The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-04-15
The HIIE Murder.
MRS TwITCHELL Fixes THE GUILT on HER
HUsBAND-wHY SHE DISCONTINUED
HEB vISITs TO HIS CELL.

teregting and authentic details of the history
of the fatnily not heretofore printed. Mrs.
TwitcheIl wss bora io WashinGtop-her
nlotksr being theR known as Mrs. Werntz
her father. Revolver Spencer, a Methodist
clergyman -Of some reputation. Ia 1874 the
a4other and daughter removed to Cincinnati
and Temais@d there foHr yesxs, during which
tlals Camilla WAS known as Mss Sawyer.
hS~ mother having a married sister of that
nxme This is probably the origin of the
story that Hrs. Twitchcll was i!eGitimate
aRd daughter 0f member of Congress
from Ohio. In 1ess Mrs. Werntz and
daughter came to Philadelphia. and the
former married Mr. IIiti. Shortly afterwards
Camilla married Richard Martin, clerk in
a crv goods store After living together
Eve years Martin left his wife, alleging acts
Of inpropriety on her part; but she took
the iRitative in the proceedings for di-
vorce. which eliminated in legal separation
in 1853. Camilla then resumed the name
of Sawyer. returned tn her mothers house,
and lived there with her and Mr. Hill. She
there became acquainted with Twitchell. sr.,
then a widower with several children, in
cluiiag George S Twitcheli, an iliegitimate
son. who had been born in Brooklyn, his
mother dying shortly after his birth. Car
milla was engaged as housekeeper, and re-
moved with Twitchell sr to New Jersey.
It is denied most positively by all parties
that there WAS any improper intimacy be-
tween Mr.. Twitchell and his housskesper.-
On the contrary. Camilla's cons uct is rep
resented to have been hlameless. She wEs
a member Of DR.. lords church. in Broad
street. near Chestnut, and ID her character
Of housekeeper was paid regular wages. and
FIR extra service teeeived extra pay. When
George S. T"i'chell, j.. reached manhood.
he was accepted as suitor of his fathers
housekeeper, and in 1864 was married.
We have already said that Mrs. Twitchsll
is not yet ready to give 70 the public for
nal statement but. while in prison await
ing trial. in conversation with prison off
cials, she made partial explanation, which
las never been published. When infrmed
of her husbands conviction and TIE proba-
bilities of her own fate. she remark I'd 81
know nothing of the murder. That after
noon George and | were ont riding. and
when we got back to the house ruother was
getting tea, as Sarah Campbell had gone
out. / noticed that GeorSs was very much
depressed in spirits. He never was much
| of ts.ker, but this night he vas quister
than usual he scarcely sloke az all al the
| tab'c; aud after supper / said to mother
there is something the matter with George.
suppose you 20 an1 talk with him while !
| clear away the things? Mother went MP
I stairs and ! cieared away the things. and
when got through | vent 20 my room.-
George was then IN the sitling room reading
paper and smoking cigar. | went TO
bed, and don't know how long l was
asleep when ] was aroused by the cry of
Sarah Campbell in the kitchen"
This is the Only statement she has ever
made outside of whatever she may have
Communicated to her counsel. The Tran
script continues as f,llows:
WHY MRS. TWITJHELL CEASED Hza VISITS
TO THE PRISON.
At the outset it may he well to remind
our readers that on the day of the inques5
she appealed to her husband TO tell what he
knew of the murder. and that if he we're
guilty to act like man and relieve her -
This ne refused to do. After her acquittaI
she did call at the prison, bnt instead cf
the greeting on her part being warm anil af-
fectionats il WAS cool, as would naturally he
the case with one who locked dpon her hus-
baud as the murderer Of her mother I'm
med ately aft her acquittal Twitchell and
bis friends commenced preparing q state
ment from Mrs. Twitchell which would take
from him the charge and transfer it to the
wie- So shrewd were the parties engaged
that one Of them visited Daniel Daugherty,
Esq. to ascertain from him whether a per
be tried a secun1 time, although there be
confession of guilt The response being
that there could not he sec md trial. ef
forts were rene we'd with Tedoubled vigor
until Mrs. 7 wtcheli's friends heard of them
aud advised her to absent herself from pri.-
on. She always denied anv com mplicity in
the murder. and he's fears Of confession by
bin were based upon the fact that she
knew that he did not beli-va in the immor-
tality of the soul. and that his confessions. of
piety 10 Mr.. Bringhurst were only shams
designed merely to retain his service in the
game for life lie was playing. Others be.
81 les her5ef had every reaeon to fsol as.ureI
! that he would not hesitate at any lie to
save his life, for there is ev-ry reason to be-
leve that II at least oae human being.
George :. Twitche!i jr., confessed his crime,
and made himself sole actor in the tragedy
Throughout this eff,lrt TO induce his wife to
take upon herself the u,jnSt accusation, in
order to save his life, Twitchell had frequent
conversations with his friends, who, anx
iuus as they were TO assist him, could no,
overlook the damning proofs of his own
guilt They saw the Inherent improbabiIi-
ty of his confession. and they were anxious
20 have some parts of it explained to the
satisfscti,'n of the public. day or two
before his death his strong love of life led
him again to refer to it. and he remarked to
his aunt, Mrs Moore at is hard that |
have to die for this thing" Mrs Moore
then inquired of the prisoner. ''How can
you account far the blood that was found
IN your shirt" Twitchel then related to
her the circumstances of the murder, in
keeping with his so-called confession. He
told her how he was aroused by his wife
Calling to him; how he went down into the
dining room. and was there told by her that
she had quarreled with her mother and
murdered her. "My first impulse was to
alarm the neighbors. but my second im-
pulse was to save my wife" TwitcheIl
then stated to Mrs. Moore The circumstan-
ces attending the throwing of the body
from the window. He asserted that he
grasped the body of the murdered woman
hx-t tboI \ II. i. l., 50