Twigg Murders, Part 2; Allegany County, Maryland File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Connie Beachy. Copyright. All Rights Reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/md/mdfiles.htm ********************************************************* On January 31st, 1838, Robert bought from Thomas Robosson 3 pounds of coffee, 2 pounds of sugar, iron tacks, tape, thread and a drink. On February 3rd 1838 he bought another 3 pounds of coffee. The total bill submitted by Robosson's estate was $2.84. All of these debts were paid by the Administrator of Robert Hamilton's estate, John Piper, Jr. After learning of the murder of Robosson and Hamilton, I set out to find the proof. Nothing at all was found at Allegany County Courthouse. Most of the old records have been sent to the Maryland Archives in Annapolis, so two days were spent there going through the boxes the records should have been in. This was a history lesson in itself. The old records had been stored in the basement of the Cumberland courthouse. They had a fine layer of coal dust over everything. Over the years many of the documents were moved around and some weren't returned to their proper place. Anyone doing genealogical research in Allegany County would recognize the names on the documents. Most were civil trials resolved in Chancery Court. The few criminal trials were trivial compared to today. Our Thomas Robosson was charged with "dumping manure on the right of way" the year before his murder. Lloyd Stallings was witness. The box which should have contained the records for 1838 went no further than the April Court. After that were records for 1844. The remainder of 1838 was not to be found after two days of searching, but I did find enough information on the Sela Twigg Trial to settle that to satisfaction. The first document found is a "Recognizance", filed 3/28/1838: " Maryland Allegany County, to wit: Be it remembered that on this eleventh day of Feby in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight, before the subscriber a Justice of the peace of the State of Maryland, in and for the County aforesaid personally appeared John McCulloh, Benjamin McKelfish, Asbury Willison, Samuel Burrell and Daniel Wolford, Jr., all of Allegany County, and acknowledged themselves each and severally to owe, and stand justly indebted to the State of Maryland in the sum one thousand dollars current money of the United States, to be made and levied on their bodies goods and chattels, lands and tenements, to and for the use of the said State of Maryland. The condition of the above Recognizance is such that if the above bound John McCulloh, Benjamin McKelfish, Asbury Willison, Samuel Burrell and Daniel Wolford, Jr., do and shall well and truly make their appearance before the Judges of Allegany County court to be held at the court house in the Town of Cumberland, on the third Monday of April next, then and there to testify for the said State against a certain Salah Twigg charged with stabbing a certain Thomas Robosson, and attend the said court from day to day, and not depart thence without leave therefore. Then the above Recognizance to be void, otherwise to be in full force and virtue in law. Taken and acknowledged before Jasper Robinette" (Continued - murder3.txt) This file is located at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/md/allegany/court/murder2.txt