Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-07-21
NO. 20.
Senator T~ltcheII's story.

Now that Senator Twitchell has so far re-
covered as TO be able TO converse freely and
almost cheerfully, he was asked TO make
straightforward statement of the last at
tempt TO murder him at Coushatta. His
statement is about as follows:
On the day he was attacked he and Mr..
King were on a plantation opposite Cou-
shatta, waiting 10 be ferried over. col
ored man was found who agreed TO land
them in Coushatta. The river at that point
is not very wide; indeed, good sized re-
volver is liable 10 carry a bullet from one
bank 10 the other. Before the ferry-boat
was halfway across, Mr.. TwitcLell saw the
assassin raise his rifle and point IL directly
toward the skiff and fire. Such an out
rageous attack was entirely unexpected,
therefore no precaution had been taken to
meet the emergency. The murderer, ap-
parently as calm as If firing at a target con-
| tinued to shoot, and did not cease until he
| had delivered twenty-five loads, using
| rifle and large revolver. Mr.. Twitchell
could see him plainly, and although con-
siderably excited, noticed that the murder
er wore a rubber Overcoat and a pair of
dark colored goggles, and also had beard.
|
the Senator felt himself wounded, he leap
ed into the river on the lower side, cling
ing by one hand. By that time Mr.. King
| had received his death wound, aud was
| stretched out in the ferry-boat. Mr..
| Twitehell's first wound did not trouble
| him greatly while in the water, at first, but
when both of his arms were shattered he
almost despaired, being barely able to keep
| his head above water by using bis right
| leg. When the ferry man saw him floating
| away he began to push his boat as if to res
cue the victim, when The assassin fired
at him, wounding one OF his hands. Mr..
Twitchell then whispered to the ferryman
to tell the ruffian that he (TwitchelD
was dead, and to stop shooting. The old
man spoke up promptly as directed, and
two or three ladies on the bank not far
from the villain also told him that Mr..
Twitchell was dead, at the same time i'm
plorlng him to desist. The scoundrel there
upon quietly mounted horse and rode off,
apparently as serene as If he had perform
ed religious deed. Nobody pursued.
During all this time Gen. Midget stood
on the opposite bank and witnessed the en-
tire transaction, and when he saw that King
was wounded fired a few shots at the as
sailant, but without effect, as his weapon
was an ordinary revolver.
As soon as the murderer departed .he fer
ryman managed to place Mr.. Twitchell in
the boat, and finally landed where they had
started from. By that time Mr.. Twitchell
was nearly dead, prostrated by pain, loss of
blood, and chilled through. He was con-
10 a ,Nlon la1i I.
planned Of being very cold, some bricks
were heated and placed at his feet, and by
reason of carelessness or natural excite
ment of the attendants, his right foot was
badly burned, and he still cutters from that
cause. He remained in the cabin an hour,
when his friends removed him TO SPRING
vile, mile and half back OF Coushatta,
where DIR. Carson, an army surgeon, speed
lily attended him. 1t was at once seen that
one arm could not possibly be saved, and
II was taken off close up TO his shoulder.
The remaining arm was badly shattered,
and DR.. Carson used his best efforts to save
it, but amer twenty eight days OF patient
waiting the surgeon unwillingly announce
ed that the only course to pursue was to
ampuhe it; his one also close to the shoul-
der.
Mr.. Twitchell expresses The belief that
DR.. Carson saved his life, and wishes to
publicly express his gratitude to that I'M
firing gentleman for his kind services and
constant attention.
In consequence OF repeated threats made
by persons in that section that "the work
must be finished" very few visitors were
permitted 10 see the half dead victim, but
after Il third week of his prostraIion these
threats ceased. About the time of the as
sassination most OF the leading Republi-
cans in the vicinity of Coushatta received
anonymous letters warning them to leave
Immediately.
Mr.. Twitchell left Coushalta last Sunday,
taking passage on the steamboat, Durfee.
Hundreds of persons assembled TO see the
manned Senator carried on board, butthere
was no demonstration. Four soldiers ac-
companied him as guard, for If Red Riv-
er men will 60 in squad aud assassinate a
wounded man lying in hospital aud riddle
him with bullets, it would not be strange
If that gang, or a similar one, would mur-
der an armless man leaving his home. On
ly a single incident occurred during the
trip-the Durfee's clerk objected to the
soldiers being on the boat. However, the
Captain overruled the clerk, and the SOL
diers remained on board.
Mr.. Twitchell is well satisfied that there
are people in Coushatta who were cogniz-
ant of what was TO taanspire, and that they
understood that an arrangement had been
made 10 kill him. 1t is well known that
the assassin remained in the village sever
al hours before he dyed his hands in bu-
man blood and while he was in black
smith shop Two or three persons attempted
TO penetrate his disguise. The story that
he was stranger in that section is of no
effect-the awful deed was committed there
and the perpetrator was allowed to ride out
of town unmolested.
When two members of the Congressional
committee, which lately held sessions in
this city, visited Coushatta to obtain testi-
mony in this case they had prepared list
of questions, and of such a singular char
acter, as the Senator considered them,
that he asked them if they had really come
TO try kim because he did not die. It
looked that way to him, but he answered
their questions as well as he could. The
committee Informed him that in case evil
dence was obtained derogatory TO his char
acter, he should have an opportunity to
prove the contrary, but that promise was
not kept. Both members left twenty-four
hours before they had declared they would,
and failed In haar aavaraI .imnortauf wit