The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-22
LEGAL INTELLIGENCE
THE HILL MURDER.
The Trial of Camilla E. Twitchcn.
To.pAY,s PROCEEDINGS.

! ELECTED nothing more than the general bloody
streets on the night of the murder, this morn
ing resumed their case There was of course
! q large cOncourse OF women in the courtroom,
| but the prisoner did not favor them with
view Of her pale face, which she continued TO
| keep closely yelled.
Detective Warnock was put upon the stand
| and testified that he made a search of Mrs.
! Hill's house and found poker and candle; took
| off the knobs of the dining room door with
! blood upon them; cut out a piece of oilcloth
from The dining room and entry floor; q piece
| bed with blood upon 4; found some money
and jewelry in Mrs; Htll,s room and other
| indicated that some one dripping with blood
| had gone from the dining room, but not that
| the person went either up or down stairs
The deed for the house at Tenth aud Pine
streets, in Mrs. Twitchells name, was here put
ia evidence.
Joseph Henderson sworn-I knew Mrs Hill
In her lifetime about twenJy-six years, ana
had slight acquaintance with the prisoner;
called upon Mis-. Hill in July last In reference
to the title OF the mouse, Mrs. Twltchell being
present; Mrs. Twitchell then said, I'VE will
convey the property to you, Mrs. Hill, If that is
what you want" / don'G think that
had said anything in her presence
this OCCURRED Ibe
dining room at Tenth and Pine streets; sup.
three. quarters before this remark was made;
Mrs. Twitchell had not been in the room during
all that time; Mrs. Hill had left the room aud
returned before Mrs. Twitchell came in; Mrs.
Twiichell had gone out of the house before
she came into the room where was; she had
lerview. and then returned in company with
MIR Twitchel she was out Of the house, / sup.
pose, half an hour; / remained there all that
I time; when they came into the room Mr..
Twitchell spoke first; Mrs. Hill had very little
this property; that was ali that was
said at that time about the property.
MontgomeTy's, next door to Mrs. 6iiis' testi.
! fed that on the night of the murder she heard
no other noise IN Mrs, Hills except the ringing
| of the bell five or six times, between and 10
! o'clock, and the noise in the kitchen following
! this ringing-the discovery of the body aud the
| gathering of the people; she had not heard the
| dogs at all this night.
Officer James White testified that he had
charge of the house at Tenth ana Pine streets,
from about ~ o'clock Sunday night OF the
murder, until 10 o'clock next morning; Mrs.
! Twitchell passed The night there; occupying the
| the second story back room, front building;
| old Mr. TWltchell and the -rvant girl remained
Campbell and Mrs. Twitchell In their room all
night; he did not see them from the time they
| were given into his charge until o'clock next
Ebenezer Cobb was called to prove that he
went to the house of Joseph Gilbert to serve a
subpoena upon him, aud was told that he was
Officer Mccullough, who was in charge OF
the house with Officer White, reiterated that
Mr. Sheppard here arose snd sald:
May IL please your Honors-The case for the
Commonwealth Is now closed We have sub
mitted all the testimony that was In our pos
session. or OF which we have been informed or
that has in any way come to our knowledge,
and we have used all possible diligence In ex-
hausling the sources OF Information that have
been communicated to us, or have been brought
! in any way within our reach.
That evidence Is now before the Court. The
consideration Of 1t, in my Judgment imposes
very grave responsibility upon the prosecuting
! officer, and although 1t may be the duty OF
counsel who represent defendant to avail
themselves of all legal means to secure the ac-
qulttal OF their client, do not regard 1t on the
other hand, as the duty of prosecuting officer
! in every case, or In any case, TO press convic-
tion when in his Judgment the law aud the
| facts do not warrant IL.
feel bound TO say that. upon the testimony
defendant can be convicted without straining
! the law and the doctrine of circumstantial evi.
dence beyond q safe, reasonable, legal, ana
! consequently regard 1t as my official duty to
submit this bin TO the jury without asking
defendant, trusting that In this respect as in
all others. may receive the approval and
Mr. Mann replied-It is certainly very grati-
! tying to the prisoner and to the counsel Tor the
! prisoner to know that at this hour, after every
effort has been made, the Commonwealth has
been unable to find anything to warrant jury
They abandon the case. admitting that there
! is not even prtnlG Jdcte case. We honestly be.
lIeved, when we applied for the writ of habeas
corpus, that there was nothing against the
prisoner, and that a half hours patient, honest,
and careful examination of the case would
establish that fact But the camor of the puhlic
! was such that the way was not seen clear TO
| give that half hour
This woman, broken. hearted and suffering
and crushed down, was entitled To her discharge
long ago, and If there had been sufficient
amount OF courage 10 perform n duty, tue prison
doors OF this woman would have been opened
nine weeks ago.
Judge Allison Gentlemen of the Jury:-You
, have Just heard what has been said by tde Dis
| trict Attorney. 1t is the duty of the officer
presenting the commonwealth to go through
| The proper legal investigation of the charge
! contained in this bill of indictment. They have
prosecuted the investigation under the evidence
| which they have been able to procure. aud
which in their Judgment bears against the
! prisoner.
/ the evidence which the Commonwealth was
| able to obtain-all the Information has been
! submitted in support of the charge against the
prisoner. The representatives of the Common
! wealth, acting with all due fidelity to them
| selves to the Court, and to the jury, have felt
themselves compellee to say that they cannot
ask for a verdict of guilty against the prisoner
| upon the evidence.
| 1t remains for us TO say, both agreeing en-.
tiIely upon the points. that there is no evidence
| upon which the Commonwealth would be
| warranted in asking a VerdtcC, and therefore
the course just announced by the District At
| torney meets with our entire approval and
| appreciation,
| evidence as IL now stands. We think the cir
| cumstances would not warrant the District
Attorney in asking you to render verdict OF
| guilty Of any form OF felonious homicide as
| against the defendant.
| Therefore, agreeing entirely with the District
| Attorney, we submit the bill TO you, and say
| that under this evidence we do not think there
| is anything to warrant verdict or guilty OF
murder in the first degree, OF murder in the
| second degree, or manslaughter.
| The Indictment was given to the jury, ana
| while the foreman was taking the sentiments
| of his fellows, Judge Allison announced TO the
| audience that If, upon the rendition, any de-
| Immediately arrested by the officers, and
| severely punished by the Court
Verdict Of Not Guilty.
Tho Clacby tho,, o.I,aa oF tho