Death of Mrs. Townsend

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 68, 17 October 1930, Page 5

Death of Mrs. Townsend

HUSBAND FACES MURDER CHARGE. PRELIMINARY HEARING. •PUBLIC ORirTCR'RD OFT OF COURT.

At the Now Plymouth Police Court (yesterday, fcofo-e Mr >R. W. Tate. S.M., Alexander Townsend w:l s charged l with the murder of his wife, Corn A lie Townsend, on the morning of September 16th. The inquest on Mrs. Townsend was hold in conjunction with the proceedings. There was a large crowd in +he Court np io 4 p.m., when Mr. Tat« evorrised. his »'.ndf» Hi<' Justices of the Peace Act. 1927. and cleared the Court. TnsnocHr Frs»«nr rorn-osonted 1 the Police-, and Mi*. L M. Moss appeared for Townsend. The taking of evidence Tiad not Ivnon oomnloted: when the Court rose for flie day. DOCTOR'S EVIDENCE. Dr. George H. Thomson said when he arrived at the house in response to a call, Mrs. Townsend was lying face down on her right side. She was fully dressed and wearing a cloak. Death had already occurred, and there was a 71001 of blood under her. Another pool was on the centre of the carpet. There was a large wound running around the back of the neck from just below the left ear. There were many cuts running into each other at angles. The spinal cord was completely severed. TWO WOUNDS. Anteriorally, there were two wounds—the first a srnaJJ one, transversely, immediately above the voice box and 1J inches in length. This penetrated oifly to the muscle. There was a higher wound starting 1J inches below the angle of the lower jaw. The wound passed across the voice box and ended immediately under the left ear, severing superficial muscles and cutting the left jugular vein. The wound was 5% inches long. On the centre of the forehead, at the edge of the scalp, was a small bruise about two inches in length. Death was directly due to a mechancial injury to the spina] cord. The body showed the woman to be a case of a double congenital dub hand, X-i\oy photographs of which were produced. An X-rav of the upper part of the body showed, the damage to the spine and demonstrated the wounds. William Henry Giles, manager of the Grand Vue Boarding House, gave evidence that Townsend had hoarded there for some months. He always seemed to have plenty of money, and was well thought of. He left suddenly.

Mr. Moss; "Did it not seem strange to you tihat ho was leaving suddenly?" "It was strange—yes." "And the strangeness of it occurred to you at the timo?" "Yes." "And to your wife?" "Yes.""Tkere'hact been no dispulo in the house that would cause him to leave?" "No dispute at &h\" Emily j/earec, of Konald Street, Strandon, stated that Mrs. Townsend and her daughter Jean were staying with her. They went out on the nigfit of September loth, and Townseuu called several times for them. When Jean came home she told him tliat her mother was at Mrs, Viekers', and he said "Come with me to g«t her; I want to have it out with you both." Jean refused to go, saying that he could bring her mother and have it out there.

PARTIES SEPARATED. Jean Townsend, aged 17., said her father and mother were separated. Iter mother earned her living by sewing. Townsend, she said, had threatened her mother. On the night of September loth, when she returned to Pearoe's, her father was waiting, but she refused! to go with him to get her mother. Her father had said "Just a matter of time" on occasions when speaking of her mother. John Nelson Bell, a taxi driver, told of Townsend engaging him on the night of September loth. He was driven to Giles' private hotel, then to Ronald Street, to Nob's Line. Townsend went into a house, and when, he returned, told witness to

pick him up in an hour's time. When he did §0 he drove accused to Quaere and then back to Nob's Line, from whence they went to Mrs. Vickers' in Sackville Street. Witness waited for 20 minutes, and was then told by Townsend he would not be required any more that night. He smelt of liquor, witness said. Charles Latham, fanner, of Onaero, said Townsend came to his house on September 15th about 9.15 p.m. and returned again the next morning. He then saw Townsend talking to Mrs. Huse, who. was crying. Mrs. Huse asked Townsend where Cora was. and he replied, "Where you ought to be." Ernest Frederick Huse, factory manager, of Onaero, stated that he saw Townsend on September 16th at 8 a.m. Accused was talking to Mrs. Huse, and when asked where Cora was. replied "Where you ought to be." Witness then telephoned for Constable La Pouple. as by that time he had received a message from the constable saying what had happened to Mrs. Townsend. Townsend got into the car and was driven towards Urenui. He seemed "a bit excited)" and looked as though lie had been drinking. HAPPENINGS PRIOR TO TRAGEDY. Elsie Murray Petchell, a nurse, residing with Mrs. Vickers, said that on the night of September 15th Mrs. Townsend called at the house at about 7.15. Mrs. Townsend arrived at about 10.15. Townsend came; he knocked on the front door, and witness' niece, Elsie Vickers. opened it. He asked for Mrs.. Townsend, who was in the kitchen. Mrs. Townsend went to the front door, and, with accused, went into the sitting-room. Witness heard Townsend and Mrs. Townsend arguing They were talking in a loud tooe. Witness went into the sitting-room. Townsend was standing irt the middle of the room; Mrs. Townsend seemed upset.. Witness asked Townsend what he wanted and to get out. Witness left them, and returned to the kitchen. Mrs. Townsend came down to the kitchen a few minutes afterward, accused having gone. Soon afterward Townsend came back, and then Mrs. Vickers came in. The conversation between. Townsend and Mrs, Townsend was about the daughter Jean, He asked if Jean was. working, and was told she was trying to secure work. A cup of coffee was. given to. Townsend. Townsend asked Mrs. Townsend to go away with him. She refused, and he went away again, saying he would wait outside for her. He came back is.ome tune later and again asked his wife to go away with him. She. again refused, but as he was leaving she .said she would meet him next morning.

