The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-01-05
RECORD or CRIME.
The AInrming Frequency or Murders-The
Necessity for the Appointments Of a "Murdcr
nAsn

Tho Alnrming Frequency or Murders-Ihe
Necessity for the Appointment Of n "Murdcr
Dctective.,'
[From the Philadelphia Press, Jan. ~
The necessity for a murder detective has been
heretofore referred to In these columns. The de-
velopments IN the Twtchel case have been 30 start
ling that we are induced to recur to the subject
again. brutal murder has occurred, and police
man arrives, but he does not understand MS buSl-
ness, and not until citizen drives him 70 the per-
Torrance OF his duty does he take the murderer in
custody. The prisoner lodged Ut the station house
but the lieutenant does not see him until the next
morning. Now here Is the absence OF the head OF
citizen goes to the Central station and outdis
tancing the telegraph gives notice Of the murder.
Mr.. Warnock, VINO is not detective, but merely
night Hatchman and receiving the pay OF an ordin-
airy policeman, instantly visits the scene OF murder
and considering he does not receive tine pay or o
detective he acquits himself in very satisfactory
manner The chief OF the detective force does not
reach the scene OF murder until ten O'Clock the next
morning, and here Is the head OF another depart
ment.
Policemen are left in the house during the fatal
night, aud consider, no doubt, that as women are
therein it would be indicate for them to be In the
same room with them, SO they permit one OF the
principal witnesses for the Commonwealth, one OF
the supposed murderers and the father OF the 0ther
supposed murderer, to pass the night IN o room Dy
themselves, fire ana gas being at hand TO destroy
prisoner 10 permitted to take his departure, unmO-
Tested. at any moment he pleases, and selects the
hour Of five A. NJ. to leave.
tons to this father, nevertheless cases may arise
where another party allowed the run OF house I'M
The most extraordinary movement Is the sarren-
der by the Coroner Of the bloody premises to the
prisoners representatives and when the Common
wealt's officers desire to visit them they must OBJ
tain the leave Of the prisoner SO TO do.
The next extraordinary movement Of law offcers
e thu . ne e naa
do so. This same policeman prac ises deceI ton
upon his brother ofilcer and hastens into court TO
make believe that the latter told deliberate lie.
1t Is most extraordinary how conviction occurred
in this case with so much OF the machinery OF the
law against the Commonwealth Again college after
the Jefferson faculty for the first time recognizing
the Philadelphia University which appeared TO be
the centre OF perversiOn Of medical evidence. When
Anton PrObst sat Ia the dock policemen brought In
hammers and axes as the tools with which ne COM
sal IN the dock eminent professors OF surgery brought
in pokers Of all kinds and sizes to show that Twitche
did not commit the murder. SO earnest and excited
time we thought he would ask permission OF the
Court to take live subject and batter his head to
corroborate the theory Of skull readily bending
poker. Surgeons said TO be void OF feeling; but
SO welded to their profession were some or these
gentlemen that practical demonstration would
have been made, no doubt, had not the doctors OF
the law known the prisoner would have had to place
the subject IN the same position Mrs. Hi was In
been good for the doctors, no doubt, but very bad
for the prisoner had he offered his practical know
ledge against mere theory.
but the officer bearing the request says Mr.. Starr
told him che thought It piece q exqus.,e impers
him any question: rs he did not recognize the auth0rs
ity Of the Pennsylvania court to command him." ON
forth its citizens in behaf Of the prisoner volunteers
from Philadelphia were found BY the prisoner to do
any little WORK 6u va o nad
young gentlemen endeavored to make the purleus Of
the dock respectable by their presence, and the prs
oncr was the most wonderful compound OF frgid hui
manity that ever occupied the place. Probstlaughed
once during his trial, and that was when brazen
IN nsr cr his
but the moment woman approached him to shake
lands his face became as solemn looking IS an I'M
with AL the GOODNESS OF q philosopher and on one
occasion while sitting In the dock smoking before
sss opening q es cSo 70 an ana
Carriages were provided for the conveyance OF the
prisoner to court, and IN some instances single
Sherir finally. awakened to sense Of his response
bility, brought the van into reluistion taking the
precanton 70 guard 1t with the officers directly re-
the prisoners counsel were peculiarly faithful TO
HIM. and nothing more than was done could possibly
man ingenuity could devise was brought into prac-
tcal USE and book Of hypothesis might be written
4 striking feature Of this case Is the evidence OF
two Of the servant girls who sesmed to be Of the in
telligence once breed ana lived not long at any
one at least Of these women talk Of the Hills and
Twi,chelIs could have been given by the Common
wealth strange contradiction would have been the
result SO long rs our citizens employ servants at
intelligence places they take all the risks OF their
swearing. In TINS they swear for the prisoner
with them at nights. In the next case they may
verse their style OF swearing.
when the law shall compel intelligence 0flces to
keep q record Of the residences OF servant girls
both prosecution and defence may be benefited.
As II is now the name and residence Of tine en-
ployer Is taken, but the employe IL . blank to the
Int after n UlacA A record
of her residence might be advantageous In testing
both her veracity and honesty but no such record u
As Mrs. TwitcheIl said, the day after her arrest,
that she apprehended great fears OF her husbands
s Ss nas tue cas 81 me
which the prisoner sported IN court.
In conclusion, we may suggest TO Chief Detective
not be shirked OF the execution Of his duties be-
cause u woman figures In It. Detectives do not
fancy giving time to murder cases when other things
knowledge they have been stirred to energy, -
general thing. and not stepped forth willingly 70
m ofcer whose duty shan be Inc Interrogation Of
murder cases will undoubtedly meet the approoa-
tlon OF the community, as besides being the thing
most required. 1t Will break up the jeaousies which
FOR many years have existed between lieutenants
and tler men towards the detective branch
Heavy Highway Robbery In Norfolk, Va
Ten Thousand Dollars Stolen from an Ex-
press Agcnt-The Suspected Parties.
From the Norfolk vrg.nian, Jan. IL
Yesterday Thursday morning our city was
thrown into a state Of considerable excitement BY
the announcement that Mr.. Edward N. King, agent
OF the Virginia Express Company In this city, while
his way to the depot OF the Norfolk and Peters
burg Railroad, az -four O'Clock in the morning, had
been Knocked down and robbed OF large sum OF
money--staied TO be betwe cen $4,000 and Sll, 0oo
Mr. King states that he had the money in an account
book IN ms breast pocket and while walking swiftly
10 the depot and just IN the act OF passing the mouth
OF Kings lane, he was assaulted by two men, one OF
WHOM struck him severe blow on the back or the
head. knocking hin senseles.. While IN this condition
ne was robbed OF the money, and his aSsafauts,
whom he could noe recognize, made their escape.