Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-15

BEssEMER, MICH, November 14-Rei-
mund Holzhay, or, as he is popularity
known, ''Black Bart, the lone highway
man." made remarkable statement to-day,
which was at once a confession and de-
tense. Holzhay was put on the stand the
manner told the history of his life.
II was twenty-three years old the second
of last month, he began. 81 was born in
Germany, in the southern part, and my
parents still live there. All the schooling 1
ever had was in the old country. never
attended school in America. I came to the
United States seven years ago, and not hav-
planning mill in Green Bay, Wis. worked
there about two years, and then went to
work on the Oconto river, where stayed
about three years. Becoming
TIRED OF THIS LIFE,
and desiring change, went out West. I
stopped at Portland, Ore, for a short time,
and then went up to the Puget Sound coun-
try, where 1 worked in a mill about five
months. 1 spent about a month riding
around the country on horseback, and was
in the West about eight months altogether,
then came back and went to work again on
the Oconto river, and worked there about a
year and half"
In answer to questions put by his at
torney, Holzhay stated that while in Wash
ington Territory, he was injured by his
horse falling on him. that he laid uncon.
scions for some time atterward, and that
while his health previous to this accident
had been good, since then it had been bad.
He could not describe just how it affected
him, but it affected his whole system, and
particularly his head.
Ordinarily he felt quite good, but these
bad spells would come over him and would
last probably a day and sometimes more
He said that during these spells he felt
strange, but could not describe the feeling.
ALL A BLANK.
During such spells his actions and any
incidents or occurrences taking place at
such time were all blank afterward.
Nearly all last winter was spent in the
woods working, but he came out one time to
see DR.. Williams, in Chicago, who is con-
nected with DR.. Lucas institute for the
treatment OF nervous diseases. About q
year and half ago he went to see Dr..
Palmer, in Green Bay, who treated him for
nervous tronbles.
The spells came on him sometimes quite
unexpectedly, and he always had to look
out for himself, and at times he felt an ire
sistible impulse to do something bad or des-
perate. He had several of these spells since
his capture, and probably had a dozen
or more since he was injured. Holzhay
said he remembered the day he was arrested
and who arrested him.
He could not tell why he held up the
stage. He held it up, and that was all he
knew about it. A fellow prisoner of
Holzhay named Burns has been engaged the
past month in writing life of the robber
and has incorporated into the narrative sew
eral deeds of daring claimed to have been
committed by Holzhay while in the Western
country.
PARTIAL DENIAL.
In the cross-examinstion Prosecuting At
torney Howell mentioned several Of these
instances where Holzhay was alleged to have
held up several men, and asked him as to
the truth or falsity of the stories. Holzhay
said they were all untrue and originated in
the brain of Novelist Burns.
In regard to the holding up Of the Wis
consin Central and Milwaukee and North
ern trains, Holzhay said he felt the spell
about the'same as at the time OF the Goge-
bic stage robbery, and did not remember
any of the incidents connected with the af-
fair. He stated that in all these instances
where shooting was commenced, it appeared
to clear his brain and brought him to re-
alization eff what he was doing, and he took
to the woods afterward to avoid being cap
tured.
Holzhay did not remember who was in
the Gogebic stage, did not remember seeing
either Fleischbein or the driver, and failed
to identify the watch and pocketbook said
to have belonged to Fleisehbein. He
claimed that he had never seen Fleischbein's
name on the pocketbook till his attention
was directed to it by Mr.. Powell.
A PERTINENT QUESTION.
Attorney Flanagan Illustrated the prison
er somewhat, when he said: "Holzhay, why
did you carry two guns, knowing that you
were liable to have one of those spells az any
time, and shoot somebody? When you felt
one of these spells coming on why didn't
you leave these guns somewhere until after
you recovered?"
Holzhay appeared somewhat staggered by
the directness of the question. and he re-
piled: II carried the revolvers to protect
myself from wild animals in the woods, and
did not like to leave them anywhere, as
might not find them again"
''Is it necessary for man to carry two