ºf IS MORNING.
PUBLISHIEL
//
7/
| _ |
// ±
A START-ING CONFESSION AT LAST".







THE TW ITC HELL TRAGEDY.
MORE ABOUT THE CRIME.
MIRS. T. WITCHETTI.
| N/ARTING ||NF||\|| || ||
on
TIE, MURDERER OF MRS, HILL AT PHILADELPHIA.
TO WHICH IS ADDED
a rººt, accouxºr of twºrrºr, Lºs Poisonix G, AND MYSTERIOUS MATTERS NEVER BEFOR.R.
PUBLISHED.
Also
sººtºg ATTEMPT, BY HIS RELATIONS, To BRING A MURDERER's conesº. To LIFE, AFTER
on raisixg ºr rºo: Tº Aºrmorºs Fon BURIAL-IT BEING MADE To
snº Arnº and Move.
PHILADELPHIA :
C. W. ALEXANDER, PUBLISHER,
224 SouTur THIRD STREET.
ºutered according to Act of congress, in the year 1869, by C. W. ALEXANDER, in the Clerk's omes.
of the District Court of the United States, in and for the Eastern Distriot of Pennsylvania.
-
-
-
- -
-
-
-
-
-
-
- -
-
-
-
- -
-
-
-
-
- -
- -
-
-
- -
- -



























THE TWITCHELL TRAGEDY.
In order that all may understand the following narrative, we deem it
necessary to give a concise history of this most terrible murder.
On the afternoon of Sunday, November 22d, 1868, Mrs. Hill's hired
girl, named Sarah Campbell, went out on a visit to a friend's house,
having received permission to do so from her mistress. When she left
home, everything was in the usual order about the house, and the family
as usual also.
The house stood on the north-east corner of Pine and Tenth streets,
and was a handsome building.
When Sarah Campbell returned to the house, she rang the bell; but
no one coming, she rang again; then again and again, but failed to obtain
any answer to her summons for admittance. This struck her as rather
singular, for Mrs. Hill, her mistress, used to open the door very promptly
before this.
The hired girl then took hold of the bell and commenced to pull it in
and out rapidly and persistently.
A moment later and the door was opened by Mrs. Hill's son-in-law,
George S. Twitchell, Jr.; at which Sarah was extremely surprised and
considerably flurried, because she had been ringing so hard.
“Excuse me, Mr. Twitchell,” she said, “for pulling the bell so much;
but I thought you were asleep.”
“So I was,” said he, but he did not speak in the tone of a man who
is suddenly awakened.
“Where is Mrs. Hillº asked Sarah.
Twitchell started as he replied:
“I don't know. Do you think where she could be?”
With these words he went back along the passage and, stepping up on
the stairs, leaned over and called out:
"Mother mother!" -
-

20 - MORE OF THE TWITCHELI, CASE.
Sarah walked past him into the kitchen. Here she ſet a current of
cold air, and glancing at the side door, saw that it was open—a very un-
usual thing She immediately went to shut it; and, as she did so, she
looked out into the yard, for the idea struck her that as Mr. Twitchell had
been in bed, Mrs. Hill had gone out into the yard without his knowing of it.
Something lying on the pavement attracted her attention, and on look-
ing down, she saw that it was a human body. Meantime, Mr. Twitchell
had gone upstairs again. Quickly the girl stepped back to the table in
the kitchen, on which there stood a candlestick with a candle burning in
it—another strange circumstance. This she seized, and bounding out into
the yard, found the body to be that of her mistress, Mrs. Hill. At first
she thought the old lady had fainted, but on a second look, she saw the
blood.
“I felt queer and bad when I saw the blood,” said the girl.
She at once ran back into the house, calling for Mr. Twitchell. But
getting no answer, she ran half way up stairs, calling again and again.
loudly. -
“What's the matter with mother?” he finally called back.
“Oh, come down quick! quick! She's lying in the yard, all bloody.”
Then he came down and walked rapidly out, directly to where the
corpse was lying. The girl went with him. When he looked down at
the body, he exclaimed: -
“My God! what is this? Won't somebody help me to carry her in?”
In her flurry, the girl had run back into the house, where she met Mrs.
Twitchell coming down from bed in her night clothes. But when she
beard him, she went out again, and taking up the body with him, she
assisted him into the house with it, and they laid it down upon the settee
in the kitchen. Next she ran, at his request, and brought in a wash-basin
full of cold water, with a towel. Taking this, Twitchell began to bathe
the head and face of the corpse. * -
“Run for a doctor!” exclaimed Twitchell.
“Yes, my God, run for a doctor!” added Mrs. Twitchell.
The hired girl at once started to do so, but instead, ran to the door of
some of the neighbors and roused them with the story of the murder.
Among the first strangers in the house came a Mr. Morrell, who, being
a man of cool, calculating disposition, suspected something wrong.
“What is the matter?” he asked of Mrs. Twitchell.
“Oh my mother has been killed!” exclaimed Mrs. Twitchell, wring-
ing her hands.
“How 2 º'
“She fell out of the second-story windowſ"
“That's strange.”
* Yes; I don't see how that could be,” added Mr. Montgomery, another
neighbor. -

MORE OF THE TWITCHELL CASE. 2.
He lived in the next house, and had been roused by Mrs. Twitchell her-
self ringing at his bell. -
By that time, however, she had returned to her room and put on a kind
of long sack over her night dress.
*Are there any wounds on the head beside what would be caused by a
fall?” asked some one of the doctor, who was examining the body.
* Yes, there are,” was the reply.
* Then well inquire and search a little more,” remarked Mr. Morrell.
“Let us go up stairs.”
At this, several men, with the policeman, took a light and went up to
the sitting-room, where the foul deed had been committed.
There, on the centre-table, stood a coal oil lamp and a candle; and
these being taken by different gentlemen, a close scrutiny of the furniture,
doors, walls and windows was made.
On the lounge where Mrs. Hill had been lying, was found a pillow
soaked with blood, and on the floor, directly beneath, was a large pool of
blood soaked into the carpet. Also, on the floor and about midway down
the length of the lounge, were the old lady's spectacles, bent and battered
as though by a blow from something. These had evidently fallen off her
head when she had been taken from the lounge in order to be thrown
from the window. - -
Upon the wall, behind the lounge, all the way up to the ceiling, on the
ceiling, and also on the door and jamb, were curved lines of blood spots,
sprinkled as though by the sweep of the weapon in the hands of the
murderer.
From the lounge across to the window was a line of dripped blood-
spots on the carpet, and on the window-sill and sash were smears of
blood. .
“I think these people ought to be arrested,” said one of the group.
"Yes, they ought.” w
The party immediately went down stairs into the kitchen again, where
Mr. and Mrs. Twitchell, Sarah Campbell and one or two spectators were
The corpse now had a white cloth thrown over its face, thus hiding the
poor, old battered features from vie
“Mr. Twitchell,” said Mr. Morrell or Montgomery, “were there any
persons in this house but yourselves; that is, you and your wife and the
girl here?”
Mrs. Twitchell started. -
“No,” was the reply.
“Well, then, I insist on the officers here taking you in charge until
something is done to clear up this horrible mystery.”
“All right; I am willing. It is but right.”
“Well, officer, you had better take Mr. Twitchell to the station-house
22 MORE OF THE TWITCHELL CASE.
at least for the night, and we will stay here with Mrs. Twitchell and the
girl till morning.”
At this, Twitchell stepped forward and asked the officer, before taking
him, to let him go and get other clothes on.
The officer agreed; but insisted on going up stairs with him while he
did so. One fact the officer (Howard) noticed was, that the prisoner had
on a pair of light pantaloons, dark grey undershirt and dark coat, well
buttoned up, but no white shirt or cuffs. He took him at once to the
station house. Here it was discovered that these cuffs and this white
shirt had spots of blood on them that had evidently been dashed or
sprinkled upon them, and not smeared, as would naturally be the case if
they had been made by carrying a bloody body.
While policeman Howard was gone with the prisoner, the gentlemen
- who had remained with the wife, conversed with her, to ascertain some-
thing, if possible. After narrating all the suspicious circumstances that
had been discovered up stairs, one remarked:
“This looks serious for you, Mrs. Twitchell.”
“What do you mean, sir?”
“Well, I mean that it looks very much as though you and Mr
Twitchell had committed the murder.”
“Why, what object would I have in killing my mother? I would
make nothing by it.”
“Perhaps so, and perhaps not.”
“No perhaps about it. It is certain.”
“Are these dogs not particularly sharp if strangers are about?”
* Yes.”
“And yet Mr. Montgomery, next door, did not hear them bark at all.”
“Neither did I; but I can't help that. Besides, they were shut up in
our room. Some one has been concealed about the house who knew that
mother carried so much money about her in her bosom all the time.”
“How much was it?” -
* Generally two or three thousand dollars; sometimes more.”
* Well, the bosom of your mother's dress was not disarranged at all,
which would have been the case had robbers killed her for her money.
Besides, robbers, after securing such a sum, would not go to the trouble
and risk of throwing her out of the window, to be certainly found out,
but would have left her body in the sitting-room and escaped with their
booty as quickly and quietly as possible.” -
“But still, what object could I have in such an awful deed.”
“Why, if for nothing else, to get possession of this very money you
speak of.”
After this Mrs. Twitchell said nothing in denial or otherwise, but acted
with as much coldness and collection as a heartless stranger might have
done. This conduct was not calculated to prevent certain dreadful sus-
picions entering the mind of every body present. -









