Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-11-24
EVENING STAR
THE PHILADELPHIA TRAGEDY
Brutal Murder Of an Old Lsdy-U.h.I

snd Pine streets, an that city. was murdered o.
Suhdsy evening and thrown from second
story window into the yard. The alleged
nHiceser, her soh-tn-law, Geo. ). Twitchell.
III, Was promptly arrested, and his W lfe was
| sesuiday taken into custody on suspicion OF
elng concerned ia the affair. The object Of the
murcerers app ar 10 be 10 have Obtained
Io.sesslon OF certain property in Which their
ni0.neI held hie estate, and which she ref1 sal
70 MAKE over 10 them. The Philad-lphis
IttegTdfh OF last evening gives the TON wing
par .ichiars OF this horrible affair. Atg O'Clock
IN thr .Neaing Sarah Campbell, the serysat.
| lett 4 Trends house at 18th aHd Lombard
| streets, and walked 20 the house o. Mo- Hul,
where she rang the bell for long tine before
the door was opened. MI Twitch.u n.r
formed That ofiic-, and se-ine W no n vs.. s.ia
Sarah, Il that you i wonder where mother
is '" She responsed 10 tins that she asd not
Know, and thanked nim for letting her IA. Sue
then entered the kitchen, aud after pu lung coal
on the fire, went through the wAsh-houss into
the eide yard. where she WAS horriaed by
seeing the dead BODY Of Mrs. Han lyiEg. Cry
ing out tor Mr.. TWIchell. he cane out aud
said. Lets carry her ia The boiy ga.
taken into the kitchen, when he called Tor
water Tor winch 10 wash her. Her head pre-
scented a frightful specac being covered with
blood, and after tRat WAS partially removed
fearful and ugly gashes ana wounds were
yealed. He sand, "Shes dead" Sarah ran
INTO the street and met policeman ovard. Of
the Sth district, on the pavement, % whom she
stated what cue had seen. That oncIal en-
tered the house, and Was informed thaf the
DECEASED had fallen from thu window an IN.
back apartment In the cinins-rOon. aui direct
ly unoVr v hIch she was lying.
knowing very well that such fri.huful
wounds could not have been received bg A tall,
hs Immediately placed Mr.. and Mrs. Twi.chell
under arrest. and then called IA some Of he
neIghbors, some OF whom he dire cted 10 90 the
station 81 Fifteenth and Locust streets
detai OF men WAS Immediateiy sent 10 the scene
and word telegraphed 10 the Central station.
Detective WarnoCk then being on duty, repaired
10 the house, and after conversing win the
alleged murderer and wife, and examining the
place. directed TwItchell 10 be taken 20 the
station, and confined Mrs. Twltcheli 10 the
room under guard Of the officers. He then er-
amined the dining room. the walls, the wIn-
ooWs, and side yard, which were an the follow
ing condition: On the western END OF the sofS
was green pillow, which Is completely sstu-
rated with blood: on the oIl-cloth which covers
the floor Law a large pool Of concealed blood
The wall above the sofa Is all bespattered clear
10 the ceiling, the window SAIL next that end
has spots, while marks are even on the oppo-
site wall. The oil-cloth is there flled with
huge spots, which commence at the sofa and
continue along the floor throsgh the folding
floors TO the window IN the little back room.
The shade has eyidel tly been raised IN a hurry.
as It was all awry, and the slIl is all covered
with the red stains.
The theory Of the murder Is this:-That the
deceased was lying on the sofa on her left SIDE.
evidently asleep, her head resting on TIE upper
end Of the pillow. Her murderer was sitting
on the rocking chair, which is evinced by the
presence of ashes the window sill He
raised the deadly weapon "a poker which was
found In the room, covered with blood and
hair) and with tremendous fierce drove the
tongue end into her right temple, causing a
wound one inch and a half nv two inches. Into
TINS orince this morning the examining su rgeon
put Two fingers their entire length. Then it
was that the blood spattrred all around. not
only marking the surroundings bat ais stain
ing the clothing of the murderer. The victim
a~oke but for an instant, and rolling around
on her face, the blows were piled thick ana
fast on the back OF the head. IL was At this time
hiatt the servant rang the bell, aud the length Of
Tine which she was waiting NJ the door shows
mat The hend was nOnplussed what
should be done with the body Aftrr cogitaunc
for time, he concluded 10 throw her from the
window. which would set up a theory that sh.
had fallen to the pavement This was accord
lnCiy done. he then ran into his bed room.
threw on his vest and oyershIrt. and then an
swered the bell.
