The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-07
TwITCHELL.
The Circumstnnces of the Murder.

The murder Of Mrs Mary Hill greatly diners from
any crime committed in this city for many years.
Arthur Spring and Anton Probst amazed the COM
munity by the terrible ferocity and savageness of
their bloody deeds but they were both OF the lowest
order of humanity, Spring being man OF consider
able natural intelligence, but of vicious habits and
instincts while Probst was little more than brute.
society. But in this murder which startled PRiia-
delphia in November last, the elements were en-
trely different II we accept as s. true rue the verdict Of
universal opinion OF the public.
On Sunday night November 22 Sarah Campbell,
servant girl in the family of Mrs. H residing at the
northeast corner OF Tenth and Pine Streets returned
about O'Clock from church. She was obliged to
ring the bell repeatedly, when finally Mr. Twitchell,
but partially dressed, opened the door, and after
marking that it was cold night and saying 81 Won
der where mother is," returned to his bedroom.
Sarah opened the door leading to the yard and was
horrifed to see the dead body Of Mrs Hill on the
pavement beneath the windows OF the sitting-room
In her own testimony before the Coroners jury she
said - +. ..-...
Il rang the bell several times when Mr. Twitehe
said and h9PfsS tPn him for the s dOoE he
and let IN; it strange affair for him to get
R S pS ss e a he S a
and candle burning the table went into the Kitchen
s sRsa a tsS
a w shi % he
sns G 5 OG earns what S e f III p s 4 @
came down her night ciGthss then came and assisted
water first not carried her in and laid her upon
head" head" ""''i '''''' ''''''
This was all that Sarah Campbell knew of the
murder. Neighbors and passersby, becoming aware
Of the commission OF the crime, hurried into the
house. Among others was certain Mr.. Morrell,
who charged Mr.. and Mrs. Twitchell-one or both OF
themwith the deed and directed the police officers
to place them under arrest They We're arrested and
inquest was held upon the body of the murdered
lady, and the jury rendered the following verdict:
That the said Mary F H t came to her death by VIC
cel Jr and Camilla Twitchel his wife, the night OF
November % 1865 at the corner OF Tenthand Pine
streets"
The Case Against Mr.. Twitchen.
OF course the Grand Jury found true bills against
both Mr.. and Mrs. Twitchell The case went to the
Court of oyer and Terminer. After great difficulty
in the empanelling OF "a Jury on on Monday morning,
and the trial formally began.
Richard Ludlow, Esq, made the opening speech in
behalf OF the Commonwealth. He described the cir
cumstances connected with the murder of Mrs. Mary
e. Hill, which was committed on the 22d OF Novem-
ber 1865 stating the facts they would be proved,
pected to show malicious motive in the prisoner.
DIR, E. B. shapeigh, the physician OF the Coroner,
pearance Of the BODY of Mrs. Hui and the nature Of
the wounds which she had received.
Concerning the character OF the wounds Dr. Shap-
leigh gave the following description
pareta BONE the maar bone including the cavity Of the
irregular piecss there was hole 1tQ the brain st the
@ @sstSndns gent entirely The head shrops6 the right and
the base Of the BRAIN dividing the whole skull another
Irregular e 9s that the Of one in the temple
and the forehead the confused wound straight,
Snossa apart instead Of divided BY Cutting
He said that such wounds might be produced by
an instrument like the poker which was found,
smeared with blood, close by the body OF Mrs. HILL
He said;s-
The on hands could have been produced by
an instrument like this poker the blows crossways
If the hands had been thrown up on the face would
pPodSoed by the angle q the the right cheek
bone maar boneI have said broken the right
side"
He described the condition of the house, the ap-
OF blood in various parts OF the room where
the tragedy occurred in the yard and upon the side
OF the building out OF which the body was thrown.
On the wall Immediately above the sofa on which
Mrs. Hill had been lying blood was spattered as II it
few from blow, and In spray. drop OF blood on
been open an inch or two. The drops from the sofa
TO the window out OF which the body Is supposed to
have been thrown, were such AZ would be produced
by direct dropping down from body carried perpen-
dicularly. Blood on the window was besmeared as
II by bloody hair or clothing The body he thought
was dead, or nearly so, when thrown out OF the
Sarah Campbell, the servant girl, was then ex-
amned, and, in addition to her testimony given
above, she went on to describe the conduct OF
Twitche the bringing In OF the body and his bathing
or washing the head OF the murdered woman with a
pocket handkerohef Also her going for the. the neigh,
were four dogs in the house, ''and when they heard
any noise they were noisy II they heard people come
in they barked." She did not remember that she
OF heard the dogs when she first went into the house
that evening. When the witness went out by the
Pine street gate, to obtain assistance she found t
boted on the inside, thus showing that II the murder
had been done by some other person than an occu-
pant OF that house. he must have climbed the fence
10 get into the yard, ana climbed again 70 get out
S FredefcF II. Weaver John Phillips Montgomery,
Daniel poster Charming Leidy, Pohceman George
i ginger Edward II. Bowen, Lieutenant John CON
nelly betectiye Waruock, Policeman White, Police