MoRE OF THE TWITCHELL CASK. 23
After a strong and determined effort to obtain a discharge and habeas
corpus had been made by the counsel for the prisoner—for the Coroner's
Jury had found a verdict charging Mr. and Mrs. Twitchell conjointly
with the murder, the final trial came on. It was at this time that Mrs.
Twitchell asked for and obtained a separate trial. Her husband was
tried first, and the details are already so well impressed upon the public
memory that we shall not repeat any part of it except the testimony of
Charles Altgelt. -
At the time of the trial, nine-tenths of the people who read the testi-
mony of this witness openly averred their total disbelief in it. But a
theory of the murder has since been put forward that not only renders
Mr. Altgelt's testimony possible, but probable. His statement was as
follows:
I reside 825; Locust street; lived there six weeks. Am agent for the
Penn Mutual Insurance Company. Am in the habit of attending church
at Eleventh and Lombard; was at that church the night Mrs. Hill was
murdered; I am a member of the choir. I left church about nine o'clock
—it was not nine o'clock when I left, for it was ten minutes of nine
o'clock when the church was out. On my way home I passed by the
house; it was then after nine o'clock, can't say exactly how many min-
utes—but as I turned into Eleventh street it struck nine o'clock, so that
it might have been two, or three, or five minutes. When I got to the
house of Mrs. Hill, I saw two men leave the house; they came out of the
front door; they went across the street to the corner of Tenth aud Pine;
didn't see anything more of them; they disappeared from sight on the
upper corner of Tenth and Pine, going up Pine. The man was very tall–
I can't describe but one man—the tall man had a long overcoat; but I
could not say anything about their faces. His coat eame down consider-
able, because it attracted my attention, for I have seldom seen such a long
coat. It was a dark coat. He was very tall. Didn't take any notice of
the other man. When I came across the lower side of Pine street, I did
not walk on the flagstone, but cut across to the corner. I went from the
lower side of Pine street to the north-east corner; when I came to the
corner, I saw the door opened from the inside, and these men came out.
Cross-examined.—I went across from the furniture store, on the lower
side of Pine, next to the corner of Tenth; I crossed to the north-east cor.
ner; I cross that way from one side to another, often. When I say I went
straight across, I mean I went to the corner. I started for the north-east
corner; can give no reason for doing this, except it is a habit of mine;
I went to the nearest corner; I think it was the north-east corner. I
know the points of the compass; I may be mistaken in saying the north-
east corner, but to the best of my knowledge—but I may be wrong. You
tell me which corner Mrs. Hill's house is, and I could tell you.
Mr. Hagert—That is what I don't mean to do.
Witness.-Then I went to the opposite corner from Mrs. Hill's on Tenth
24 MORE OF THE Twº ſº. CASE-
---
street; I went along to the upper side of Tenth street, to Clinton street.
When the men came out of the door, they went to the corner where I
game frºm . When I first saw them, I was on Tenth street, right opposite
Mrs. Hill's house. The first thing I noticed was the dark entry, when the
door opened; the dark entry attracted my attention. A light intry would
not be more likely to attract my attention.
To jurors.--The tall man came out first, and the other man came out.
Notwithstanding the positiveness of the sentence, and the seeming neº-
lessness of attempting to change the ſate of the wretched man, still his
friends labored most earnestly to have him pardoned or reprieved. But
all to no purpose; for Governor Geary refused to accede to, or be in-
fluenced by, any appeal for mercy. The legislature even were got to pass
a bill abolishing capital punishment by giving to the Governor the power
of changing a death-sentence to imprisonment for life or a less term. This
bill was pushed through as a final resort, and hurried to Governor Geary
for his signature, only the day before the execution of Twitchell and Eaton
was to take place. But the Executive was not to be so swerved, and instead
of taking advantage of its provisions, he handed it over to his Attorney
General for a legal opinion concerning it.
It now became evident that there was no hope, and both the culprits
made up their minds to meet their fate. Eaton with a sort of despairing
bravery, and Twitchell by poison in his cell. -
We give the whole inquest in full, as facts are therein elicited, not
hitherto known.
William B. Perkins, Superintendent of the County Prison, was sworn
and examined by the Coroner:
Question. At what time did you visit the cell of George S. Twitchell,
and what persons were present Answer, I was not present with him
last evening; his relatives took up all the time, and of course I did not
interfere with them; Mr. Bringhurst was the last person with him; I saw
him a little after six o'clock in the evening.
Q. What keeper was then in charge A. The keepers were all here:
the keeper was then in the cell.
Q. Were there any keepers present in the cell with his friends? A: Oh
yes, always; there are two keepers who are always present, viz.: Clayton
and Flemming, who are the keepers of that corridor. I think Clayton was
present when the father was there; in the evening the father left here
about twenty minutes past six o'clock. -
Q. Do you know who were here yesterday, and visited the condemned
A. No, I do not know. - -
Q. Did anybody get permission to visit him, whenever they came in
A. All of his relations of course did. -
Q. Is there not some book in which you keep an account of the visitors'
names? A: No, we don't keep any book of that kind. We always give










MoRE OF THE TWITCHELL CASE. 25
prisoners the privilege of choosing their own friends whom they wish tº
..., Twitchell made a list out of those friends he wished to see, and
i...ond them we did not admit anybody, unless it were by his own special
request, and then there was always an officer in the cell with him. . . . .
Q. Was Twitchell anywhere near Eaton, and did he converse with him 7
A. In the evening, before the officers left, the door wº drawn ºpen: W*
have always been in the habit, in eases of capital punishment, of opening
the doors of the cells so as to give the watchmen an opportunity of ex-
amining and seeing if there was anything wrong going on. The doors
were drawn open, and I came in to get my supper. -
Q. Do you know what Eaton said to Twitchell? A. No, I could not
hear anything that was said. -
Q is there anybody here who heard it. A. No : I don't know that
there is anybody, as I was not present myself. - -
Q. Do you know anything about Twitchell stating to Eaton that he
would not be hung, and showing anything to him A. I don't know
anything about it.
Q. Did you hear that he said so from any person about the prison?
A. I did hear something from one of the officers: I think it was Keeper
Cassidy who told me.
Q. Was there any search made in Twitchell's cell in consequence of any
information that was received A. No, not at all, because it is always my
habit of removing everything which is in any way likely to injure a
prisoner, or to raise suspicion. -
Q. Well, was there any such suspicion ? A. No, we had no suspicion.
Q. Did you hear any report that he was going to commit suicide? No,
not at all; I always think it best to keep everything out of the way.
Rev. George Bringhurst affirmed:
Question. Just state, if you please, what time you left Twitchell?
Answer. About 20 minutes past 11 o'clock last night.
Q. State what time you were there yesterday, and what conversation
you had with him. A. I was there from two in the afternoon till a quar-
ter to six, and again from a quarter to eight until 20 minutes past eleven
last night; there was a constant stream of visitors during the day; I
mean by that, there were about sixteen or eighteen persons visited the
cell while I was there; I think he spoke of eight or ten persons who
visited him during the morning, before I got there. -
Q. I want you to state what conversation you had. A. We had but
little time to speak until evening, and then nearly all the time was occu-
pied in prayer by Mr. Twitchell to such an extent that I could scarcely
get an opportunity of quoting a passage of Scripture; Charles Perkins,
a son of the prison superintendent, was in the cell with him until ten
o'clock; he bade him good bye, as he had always been on friendly terms
with him, in the same earnest manner as though he did not expect to
meet him again; he said to me, “You will not leave me now, will you?”
I replied that I would stay a little while longer with him, and at eleven
o'clock, when the bell on the corridor rung (which strikes every half hour)
he said: "What time is it?" I told him; he then wound up his watch
and gave it to me, and said: “This is yours; I will never wind up my
watch again!” He went immediately to prayer, which kept him until
about twenty minutes past eleven, and I bid him goodbye, and he said:
* Come early to-morrow morning.”
Q: Did he ever speak to you about being pardoned, and that he would

26 MORE OF THE TWITCHELL CASE.
not be hung. A. He entertained hopes at one time of being pardoned:
he has not said anything about being poisoned, but he frequently called
upon the Almighty to strike him dead.
Q: Do you know anything about poison being given to him? A. No,
sir, I do not.
Q. By a juryman. Did you see him have any private conversation with
any one out of the hearing of the keeper? A. No, sir; John O'Byrne.
Esq., sat on the bed by his side yesterday afternoon; he was the only
one who had any conversation with him.
Q: What time was his father there 2 A. Twitchell told me that his
father was there in the morning, and again about half-past five in the
afternoon. -
Q. Did you see the father? A. Yes; he was sitting on the bed by
the side of his son.
Q. How close to him 2 A. Quite close to him.
Q. Close enough for him to give anything to him? A. He had hold
of his father's hand, and he was close enough to give him anything.
To Mr. Fletcher.—I left Twitchell in the evening, about a quarter to
six o'clock, in the cell with his keeper.
To a Juryman. I don't think any person took Twitchell aside and had
a private conversation with him; I think during the receptions of his
visitors in the afternoons he was nearly always sitting on the bed, in the
same spot, close to the pillow.
Q. Did you hear him state to any one that he would not be hung to-
morrow? A. No, sir.
Q. Did you hear any person say so? A. I have heard persons say
that he would not be hung.
Q. Did you ever suspect him of saying so? A. No, sir.
Q. And you never had any idea of it? No, sir; I felt all along that
he was too much of a coward; he seemed to be much afraid of death
under any circumstances, except in the event of the Almighty striking
him dead, which he frequently wished would be the case.
To a Juryman.--During the times he has been visited, one of the keep-
ers has always been present and heard what was going on; Mr. O'Byrne
had a low conversation with him yesterday, which I did not hear.
Q. Did the father have such a conversation? A: No; I am sure I
heard all that was going on between father and son.
Patrick Cassidy sworn:
Q: What is your position here? A. A keeper.
Q. Just state what you know about this 2 A. Last night the superin-
tendent called the officers together and asked them to remain all night.
About half-past seven I stepped into Eaton's cell, and shortly afterwards,
the clergyman came (Father Reilly), and I wished to leave them by them-
selves, and was going out; Eaton called me back and said: “Mr. Cassidy
I wish to say something to you. I do not know that it will be right for
me to die without telling you, as, perhaps, the keepers might be blamed
for what might occur.” I think he said: “You will not hang Twitchell
to-morrow,” I said: “What reason have you for that supposition * *
He replied: “I have had a talk with him this evening.” I said: “How
did you talk with him?” He said: “Our doors were open. I saw him
and wished to encourage him; I told him to pick up courage and die like
a man. He shook his head and held up his thumb and finger, pointing to
his mouth, and said: ‘Mum is the word.’”

