The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-04-12
0nnGntelliQet1tpr
TEE PHILADELPHIA GALLOWs'
Last Hours of Two COndemned-suI.
eide OF TWItcheIl-.-Exeeu
OF Eaton.
A ttemptIO Resuscitate Eaton's Corpse
"A Chapter OF Horrors.
TWITCHRLL.
PHILADELPHIA. -Anril 9. 1869.

sentenced to execution FOR the murder
OF his mother in law, had anticipated
the doom of the law by the medium OF
capsule charged with hydrocyanic
acid, which was surreptitiously given
to him on the evening previous, sur
rounded by an innocent looking wrap
per Of common liquOrice, by some SYM
pathizen among the many who came to
bid him farewell.
Fastening to the place of incarcera-
ton, our reporter found the report to
be but too true. Gospel and hymn,
psalter and decalogue, religious coun-
sellor and pious precept-tauRht with
out ceasing for seventy eight days-had
nottaken sufficient root to nerve against
the ascent OF a scaffOld and the throttle
OF the constructing rope the feeble will
of George s. Twitchell. The hand that
could beat out the brain OF an aged
woman when asleep could do no mere
than lift modicum OF poison to his
own lips. Fear alone would haVe kill
ed him few hours later.
The watchmen in Moyamenslng pris-
on never leave their posts until their
alternates make their appearance. A
man condemned to die as Twitchell was
Is kept under especial surveillance.
Every cell door Is perforated by GIN
let hole, giving to the patrolmen at all
times full view of the interior, but
affording no view whatever to the CO.
cupant. On Wednesday night the
scenes in the cells of Eaton and Twitch-
ell were very solemn. The latter was
placed upon the second corridor, the
former upon the third, just over the
head of the man expected to be, on yes
terday morning, his fellow voyager
Rev. Mr.. Bringhurst, as usual, during
the aftern noon. The gentleman re-
manned with him until past midnight.
Rev. Fathers James O'Reilly and Bar
ry were in Eaton's cell, when Mr..
BrinRhurst asked them to step into the
cell OF Twltchell and have an interview.
These gentlemen did so. He requested
their prayers, and they Joined with Mr..
Briaghurst In petitions for his spiritual
welfare.
The Catholic priests took leave, and
Mr.. Bringhurst followed them at about
one O'Clock. The sentinel keeper sealed
the door Of the cell and continued his
vigils. At three O'Clock he locked
through the peephole In the door, and
saw Twitchell pacing the floor, with a
tremor shaking his frame. AT 20 min
| utes past five o'clock he again applied
his eye to the orifice. Twitchell lay
upon his back, upon the iron cot, with
tranquil slumber. The wAtchman
deemed 1t best Ito look closer at
him, opened the door, and placed his
hand softly upon the forehead Of one
who was sleeping his last sleep-upon
the forehead Of a man who would never
again see the rays of the early sunrise,
or hear the twitterinR OF the birds OF
spring. George s. Twitchell, Jr., was a
| corpse.
He lay with eyes wide open. He was
simply pallid. There was nothing hid
cons or ghastIy in the appearance OF
his body. He had evidently swallowed
a subtle poison, and laid down to sob
ont palniessly his baffled lie. There
was absolutely no contraction OF the
muscles. The probability Is that In
sensibllity at once followed the swal-
| lowing OF the drug; death followed very
soon after. There were several people
| In his cell on Wednesday at the same
time, In the case of this man the usual
discipline OF the prison seems most IN
comprehensibly TO have been relaxed.
About half-past six o'clock that after
noon, Eaton went to the door of his
cell and succeeded In attracting the at
tention of Twitchell, TO whom he said,
substantially:
"Bear up and die ike IL man tc-nor-
! row, as intend to do"
In answer to this, Twitchell shook
his hend demurely, held up his thumb
and foretinger, as II he held something
like a pill between them, and said sim
phys.
frequent occasions, that he could com.
init suicide, and could not be prevented
| from doing so. On one occasion he had
explained to one OF the keepers how he
could readily take his own life by plac,
Ing a pin at the back of his neck and
then, by thrusting his head back upon
it forcibly, drive 1t up 10 the spinal
marrow, like the Rarote used in capital
punishment In Cuba, producing instant
and painless death.
When Eaton, about ten O'Clock in the
evening, called q passing keeper to him
and told him of the incident which had
Etaken place between the two, remark
inc that he "could not die composedly
without putting them on their guard"
II was deemed advisable to institute a
search OF the cell and person OF
Twitchell.
This was done by the prison officials,
but nothing Of an apparently danger
GUS character was discovered. a cologne
bottle which had been in the cell was
removed, Twitchell requesting permits
sion to moisten his handkerchief with
fts contents, which was accorded him.
There was small looking glass in the
cell, and when 1t was proposed to re-
move that, Twitchell said that the pre-
canton was unnecessary, as he could
readily commit suicide with piece OF
glass from the window of the cell, II he
should choose to resort to such Il des-
perate measure.
AS nothing in the shape of u danger
GUS or poisonous drug was found on his
person, he was then left to himself. I'M
der the belief that he had been simply
| deriding the inmate OF the opposite cell.
A stick Of Calabria locorice, In tho CEN
ire of which had been followed out a
cavity, supposed to have contained the
deadly capsule, was found upon the
| floor Of the cell by deputy coroner
Fletcher, after all was over.
| Coroner Daniels subsequently select
ed the jury to Investigate the death OF
| the suicide. 1t was composed of Thomas
Kemble, Esq, John E. Conrad, Esq,
Hermann DECK, of the German Demo.
Graf, D. S. Lewis, of the Press: Joseph
Fortescue, OF the Ledger, and a. J. Nc
Cleary, of the Telegraph. At half past
O'Clock the jury assembled at the
county prison, and proceeded to ex-
anime witnesses.
Mr.. Perkins, the superintendent,
testified to henature OF the precautions
taken in such cases to prevent the self
destruction OF persons condemned to be
| executed.
Rev. Mr.. Bringhurst deposed that he
was in the cell OF the doomed man on
Wednesday, from to O'Clock in the
afternoon, and from S in the evening
until 20 minutes after IL O'Clock. There
were as many as eighteen visitors dur
| JDn the morning, and so many at g
time that the administration OF spirt
! tuaI consultation was simply impossible.
| About all that TWitcheu said was the
expression OF the ~IBh that God might
strike him dead in the cell II any sylla'
BILE of his last statement were in the
least untrue. The witness had aided
in searching his cell for any means oil
ouICi1o and had ren1ovad his looking