Morning journal and courier., 1884-02-06
A Brutal Tragedy.


 FouIly Murdsred-Thrse Rumans Arr rested-CIafms of AccIdeEtaI Shooting Inquest Begun.
 Yesterday morning it was discovered by the police in North Bridgeport that late Mon. day night Mrs. Mary Lewis, about 55 years of age, was brutally murdered at the house or hovel of Charles Twitchell. Three men, all under 25 years, James Blake, George But Ter and John Bishop, being in that part of Bridgeport while under the influence of drink, called at Twitchelrs house at II o'clock Twitchell and 8 woman whom he called his wife were in bed drunk, and Mrs. Lewis was in the kitchen. The three ruffians went to the bedroom and attempted to outrage Mrs. Twitchell. Mrs. Lewis hearing her cries for help went into the room to interfere, when one of the men seized a shotgun stand ing in the room and shot her in the neck under the left ear, sevsring the iugular vein She died almost instantly. MT. and Mrs. Twitchell informed Officer Ar hold of the murder early yesterday forenoon They were taken to the police station. There Mrs. Twitchell told what she knew of the affair." It seems that Twitchell himself was pretty well ''under the weather" and that late in the evening three young men called at the house to assist in the carousal. While Mrs. Twitchell was in the bedroom, she said the fellows came in, and ''ths tall one" caught her by the throat and attempted to ravish her. She resisted and called Mrs. Lewis. who slept on the lounge in the kitchen, to her aid, at the same time catching up gun which stood near at hand, but aG Mrs Lewis was coming to her, 'the tall man" seized the weapon, aimed hastily and fired, and Mrs. Lewis sank to the floor, her face covered with blood. The three fol- lows then left the house. During all this tims, Twitchell says, he was sleeping of the effects of his potations and heard neither the cry of the woman nor the report of the gun. In the night he arose. and as he was passing out he placed his hand on the lounge and not finding Mrs Lewis there, asked what had be- come of her. ''Why, don't you know?" his wife responded; ''shs's killed" As soon morning came both started of to notify the authorities, with the result above stated.
 The news of the crime spread rapidly about the city and the excitement was most intense. From descriptions given the police arrested the young men above named. They admitted their presence in the Twitchell house Monday night, and Bishop owned up to firing the gun, but claimed that it was an accident; that he only pointed it ''in fun," not supposdng it would explode. They fur- ther declared that they intended to give them selves up. At the scene of the murder 8 horrible sight was presented In the kitchen, on the floor, lay the dead body of Mrs. Lewis In her left jaw was hole large enough for the insertion of two fingers of an ordinary man, where the charge of the gun had entered, and underneath the head and spattered upon closet door near at hand were pools and clots of blood.
 ThA ftOa - n f1rNd the fatal shot OavA his name when arrested as John Bishop, but cor rectly it is Bishoff, his parents being known by that patronymic He denied that any attempt at outrage was made upon tho woman who passed as Twitchells wife He vas in the bedroom, he admits, and she picked up the gun, he says, and snapped it two or three times at him. Then being assured that 1t contained no charge he pointed it towards Mrs. Lewis and playfully warned her to get out of the way. He snapped the trigger haIf-dozen times, he declares, before it ex- ploded and that he thought it was not loaded.
 The murdered woman had been staying at the Twitchslls' abode, having no home and was doing what she could find to do at dress making. Her body was conveyed to the morgue. She belonged in Trumbull and had a son, carpenter, working in Bridgeport. The name of the woman living with TWitch- ell as his wife is Maria Jones and she has 8 husband or did have one short time ago, has been proven by letters found among her effects She has persistently stated since the tragedy that she was married to Twitchell, but it IS not believed to be fact. Twitchelrs wife left him some time ago, a decree of divorce being passed. it is reported.
 Coroner Holt who has taken charge of the case, telegraphed State Attorney Fessenden to authorize Dr. G. l.. Porter to make the post. mortem, which will be begun as soon as the answer arrives.
 In Chief Marsh's private office, at o'clock, was begun the inquest by Coroner Holt. The sessions are secret. as in the Rose Am bier case. The jury after hearing several witnesses adjourned till this morning at 9 o'clock