The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1869-02-19
Crime.
THE DOOMED M%uRpERERs.
VII. to Twl,ehsn and in the.


mon the Phiiadelphia telegraph
oEoRaR g T~v1rcaEf1, JR.
"A genleel young man, faultless in attire,
even when bolted and barred from the
world; with hair smoothly arranged as n
expecting visitors; in good spirits as IL no
pent-up Utica interfered with the freedom
of his will aud whims; disposed to converse
on trivial subjects, as If no fell doom inn
pended over him-he received the com
pany which presented itselfat the cell door
with n touch of elegance and IN air Of hos
pitolity.
h 81 am sorry, gentlemen, - were his first
words, after the civilities customary in the
great world outside had been rigidly OBJ
served, 81 am very sorry, gentlemen that
there 6re not chairs enough for YOU ell.
Make yourselves comfortable as far az the
facilities will permit. .r
He had seated himself upon the rough
blanket of his cot, after taking each Of our
party by the hand, and now ns he looked
around and saw how meagre we're his nc
co%mmodations in comparison with the
number of his guests, he rose again and
moved 10 tho head Of the coach, m~otioning
to some Of us TO share his seat.
The cell was a model Of neatness, and
comfortable, as far as neatness with scanty
material 10 work upon could make il. On
the bed lay an open pocket Bible-'and
may God Of His infinite goodness have
mercy upon his soul Y were the closing
words Of the death doom pronounced two
days before-while on a little stand, which
broke the monotony Of the opposite wall,
were thrown carelessly two or three other
volumes. This stand, the cot upon the
na,W ..I Al. Na.. .l.4w. LII = Al.
new, comprised nearly the entire outfit Of
the room. Against the wall at the head
of the cot hung n tTihe Of a mirror, not
larger than a child's hand, and on the
ledge Of the narrow grated windows stood
two small vessels. Both were filed with
earth, and In one were a few sprigs Of
odorous heliotrope, while over The other
rambled n tiny creeping vine. asif clamor.
ing for that gracious freedom Of light and
air which were needful TO q fuller andmore
vigorous life. What n volume of sad and
solemn thought was bound up in these
stray crumbs of earth, and unfolded i'm
these dwarfed aud whitening plants The
chance to nurture, and watch, and cherish
such q garden may keep O mans brain from
reeling into madness, may nerve his heart
TO face death nj the hands Of tho outraged
law
The apartment in which we found
Twitchell was not the one known M tho
CONDEMNED cell" that being tenanted at
present by Jerry Eaton. He was the first
to inform US that he had occupied il since
Saturday only. II is said that, on his re-
turn to prison on that day, his feelings got
the better Of his 70 rposure, and found
vent in tears for two full hours. Then he
became somewhat composed, and at the
time Of our visit had reassumed his old and
indifferent bearing.
Although the interview with the prisoner
lasted some minutes, and he chatted with
much freedom until we left him, our con-
versation for the most part was Of the most
commonplace, with no such humorous Ral-
lies as had thrown n Heeting CLEAN of sun
shine into the cell of Ford. Only twice
was the subject of the great tragedy which
has not yet ceased 10 be the wonder OF the
town preached by either side. We referred
casually TO the rapid and favorable termin-
alton of the trial of his wife, and in an
swer he exclaimed, without the slightest
touch Of enthusiasm in his tone:
Eyes, they got through with it soon. l
was very much gratiied, indeed, with the
result"
Nothing more on this subject, except to
assent demurely'to orr supposition that he
had been visited by her since her release
from custody.
Since his sentence Ia death on Saturday,
however, Mrs. Twitchell had not made her
appearance at the piison-n circumstance
which may account for his seeming lack OF
interest in her fate.
We also adyerted to the effort which was
still being made in his behalf. by carrying
his case before the Supreme Court, touch
ing which he merely remarked that he had
but little hope in this world.
When the subject of his personal comfort
approached, he spoke quite freely in
praise of the prison officials and their uni
courtesy aud kindness. Nothing in
way was lacking, and for no privilege
could be wish that was not allowed hiIa
save that of indulging his appetite for the
weed. He greatly tonged for a ci-
gar, and the liberty 10 smoke il openly,
being compelled to practice any
deception, and without the knowledge that
be was thereby violating the rules of the
Could it be that this gentlemanly, harm
looking young man in whose presence
we were standing had been guilty Of the
foul deed OF blood laid TO his charger A
ury of his peers had decided this issue.
md it was not for us to question the right
sousness Of their verdict. Perhaps it was
he-remembrance Of his protncted trial, Of
he vigor and zeal with which his defence
vas managed, OF the impressive solemnity
attending the scene when the Judgment of
he law was pronounced upon him, that
ave us a fancied clue to the lackof manli-
,ess in bis general bearing, Q lack Of out.
'poken candor which presented a n%oticea-
DE contrast to his assumption of indifer-
ttF
Into the presence of -