The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-02
TIE TWITCHELL TRIAL
''Guilty of Murder in the
First Degree"
The Closing Arguments, and Judge
Brewster's Charge to the
Jury in Full.

was DGlJCr 0CICOuSu lnd0 any p1eCeulDB one
The crowd sat patiently through the long ar "a
ment of Mr.. Mann, and then listened with zest
10 the magnificent closing speech of District
Attorney Sheppard, who, as Nc. Mann had said,
"went at the evidence with full and vigorous
mind, aud presented it in manner that was
appalllng.p
Then came the able document on circum-
stantial evidence and the full review OF tue
evidence by Judge Brewster. The jury at $40
Ietlred, and returned at 9I5, when the quiet
in the courtroom Yves really oppressive. At
last 0t seemed a very very long tme) the jury
and the prisoner arose and faced each other.
Mr.. Galou, the clerk, then said: =
Gentlemen OF the jury, have you agreed upon
verdict?
Foreman-We have.
Clerk-Gentemen of the jury, how say you?
Do you fud George S. TTitcheli, Jr, the pri-
soner at the bar, guilty OF the felony of muder,
whereof he stands indicted, or not guilty.
Foreman-Guilty.
CleIk--In what degree?
Foreman-First degree.
Crier-The Court stands adjourned until to.
morrow morning at ten O'Clock. Clear the court
On the foreman saying "Guilty," Twitchell
clasped his hands together, ralsed his eyes up.
ward, and muttered some words
He was seized around the neck and hometown
to the bench by his friend MIR. McCully, who
has sat with him all through the long days OF
the trial The father OF the prisoner ps. sat In
iron railing, weeping. Az $50 the prisoner was
removed to his louely cell in Moyamensing. His
demeanor during these trying moments was that
soled with he was consoling the two who were
manifestng go much concern in his welfare.
The following are the speeches Of Mr. Mann and
District Attorney Sheppard:-
Mr. Mann resumed, saying he may have mis-
conceived the object OF tle juror in asking
about the shirt, aud he consequently required
to it again. 1t the prisoner put his SHIRT on
after gong up stairs blood might have hlrted
on it when he butteued his coat. He thought
there was no testimony to snow that the olood
on the shirt was huld or diluted oood. When
he went up stairs he had blood all over his coat,
even to the skirts, and the thro wing OF the coat
OFT might have trted the blood over tue shrt.
There was evidence, no matter tow 1t had been
staggered at 10 show that dog had been upon
the shirt. Ii the stains were IRON blood, tnen
how soaked the coat must have oeen to have
made them! 1t was as falr, lar more mercnul
and true, to take other suggestions as 10 how
the bood got on the shirt than that OF the
Commonw wealth, that it got on while the man
was beating his mothers brains out w,'h a
poker. He read IRON the London Lancet, of
: November 2l, furnished by Professor Gross the
elder, an account OF man having been beaten
over the head with poker, the poker being
much bent but the man not killed. 1t the jury
rejected all said by the defense as to the blood
en- the shirt, and could conjecture in their own
minds a means by VIII ch the blood could have
got Oh the shirt other than suggested by the
Commonwealth, then this case was for the
deleuse. Mir. Henderson had not been permit
ted to tell what Mrs. Hill told him as to the
place she carried her money. She had $4,000
in money two years ago, aud expended SIG 900
for the house and $4,000 or $4,000 tor the turn-
ture she then had a large amount of money
left and no bank acc Dunt. If this murder was
not for this money, why did the Commonwealth
have the cesspool cleaned aud rdked TO ind it
This missing money is one OF the great
truths that paralyzes this case. If the money
had been found upon the prisoner, or II
they had proven where he hid it, then
they would have had him fastened as was
Probst The dinng-room was never visited by
Sarah Campbell, and the body in that room
was safe from her view. Why the necessity OF
this prisoner thro wing it out of the window?
1t was difficult perhaps to conceive why another
man would throw the body out OF the window;
but suppose, after or two blows were given
in the room, the body had been thro Wn 10
another man on watch in the yard, who would
have rlfed it at ease in the yard. Had any one
sopped in the room to rifle the body they might
= have been surprised by TWitchell coming out Of
the room, and they would have had no chance
of escape. This is not half as strange as TO
suppose George 8. TWitchell would commit this
murder and go TO bed, leaving his bloody cuts
about, after placing the body exactly where
sarah Campbell would see II. And all
could not be his, for by the death OF Mrs. Hill
it would be his wile's. The murderers may have
taken the very candle which Mrs. Hull had, and
gone over the premises 1t may be that one OF
the men was secreted in the house, aud let the
other in. 1t may be that some one pretending
to be a begear, might examine the lock and
make fase Keys suppose letter had bean
sent her that important Information would be
sent her at O'Clock. Most likely she was
sleeping with her head in her hand; but did the
poker ever cut the finger OH? Would not a
nbloW from O poker have bruised all the fingers
but never have cut one ohY
Mr. Mann concluded by warning the jury that
IL they rendered verdict of guilty in this case
The prisoners blood would cling to them. Ii
this prisoner is not acquitted then there is no
reliability on human testimony. No attempt
had been made to introduce false evidence, bat
Reliable witnesses had been examined If he
were on this Jury he would stand out until the
crack of doom. He warned the Jury not to be
Terrified or seduced by the appeals OF the
District Attorney, who had renamed passive
only to gather up his legal points aud appal the
Jury.
District Attorney Sheppard arose amidst g
silence which has been buC seldom noticed in
the courtroom, and said: This case is not one
of professional or personal rivalry. Nor can il
be made the subject OF friendly contest be
tween any of the counsel. feel too strongly anC
oppresslVely the resp ,nslolllty, to allow mVsel
to be distracted by any such nnWarranta0le ol
uulmpoItant consideration. Nor shall under
take to rival the learned gentleman who has jus
taken his seat, III hts rich and protuse eloquence
His case may have required all ITS OF adorn
ments aud illustrations and the help of rhetoric
shall not undertake TO emulate him IN display
for possess none OF those qualities. All desir
TO do Is simply and plainly, and in as fe@ word
as possible to call your attention to what
consider to be the material facts OF this case.
1t Is a very I'M portant one. This wnole con
munily has watched 1t fIom its c0mmencemel
until now, and the anxiety is intensified as th
case draws TO close. This little jury-oo
4expands to q wider horlzon-tnat OF our entIT
scommunIty. You have seen the indications
the intense anxiety of the public on this subjet
by the crowds present. l tell you that If Iher
lis any miscarriage of public justice here, yer
heavy responsibility will rest upon some ont
1he Common Wealth's oficaTs have doue the
puty; they have lett nothing undone. Th
.l..N. IN all