it for my daughter’s sake. Is she dead?” v “Yes,” replied the detective. "That’s a good job,” said

Townsend. “Don’t have a court. Hang me right away. It ought to have been done years ago.” This concluded the evidence and Townsend was committed for trial at the Supreme 'Coulrt. The inquest having been, held in con junction with the preliminary hearing of the murder eharge, Air. 11. W. Tate, S.M., adjourned delivery of the finding until after the Supreme: (Court trial.