The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-10-28
TWITCHELL WAS ACQUITTED
Pronounced Not Guilty Of Shooting The
Negro Paul Davis.
JURY WAS OUT ONLY THREE MINUTES
The Case Which Has Excited Such Inter
est at Last Disposed of--The Evil
dence Submitted and the Courts
Instructions Ia the Jury.

HthiilO county JAN 10 h"o Nvui lhOuHt 10
be tried for assault committed on witch
ellis daughter Cora. was tried In the Iius-
tings Court this morning and acquitted.
The case was given TO the jury at 1851
o'clock, and three minutes later they
brought in the verdict which set the
prisoner free.
The case IS a singular one. and has
been widely discussed. Davis has
been IN the employ OF Twitchel, and, as
the evidence showed. slept In the lat
ters house. and ate in the same room
with the family.
ARRESTED BY TWITCHELL
When TwitcheH first became aware Of
the ncgro's action he took him IN Gus
tody himself and swore out before Magis-
trate James T. Lewis warrant charging
him with attempted assault, and giving
his daughters age as fourteen years. SIX
days later he got out warrant charging
the negro with assault, and giving the
age Of the girl rs thirteen years.
Davis was confined in the county JAN
and on January 18th was taken 20 the
courthouse tc be tried on the way
there. i'm custody OF Deputy Sheriff John
Voegler. he was. as above stated. shot
by Twitchell. q wound being inflicted
which nearly killed him, and from which
he has not yet entirely recovered.
Later on. when he was able to be nov
ed. Davis was tried and sentenced 10 nine
years in the penltentary. Motion for a
new trial was made and he is now in the
county Jail pending the action Of Judge
Wickham.
INTEREST MANIFESTED.
The interest in the case was shown hy
the large crowd which gathered yesterday
morning in the Hastings Courtroom
Twitcheu n tan. thin man with some
what nervous manners. was promptly on
hand accompanied by his wife and daugh-
ter. tho former carrying in her arms a
child about three years OF age.
The girl Cora Twitchel, who bore with
eeomfne Indifference the stares Of those
fin the room. seems TO be about fifteen
years Of age and is fairly good looking
1t was generally thought that Captain
George d. Wise would represent the
prisoner. but there seemed 10 nave Deeh
some misunderstanding, ana MI il. NJ
Smith. Jr. appeared FOR Twitchel, WINE
Commonwealth Attorney d. C. Rlch-
ardson conducted the prosecution.
TWitchell was arraigncd ana pi tai hot
guilty" after which the emnancimcst OF
Jury was begun Some ht'le diiiicui'y
WIS experienced I'm securing Jurors. as
many of the talesmen had already en-
pressed an oMnion The folio Wing jury
was finally secured:
Messrs. Michael Burke. John r. Grimes,
2. W. Rafter. Alex w. Archer. john a.
Meanley. J. T. Gibbons. r. a. Miller
George A. Lathrop. Jr. James T.. Rear
nev. J.. T. Bossicux, Littleton Royster,
and John T. EDps.
EXAMINING WITNESSES.
The examination Of witnesses was then
begun. and DR. W. Y. CroNion'
physician 10 the jail Of Henrico
county. was first put ON the
stand Tie said that be was called 20
attend Davis INN ediately after he was
shot, having been near dt ndnd dt ti'
time of the occurrence. NE examined tHe
wounded boy and found that the buliel
had entered the right side Of the body
going into the cavity OF the abdomen.
All the time he said. he regarded the
wound as a desperate one. -,
As the result Of the wound, sara Dr.
CroxtOn, the boys condition Tor hiteen
davs was very critical ana IL was
a month before he was able to get about
Dr Croxton further stated that he had
seel Twitchell at the place alteI 'li 10
shooting. Mr.. Richardson was solhs on
to question the witness on various points
when Mr. Smith broke In saying:
ITO save any trouble we Will aunt
that the date Of the occurrence VIZ 80 ,
uarv II. 1891, and that Alr. IWltcheh hieu
'ii pr. Croxton then left the stand; and
Deputy Sheriff John Noegler, OF hen ~.
co county was questoIsI, iio No., 80 IL
ing Davis from the jail 10 the CONTIGUOUS
Twitchell ran up, and placing plslol ~
Davis side. fired. The weapon USED Sdiu
Mr.. NOCgler, was a o--cdllDle Pi9'O'' O4'-'
o''I Under questioning by the prisoners
counsel Mr.. NOegler SAID that ne uiu ~
think Twtchel had seen the prisoner
between the time OF his arrest ana me
dov of the shooting He was under the
impression that when DAVIS was nisl
brought TO the fail Toy IWllchcH tHe
charge against him was attempted as
satilt. and he had heard that sunsequen I
events had shown the crime 10 nave DrOA
"a much more serious one
JAILER FUSSELL'S TESTIMONY.
Mr.. l.. l.. RUSSELL taller Of Henrico
county. corroborated Mr.. Voeger's state
ment as TO TIE shooting OF DAVIS. n,h
Davis was first brought 70 jan, salu OF.
Russell. the charge at attempted a .,..,
was estered against him. Out al'ei ""i"9
IL was changed TO assault.
In Mr. FusseWs examination the ques-
ton arose whether Twltcheu was one OF
the witnesses before the grand jury thal
indicted Davis. Mr. Smith, also Hdt Us
EXPRESSED a desire 10 see the hIst WI
rant sworn out against the negro, pro-
ceeding3 were suspended tor q snort t ~
while Mr.. 5. L. Waddll' cleih Vi ilcl.-,,
County Court, went h'h4s ~. 80 49,.
house 10 secure the desired lhIOi lila.lo,i'
After a recess OF about h4le'n NUT,
court reconvened. and Mr. j. W. Taylor
was put on the stand. lie testified that
he had lived about a mile from IWitchel
for a number Of years, ana always found
him a good neighbOr and peaceable man.
Mir. j. w Tiller also said that Twitchell
was q good peaceabie, Industrious ciu-
zen. He had exchanged visits with the
Twitchell family, and knew nothing
against him.
Mr.. Ira Watson testified along the same
line. -
DID BUSINESS WITH HIM.
Mr.. Samuel stern "the Mayor OF JEFF
ferson Ward" gave TwicheH a hrst-rate
renutation for honesty and uprghtness.
he mad known him. he said, for seven
years. and had done a great deal OF busl-
ness with him.
You do business with almost anybody,
don't you?" asked Mr.. Richardson.
Mr.. Stern admitted that ne aid. but said
that in this instance he was speaking OF
Twitchell. He and his family had often
visited Twitchen. he said' and found him
all right socially and financially.
Defective Charles 4. Gibson, who ar
rested Twitchell after the Court Of APP
peals had decided that his case came
within the jurisdiction Oh 'he musings
Court, YVES then examined
lie said that while he was carrying
Twitchell TO the station-house they had
held some conversation together. lie
was asked TO repeat the purport OF the