The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-04
OITY INTELLIGENCE.
GEORGE s. TwITCHELL, JR.
rne Doomed Man i'm Hts Cell.

Il
rno Doomed Man i'm Hts Cell.
No event in this world II the words of the
old saw be true, is OF more Importance than
'nine days wonder" The discovery OF me
hTuial murder of Mrs. Mary T.. Hill thrilled the
city with horror: and the excitement wh.ch en-
sued upon the arrest and subsequent trial
OF George 8. Twitchell, Jr her sen in.law, upon
a ed. was Intense and long continued. With
% About the affair, and the anticipated refusal of
Lhe lower court TO grant new trial. and OF the
upper ppmo%enSry Ons ia recuTrence @ % % Of ihe mater
60 the public mind. The doomed man,
Of fSrther reman interest a hs
cell, an object simply OF curiosity, some
times'of eommiserat1on, TO the prison VISITOR;
the crime for which he was convicted have
sunk into sortsof semi-oblivion, some infor.
nation relating to his prison life, his prepara-
tions for his entrance into another world. and
his ideas concerning the result of his trial.
By visit made yesterday afternoon to Moya-
mensing Prison, during which we were afforded
talking with him. the following points, the
publication of which can do no harm, were
gathered. The main Obj ect of seeking the ln-
terview with the cond emned was TO ascertain
from personal observation how rwitchell bears
mental and am s physie.i % Condition; how he occu
pies his time; his ideas regarding his immed1-
ate fatpr. what signs OF Gond10n y me eiSPsys, P s
regarding the crime for which he is sentenced
20 death. .,,,u,
or upper row of the northern corridor of the
jail. Thither we we're conducted by one OF the
prison officials. Before we entered we heard
She sound of solemn psalmody to familiar
tune. The prisoner in company with his
Jordan's stormy banks l stand" His voice.
he was evidently earnest in his devotions.
It appeared, on inquiry. that Mr.. Bringhurst
10 the spiritnai wants OF Twitcheii and has
done SO from the day Of the prisoners convic-
Tne latter apparently takes the deepest In
terest In the religious exercises conducted by
his faithful spiritual attendant, and joins IN
the singing OF hymns and offers extempore
prayers with pious fervor.
We did not enter the cell until the sound OF
the singing had died away, and then II was
that we noticed the devout air of Twitchell
Mr. Bringhurst at once introduced us to the
condemned. The latter rose from his seat, and
cordial welcome In a frank, free. off-hand. and
cheerful manner. Seats were then taken, and
TwitcSeii, we opened the conversation. AS has
frequently been said by those who attempted
ciaiiy the physiognomy Of Twitchell during
the progress of his trial, he looks far from the
murderer His face is one annts OF intelligence.
than treaohery; of kindness, good humor.
and Ike a
just prepared to attend church or an evening
party. His skin was clear and transparent;
expressive. His manner was cordial though
calm and self possessed Making some remark
hurst, Twitchell assured as that the two hours
he daily spent with that gentleman greatlybene-
depression of confinement. and were of real
advantage 10 his soul. In reply to other ques-
although he thought he had lost flesh since his
confinement; He generally retired to rest
abont nine O'clock and rose about seven seven IN In the
peeted Without having the beneht OF any exer-
else, and his appetite continued good:
Referring then to his trial, we asked him II
he was satisfied with the way In which his de:
fense had been conducted. He answered that
he thought his counsel had done all they could
for him under the circumstances. and he be.
lieved his conviction was the result of the
popular prejudice existing at the time against
The conversation then turned on circum-
stantial evidence. and Twitchell, referring to
its uncertainty. related an incident OF his being
accused when boy of stealing q bottle OF
Innocence and he was not rishted % In pSe9 the mat
ter until some years after, when the bottle was
sna1eed Se SRsre aSS sSe ga9
placed IL unthtnkingly herself
said:-"I was much Rratifed when / heard of
it, but was also very much surprised as /
both her and myself would convict her also y
He then said that he received frequent visits
from Mrs. Twitchell, and that she still hoped
We then asked him II he had any theory OF
his own to account for the mysterious murder
OF his motner,i in law. or held any suspicIons @ as
To who the real murderer was -
He replied, "I have no theory that would
feel Justified In making public. I have my sus.
pieions in certain quarters, but think II best to
.Eeep them 10 myself, for the present at least
know that was in bed and asleep at the time
and did not wake until Camilla This Wife, shook
me. When went down stairs was engaged
In Wipipg the blood from the body, and nevel
Thought for one moment Of being suspected a.
the murderer"
JJpon auestioniI him about any expectation
he might have of his sentence being cOmmuted
ne ansWered:-"The trial being SO complete
and the Court, after so long elaboration, re
fusing TO grant q new one, and the Supreme
COurt refusing to grant writ OF error, all com
nine 10 make me give up all hope that the Gov
ernOr will interfere in the matter, and hav
made up nv mind TO suffer the penalty Of TN
santeuce / have received" After pauslng 70
q few moments, he resumed. saytng:-"H an
70 suffer death, will be perfectly resigned /
a. as Il will feel that the atfiictions put upo
srra viii he intended for some good. though un
saen nurp0se feel confident that my innC
oenoe will be fully proved some time or othe
hnt it may be years after am gone"
As he uttered these last words The Jailor VIII
had been In waiting all the time, intimate
that the Interview must end. We rose. as di
switcbell. Thanking us for the interest we ha
msnifested in visiting him. with warm shak
or fhe hand he bRde us goodbye
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