MORE ABOUT THE TWITCHELL CASE. 2.
Q: What was that something? A: I do not know, hor did Eaton.
Q: What time was that? A. Between 9 and 10 o'clock last evening.
Q: What time did Mr. Bringhurst leave? A. Twenty minutes past
11 o'clock.
Q: What did you do in consequence of that? A: I reported the matter
to my fellow-keepers in the office, and they said that it would be well to
remove everything from the cell which was calculated to do any injury to
"; Did Eaton say what time it was he had this conversation with
Twitchell? A. Yes; he said it was between 6 and 7 o'clock.
Q. what did you do then? A: I went into Eatºn's cell and collected
his knife, fork, spoon, plate, saucer and pitcher, and he wished me to give
them to his wife; she has not called for them as yet; after that I visited
Twitchell; I said: “George, it is our duty to collect all things which we
suspect a man can injure himself with: we always do it, the evening
before the execution.” That was between ten and eleven o'clock; so he
volunteered to help me to gather them up, and I removed the articles, as I
had done from Eaton's cell; he remarked that I should search his hat
ease; Mr. Bringhurst and myself examined the hat case, but we found
nothing in it calculated to do any mischief -
Q. Did you search him? A: I did not attempt to search him.
Q. Were you present when the visitors and his father were there?
A. No, sir; I do not believe I ever was.
Q. Did he intimate to you in any way that he was going to make any
attempt upon his life? A. No, sir; he seemed to be very penitent, and
very earnest in prayer with Mr. Bringhurst, when I have been there, and
I was rather dilatory in disturbing his devotions.
Q. Did anybody speak to you about giving him anything yesterday?
A. No, sir; all I know is what Gerald Eaton told me.
To a juryman,—I was on duty yesterday in the corridor.
Q. Were there an unusual number of visitors yesterday. A. There
were a great number of visitors, I understood.
Q. Mr. Bringhurst speaks of a stream of persons passing in and out.
A. Well, there were a great many persons.
Q. Did they get admission by his request? A. Yes, sir.
John Clayton sworn: -
Q. You are a keeper? A. Yes, sir. -
Q. Just state what time you were present in the cell with George S.
Twitchell, Jr., and who was there when you were in charge. A. I think
I was there fully an hour.
Q. Just state what time it was. A. About 5 o'clock; I can't exactly say
when I went in, and I came out about 20 minutes past 6; the bell rings
at 6, and I remained after the bell rung, and the other keeper [Flemming]
came and said that the time was up. -
Q. With whom did you go in 2 A. I went in the place of the other
keeper, who was going round with the supper.
Q: Who was present? A Twitchell's father, Mr Bringhurst, and myself
Q: How long were they there A. While I remained, sir; I am sure it
was a full hour ; we both came out together. -
Q: Was there any private conversation which you could not hear? A 1
did not see any attempt made at private conversation.
º º were they to each other A. The young man sat on the
-- ather on the chair; he said, “Father, let me clasp your hands;
28. MORE ABOUT THE TWITCHELL CASE.
I can recollect, Twitchell senior and his two sons and McCully came in the
it is our last meeting.” -
Q. Well, did he do it? A. Yes, sir, and he then sat on the bed.
By a juryman. Q. Did they clasp each other's hands? A. Yes, they did.
--- Q Did you hear all the conversation which passed between them : A
There Was nothing said in a low tone, sir ; it was all upon religious matters.
Q. Did you hear all that was said A. Well, sir, I could not say that
but I saw no attempt at private conversation; Mr. Bringhurst was admon.
ishing the Yºung man how to act under the circumstances, and quoted por:
tions of Scripture to him. -
Q: Did they get up and leave the bed? A. No, sir; not until the other
keeper came up to tell us that the time was up, and then father and son
clasped each other in what I call a “loving embrace.”
To a juryman. Cassidy is a sober man; I cannot say whether he was sober
last night; he takes a glass occasionally.
Q. Did you see him last night? A. No sir.
Q: Who furnished Twitchell with cigars? A, I cannot say.
Q: Well, is it not against the rules? A. Yes, sir; but I think they are
indulgent in that way,
Coroner Daniels here remarked that it was a very easy thing to put a
little prussic acid in a cigar.
Q. Well, you don't know where he got the cigars from ? A. No, sir.
Q. Have you not strict orders as a keeper, to prohibit close conversations
between a prisoner under sentence of death and another person? A. I
think there are such regulations; I had no orders to that effect on this
Occasion.
Q Well, what was the necessity, do you think, of your being present?
A. Well, I suppose, to listen to any conversations, and to see that nothing
wrong was done. -
Q. Well, you see something wrong has taken place A. Something
has gone wrong, sir, but I know nothing of it; it was very seldom that I
was in the cell. - -
Q. Did you attempt to stop him from smoking 2 A. No, sir.
Q Well, you let him disobey the rules? A. Well, I think he had per-
mission to do so.
Q: Did you ask if he had such permission 7 A. No, sir; I allowed him
to smoke without asking him any questions; I found him smoking when I
want in. -
Q. Did not Eaton constantly smoke 2 A. I was seldom in Eaton's cell,
but I heard that he smoked; I once heard him say that he had smoked four
cigars in one night.
Q. It must have been permitted by some one. A. I believe the superin-
tendent gave the permission to smoke.
Q: Who were the keepers who had charge of these men 7 A. Flemming
and myself.
Q. Well, one of you must have known how he got the cigars 7 A. I
know nothing of it.
Andrew Flemming sworn.-Q. Were you one of the keepers? A. Yes,
sir.
Q. Just state when you had charge of them 2 A. All the day; as far as
morning ; another young man was there; I think it was Simons.
Q: What time was that? A. I cannot say, but it was before dinner.
Q. Where you in the cell at the time 7 A. Yes, sir.











MORE ABOUT THE TWITCHELL CASE. 2)
Q. How close were you to the deceased A. I was sitting right in the
middle of the cell on a chair. ... "
Q How close were these visitors to him A. Some of them were sitting
by the side of him; his two brothers were on the bed; I heard all the
cºnversation. - -
Q. Did you see anything passed in cigars tº him, or anything else?
A. No, sir; no cigars were given to him by visitors. - - -
Q Do you know that he smoked cigars? A. Well, sometimes the
inspectors would give him a cigar: these were the only cigars I ever knew
he smoked; he told me he got the cigars from the inspectors.
Q: Did you ever see any one give him cigars A. I think I saw Dr.
Bullock give him one. -
Q. what time did you go off duty? A Six o'clock: Mr Clayton, the
other keeper, and Twitchell's father were in the cell; I went up when the
bellrung and told them to come out; they did so.
Q. When was Mr. O'Byrnethere A. He was there through the after-
In OO11. -
Q: Who was there as a keeper between 2 and 5 o'clock P. M. 2 A. I
was there; Mr. Bringhurst was there himself; in the afternoon General
Collis came in. - -
Q. Mr Bringhurst said he was continually interrupted by visitºrs. Who
came in during the afternoon? A: There's a prison society, and they get
the keys of the cells and they go into any cell they like. Another gentle-
man was with Mr. Collis, and Mr. Ransford and Mr. O'Byrne.
- Q whom did you leave in the cell when you went out? A. Mr. Bring-
hurst. - -
Q: What others? A: I never left anybody with the deceased alone but
the minister. -
Q. Did you observe any close conversation between Mr. O'Byrne and
Twitchell? A. No, sir.
Q. Did he sit on the bºd? A: I think he did.
(j. Did you see any close conversation between the son and the father
yesterday A. No, sir.
Q. At any time when you were in there did anybody take Twitchell to
one side? A. Not unless when they were going to leave the cell, then some
of them generally kissed him. - -
Q: Who went out first; did you? A. No, sir; I was always the last per-
son to come out; I always thought that if I turned my back anybody could
give him anything. -
Q. Did you get any instructions from the superintendent, as the time for
the execution drew near, as to keeping people from coming in contact with
the prisoner A. You could not keep anybody from coming in contact
with him; I did receive such instructions.
Q. Did all visitors shake hands with him yesterday afternoon? A. Yes, sir.
Q. Well, who kissed him A. McCully kissed him, and I think all kissed
him but his counsel.
Q: Who were the parties, the sixteen or eighteen whom Mr. Bringhurst
refers to as coming into the cell between 2 and 5 o'clock? A. His lawyers
were there and the prison society men; I think they all went in yesterday
afternoon; Mr. J. W. Smith went in and offered up prayer with him and
then went out; I think that was in the afternoon.
Patrick Cassidy was recalled.
Q. State how you found the body, A. At twelve o'clock, or a few min-

30 MORE ABOUT THE TWITCHELL CASF.
utes after, I stopped at George Twitchell's cell, and looked through the
peep-hole; I saw him lying in bed, with the blanket covered over his face
and head; I remained there some time, and saw no movement; I called the
watchman (McCullough); he came, and took a look, as I had done; he
remarked, he has covered himself with a blanket, and I think he is asleep,
and he did not wish to disturb him, as he said Mr. Bringhurst wanted him
to have a sleep after he had taken his wash; I at all times had my suspicions
that something would occur with him; at 2 o'clock I visited him again the
same way, and saw him in the same position; at or near a quarter past five,
after leaving Eaton's cell, I went to visit Twitchell; I opened the outside
door and saw he. made no movement, and it aroused my suspicions, and I
then opened the inner door and called George three times by name; upon
his making no answer I went up to him, caught hold of one of his hands
and found that he was dead; his left hand was lying by his side, and I
exclaimed to Keeper Peterson, He is dead; Peterson then goes down stairs
and reported to Mr. Perkins and the other keepers the circumstances; that
is as far as I know, gentleman.
Dr. E. B. Shapleigh, the Coroner's surgeon, was then sworn.
You have made a post mortem examination on the body of George
S. Twitchell, I believe? A: I made an inspection this morning a little after
9 o'clock; the body was lying extended on its back; the limbs were exten-
ded, hands semiflex; the mouth and eyes were partially opened; there was
an appearance of compose about the body which was very peculiar, and
there was no appearance of any convulsions having taking place; rigor
morºs had commenced in the neck and shoulders, but not particularly in the
limbs, hands or arms; the body was still warm, but the hands, arms, legs
and eet were cold. -
This afternoon, assisted by Dr. Butcher, of the institution, in the presence
of Drs. Lewis, Dyer, Packard, Sweeney, Adler, Smith, Whitedge, and E. S.
Butcher, a post-mortem examination was made. The eyes were examined
first, and a peculiar appearance of the cornea was observable; on the lower
lip was a stain, which could not be washed away; the brain was examined,
the blood vessels of which were excessively congested, and the smell of
prussic acid was distinctly noticeable, and a peculiar red color of the blood
was visible; the blood did not coagulate after it bad run on the bench and
floor; the lungs were in a normal condition but congested, the heart was
placid and contained fluid bloºd; the liver was in a normal condition; the
stomach contained but a small quantity of fluid but no solid; the mucous
membrane of the stomach was in a high state of congestion; at one point
there was a quantity of effused blood in the mucous membrane; the other
organs were normal; the smell of prussic acid was distinguishable when the
viscera was removed, leaving no doubt as to the cause of death; on searching
the cell after the post-mortem I discovered this bottle, which is a half-ounce
one, in the right boot; it was wrapped in paper; it contains either some
form of prussic acid or a solution of cyanide of potassium; Geºrge S
Twitchell, Jr., came to his death by swallowing prussic acid; 39. will notice
that the bottle is only half full; in a few seconds after a pºº has taken it
he generally falls; prussic acid is a deadly poison, and persons taking it
die without pain, and almost instantaneously.
-


