Twigg Murders, Part 3; Allegany County, Maryland

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Connie Beachy.

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The second document is not identified.  It was just a quarter piece of
paper with the following writing:
"The Grand Inquest of the State of Maryland for the body of Allegany
County do on their Oath present Sala Twigg for wilful Murder committed
upon the body of Thomas Robbosson on the 11th day of February 1838 with
a knife of which wounds he died on the 19th of said month, upon the
Evidence of Daniel Wolford, Jr., Asbury Willison, Benjamin McKelfish,
Samuel Burrell and John McCulloh and Dr. Georg Perry.  April Term 1838,
M.R.Dawson, Forman"

The third document is the Indictment of Sela Twigg:  "State of Maryland,
Allegany County to wit, the body of Allegany County on their oath
present that Sela Twigg late of Allegany County yeoman, not haveing the
fear of God before his eyes, but being moved and seduced by the
instigation of the Devil on the eleventh day of February in the year of
our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thrity eight with force and arms
at the county aforesaid in and upon one Thomas Roboson in the peace of
God and the State of Maryland then and there being feloniously, wilfully
and of his malice aforethought did make an assault, and that the said
Sala Twigg with a certain knife of the value of fifty cents which he the
said Sala Twigg in his right hand then and there had and held the said
Thomas Roboson in and upon the belly a little above the naval of him the
said Thomas Roboson then and there feloniously wilfully and of his
malice aforethought did strike and thrust, giving to the said Thomas
Roboson then and there with the knife aforesaid in and upon the belly a
little above the navel of him the said Thomas Roboson one mortal wound
of the breadth of one inch and of the depth of three inches: of which
said mortal wound the said Thomas Roboson from the said eleventh day of
February in the year aforesaid until the eighteenth day of the same
month of February in the year aforesaid, at the county aforesaid did
languish and languishing did live, on which said eighteenth day of
February in the year aforesaid the said Thomas Roboson at the county
aforesaaid of the said mortal wound died; and so the jurors aforesaid
upon their oath aforesaid do say that the said Sela Twigg the said
Thomas Roboson in manner and form aforesaid feloniously wilfully and of
his malice aforethought did kill and murder, contrary to the form of the
act of assembly in such case made and from ____and against the peace
government and dignity of the state."
Signed J. Dixon Roucan (sp), attorney for the state.

Page 2 of Indictment: "State vs. Sala Twigg - Indictment for Murder,
Allegany County Court, April Term, 1838.  The prisoner by his counsel
_____the court for a new trial, for the following reasons, to wit:  1.
That the verdict of the Jury was against the evidence and the law
properly applicable to this case.  2. That the Jury, after the
adjournment of the Court on one day, and before the meeting thereof on
the next, were not kept together by the Sheriff, under whose charge they
were placed by the Court, but in the contrary, the said Jury did
separate and go at large in the streets of Cumberland, and did mingle
with the people in said streets, contrary to law.
Signed by Wm. Price, ___ Matthews, and Thomas Perry, Counsel for Sela
Twigg."

The final document found follows:  "State of Maryland, To Wit.  Whereas
a certain Sala Twigg was convicted on Indictment in Allegany County
Court at April Term, one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight of
murder and sentenced to be hung.  And whereas the said Sala Twigg has
been recommended to the clemency of the Governor, by the Court and Bar
and other respectable citizens of Allegany County, Now therefor I Thomas
W. Veazey, Governor of the State of Maryland do by there presents
commute the punishment of death to that of Confinement in the
Penitentiary for the space of fifteen years.  Given under my hand and
the Great Seal of the State of Maryland, this tenth day of May eighteen
hundred and thirty eight and of the Independence of the United States,
the sixty second.  By the Governor, _____ Secretary of State.   Signed
by Thomas W. Veazey."

The following people were summoned by Sheriff Thomas Dowden to testify
for Sela Twigg:  John Hardsock, Henry Yantz, Owen Ash, Hanson Ash,
Nathan Robinette, Joel Middleton, Thomas McElfish of Thos., George
Kifer, Hasa Harris (Hosea Harris on another summons), James Willison,
the son of Perrin, George Yantz, Lloyd Stallings and Owen McElfish.  One
of the summons reads:  "By Allegany County Court, April Term, 1838:
Attach bodies of Hosea Harris and David Field and have them brought
before the court on contempt for not appearing in the trial of Sela
Twigg.  Authorise Elisha Willison to give summon.  Signed by Aza Beall,
Clerk, for Thos. Dowdon, Sheriff."

Before the 1838 records came to an end, the April term of the Allegany
County Court, 1838, issued summons for the following people to testify
for Simeon/Simon Twigg:  Joseph Sprigg, James Black, Lloyd Stallings,
John W. Mountz, Jesse I. Pugh, Hugh McAlear, Robert Moorewood, George
Slicer and Elisha Huff.  Summons were also issued for the following
persons to appear for Grand Jury service:  Stansbury Willison, Charles
Twigg of Charles, John McElfish of David and Adam  Hisinger (sp).
Perhaps Simeon/Simon Twigg was the brother of Sela Twigg who was accused
of murdering R. Hamilton.  If so, he wasn't found guilty for he appeared
in court on 5/13/1839 to post bond, with Macceus Twigg and John Twigg.
Macceus was to stand trial for assaulting and threatening Weston Twigg.
Sela Twigg did have a brother, Simon.

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Researched and compiled by:
 Connie Hamilton Beachy             


This file is located at:
http://files.usgwarchives.net/md/allegany/court/murder3.txt