Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-05-05
GRIMES AND ACCIDENTS.
ALL FOR MONEY.
A Brother Bargains for the Mur-
der Of His Sister.
The Assassin to Receive $1,000 for Run
ming a Darnins Needle Through Her
Heart.
The Plot Revealed to the Police and the
Villain Held For the Grand Jury
in S25,ooo


Thursday evening Luke W Holman rea
estate broker on Washington street, was ar
rested on charge of conspiracy to cause the
murder of a woman, named Miss Ernestine
b. Holman, who resides in Worcester. Last
| December Holman's father died leaving pro-
perty valued at S25 900. Miss Holman who
is half sister to Luke W., was appointed
executrix, and Luke was to be allowed the
use of several thousand. Miss Holman was
keeping company with gentleman, and
| Mr.. Holman conceived the idea, that the
two would be married and the property left
by his father 50 landered.
| In order to prevent this, Holman proceed
ed to take means to cause his sisters death
| and not having the nerve to do the deed
himself he succeeded in finding some one
here who agreed to get another party to do
the killing. This man gave the matter away
| to the police. 1t was arranged that Holman
should meet the party who was to do the
shooting on Boston Common on the evening
of May lst. He was promptly on hand, SO
was Inspector Collins, disguised as ruflian.
Holman told all his desires and arrangements
to the disguised inspector who agreed to
do the job and receive $1,000. A second
meeting was arranged for Thursday evening
on the Common. Holman appeared at the
appOintcu tiIic anu III OmpdHN WIN SOlliHs
| was Inspector Laughton. Plans for the
murder were all gone over again, Holman
stating that the easiest way to kill the wo-
man would be to run darnlng needle
| through her heart and as there were three
gold watches in the room, robbery might be
ascribed as the motive for the deed. The
job was to be done Friday evening and Hol-
man WAS to be in Springfield. He then
started to turn away and was Immediately
| taken into custody.
Friday afternoon Holman WAS arraigned
in the municipal court and was held in S25,-
600 for the grand jury. In brief interview
| with Chief Inspector Hanscom, Holman said
he did not think he was doing anything that
| would render him liable to punishment. He
| thought the blame would all rest upon the
man who did the job Said he didn't think
| it would get me mixed up in it any more
| than though hired a man to cut cord of
| wood. When questioned as to his confidence
in the men with whom he was plotting, he
exclaimed, 81 more than half suspected the
| big fellow, Collins, but the little fellow,
Leighton, seemed to be all right" Inspec
| ter Gerraughty who first heard of the plot
said that Holman first tried TO geta member
of the famous Paddy Gaines gang to do the
work for him. He first represented that he
wanted a man 10 DreaK INTO mouse ana Sc
cure some papers which were of value only
to him. In an interview with Holman he
| claimed that the whole affair was a put up
| job" to ruin him.
What the Sister Says About the Mat
ter.
WORCEsTER, May 4.
Emmeline B. Holman, whose murder is
said to have been planned by her brother
Luther w. Holman in Boston, was seen on
Friday and professed entire ignorance of the
matter. She was aware of no possible mo-
tive for the horrible deed and was greatly
shocked a, the tidings.
She said her brother Luther and his family
came to live with her after the death of Mos
.s Holman, their father. The family lived
there until April l, when they moved.
Besides her brother there was his wife,
three sons and two daughters. Emeline had
had no quarrel with Luther and could imag-
inc no motive for such deed.
| Mrs. Charlotte Z. Holman, wife of the
prisoner, was astonished when she heard it,
Her husband left home last Monday to go to
| Boston and said he would return today
| There was no feeling between him and his
sister Emeline. She spoke of her husband
as good man of whom no such thing could
be truthfully said