º Abri ºsntu ºtis ºr
…~~~~


MoRE ABOUT THE TWITCHELL CASE. 33
How the poison was taken into Twitchell is very generally suspected,
in fact almost certainly known; but at the same time it would be utterly
impossible to make any direct statement. Several days before his death
Twitchell manifested a decided enmity to his wife, because she had, he
said, deserted him after getting him into all his trouble- We insert what
he said about her:
* I went to my room on the night of the murder, and instead of going
to bed Ilaid down on the lounge in my room, and fell asleep. My wife
was in bed at the time- I was roused by her repeated calls, and ran down
to the dining-room, where I found her much excited saying, “I have had
a quarrel with mother and killed her; I do not know whether she said
save me !” or help me hide it!" but at last we threw the body of Mrs.
Hill out of the window to make it look as if she fell out; I went down stairs
and washed my hands and face at the hydrant; then went to my room,
undressed and went to bed; my wife came up afterwards and got into bed,
where we staid until Sarah Campbell rang the bell. I think we were in
bed ten or twenty minutes. I made a solemn vow to the Eternal God
that night that I would never reveal it; but I cannot keep it any longer.
I am sorry that I have said that I knew nothing of it; but I did it with the
vow in my mind, and to save my wife. I now make these disclosures.
that I may have peace with my God.”
(Signed) GEORGE S. Twitch ELL, J.R.
In presence of Rev. George Bringhurst and William B. Perkins.
When this was published Twitchell's counsel visited him and the culprit.
was assured that nearly everybody believd it to be untrue in reply he
said:
“The confession was positively not for publication until after my exe-
ecution. I objected strongly to its present publication, and it was given
to the newspapers by Mr. Bringhurst against my desire and consent. I
want the pnblic to understand this—I will not make another confession.
at all, as there is nothing to add to the one I have already made, and I
reiterate its truth.
“The newspapers, in criticising my confession, say it was made merely
for effect, and point out many inconsistencies in it, but I deny that it was
made for the purpose of obtaining the pity of the public. If such had
been my design, could I not easily have manufacured a lie which would
have been consistent in every particular 2 I tell you its discrepancies are
the best proofs of the truth of my confession!”
Mr. R. inquired if Mrs. Twitchell, when she called him down stairs,
was in her night dress or not *
Twitchell answered—I can't tell whether she had on her dress or not
when she called me down, for I was too much stunned when she told me.
I can't account for the blood on my shirt except by saying that I got it.
there while carrying the body to the window. The statement that officer

34 MORE ABOUT THE TWITCHELL CASE.
Howard made at my trial, that he questioned me in regard to the blood
on my shirt, when he arrested me at the house, is untrue.”
Another question why he made a confession brought out the following
reply:
“I did it because my wife deserted me. Before last Friday week she
called to see me twice a week, but always seemed in a hurry to get away,
and never showed any affection for me. On the occasion of her last visit
the officer of the prison told her that from that time out she might see me
every day if she desired. When leaving I said to her, “Camilla, there
must be some light thrown upon this thing.” She only said, “I will come
soon again.”
“She then left and I haven’t seen her since. I think it hard that she
should abandon me now after the sacrifices I have made for her. If im.
mediately after her acquittal, she had told the whole truth, I beleive my
life would have been saved. I see the the shameful death I am to die on
Thursday, but I would not change places with her, for I will die with the
consciousness of yielding up my life for a faithless and criminal wife,
while she will live, after Thursday, with my blood added to her soul,
which is already stained with that of her mother. My wife has not half
the regard for me that my aunt has. -
When again questioned, Twitchell said: My poor father, good man,
stood firmly by me. Before this he was a light-hearted old man; now,
he is broken down and disgraced. A good life sometimes avails a man
nothing in this world. I nave tried to live well, and I am now in a felon's
cell about to die on the gallows. On the other hand, here is Gerald Eaton,
who, I beleive, stands a good chance of being reprieved, and I hope he
will be; but I am not afraid to die. I do not fear a physical death.
In the afternoon, two friends, one a witness for the defence on the trial,
visited him, and had a conversation with him in regard to his “Confes-
ision.” The following is the conversation, as detailed by one of the par-
ties:
Question. Is the statement made on Saturday of your own composition,
and without any influence whatever? Answer. It was my own entirely,
and on Saturday I asked Mr. Perkins to be present, along with Mr. Bring-
hurst, at the reading of it.
Q. Did you on any occasion ever before know Mrs. Twitchell to leave
her bed after retiring 2 A. Yes; I have known Mrs. Twitchell frequently
to leave the room, and also have known her to be gone sometimes for over
an hour, and converse with Mrs. Hill. But on this evening in question,
I fell asleep on the lounge, and cannot say whether she left the room or
not. -
Q. How do you account for the blood on your shirt and person? A.
All I can say to that is, that in lifting up the body to throw it out of the

MORE ABOUT THE TWITCHELL CASE. 35
window, I caught hold of the head and shoulders, the heaviest portion, and
my wife the feet.
Q. Was Mrs. Hill dead when you threw her out of the window? A.
As far as I am able to judge, Mrs. Hill was dead when I lifted up the
body, for I heard no groans, and could not detect any breathing.
Q. Where was Mrs. Twitchell when she called you? A. She was in
the entry, at the end of the staircase leading up into our room.
Q. Can you account for the poker in the yard? A: I cannot. I knew
nothing of a poker until after our arrest.
Q. How about the ashes on the window sill? A: I was smoking after
tea, as it was my usual custom, and I presume I left them there.
Twitchell here added: “I did not entertain the slightest idea that my
statement would alter my situation as far as the law went, but made it to
have entire peace with my God, and did not think it would be published
until after my execution. My reasons for not stating it sooner are simply
these, that I fully expected my wife to come forward and state all, and not
leave me to perform the unpleasant duty; but her absenting herself from
me, and her actions so unnatural to me, and in such a position, compelled
me to come forward and state all I know, which I did on Saturday, I
would state, also, gentlemen, that if these statements can be said by my
wife to want foundation, and are incorrect, let her come forward and deny
them.”
If Mrs. Twitchell loved her husband as she averred she did, we do not
think it looked well for her to leave him alone as he asserted she had done.
But be that as it may, the public mind is much perplexed and divided in
regard to the question whether she really had any complicity in the mur-
der. There was her husband, far her junior in age, who, with death star-
ing him certainly in the face, accused her of the foul deed. And a Wash-
ington paper, in remarking on the case, said: “Miss M , of this city,
knew both Twitchell and his wife, and from her I learned the following
facts: Mrs. Hill formerly kept a house of prostitution or assignation in
this city. She represented to her daughter that she was her aunt, and it
was only a few years since that the latter accidentally ascertained from
some old letters that her putative aunt was really her mother, and that
her father was a former member of Congress from Ohio. This discovery
caused a quarrel with her mother, which was frequently renewed up to the
time of the latter's death. Mrs. Twitchell was a sort of house-keeper for
Twitchell's father, and aspired to marriage with him; but he refused on
the ground that she was not kind to the children. Thereupon, she, though
many years his senior, transferred her efforts to her present husband and
secured him. A sister of his, a girl perfectly healthy and well, incurred
her displeasure by her opposition to the match (I think it was.) This
girl died very suddenly and under circumstances indicating poison.
Though nothing was ever done about it a good many neighbors suspected
36 MORE ABOUT THE TWITCHELL CASE.
a certain person at the same time, and when Mrs. Hill was killed, the death
of Twitchell's sister came vividly to mind.”
“My informant, on reading the account of Mrs. Hill's murder, said at
once: “George Twitchell never could have done it! and he is just that
sort of a generous fellow that he will hang sooner than tell who did it.”
On all hands it is conceded that Mrs. Twitchell has evinced, from first
to last, a coolness, and even callousness, most astonishing in regard to the
horrible crime itself, and the no less appalling tragedy of her husband's
death.
But in the eyes of the law she has formally been pronounced an inno-
cent woman, and this prevents investigation or accusation. She now
stands alone in the world, bereft of a loving mother and a husband who
was certainly deeply in love with her. And as she thus stands, that
dead husband, from his felon's grave, points at her and accuses her of the
deed for which he was to have been executed. Here the veil of the un-
known falls between us and the living and dead; and we are forced to
leave all with that Judge whose eyes cannot be blinded by human artifices
or deceptions.
Conscience will gnaw at a guilty heart with such awful power that hap-
piness will be driven away forever; and all the ill-gotten gains that earth
can hold, will never bring it back again.
Meeting a friend one day we chatted with him about various subjects
for a few minutes when a newsboy ran up exclaiming: “Extra Star,
full account of the Confession of the Murder.”
“By the by,” said my friend, “You are going to have some hanging
here in the city to-day 7" -
“Yes,” said we, “there is a great sensation to-day.”
The conversation continued and finally my friend said:
“Talking about murderers, and men being hung for what they never
did, I will just narrate an affair that happened which was the most cold-
blooded, diabolical transaction that was ever conceived by man, or rather
woman. There lived in years gone by a woman who used to take in plain
sewing for her living. She had to work very hard and got very little pay.
She was handsome and young. A few doors away there lived a woman
who lived by her charms, or in other words a disguised woman of the
town. The poor sempstress saw how well the wicked womanthrived with
nothing to do but entertain pleasant gentlemen.
“The more she thought of it the deeper impression did it make on her
mind and finally she resolved to go at the same calling as her fair but
frail neighbor. But unlike many young women who make this same
awful choice she saw what the end would most certainly be. So she ar-
gued with herself that if she followed the usual course she would termi-
nate in the same way as harlots generally do.
Her resolutions was at once taken to play the respectable rôle, make












A STRANGE N ARRATIVE. 37
all the money she possibly could, and hoard it carefully up for her old age.
It was not long before this self-destroying creature, handsome and capti-
vating, started on her voyage of infamy by taking up with an officer of
the United States army. This liason was ended in less than a year, the
officer ran out of funds and his fair but heartless paramour informed him
that as she had had a better offer than he, she must bid him adieu.
At first the infatuated man raved, then he coaxed, but finding that the
love of his mistress was really such a fluctuating commodity of merchan-
dise he was philosophical enough to withdraw his own affections.
The woman immediately made arrangements with a Congressman, well
known at the time for his fondness of amative pleasures. He was pos-
sessed of an abundance of money and provided for his charge very lib-
erally, placing her at a fashionable and elegant boarding house. During
the first few months of this amour a daughter was born whose father was
undoubtedly the army officer.
Mr. N , the new lover did not, however, consider this event as any
bar to the amicable relations existing between himself and the lady and
avowed his intentions of adopting the little newcomer as his own.
Thus matters went on for some time, the mistress carefully gathering
and hoarding away at interest the various sums of money which she
obtained from her lover, unknown to him, however. Finally a cloud came
over the latter; he became involved in some ugly affair just about the time
his term of office was expiring, by which he was obliged to leave suddenly
for South America. As he was not able to provide fol the wants of his
family at home, much less those of his “female friend, he made a propo-
sition to the last named to join him in the Southern land to which he was
obliged to flee.
But strange as it may seem, this deliberately bad woman was possessed
of a most eccentric idea of honor, and instead of acceding to the passionate
appeals of her lover, she reprimanded him sharply for his proposal to desert
his family aud bade him never come near her again.
Said She “I know I am what the world calls an outcast, a social evil
and all that. The world can call me what it likes; I care not; but, out-
side of my own living, I will never consent to ruin the peace and happi-
ness of any innocent family. While you had sufficient money to keep them
as well as me, of course I had no objections to remaining with you. But
now that you have lost it nearly all, I command you to think no more of
me; but if you have anything to spare send it to your wife and her chil-
dren. From this moment I will never take another dollar from you.”
“Well, then, I will remain here,” replied he, “I will not go away; and I
don’t care if I am taken here.”
“As you like about that,” was the cool rejoinder, “but the relations
hitherto existing between us must cease from this day forth.”
The two parted, and never saw each other again, as the vessel in which

