MURDER CHARGE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4532, 18 November 1930, Page 2

MURDER CHARGE.

NEW PLYMOUTH TRAGEDY.

New Plymouth, Nov. 17. The ferial of Alexander Townsend, Lanin labourer, on a charge of

murdering his wife, Cora Alice Townsend, at Kitzroy, a suburb of New Plymouth, in the early morning of September 16, commenced before the Chief .Justice, Sir Michael Myers, to-day.

Members of the household of frs. Victors, at whose house Mrs. [’ownsend was staying for the light, after being disturbed several imes during the night by the visits d: a man found Mrs. Townsend

lead in the room with her head I most severed from her body. Townsend was arrested later in lie. day at Onaero, north of Wai-

Dealing with the facts of the ease, Mr. C. PI. Weston, for the ■Crownl, said) that Tlownseiul and Mrs. Townsend were married in ‘August, 1916. Accused was 53 years of age, and his wife 47. There were two children of the marriage, a girl, Jean, aged 17, and a boy, who died between the age of two and three. 'Mrs. Townsend, said Mr. Weston', suffered from a deformity of the hands, having a double .club hand, but in spite of this she was

a eleven- needle-woman and earned a certain income from the use of her needle. 'The evidence would show that, it was an unhappy marriage siud that, the unhappy state was not improved by accused’s personality, lie was a man who drank a good deal and could carry Ills drink well. When in drink he had a bad temper. There was established in his mind a grudge against his wife, and her father and sister. In 1925 a separation, order was made between accused and Mrs. Tomnsend. Prior to this, in >1921, there had been talk oil a separation, hut. it was in 1925 that a. deed was drawn up at Hamilton. Under this accused had to pay £1 a week for the maintenance of the daughter until she was 18. Mrs. Townsend came to New Plymouth to he near her relations at Onaero.

'The principal witness to-day was Elsie Murray Petchell, a nurse who resided with Mrs. Vickers (in whose house the alleged murder was committed). After detailing the events which took place during the evening, witness

said that after the household had retired she heard two knocks at ifie hack door. She unlocked the donlr, hut nobody was there. Then came a knock at the french window. Witness opened the window and found Townsend standing there. Tie uskied if Mrs. Townsend would go out with hum lie came inside, and Mrs. Townsend told him it was too late 'to go out; she said she would go at daylight, and asked him to sit down till then. They resumed the argument about (he daughter and money. Witness left the room, and Townsend asked where she was going. The couple followed witness into the passage. Townsend asked where the telephone was, and on being told he seized the receiver and smashed the cord from the ins:truintent. Witness said she became alarmed at the change in Townsend’s expression. He leaned toward Mrs. Townsend, and his face was white

and bis teeth set. Witness became terrified, and ran for help. When she left the Townsends were standing by the telephone. The court adjourned till to-mor-row. The trial probably will last fiire« days. I