When Sarah first saw Mr.. TwltcheII she no.
ticed that he had on his boots, psntal0ons and
coat; but no vest or oyershIrt. When tue police
man took him into custody, he conducted him
10 has sleeping apartment, where he arrayet
himself with shirt and vest. Ii was then no.
teed that the front OF his coat and sleeve. aud
his pantalOons, boots. and the bosom of has
overshirt, were all besmeared with blood After
belng taken 10 the station tins clothing was
taken on and a change sent for. On talking
with the police he admitted that there Usr.
strong circumstances against hIm, bat he b.
Heyed be could clear himself and wife.
Mrs. TwItchell was questioned. and she
stated that her mother, Nr. T witcheI, and her
self had been conyersing in the dining-roon,
and at ahout halfpast o'clock she retired TO
bed, leaving deceased and Mr.. TwItcheIl 40
that room. That she dIsrobed and retired 70 bed
where she read for some time In a little while
her mother came in ana talked for a snort time
when her mother left. As she passed OUT of
the door Mr. Twitchell passed m, Kidding Mrs
Hill good night he then got INTO bed, and
both went 10 sleep. She was awakened, not
knowing the time, by a violent ringing OF the
bell. She started out Of bed. but was stopped
by her husband, who remarked that ne would
go down. lie accordingly got up. partially
dressed himself, and went down. Sue also
siates that her mother had about her aboa
S5,uO0 IN cash, and $50 note.
There Were many rum Jrs aaoat this morn
ing a. TO the proyocatlon which wOUlI CAUSE
such an atrOclOus CRIME 10 be perpetrated.
But alter investigating very fully the subject,
the following iacts We're discovered, winch
undoubtedly fastens the crime upOa Mr.
Twltchell, aud an ali Possibility will impIicate
his wife,
Mrs. Twltchell ls the daughter of Nrs II m
by a former husband named Price. and is about
thlrty-hNe years Of age- Her father was a
poor man, and on his death some years ago.
her mother married Mr.. HUI, a wealthy gen.
ueinan. Mrs. TwItchell, then a fine-looklug
woman, became acquainted with Mr. Geo. s
1Wtchell, ST, with whom, 1T Is alleged, she
was en- terms OF Intimacy thai should exist
slone between husband and wife.
MI HILL died, and left his property IN such
way that has widow could reap the engrs
benefit OF II up 10 the time OF her death on
which event il would revert to his family
This would cut of the daughter without a
dollar Some years ago, IL is slso said that
TwItchell, ST., abandoned the daughter aud
she then married Twitcheli, Ir. Tney thea
lived with Mrs. Hill, al No. 3l9 South Ninth
street until about three months ago. when
they removed TO the house AT Tenth and Pine
STREETS.
Mrs Hill having the means at her disposal,
deeIred TO purchase the property, and directed
her law 10 negotiate for II. The trans
action eliminated in the purchase of the
dwelling and the deeds drawn up and the
money paid over. few days since, the fact
that the deeds were in the name Of Mrs
Twitchell and not in the name OF Mrs. Hill,
came TO light. The latter consulted counsel.
who had advised a suit for the purpose of re-
covering the property.
A criminal prosecution was also talked OF
and IL rs now believed that these facts having
come 10 the knowledge Of the daughter and
SOL -in-lsw, that they concerted a scheme OF
dong away with the old lady, who was tue
only obstacle in the way of their retaining
possession of their ill-gotten property
Young Twitchell rs apparently about twen-
ty-eight years OF age, rather progressing ia
appearance, and is engaged in business in Cam
den. He is at the Fifteenth and Locust streets
Station, confined in the cell which ne walks
up and down quietly. He does not Converse
about the deed, except 10 say that he will be
cleared Of II.
HIS wife is still confined TO her rosm under
guard OF two policemen, and is very mu ch ex-
cited. She Is continually asking about her
husband. Chief Lamon and Detective War
mock had an interview with her this morning,
in which she detailed what we have above
substantially given.
~