38 A STRANGE NARRATIVE.
he sailed was wrecked off the coast of Florida, and he was lost.
The lady was not long without a protector, for another Congressman,
who had occasionally visited her house in company with the previous one
soon made proposals to her to rent a handsome dwelling in a fashionable
part of the city and set up a kind of private place of disipation and
gambling.
She at once agreed, as in this courge she plainly perceived that she
could make large sums of money, Indeed this idea of making money so
that she would be rich in her old age had become a mania with her.
She could think of nothing else.
In this enterprise she was extremely successful for a long time; but at last
during one of the fashionable seasons, she lost enormous sums of money.
And a little incident led her by accident to learn that her partner in crime
having become tired of her had made up the plot with one or two friends
of his to fleece her of everything and then leave her.
She at once accused him of his perfidy, and seizing a pistol ordered him
from the house. He blustered and threatened, but he had his match in
cunning, for the house was deeded in her name and he was helpless.
Iły this time the daughter was beginning to advance into womanhood,
and the mother, desiring to train her in the paths of virtue instead of
having her grow up like herself, resolved to sell her property in Washing-
ton and move away to some city where she would not be known.
In the meantime the daughter had attracted the attention of a young
man of good family and excellent character. Besides this he was wealthy.
He was fully aware of the character of the mother, but supposing that the
girl might be easily reclaimed, he married her.
As usual, however, in all such cases, this loving, confidence was mis-
placed. In spite of all the mother's precautions during her daughter's
early years to prevent her following in her own footsteps, she did not suc-
ceed. What is born in the bone will not come out of the flesh. And the
girl, now mistress of a house of her own, soon began to exhibit the deplo-
rable results of having a bad mother.
In fact she inherited all of her mother's wickedness without any of her
few good points of character. In the meantime the mother moved away
from Washington to a distant city, leaving the daughter to the care of her
husband, who, however, soon ascertained the dreadful error he had made
in marrying her.
So palpable and gross became the young woman's bad conduct, that
finally, with a heavy heart her husband was obliged to seek a divorce.
This he easily obtained and turned his bad wife away from his house for-
ever. Much as this might have wrung the heart of a sensitive woman, it
did not trouble the young man's bride for a moment. Going straight to
the depot she took the cars and travelled directly to her mother's new
home.

A STARTLING NARRATIVE. 39
The mother in the meantime had become a wife herself, and the hus-
band knowing the character of the daughter, refused to permit her to be:
come an inmate of his house.
The daughter took boarding at a house near by, used to visit her mother
often in the absence of her step-father, and from her received such money
as she needed for her wants. It was not long after this that the girl fellin
with a young merchant who, struck with her good looks and fascinated
with her blandishments proposed an alliance with her though he was
already married. She accepted and the wicked creature at once became
his “pet, ” a fact that gave his relatives and family the most poignant an-
guish.
For some years this liason was continued; then the man got poor and
was promptly discarded for one having more money. With this new
lover the “queen" of the demi-monde lived most luxuriantly until she
brought upon him some public disgrace; for which he, like her first hus-
band, turned her adrift. For a while she had nothing to do; and at last
she entered the house of a gentleman as his housekeeper of “pious incli-
nations.” Her talents of course were not allowed to slumber long, and
there was shortly a disturbance in the family circle into which she had
thus introduced herself.
After considerable trouble the housekeeper married the old gentleman's
son and things went on somewhat more smoothly than before. Shortly
subsequent to this event the “disagreeable step-father of the old lady's
daughdter died, by which time the old lady in question had become satis-
fied that her daughter was very much like herself. With this conviction
she proposed to her that she and her husband should come and live with
her. This was speedily agreed to, and in pursuance of her original object,
the old lady purchased a splendid house, furnished it magnificently, and
took her daughter and son-in-law into this new home.
But a retributive Providence had ordained, that, fortune obtained in the
manner in which this one had been, should not prosper. The Devil was
enshrined unperceived upon the hearthstone, and he often stirred up feuds
in the apparent happy family. In the end he entered into the breast of
the daughter and soon conusmated his own work. Had she been permit.
ted to speak on her death bed after the closing scene of all, she would
have said:
“From this moment I desired only revenge. Where I had loved I hated:
and all my energies were bent on revenge; not only on my husband but
also on my mother. The demon came into my heart. I gave him full
sway and he created all my plottings and assisted me ever in their exe-
cution.”
“It was a long time before I could settle on any definite course of ac-
tion, but finally I did so.”

40 A STARTLING NARRATIVE.
“My dear,” said I, one night as I lay in bed with my husband “the
old woman's getting devilish cross lately.”
“That's so,” said he.
“I wish she’d die!”
“At any rate we'd be rid of her jawing all the time even if we didn't
get any of her property. But for that matter we could manage
that too.”
* I don’t see what’s to hinder.”
“Well, if anything was to happen I'll stick to you.”
“So would I, to you,”
“Nothing more was said on this occasion.
“A few days afterwards I was out and met two men whom I was for-
merly known, and instantly the final plot sprang into my mind. I will
get them to conceal themselves in the house, kill my mother, give them
the money she has about her for doing it. Then we'll fix it so that my
husband shall be tried and hung for the deed. That will be glorious re-
venge in them both.
“The men came as I appointed and concealed themselves in the cellar
and awaited my signal. Once or twice I though it would fall through,
but at last all was fixed. I made the signal; the work was done and I
was freed of my mother. With the coolness of the devil himself I then
sent the murderers away and proceeded to finish my dreadful work of re-
venge. I cannot give the details, for I can hardly remember all now.
Enough to say, success attended my plot in every particular. My hus-
band was convicted and soon after died, and I became a widow. I have
had my revenge! That was what I wanted. I sold my very soul to
the Devil to accomplish it.
“But now—ah! Just Heaven! Now the price is demanded. I am
doomed to eternal torment. I would die by my own hand but I dare not!
I dare not
“This dreadful secret! I cannot keep it any longer! It burns within
ame like a lake of fire Oh! this is Remorse! Remorse! I cannot bear
it longer! I must confess all for their dead, pale faces are staring at me
day and night! Oh, don't look at me so! As though I never were to be
forgiven Ah, no! There is no forgiveness for me! But don't look at me
so! I confess it all ! There now go away! Do please go away and leave
me alone to God and my guilty conscience!”
MRS. T.WITCHELL SINCE HER HUSBAND'S DEATH.
A huge volume would not suffice to hold all that is suspected and sur-
mised and reported about Mrs. Twitchell. How she acts, how she spends
%
Z
）
W -
//
|-
//
//
I must 1 I must 1 for their pale, dead faces are staring at me day and night



A STRANGE NARRATIVE. 43
her time, how she dresses—now in deep mourning, and now in the gayest
and most dashing style. But beyond a doubt the great bulk of all these
rumors are without any foundation in fact.
In regard to the saw-mill patent right, &c., which Twitchell owned, we
have heard it positively asserted that the money with which he bought all
came from his wife. If true, this property now reverts back to her. She
has wealth, as letters of administration were filed by her through her at-
torney and counsel within a few hours after she and her husband were
arrested, charged with the murder of her mother. Whether Twitchell's
Final Confession be true or false, one thing is certain, and that is Mrs
Twitchell will never again be a happy woman.
stantling scienTIFICATTEMPTs to REsuscitatº. The body of EAton to
LIFE AFTER DEATH.
Science has made rapid strides, and one of the most startling efforts it
ever put forth was upon the still warm body of Jerry Eaton, who was
hung for killing Heenan.
Some one of an exceedingly sanguine, as well as practical turn of mind,
became convinced that by the application of magnetic electricity to a body
immediately after violent death, provided the neck was not broken, nor
any blood vessel or artery ruptured, the dead man could be resuscitated.
The fact being suggested to the family of the culprit, they of course
naturally grasped at this straw of hope, aſter death, and made arrange-
ments to have the body of Eaton delivered to them immediately after it
had been pronounced dead by the official Surgeon at his execution. Of
course no person could deny such a request, and the instant it was cut
down from the gallows it was borne with all possible swiftness to a Med-
ical College, where all the improved appliances of scientific electricians
were in readiness.
The corpse was laid gently on a table, and the operations began. As a
scientific description would scarcely be understood by most persons, we
shall endeavor to make it somewhat plainer. The mere fact of applying
galvanism to a recently dead body is by no means new, as it was dona
many years ago. The present experiment was of course made in much
the same way, as that one we are about to describe-though of course the
machinery employed in Eaton's case was far more completo and powerful.
ExPERIMENT 1st. Artificial respiration was produced by pushing the
ribs up and down, making the same motion as they naturally do them.
selves, and inflating the lungs by pumping fresh air into the mouth.
Then an incision was made in the nape of the neck, close below the oc.
ciput, (the lumpy bone that is felt at the back of the head where it joins
the neck) and the wire being inserted the charge was given. Trembling
of the muscles was produced instantly as in life. Varous other parts of

44 A SINGULAR AFFAIR.
the body were next tried in the same way with the same results.
Meanwhile the artificial breathing was kept up without cessation, and
so much vitality was produced as to lead several persons present to sup-
pose that the dead man had actually been brought to life again. But all
in vain, the natural life was gone, and all the efforts that the doctors put
forth were unavailing. We do not know whether the experimenters, after
finding their attempts at resuscitating abortive, went through the same
course as we find described in a work before us upon a like case. But if
they did, the experiments themselves would, beyond doubt, produce death.
These were as follows:
1st. The incision being made in the nape of the neck, the posterior, or
back, half of the atlas vertebrum, or bone on which the head turns round,
was removed by forceps, exposing the spinal marrow to view.
From this wound a profuse flow of liquid blood took place, inundating
the floor. -
A large incision was now made in the left hip, through the large gluteal
muscle in such a way as to expose the sciatic nerve to sight. Besides
these a cut was made in one heel.
One wire was now put in contact with the spinal marrow while the
other was inserted in the sciatic nerve in the hip.
Instantly every muscle of the body was agitated with movements re-
sembling a violent shuddering from cold, the left side particularly being
most powerfully convulsed.
On moving the second rod from the hip to the heel, the knee being pre-
viously bent, the leg was thrown out with such violence as nearly to over-
turn one of the assistants, who in vain attempted to prevent its extension.
ExPERIMENT 2. The left phrenic nerve was now made bare at the outer
edge of the sternothyroidhus muscle, from three to four inches above the
clavicle, the cutaneous incision having been made by the side of the ster-
nocleido mastoideus. Since this nerve is distributed to the diaphragm,
and since it communicates with the heart through the eighth pair, it was
expected, by transmitting the galvanic power along it, that the respira-
tory process would be renewed. Accordingly a small incision having been
made under the cartilage of the seventh rib, the point of the one insulating
rod was brought into contact with the great head of the diaphragm, while
the other point was applied to the phrenic nerve in the neck. This mus-
cle, the main agent of respiration, was instantly contracted, but with less
force than was expected. Satisfied from ample experience on the living
body, that more powerful effects can be produced in galvanic excitation,
by leaving the extreme communicating rods in close contact with the parts
to be operated on, while the electric chain or circuit is completed by run-
ning the end of the wires along the top of the plates, in the last trough of
either pole, the other wire being steadily immersed in the last cell of the