EARLY MORNING VISIT. It was. arranged, continued Nurse Patchel, that Mrs, Townsend should Spend the night at Mrs. Viekers', and she was to sleep in the sitting-room with witness; neither of them undressed long. A time after they retired she heard two knocks at the back door. She unlocked the door, but nobody was there. Then tame a knock at the French window. Witness opened the window, and found Townsend standing there. He asked if Mrs. Townsend would go out with him. He came inside, and Mrs. Townsend told him if was too late to go out; she would go at daylight, and asked'him to sit down till then. They resumed the argument about the daugliter and money. The nurse left the room, and Townsend asked where she was going. The couple followed her into the passage, witness continued. He asked where the telephone was, and on being told he seized flu; receiver and smashed the cord from the instrument. The nurse said she became alarmed at the change in Towuseud's expression. He leaned toward Mrs. Townsend. and. his face was white and his teeth s«-*t. Witness became terrified, and ran for help. When she left the Townsends. were standing by the telephone.

LIFELONG FRIEND.

Mrs. Cherry Isabella Tickers and Mrs. Townsend had been her friend for almost a lifetime. Following Nurse Patchel's story, she said she was awakened very late. The Townsends went from the telephone toward the front of the house, and witness heard noises. Townsend said: "I am a dead man now." Mrs. Townsend called out: "No, you're not." Mrs. Vickers heard her name, "Bella! Bella!" called several times by Mrs, Townsend. then there was silence. No sound of struggling was beard. Witness then went to her bedroom to her girl*!, one of whom said she heard Mrs. Townsend leave the house. She then went into the sitting-room, and found Mrs, Townsend sitting on the floor with blood splashed about. She did not go near. Elsie Murray Vickers. aged 18, teliing of Town.send's visit to the house, said she heard Mrs. Townsend cali out: "Don't break my arniJ" and then, "Not with your pocket knife!" There was a shuffling nois*», and then Mrs. Townsend called: "Bella! Bella!" At this stage the case, was adjourned.

TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS. NEW PLYMOUTH, This Day. The hearing of the charge of alleged murder of his wife against Alexander Townsend was continued in the Police Court this morning. Or. J, Walsh, porter at the Masonic Hotel, Waitaru, gave evidence that Townsend called at 6 a.m. on September '.Kith and was refused drink. T. G. Mallett, a pensioner, residing at the Waitara Hotel, stated he knew accused, who had boarded there. TownsonTl came into the bedroom and told him to get up and have a drink, stating that he was a boarder. They had a drink, and lownsend said: "Tin's is the last 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 Onaero. ]]e said if one jioliceman came he would so quietly, but if they came i u a body be would shoot the lot. Accused said, he had a parcel, and returned with a. gun. D. D. an ex-hotel-keeper, who had joined in the drinks, confirmed the statement of the previous witness. He thought Townsend had not committed a murder, but meant to do so. The cose is proceeding.

taught "music" before going to the piano at all will simply fly through problems whicji baffle the beginner who starts on the confused old lines. In the course of examining, which is my third phase of experience, I have come to this that the absence of foundation work is the chief cause of candidates' troubles, and of labelling pupils as unmusical on account of absurd little blunders which would never, Eave been made if adequate training of the ear and brain had preceded the introduction of instrumental work. Among these blunders are lack of balance in time, absence of the sense of key, undeveloped sense of harmony. These failings come out most markedly in sight-reading test, even in passages which present no technical difficulty, A STEIKTNG EXAMPLE. ' The most striking example of the divorce of much current music teaching from the foundation work of the school ear training classes is to be witnessed in examinations, where advanced candidates will struggle and fail in simple tests which infants of six and seven years can meet easily, and enjoy almost like games. These include the naming l of a few notes after; a key chord has heen sounded, the naming of a few pairs of chords known as cadences, which are the punctuation of, music, a nd the naming of time signatures of simple tunes which are played All these are done easily by the aforesaid infants and are often not done at all by candidates for teachers' diplomas. There is surely something radically wrong here. Many a candidate will say quite cheerfully when the ear tests are approached: "I was never any good at this." What

a confession of incompetence! It is doubtful whether such a person who lias not grasped the tirst essentials of musical naming snould be recognised as a teacher at all. \\ltn uie neio of me ionic sol-fa system, young cuiiui'cn can recognise any leasunauie passage piayeu or sung. Vv'Hii lue help of the nine names he can ahaiysc ail oriunary pulses and aivisions of puioto; absolute pace can oe weuionseu wan the aid of musical tunes; sieauiuess of pace can ue ac(±un - eu 0/ concentration on simple ciapping exercises. Absolute pitch, wiiicu used to be calleu a gut, whicn few possess and ouieis couiu not acquire, can bo easny memorised uy little children wno at nrst concentrate on one or a lew notes. The sense of key and of simple harmonies is not beyond the scope 01 tiiese juvenile classes. In all class work, however, we have to meet the difficulty of about nine-tenths of the children being somewhat inert and of being willing to be led by the smarter members. The immediate imitative faculty is so keen that what should be a blessing may become a hindrance unless special means are adopted to neutralise it. We see this in the so-called sight-reading in many choirs, who are listening not only to their leaders but also to the piano or organ, instead of using their eyes an'd brains actively on the music copy. All these things are trifles in themselves, but they are the trifles which makeup perfection, and perfection is no trifle.