The New York herald., 1868-12-26
THE HILL MURDER.

Defense Opened-Whnt the Prisoners COun-
sci Intend TO Prove-The ExcItemcut In Re-
lation TO tho Result Of the Trial Incscasing.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. a. 1858.
The crowd In the court room to-day was far
greater than IL has been on any one day since the
prisoner was arraigned for trial. The female por-
tion OF the audience was especially greater In
numerical strength and fuss than usual, one OF the
worse features about 1t consisting In the fact
that more than one-haf OF them were girls OF ten
der age, several, to all appearances not having as
yet reached 'sweet, blusEing sixteen" II the in
tense interest they manifested In all the details OF the
horrible murder which elected during the ex-
animation OF the witnesses be any criterion to 20 by
1t s very doubtful they ever reach any age which
win entte them to the gentle qualifications afore-
mentioned.
1t will be seen by reference to the testimony that
the defence are making and intend to make q very
fierce fight to clear their client from the crime with
the commission of which he Is charged. The deter
mined stand taken by them IN refusing to give up
the prosecution the papers found in the safe at CAM
den before the prosecution had proved that the
safe belonged to the prisoner was one Of the
strongest indications manifested during the trial OF
| their determination by every ingenuity0r legal
technicality they can avail themselves Of. as
was also their resolution to have the blood
stained clothing examined by some expert chosen
| by the prisoner himself SO far the circum-
/ lS
strong, but his friends contend that his counsel will
| be able to prove, beyond hope OF contradiction
| Pratt over hundred witnesses have been sub
pGnaed by the defence and 1t is supposed that the
trial will not be concluded until Tuesday or Wednes-
| day next.
On the opening Of the court Mr.. Henderson. q
| gentlemen alluded to yesterday by several wit
stand. Being duly sworn, he said: II knew Mrs.
Hill; had known her some twenty-six years; at the
Hill, who died on February 1s 1866; Mr.. and Mrs.
Twttche were not residing with them at this time;
er the Of her
who was a relative OF mine; Mrs. Hill and Mr..
Twche appeared to be friendly until the latter
what he tsld me called to see Mrs. i a. this
interview Mr. Twitchell was not present. but before
left the house he came into the dining room and In
very excited manner, asked me why had come to
'I give you ten minutes to get out' answered that
was in no hurry; he said | had better attend to
ple's; said was there on business with Mrs iill;
he again commanded me to leave in ten minutes,
saying he would pnt me me- out BY force or get police
but that perhaps the latter would be the better
way; he went out as II after an oilcer and was
| followed by Mrs. Twltchell: remained there short
time talking with Mrs. Hill, and then took my de-
parture; used to see Mrs. Hill once week or once
IN two or three weeks ever since the dc th OF Mr..
Hill; she visited my house and consulted me about
her business matters; Mrs. Hin was q woman OF con-
siderable means; Mr. Hi left the estate which Mrs.
Hill possessed; after these conversations with Mrs.
Hill received bundle OF deeds for the property ut
20 ama ana Wchs Iere get ths agea hne M eeM
from Mrs. Hill; Mrs. Hill and had been to Mr.. Gil
together and was after that that she brought
| the deeds to me; 1t was the following afternoon.
informed Mrs I'M that e' the dee i had ' been
| made out In her daughters name. 1t was objected
to by the defence and ths objection was sustained.
Mr.. Hdgert-Mr. Henderson, do you know the
Witness-l do; have seen him write: this Is his
| writing. IAN instrument purportng to be tax re-
signed by the prisoner for Mrs. Hill, was shown to
the witness and put In eyidence.l
| xuSsson py MI MI. nascfI-Hau M MIS-. nlu niaue an
| the Monday or Tuesday following the murder, with
the view OF nstltuting legal proceedings for the
The defence objected, because this was question
Mr.. Hagert said he would be unable to show that
| this was communicated to the prisoner but he
would argue from the circumstances OF his being in
| the same house with Mrs. Hin, being In constant
| intercourse with her, that he must have known It,
Mr.. Mann argued that 1t was not competent, more
stance OF purely crcumstantial case by other very
| weak and unreliable circumstances, which when
strongest did not receive too much confidence In this
Mr.. Hagert said that he well recollected how firmly
/ Mr.. Mann believed IN circumstantal evidence when
Armstrong, Probst, Williams and winlemore were
hung upon It.
The Court sustained the objection and ruled out
In answer to the District Attorney the witness pro.
ceeded-l had no conversation In reference to the
/
his presence; when made collections for Mrs. Hin
they were paid to her at my house the last payment
made TO her was OF $27e o.. on the Friday preced-
| Ing the murder, November 20.
| Crojs-exanined-I estimated the personal estate
all IN In money that sue got by her husbands death
IN her real estate; collected the ground rents for
herr she collected the house rents assisted by Mrs.
death the property was to 20 to M & heirs mot
to the prisoner or his wife; do not know that she
carried money In her clothes; do not know that she
1
where she kept her money.
Mr.. Nann-iIave you not said she carried large
/ sums OF money about her personY
Mr.. Hagert objected 10 the question: on the ground
that It was not cross-ex animation, and IL It wa.
asked for the purpose OF contradiction the Of
| the person to whom he said 1t should be given.
Mr.. Mann said h. candidly believed the woman
i about her.
The counsel for the defence here made motion
which had been identified as belonging to the
prisoner. should be submitted 10 an expert chosen
by the accused, the expert to examine them in the
/ The motion was refused by the Court when the
prosecution continued their case. The nrst witness
| sworn was Samuel T. Davidson.
samuel T. Davidson, sworli--s am an officer OF the
| First National Bank OF Camden; the bank has had
| no transaction with Mr. Twichel since the 10th Of
| November last, when the books showed q balance
Cross.exanincd-iIe did not always have bal
cverdrawn hts account Sail 90; believe he opened
his account In March and that II was settled In June;
| he had then balance Of $3.50 In his favor.
A. u. wordcn, sworn-I am a Jeweer; know the
defendant; he applied to me November q last for a
| loan OF nifty dollars; aid not lend It to him.
Catharine McNaily, sworn-0n the I'D OF N0ve1l-
| ber last resided at Mr. Montgomery's at II South
Tenth street. next door to Mrs. IIiil's; rccollcct
| that on the night OF the murder | had tea about
seven 'ock; was In the kitchen after tea time;
the kitchen adjoins that OF Mrs. Hills
| house; I was there oil the evening; while
was sitting In the Kitchen heard female
voices in the other kitchen just before that heard
the door bell ringing; was down In the cellar
getting coal at the times tho bell was rung about
fivc or six times; then came mp I'm the kitchen and
II then tnat heard tho voices In Mrs. Hills
kitcnen; before going down 70 the cellar l had not
| a. .slc uVp5 peshi-.,i 49, ..sesLt
! IN sue kitchen was alone, reading paper.
Cross-examined-i sleep m the garret OF the house
where live; Is difficult to hear the bell ring when
one Is mp In the garrett kved In the house two