Year: 1869

in regard TO the wearing OF an undershirt by tho
prisoner when the murder was discovered, the fol-
lowing facts were shown ~


Sarah Campbell said he had "a short dark coat ana
pants on when he came TO the door, Did not observe


Mr. Montgomery, next door neighbor, who, after
being called up had gone for doctor said that
dress, but that when he returned ''e had on dark
eolored coat, with large collar buttoned up quite
high. Did not notice O white shirt on him. Had not
good opportunity OF observing. Don't think he had
collar; it's my impression that he had none Did


Mr. Doster said that although the coat was but-
toned up the shirt showed. There were no plats In
III T. looked to him .h. IKE white Indsrshir l.
coat, and undershirt light in color; saw no white


Mr.. Morreil said he wore sack coat, buttoned
well up, and grey mixed undershrt; he had no
white linen or muslin shirt and collar on.


Policeman George w. Howard said that he had on
a pair OF light pants, dark grey undershirt, and
coat buttoned up; he had on no muslin or linen


When Twitchen changed his clothes after the
rest and the officer went up stairs with him. he put
on white shirt, black cloth vest and coatthe same
coat that he had ON when he was down stairs He
also put on boots at that time. It will be observed,
therefore, that the white shirt and vest he did not
wear when he carried in the body OF Mrs Hnl from
me yard-yet the shirt and vest We're both spotted
them by carrying III the body OF Mrs. Hin =


Several experts on the part Of the prosecution
we were taen examined to prove the imp9ssioty OF
way the accused alleged. Witnesses were then
called to prove the existence & ENC Of feeling Of wis
others to prove his financial embarrassment Here
the Commonwealth rested.


t 4tV' His Defense.


j. 7. Pratt ESD, opened the case for the accused.
During his preliminary remarks the following points
were indicated as those which the defense would


The danger OF convictions upon circumstaDtal
evidence t .H -


The good character Of the prisoner; his kindness
and humanity Of disposition. .I't q. Lfa ~


The absence Of motive that Twitchen should COM
NIT the deed inasmuch as upon the death of Mrs
ha rpn pgt n q o.
the heirs OF the latter and not to the heirs Of Mrs.


That Mrs Hin had given the house at Tenth ana
Pine streets to her only child the wife Of MI. Twit
chel -..--a a-r. .lrl r1 Ie ,1g 81 .l.i. @t :
been bought in the name of Mrs. Twitchell. ,,tf al


That the custom of the house was that Twitehell
should take the dogs to an upper roonl and that
when Mr. and Mrs Twitchell retired on the cay OF
the murder they took the dogs up stairs with them as
usual. - e..-


That the room where Twitchen and his wife were
sleeping on the night OF the murder was too far from
the dinng-room for them to have heard any noise as


All through the trial of both Mr.. and Mra Twit-
chell the court-room was packed to sufocation but
more especially was 1t the case when the defense
opened Then the jam was insufferabe. -. d


large number Of Witnesses principally inhabi-
good character OF Twitchen for peace, good order,
and humanity. Several witnesses proved that the
and Pine streets were brought in the name Of
Mrs. Twitche, and that Mrs. Hill was generally
present when the purchases were made and the
goods selected, and that she acquiesced in the
ner in which the bills were made out and, in some


Ellen Dolan, servant girl, testified that when she
lived with Mrs. Hill the latter had told her several
house except the piano WEI We're Mrs Twtcheps che "a '''


One or two other witnesses testified as to similar
declarations by Mrs. Hill. .l4i a 8


Ellen Doan was nterrogated as to the visits 20 the
house Of an old German named Conrad Smith, who
did various little jobs about the house and yard and
with whom the dogs were familiar and good
terms. The design evidently was to create an infe-
renee that the deed might have been committed by
nnp " mr. Ofuan1
by the Commonwealth, and swears, as did his wife,
that hewas at home sick the night OF the murder


avery serious attack was made upon the character
for truth and veracity OF Joseph Gilbert witness for
the Commonwealth who testified to Twltchells fre-
About thirteen witnesses testified against his general
character. The Commonwealth afterwards intro
duced as many witnesses who swore that Mr. Gilbert


There was lively contest over the medical fea-
lures of the case The defense introduced physicians
to dscredit the theories and nferences OF Doctors
Shapleigh and Bevis, who testified for the Common
Gross, of Jefferson Medical College, was the FIRST
examined on this side He declared 1t as his opinion
that the he blood Of IN Mrs M Hill could not have been CO.
have flowed freely after she was carried into the
house from the yard in which she lying; that the
blood stains upon Twitcheus clothing might have
been all obtained while he was with Sarah Camp
bell carrying in the body, and while washing the face
believe that the wounds could have been produced
by the poker which was produced In evidence
upon which there was blood a grey hair
and portion Of woolen stun corresponding with
the cap which was ON Mrs. Hills head.)s DR. Gross
had eXperimented with pokers on skulls since the
attracted attention. 1t his opinion that the
hardness OF the human skull was such that poker
could have been struck into IL without bending that
instrument He also thought that poker could not
have'b struck into the brain without portion of
the wound could have been made with leaden


dipsey" such as had heretofore been introduced in
the case.


Drs f. F. Maury, s. Weir Mitchell. Richard Tho
mas and William Paine sustained the theories of Dr.
Gross as to the coaguation OF blood.


On the other side, TO combat these VIEWS were In
troduced Drs. William II. Pancoast, son of Professor
Pancoast Of Jefferson College; Thomas G. Morton,
Harrison Allen, William Thompson, G. H. Tnomas,
and - Tyson.


very Important witness for the defense was
Charles Altget Mr.. Altgelt said that he was singer
in the choir OF the Protestant Episcopal Church OF
the Ascension, Lombard street, between Eleventh
and Twelfth that on the night Of the murder be left
the church after service, about O'Clock; that he
Lombard Streets and that in from three TO i've min
utes after O'Clock he had arrived at the corner OF
Tenth and Pine streets; and that when opposite
Mrs. Hills house he saw two men come out OF the
front door OF that house. apparently in hurry that
they bent forward Us men do when walking in haste,
and went away rapidly. He described one man as dark
and very tall, and wearing an overcoat that nearly
touched the ground. He had seldom seen 30 long an
oVercoat He said his attention was called 20 the
house particularly, because there was no light burn
ing in the hall visible from the transom SASHA cir
cumstance which attracted his notice, as he had
lately had dispute as to the propriety OF being
charged at his boarding house for light burned in
the hall He thought "Here rich people who
have no gaslight burning in their hall" The morn
ing after the murder upon reading the account OF t
in the daily papers, he said at the breakfast table
that the deed must have been done by the men taS
he saw come out of that house.


Some evidence was given with the intention 20 dis
neghborhood of the Pine street house about the same
time aB he but who did not any persons come out