A SINGULAR AFFAIR. 45
opposite pole, I had immediate recourse to this method. The success of
it was truly wonderful. Full, nay, laborious breathing instantly com-
menced. The chest heaved and fell; the belly was protruded, and again
collapsed with the relaxing, and retiring diaphragm. This process was
continued without interruption, so long as I continued the electric dis-
charges.
In the judgment of many scientific gentlemen who witnessed the
scene, this respiratory experiment was perhaps the most striking ever
made with a philosophical apparatus. Let it also be remembered, that fo
half an hour before this period, the body had been well high drained of its
blood, and the spinal marrow severely lacerated. No pulsation could be
perceived meanwhile at the heart or wrist; but it may be supposed, that
but for the evacuation of blood, the essential stimulus of that organ, this
phenomenon might also have occurred.
ExPERIMENT 3. The supra-orbital nerve was laid bare in the forehead,
as it issues through the supra-ciliary foramen in the eyebrow; the one
condneting rod being to it and the other to the heel, most extraordinary
grimaces were exhibited every time that the electric discharges were
made, by running the wire in my hand along the edges of the last trough,
from the 220th, to the 270th pair of plates; thus fifty shocks, each greater
than the preceding one, were given in two seconds. Every muscle in his
countenance was simultaneously thrown into fearful action; rage, horror,
despair, anguish, and ghastly smiles united their hideous expression in the
murderer's face; surpassing far the wildest representations of a Fuseli or
a Kean. At this period several of the spectators were forced to leave the
apartment from terror of sickness, and one gentleman fainted.
ExPERIMFNT 4. The last galvanic experiment consisted in transmitting
the electric power from the spinal marrow to the ulnarnerve, as it passes
by the internal condyle to the elbow; the fingers now moved nimbly,
like those of a violin player; an assistant, who tried to close the fist, found
the hand to open forcibly, in spite of his efforts. When the one rod was
applied to a slight incision in the tip of the forefinger, the fist being pre-
previously clenched, that finger extended instantly; and from the convul-
sive agitation of the arm, he seemed to point to the different spectators,
some of whom thought he had come to life. About an hour was spent in
these operations.
46 MORE ABOUT THE TWITCHELL CASE
MIRS. TWITCHELL’S STATEMENT.
Mrs. Twitchell has made her statement, which was promised by some-
body on the day Twitchell poisoned himself. It created great excitement,
but most people only shook their heads after reading it, and made most
unfeeling remarks about the origin of the whole document. One said:
“If she's innocent, why did she not come out and make all this exposure
immediately that her husband charged her with the murder, and not wait
till the man was dead, so that he could not contradict anything she chose
to say?” Others said: “I don’t believe she wrote a word of it. The
style is exactly as if her lawyers had got together and made up a story for
her.” “He never wrote that; its language is not like his at all.” “If he
gave her those first four letters before Good Friday, which was the last
day she saw him, how did she get the other letters, for all letters have to
go through the Superintendent's hands.” “Would Twitchell be such a
fool as to be sending confessions every day to his wife when she did not
go near him after he gave her the first one Because he didn't know but
that she would make them public, and thus prevent all possibility of his
getting any pardon º’ “Well, she's no true wife, or she'd say nothing
like that about her dead husband.” “She’s old enough to be his mother,
and he was led on by her.”
There were hundreds of just such expressions, and others ten times
more harsh passing from mouth to mouth, that we do not care to repeat.
But we cannot help, of course, examining critically Mrs. Twitchell's state-
ment as she has offered it herself, or through friends, to the public. We
have read it carefully, and compared its strangely varying paragraphs and
sentences; and we must say that Mrs Twitchell has not helped her cause
any by it. The first fact that strikes the reader who is used to composi-
tion, is the startling difference in style in its various parts, the difference
of leading words in sentences, the difference in arrangement of the ideas,
and the differences of punctuation. It forcibly reminds us of the old say-
ing, the lion is known by his claw, and the lawyer by his. But as we can-
not say anything fully favorable to it, we forbear any other remarks, for
Mrs. Twitchell's position now in the eyes of the world, must indeed be
torture enough for a person of even her apparently stony-heartedness.
As a matter of record we give the gist of her statement:
On Sunday afternoon, about half past one, George and I went out to
take a ride, leaving at home mother and the girl. We went to the Abbey.
I observed that George appeared low-spirited, and no way disposed to
enter into conversation. I inquired if he was sick, and was told he was
not. We returned about four o'clock. I found my mother pleasant and
agreeable, George came in shortly afterwards, and remained in the
dining-room until called to tea, reading a paper. He was very thoughtful
during the afternoon and evening We took tea together. After tea he
left the table and went to the dining-room. In a few moments I was with
him, leaving my mother in the kitchen. In a few moments my mother
came into the dining-room. Mother and I conversed together, George
making no remark whatever, Mother said to me, “I had better go to
bed; she did not wish me to wait up; she would read the paper and wait
for the girl herself.” I went to my room, saying at the same time




















MORE ABOUT THE TWITCHELL CASE. 47
* George, I am going to bed;” to which he replied, “Very well.” My
mother arose and went with me to my room, remaining and conversing
pleasantly with me until I went to bed, when she passed out of the room,
and in a short time (how long I cannot say) George came into the room,
undressed, and went to bed. I was soon asleep, and knew nothing more
until awakened by the girl ringing the door-bell. I cannot say if George
was asleep, but think he was not.
I said, “George that must be the girl.” He replied, “he supposed it
was.” He made no attempt at that time to get up and let the girl in. I
came out of my room into the entry and called my mother twice, to
which I received no reply. I returned to my room with the intention of
finding something to throw over my shoulders, when George got up, and
said to me in an abrupt manner: “You come to bed, and I will go down
and let the girl in.” I remained at my room door waiting for George to
come up, thinking my mother was down stairs. I heard Sarah call him,
heard what he said when he went into the yard. I flew down stairs and
saw my mother lying on the settee in the kitchen—a dead woman. This
is all I know about the murder. I knew nothing about my husband's
business; I believed it to be in a flourishing condition, being told by him
only a few days before the murder that he was doing well, making money
and out of debt. I was kept in perfect ignorance, not only concerning his
business affairs, but many other acts of his private life. I deny that I
ever deserted my husband; but, on the contrary, repeatedly offered to give
every dollar I possessed to save his life if possible. After my acquittal I
treated him kindly, visited him three times every week, never in any way
referred by look or word to the murder, never spoke an unkind word to
him, and never once said to him, “Mother " On Wednesday morning,
March 24, when I visited him as usual, in shaking hands with him, he
conveyed to me a letter of instruction. On Good Friday morning, March
26, during my conversation with him, he conveyed to me a written confes-
sion, which he wished me to study well and commit to memory, and come
to prison prepared upon Monday morning.
From reading this I saw that it was arranged for me to go there and
become a party to the falsehood. It was arranged that Mr. Perkins and
the Rev. Mr. Bringhurst were to receive me, and I was to play a part in
order to deceive them and the world. I was to accuse myself of having
taken my mother's life, and commit perjury by swearing to such a state-
ment. Much as I desired to aid my husband, I could not do this thing;
and finding I could not trust myself safely, and fearing from the arrange-
ments made I might be entrapped, I went no more to the prison. Finding
I did not come on the Monday as he desired, he sent me, on Wednesday
morning, March 31, two other confessions, from which I was to make a
choice. On Thursday morning, April 1, I received the fourth and last
one. Since that fatal hour that I bade my mother good night, I have
been surprised and stunned to find that mother murdered in her own
house; I have been imprisoned many sad days and gloomy nights, charged
with the crime of having murdered my own mother. My husband has
been convicted of that crime; my home has been utterly destroyed; I
myself have been put on trial for my life; my husband has committed
suicide; I have been judged not only by the tribunals of the country, but
fearfully judged by those who have been warned by the Master to "judge
not; ” I have been accused by my husband, who did it in a desperate
effort to save his life, of killing my mother. He did this, I repeat, in an

48 MORE ABOUT THE TWITCHELL CASE.
effort to save his life. In the defence of all that makes life desirable, I am
compelled to submit these letters to the public to show them how utterly
unreliable was such a statement, made by my husband under the circum.
stances in which he was placed, and how little I should have been be.
lieved, had I even made such a statement myself
I have felt, and I continue to feel that there is no sympathy for me. I
am a woman believed to be a guilty one, and for such the gates of human
sympathy are shut. My only hope is that in the little life that is left of
me, and during those times I may be compelled, reluctantly though it
may be, to come in contact with the great world, I may be spared the
distress of hearing, as I have heard, unconsciously to those who spoke of
me, myself denounced as a murderess in thought as well as action, the
murderess of my mother and destroyer of my husband.
CAMILLA. E. Twitch ELL.
THE ALLEGED LETTERS.
SUNDAY MoRNING, March 7, 1869.
1st. My Dear Wife: I have just listened to an exhortation upon the
1st Chapter of James, and though it was not very elaborate, yet it was
sufficiently plain to make it evident to an attentive hearer of the great
need we have of a Saviour. The situation that I am in makes me feel
that great blessing, for oh, dear Camilla, no earthly help can afford me the
consolation that I can receive from an all-wise and ever-merciful God,
through the righteousness of His Divine Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. I
am aware of the fearful doom which awaits me by the condemnation of
the law. No hand can stay it except guided by God. I feel that my
time on earth is short, but, blessed be God, there is a better land above,
where, by faith in the great atonement, the trials, sufferings, and awful
death of that Being, sinless in Himself, yet who, in obedience to the will
of His Dive Father, took upon Himself the sins of the whole world, and
endured the punishment in order that we poor sinners might escape the
righteous law of God, and yet that law be vindicated by sacrifice, that we
might have a home above throughout the countless ages of eternity. Oh,
Jamilla, think of this great love for us, and then think how it is repaid by
us. Dear Camilla, please don't forget the salvation of your soul, though
we must soon part here. Oh! let me feel before I go that you will try to
live so that you will meet me above, where there will be no more sorrow
or parting—where man cannot intrude his will or power to make his
fellow mourn. Dear Camilla, I want to feel before I go that when your
time shall come that I can stand and meet you on the pearly shores of
heaven, and sing, as I see you on your way, “welcome home.”
“Go when the morning shineth, Go with pure mind and feeling,
Go when the moon is bright, Fling earthly thoughts away,
Go when the eve declineth And in thy chamber kneeling,
Go in the shades of night. Do thou in secret pray.”
Dear Camilla, seek the mercy seat alone, and often, and there pour out
your sorrows, griefs, and trouble, and He will answer your prayers, per-
haps not as you wish, but in a way which will be best for you. There,
before His all-pervading eye, lay bare your heart; roll your sins on to
Jesus, He can and will bear them, if you will only believe it; and He is
your advocate with the Father.” What a blessed thought that we can

