The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-04-14

dor Detailed...She Believes her own
Husband Guilty OF the Crime.
| From the Philadelphia papers we gather the
| following interesting particulars in relation tc
| Twitchell. who committed suicide in priscn, end
Eaton. who was hanged in that city on Thurs
day last. The coroner's jury in the case o.
Twitchell rendered a verdict Of 'death by poi.
son supplied to the deceased by some person
unknown" Twitchell's father testified to hav-
ing no knowledge OF the contemplated suicide,
| though his sou had declared in advance Of the
trial tnat SC he would rather tear his veins out
with his teeth than be hanged" druggist testi-
fed that Twitchell asked him ON Wednesday to
furnish him with prussic acid, which the drug
gist declined to do. We make the following
extracts:
FUNERAL OF TwIrCHELL.
The body of the suicide was buried ON Satur-
day from the house Of Mrs. Moore, family
connection, No. 1880 South Fourth street, hav-
ing been removed from the prison cell on
Thursday, but. by an unaocountable mistake,
they were conveyed to the late residence Of
Gerald Eaton, near the prison. When the case
in which they were enclosed was there opened,
an exciting scene transplred on ascertainlng
that the blunder had been committed. The
body OF the suicide was very elaborately pre-
pared for the final rites. 1t was clothed in
puro white shroud, and encased in an elegant
cofin coveSed with black 81 9TH and ornamented
with silver mountings. Rich offorilgs Of fow-
ers had been made by his friends, and these
were profusely strewed around and over
the remains, Rev: Mr.. Brlnghu1st oficated
at the funeral, aud the remains were inferred
according to the rites Of tho Protes ant
Episcopal Church. The only persons pres
ent were the father and brother Of rwnchell,
and few OF his near relatives. Mrs. TwitcheIl
was not among the number. The m ost studied
arrangements had been made to have the
affair conducted with the strictest secrecy and
privacy. But, In spite Of this, the people in
the neighborhood had learned of the contem-
plated funeral aud an immense crowd ga 5hered
about tue house. Mrs. Moore states that the
last visit paid to Twitcheil by his wife was on
the evening OF Friday, two weeks ago. On this
milla, some Light must be thrown upon this
murder" Mrs. Moore said that Twitchen told
her, that his frat impulse on the night of the
murder was to alarm the neighbors when she
was to screen his wife,"
HISTORY OF THE Tw1rouELLs --sTATEMENT OF
MRS. Tw1roHELL.
The Philadelphia Transcript publishes the
following interesting details Of tho history Of
the Twitchell family, not heretofore printed:
Mrs. Twitchell was born in Washington, her
mother being then known as MIS-. Werntz. Her
father was Revolver Spencer, Methodist
clergyman OF some reputation. IN 1874, the
reDiained there four years, during which time
Camilla was known as Miss Sawyer, Der moth
or having married sister of that name. This
is probably tha origin OF the story that Mrs.
Twltchell was the lllegltlmate daughter OF q
member OF Congress from OHIO. Ia 1848, Mrs.
Werntz and daughter came to Philadelphia,
and the former married Mr.. Hill. Shortly
after ward, Camilla married Richard Martin. q
clexs in dry goods st .re. Atier. living to-
ge. her FIVE years, Mar tin left his wife, alleging
acts of improperly on her part, but sho took
the initiative in subsequent proceedings for
divorce. which eliminated In q legal separa-
ton Ill 1853. Camilla then resumed the name
OF Sawyer, returned to her mothers house,
and lived tle1e with her and Mr.. Hill. She
then became acquainted with Twitchell, Sr.,
then wldower with several children. lnclud-
ing ing George >. cMI Iwlohe an illegitimate son.
dying soon after his birth. Camilla was en-
gagged as housekeeper, and removed with
Twitchel. Sr.. to New Jersey. 1t is denied
any improper intimacy between Mr. Twitchell
and his housekeeper. On the contrary, Camil-
las conduct is represented to have been
blameless. She was o member OF DR.. Lords
church, 10 Broad-street, near Chestnut. and in
her character as housekeeper was paid regular
waa IS, and for extra rvices received extra
pay. When George 8. Twltchell reached man
hood he was accepted as the suitor of his IA
We have already said that Mrs. Twitchell
was not yet ready to give to the public for
NAL s;atement but while IN prison awaiting
trial. IN conversation with prison officials, she
been published. When informed Of her hus-
bands conviction and the probabilities of her
own fate, she remarked, g know nothing OF
this murder. That afternoon George and
house mother was getting tea. AS Sarah
Cempbell had gone ont. noticed that George
was very much de dressed i'll spirits. Re never
was much OF talher. but this night he was
IN Ho o1ro l~v
At the table and after supper said to mother
there is something the matter with George.
Suppose you go and talk with him while clear
away away u the things nnn and when got through
sitting room reading the paper and smoking
cigar. I went to bed. and don't know how
long slept. when was aroused by the cry OF
Sarah Campbell in the kitchen. This Is the
only statemenE she has ever made. whatever
she may have communicated to her counsel.
The Transcript continues as follows:
why Mrs. Twi,chell ceased her visits to the
prison, at the outset, it may be we'll to inform
our readers tina, on the day OF the inquest she
appealed to her husband to tell what he knew
OF the murder, and that, if he was guilty, to
act like man and relieve her. This he refus-
ed to do. After her .acquittal che did call at
the prison, but instead OF the greeting on her
part being war and affectionate. it was as
cool as would naturally be the case of one who
looked upon her husband as the murderer OF
her mother. Immediately after her Rcquittal,
IWltcnell anu MS Irlend4 commenced paving
the way to Q statement from Mrs. Twitchell,
which would take from him the charge and
transfer it to his wife. So shrewd we're the
parties engaged, that one Of them visited DAN
iei Dou9heTty, Esg.. to ascertain from him
whether q person once acquitted on the charge
Of murder could be tried second time. al
though there be confession Of guilt. The re-
sponse beng that there could not be second
trial., the efforts were renewed with Ie-
doubled vIgor. until Mrs. Twltchell's friends
heard of them and advised her to absent her
self from prison. She always denied any COM
plcity in the murder, and her .ea.rs Of confess
sion by him were based on the fact that she
knew That he did not believe in the immortali.
ty of the soul, and that his professions Of
piety were designed merely to further his Of
forts in the game OF life which he VAS playing.
Others beside herself had every. reason to feel
assured that he would not hesitate to save his
life, for there is every reason to believe that at
least one human being, George s.. Twitehell.
Jr.. confessed his rhine and made himselt sole
actor in the tragedy. Throughout this effort
to indu~e HIS wife to take upon herself an
unjust accusation in order to save his life,
Twltchell had frequent conversations with her
friends, who, anxious as they were to assist
him, could not overlook the damnlng proofs Of
his own guilt. They saw the inherent Inn prob.
NJ nv.A