MoRE ABOUT THE TWITCHELL CASE. 49
individualize the Saviour, that we can say: “My Saviouſ. He bore my
sins on the cross, He died to save me,” and, dear Camilla, when evil
thoughts and doubts and fears come over Yºu, É? and pray to Him for
help to overcome them, and for strength and faith. If you will do this,
He will enable you to endure all that you may be called upon to bear,
with patience. I am right well, and I expect Charles Perkins to specd
the evening with me. Please give my respects to Miss Kate. Please
don't forget me at six o'clock in the evening Keep this letter and often
look at it. This will probably be the last one that I will be able to send
you, and when I am gone please read it very often
- I am, as ever, yours, with love unto death,
GEORGE.
There was another letter, full of religious consolation, to his wife by
Twitchell, much like the first, and immediately after that came this one.
[Received Wednesday before Good Friday.]
Dear, Dear Camilla: I know that you think that you would not be
believed if you made a confession; but I know that if you will make such
a one as I tell you to, and do exactly as I tell you, it will be believed. If
I were acquitted, and you were convicted, I would make one to save you,
if it would be death for me. Now, I ask you to do the same thing, Camilla.
You have my life in your hand. If you do as I direct, you will save it;
and if you do not, no power under Heaven can save me. A friend of mine,
who talked a long time with the Governor, said that he told him that he
had to carry out the law, but if any mitigating circumstances should arise
he would spare me. I am pledged not to tell who he is. The Governor
told John McCully that the sentence would have to be carried out, unless
somebody says they did it. Camilla, I hear that while you were in prison
you said some very injudicious things. Mr. Bringhurst says you have done
the same thing when talking with him at his house. I hope for the sake
of charity and mercy that you will do so no more. You must never say to
him anything about this, for he tells me in confidence, and I only tell you
to show how careful you ought to be; and if he should know that I told
you it would do me a great deal of harm. I want to tell you plainly, that.
he thinks you know something about it, and a great many others think so,
too. This is one reason why you will be believed. Some of the leading:
lawyers of Philadelphia have told him that if you made a confession it
would save me. Among them is a man who used to be Governor of this:
State, and also one who has known Governor Geary all his life. Now I
will tell you what steps I have taken to prepare the way. I have been
urged to ask you here, in the presence of somebody, whether you know.
anything about it. Mr. Bringhurst thinks I ought to do this, and many.
other prominent men. Soto-day I sent for Mr. Perkins, the Superinten-
dent of the Prison, and asked him about it. He said I ought to do it.
He said it was probable that you would say no; but if you should admit
it, it would save me, and it was the only thing that would. I also asked
Mr. Chandler; he said the same thing. I tell them that I expect you.
would deny it, although I don't believe that you know anything. This sets.
their minds at rest about me. You must never say anything to Mr. Bring-
hurst, for that would ruin it all. I will write out a confession for you, and
50 MORE ABOUT THE TWITCHELL CASE.
give it to you on Friday, and you must learn it thoroughly. I will also
give you all the directions how to act and when you will do it. Mr. O'Byrne
told me that he did not want you to know anything about it. You º
not say anything at all about this, not even to father. It must be kept
perfectly secret, or it will do no good. - ".
Camilla, spare me this horrible, awful death. You, and you alone, can
do it. Oh! do not disappoint me; it would be more than 1 could bear.
Oh! Camilla, I have tried to be kind to you; you cannot forget the days
and nights that I have nursed you when you were sick the nights I walked
the road with you in the country when you had the asthma, and I did not
complain. And, dear Camilla, you have been a good wife to me. Do hºt,
oh! do not, I pray you, desert me now. Save 1 oh!, save me. You have
got a nºble heart, and I know that you will do this. Camilla, you would
be awful lonely without any one, and in your present position. Oh, if you
will sºve me, or at least make the effort, for if you do not make the effort
you know that you can’t do it; but oh, for my sake make this last effort—
it's all you can do. And if it saves me I will starve, if it is necessary, to
give you comforts; and in another State, and under another name, we may
yet be happy. Dear Camilla, if you really intend to do this you must have
a trunk packed all ready to leave the city at the shortest nótico. I think
I would go to Baltimore, and stop at a second-glass hotel. Of course you
will have to change your name. Please urge Mr. O'Byrne to come dºwn
this afternoon, and get here as soon after four o'clock as he can. Good-
bye; don't let any one see this. Burn it as soon as you have read it. It
is an awful thing to ask you to do this, but deat Camilla, it is for my life.
If it was for anything else I would not ask you to do it. Please, oh!, please
spare my life. Save me, oh!, save me. You are the only one who can.
Camilla, think of this. I am young, and in the full flush of health, and it is
not too late yet to try and make you happy. I would go in rags to do it,
if you will save me. Oh! remember this, and save me if you can, Oh!
don't let your courage fail you; remember that you cannot give me life
after I am dead; and oh! dear Camilla, do as I ask you to in this case.
Don't forget it is for my life. GEORGE.
In order to show the discrepancies of style, we insert out of its regular
order, the last letter which Mrs. Twitchell says George sent to her by
someone.
(Received on Wednesday succeeding Good Friday.)
Dear Camilla -I have concluded to alter the plan of making a confes-
sion. I do it in order to make it easier for you. Instead of asking you
here, I want you to go and see Mr. Bringhurst to-morrow morning; go
early, he does not know that you will be there, and make a voluntary con-
fession to him; tell him you cannot endure the thought of my being exe-
cuted without telling what you know about this murder; you must be posi-
tive about my being in bed and asleep when it was done. If, when yºu
go there, the girl should tell you that he cannot be seen, you must insist
on seeing him, giving your name. Camilla, you must make the confessiºn
that I gave you on Friday, but I wish you to alter it some. I wish to make
this alteration: Instead of being introduced to Mr. Lee by Mr Gilbert,
you must have it that you got acquainted with him in an Eighth street car
in this way: You got in the car at Eighth and Spruce streets to take a
ride, as you often did. A gentleman got in at Chestnut street, and took






















MORE ABOUT THE TWITCHELL CASE. 51
a seat alongside of you. After riding a short distance, the car became
very much crowded, and you dropped your parasol, and this gentleman
picked it up. You thanked him, and he spoke about the nuisance of rid-
ing in a crowded car. This opened a conversation, and you talked along
quite pleasantly, until he got out of the car at Spring Garden street. In the
course of conversation he told you his name was Lee, and then asked your
name; you told him. After this you often saw him on Chestnut street,
and on Eighth street; he always bowed to you, and you returned his bow.
After awhile he would speak to you, and finally shook hands with you, and
after that you got quite familiar, and used to meet like old friends. This
will avoid saying anything about Gilbert, and will not bring him
in the matter at all. You can connect this theory with your after conver-
sation with him by degrees, until you'make him the person who was in the
house on that night. This will not seem strange, as such acquaintances
are often made, and the people think you bad enough for anything; but
you must not mind this now, for you have my life to save. You need not
be afraid of this, because there is no such a man as I have mentioned, so
he can't come forward, and prove where he was, and Philadelphia is a
large place to find such a man; besides, such a man as you will describe
him to be, would be likely to travel, and it is such a long time since, that
even if there was such a man, he could not be found now. You can use
any other name if you like. If, after you have made this confession to
Mr. Bringhurst, he should want you to make it to any one else, you must
do it. Ask him to go with you, and he will do it, and
he will treat you kindly for my sake; but you must not even hint to
him that I know anything about this. He thinks that you know some-
thing about this; consequently this will have weight. You must not for-
get that it was you who proposed to throw the body out of the window;
this is plausible for a woman, but not from a man. Now, Camilla, I wish
you to tell this if you can ; but if you think you will fail, then write it, and
give it to him or any one he tells you to. If you should be asked if you
have seen Mr. Lee since, you must say no. Now, Camilla, don't make any
mistake, and don't stop to say that you are afraid that it will not avail, or
that Mr. O'Byrne thinks so, for I tell you it will save me. I have got it
from the best authority. I will mention some authority, but you must
keep it secret from O'Byrne or any one else, for I am bound in confidence
not to revealit, but I tell you to assure you. A lawyer, whose word can-
not be doubted has spent a night with Governor Geary's private secretary,
Dr. Gihon, and he told him that both himself and the Governor think that
you are the guilty party, and that if anything new was to turn up, or you
was to come forward and confess, the Governor would spare me. This is
from too good a source to be doubted. Now you can see the need of a
confession; it is the only thing that can save me, and you must make it to-
morrow morning, for there is not an hour to be lost. I have laid the
ground for this, and you must do the rest.
Here follows some hatched up questions which will not bear criticism.
The last two confessions, which seem certainly like the correct versions
of the murder, are as follows. The one who concocted them, without
doubt, is speaking of facts, especially in the last one of all.
Ǻmºlº-Here are two confessions; choose which one you please.
Fºrst. You killed your mother. You got up out of bed on that night.

52 MORE ABOUT THE TWITCHELL CASE.
You could not sleep. Your husband was asleep, and you thought you
would go down stairs and set and talk awhile with your mother. You
used to often do it when your husband was asleep. He went to sleep al-
most as soon as he got in bed, and always slept very sound, so that you
could hardly wake him, You went down stairs to the dining-room. When
you got in the dining-room you saw her asleep on the sofa. You don't
know what came over you—it must have been the spirit of the devil—but
something told you to kill her. You could not resist. Something seemed
to say, “Kill her, and you can get her money, and then you won't have to
give her a deed of trust on the house.” You never wanted to give her a
deed of trust, but your husband said it must be done. The devil told you
to go down stairs and get the kitchen poker, and you went. When you
came up again, it seemed to tell you to go and get your husband's shirt
and coat, and put them on, so that if you got any blood on you, it would
look as though he did it. You did not think he could be convicted. You
thought his good character would acquit him. You went and put on his
shirt and coat; you then came down and struck her a great many times
with the poker, and just as you stopped, she jumped up very suddenly,
and ran to the window, which was up; it frightened you for a moment,
and then when you had got there she had fallen out. You supposed it
was her last strength. You then went down stairs and took the money,
and struck her several times again, and then washed your hands at the
hydrant, letting it run a few moments. You wiped your hands on a towel
that was hanging there. You then went up in the dining-room, and
looked at the money. It had blood on it, and you were afraid to keep it,
and you put it in the fire. You found after you went up to your bed-
room that you had blood on your night-cap, and you put it in the stove,
and it was burned up. You then got into bed. This was about half an
hour before Sarah Campbell came home. After you heard the bell ring
several times, you woke me up, and asked me to go down and let her in,
and see where mother was. This must all be in your own language.
Camilla, if I should die, who would nurse you when you are sick?
Who would be the company for you that I can I have nursed you
through many weary hours of pain. If you should falter or feel too weak
to do this, think of that ; think how lonely you would be without me, and
all the world against you; but I know you will not leave me alone now.
You will be asked a great many questions, but you must not contradict
yourself when you answer them. It is an awful, awful thing for you to do
this, but it is the only thing that can save my life, and I would have done
this to have saved yours, if you had been convicted. If I had done it, it
would have cost me my life; but they can’t do anything at all with you
now—can't even hold you under bail. If I have to die, the public gener-
ally will still believe that you are guilty, and if I live, I will go with you
to some other State, under an assumed name. I will never, never leave
you. I will work, and starve if necessary, to provide for you comfortably.
Only help me to escape this awful, awful death; and I know yºu will do
it. 'You will not deceive me in this dreadful hour of peril. Do not for
anything let any eye but your own see this. As soon as you are done with
it, burn it up. I will give you all the necessary instructions how to do it,
when to do it, and where to do it.
Second. You did not do it, nor see it done, but you know that your
husband did not do it. You had made no arrangements with Mr. Gilbert
MORE ABOUT THE TWITCHELL CASF. 53
to have it done. He first spoke to you about it one afternoon, two months
before it was done. You happened to meet him at the corner of Fifteenth
and Pine, as you were coming down Pine, having been taking a walk; he
spoke to you, and walked down Pine to Twelfth street with you. He
asked you how your mother was, and remarked what a trouble she must be
to you. If she was to die how nice you would be fixed. The next time
you saw him was about three weeks after. You met him on Eighth street,
below Race. He again asked about your mother; how she was 7 if she
was not rather childish * This time he asked if she did not carry a good
deal of money about her. You asked him how he knew anything about it.
He said that your husband accidentally mentioned it once when he Was
talking about her, and also that Mr. Henderson had told him. He left you
at the corner of Filbert street. About a week afterwards you met him in
the car on Ninth street. He spoke and asked how your mother was. You
got out at the corner of Ninth and Arch streets and left him in it. Two
or three days afterwards you saw him again. You were looking in the
window at the pictures at Gutekunst's, in Arch street, above Seventh, when
he came up and spoke to you. He then asked you if you were going up
the street You told him you were. He said he would walk up with
you. He walked up to Tenth, where you took the car to come home. On
this walk he asked you how your mother was 2 and again said how nicely
you and your husband would be fixed if she should die, and how imprudent
it was for your mother to carry her money about with her, and asked you
if she did not stay up very late at night 7 and whether you and your hus-
band stayed up with her? You told him that we went to bed very early.
This was all about the trouble with him about the will. He apologized to
you for reading it to your mother. You never told your husband of meet-
ing him, for he did not like him, and said he was a bad man. You did not
see him again for about two weeks, when you met him in Eighth street,
above Chestnut. He spoke to you, and walked up Eighth to Arch, where
he left you, going down Arch. He again got to talking about your mother;
how troublesome she must be, and if she was to die how nice we could live,
nothing to trouble us. He also asked about our servant; whether we had
a good one; how hard it was to get a good one. That they always wanted
an afternoon and evening every week. He asked you if we gave our ser-
want this? You told him that she had every Thursday afternoon and
evening, and every other Sunday afternoon and evening. He then asked
you if your mother allowed her to stay out late 7 You said she came home
generally between nine and ten o'clock. He also asked you if you waited
up for her or gave her a key! You told him your mother always waited
up for her; that you and your husband went to bed. He asked what time z
You said about 8 o'clock. He then told you that he had been on to New
York, and had an elegant time. He said that he took the world very easy;
that nothing ever troubled him. You saw him a few days after this in
Chestnut street; he going up and you going down. He bowed to you.
You saw him again, the Thursday before the murder, at Eighth and Chest-
nut; he joined you and walked up as far as Cherry, when he left you and
went up Cherry street. On this occasion, as usual, he talked of your mother.
He asked you how much money she carried about her You told him you
thought about $5,000. He said it was a nice pile. You asked him how
he would like to have it. He said first rate, You told him he could have
it if he would send for it at a proper time. He asked when a proper time


54 MORE AIROUT THE TWITCHELL CASE.
was 7 You told him this evening. He said it was too soon. You thex
told him Sunday evening. He said he would do it. He asked which door
he should send to. You told him that the front gate might be unbolted.
He said he would send somebody to make everything right. On the even-
ing of the murder you went and unlocked the padlock, which was a spring
lock and would lock itself, and unbolted the front gate. - -
You went to bed and your husband came a few minutes after; he went to
sleep, and was not out of the room till he went down stairs to let the girl
in You was awake, but heard no noise except about a half hour before
the girl came home, when you thought you heard the front door shut.
These conversatiºns you had with Mr. Gilbert were always in the afternoon,
between three and five o'clock. GEORGE.
-
The following, it is alleged, were received at various times, written in
the smallest possible hand, on pieces of paper:
Canilla, If yºu should be asked why you did not tell before this, say
you were afraid that the people would tear you to pieces, and that you
cannot conceal it any longer; and that you are sorry that you did it, and
it is killing you by degrees. This looks very rational. Everybody knows
that when a person is under a strong excitement they are stronger than at
any other time, and when the excitement leaves they become very weak.
This will account naturally for your supernatural strength at that time.
Don't think that you will wait a day or two to see if some of the other
plans that are being done will answer, for if you do it will be fatal; every
moment counts now if you are asked what time it was when you struck
her. answer that you suppose it was after nine o'clock, but you were too
excited to notice about time. GEORGE.
Camilla, if you make the first confession you can, if you like, say that
you made the acquaintance of Mr Lee by being introduced to him by Dr.
Eaton about ten years ago. You know all about Dr. Eaton, and you
know that he is dead, so he cannot contradict this. If you should do this,
yº can say that sometimes you would see Mr. Lee very often, and some-
times not for months. GEORGE.
Oh, Camilla, I am afraid your telling me that you will do anything for
me is all talk, because, if you fail to do as I request, nothing under Heaven
will save me. For God's sake and my life, do this without fail.
If Mr. Bringhurst should ask you why you came to him to tell him this,
answer that you do not know who else to go to. -
If you are asked about your former life refuse to answer. If you are
asked how you knew Mr. Lee was a gambler, answer, “You asked him
one time, and he said he sometimes played to pass away time.” Don't
forget to have the time of the days of your meeting with Mr Lee all right.
If asked, I would say that through the middle of the summer you did not
see anything of him. Don't for Heaven's sake fail now. GEORGE.
-

-
comMENTs on Mrs. Twitch ELL's Documents. 55
In considering the documents offered to the public by Mrs. Twitchell,
those who credit her with entire innocence must proceed upon the premi-
ses that she tells all the truth and that her husband told all the lies. Those
who credit her husband with imbecility enough to be a tool for some de-
signing party, must believe the reverse. Those who only seek to do both
of them justice, and judge only from the documents produced by each–
for more hearsay reports have no weight at all—must become considerably
mystified and most likely break down in the effort at a satisfactory result.
But from this day forth–standing as she does upon her dead husband's
grave, and branding his name with the bleody infamy of which a jury
found him guilty—let us leave Mrs. Twitchell to that Almighty Being
who alone can look in upon the secret workings of her heart; who alone
can adjust the balance between her and her mouldering husband.
THE END.
- -
There once lived a woman who, though much care was exercised by
her parents in raising her to become a respectable and useful woman,
turned out very bad, as the saying goes. At a comparatively early age
she set up life for herself by becoming not the wife, but the companion of
a man old enough to have been her father. -
At his house she was often thrown into the company of a young man
young enough to be her son. For fancied wrongs or misunderstandings
between her and the old gentleman she resolved to leave him and enter
into an alliance with the young man. This youth like most others of his
age allowed passion to take the place of what little judgment he had; and
after a season of unlawful pleasure; he became the husband of the old
man's female friend. His relatives were exceedingly mortified by the af.
fair. But he cared not; for he loved his wife at that period most devo-
tedly. Years went on ; and in the course of time his wife's affection for
him did not increase, but on the contrary diminished. Yet she smothered
this all in her own breast, being of a concealed and calculating disposi-
tion.
After boarding and half-keeping house alternately, the two finally went
to regular housekeeping, taking the wife's mother in with them. They
all lived apparently together in great harmony. But the great law of
God had been violated which required that the sin of the father be visited
upon the children; and a retributive Providence brought about the punish-
ment. One day all culminated in the murder of the old woman. The
son was suspected, arrested, tried and condemned to die. The daughter
was declared innocent. Time went on; and the daughter was free in the
world. For awnile she enjoyed herself on her ample means; but one
day suddenly disappeared. Whither she went none could tell; but she left
behind her a confession.
“I can no longer hide my terrible sins within my heart. They rise up
within me like a gushing well of blood and fire, and torture me every hour
of my wretched existence. Oh! why was I tempted to act so wickedly :
The Fiend of the bottomless Pit must have entered me and taken posses-
sion of my heart.
“. But the dread deed is done; and I am doomed for my awful sins to
suffer in eternal torment. The Holy Blood that sufficed to wash others
will not be vouchsafed to me, despairing wretch that I am.
“Oh mother mother! would to Heaven that you had never borne me!
or that I had died when first I saw the light ! All I can do now to con-

56 A WARNING TO YOUNG PEOPLE.
-
. -
fess to the world my sins as a warning to all young people to see well
their feet do not slip from the path of rectitude. Beware of the first Step
in wrong doing Beguiled by a man who should have been at least more
merciful than to seduce an orphan girl—and then scoffed at by him, I be-
came filled with rage; when I was old enough to know what had to become
of me, I was almost a maniac. Nothing but a desire for revenge filled
my heart. It was the sole aim of my life—revenge on him and his and
I made a solemn vow to gratify this desire, come what would to sacrifice
any one; no matter if it was the dearest friend I had on earth. My se-
ducer was trying to make up a match between his son and a lady of wealty
and as he said respectable station in life. Here was the first opportunity;
so I married the son myself.
“His father was wild with anger; I gloated over this; and never relin-
quished my object. I did not care for my husband, and 1 used to study
means of destroying him and his father, and the whole family. My mother
took a great liking to him, and 1 resolved she too should perish also. The
Devil was in my heart, and 1 did not care what I did. My plan suc-
ceeded; my seducer and his family were disgraced forever. 1 even
heaped obloquy upon the very tomb of his son, as he did upon me.
“But all is over now save the gnawings of my conscience. I have but
a short time to live; and what few days remain to me on earth I shall spend
in prayer and repentance. From the busy haunts of my fellow creatures
I will go away into some forest or desert where 1 shall never see a human
being; and there inflict upon myself all possible suffering and hardship.
And when I die—but I dare not think upon that. Oh! Just Heaven
when I die and meet my wronged and murdered victims What terror
there is in that thought! I must fly! I am consumed with depair! Fare-
well things of earth forever! I am now alone! alone forever more!”
-
-- -
º /..././. Z/ º Zºº. º
º - ºf - - - - - -
-
- - | - -
-
- - - -
-

№ №.
№№.№ſ
|（）\\
`№,
|（№ -
§：
№^ ：
|
|
| |-
|-.
|||||||||||||ſſſſſſſſſſ
| ||.
. …
-|-|