The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-11-20
MET HIS DEATH.
Sequel to an Attempt to
Defraud.
PITZEL IS PLAYING DEAD.
Found That His AccompIice
Played Him.
GIVEN AWAY IN THE WEST.
An Insurance Crime That Grows
Decidedly Interesting as 1t
Is Developed.
GIVEN AWAY IN THE WEST.


against Herman Mugdel. alias 81. Fl.
Holmes. now prisoner in Boston, Jephtha
B. Howe, the st. Louis lawyer. who col
lected the insurance money on B. f. Pit
zePs policy Tor the latter's widow. and the
widow herself. The Indictment reads for
conspiracy 10 cheat and defraud.
Alexander Mcknight, vice president Of
the Fidelity Mutual Company. made the
following statement this afternoon:
"While the suspicion has grown until we
are nearly positive that B. f. Pitzel was
murdered the only charge made before the
Grand Jury was that of conspiracy to de-
fraud"
II am positive that the body found on
September at 1916 Callowhill street. on
which an inquest was held the next day
as that of B. f. Perry. was none other than
that of B. F. Piizel." said Coroner Ash
bridge to-day. 81 am not at liberty at
present to disclose my reasons for this
assertion. but if l were and pointed them
out you would be convinced"
1t was stated this afternoon that Mrs.
Pitzel had been arrested in Burlington.
Vt, and had made confession.
The detectives have practically aban-
doned the murder theory late ton ght and
now think they are on the track of Pltzel
in the person of man calling himself 3.
F. Lyman, whose Whereabouts they refuse
to divulge. They stated tonight that
Mrs. Pitzel had made a confession sub
slantiallv the same as that of Holmes. ex-
cept that she believes her husband to be in
South America. She has not seen him since
the alleged crime was committed.
The insurance officials profess also to
have received word that Holmes and Mrs.
PiZel were en- route TO this city, having
left Boston tonight. Mrs. PilzeF, it is
said. was decoyed from Burlington. VI, to
Boston by q communication which she
supposed TO be from Holmes.
ST. LOUIS. Ny. 19.-Jsphtha D. Howe.
an attorney, having an Office with the law
firm of Mcdonald 81 Howe of this city,
was arrested to-day on the charge of con-
spring with one 81. H. Holmes TO defraud
the Fidelity Mutual Life Insurance Com
pany of Philadelphia out of $4,000.
Holmes, or 81. Nj. Toward. as he was
known in this city. got into trouble here
last summer by selling a stock of drugs
on which there was shortage.
Late tonight Chief Harrigan decided 10
talk concerning Howe's arrest and the
part he had in unearthing the plot to de-
fraud the Philadelphia concern. Said he:
"Marion G. Hedgpath. the famous Glen
dale (Mo.) train-robber, now prisoner in
in the city jail. bias told me of Howe's
efforts to smuggle him keys and tools on
various occasions to aid him in his attempts
10 escape.
Howe is brother Of McDonald's part
ner, and Mcdonald is Hedgpalh's altor-
ney.
'..The first intimation was from Hedgpatb.
His letter TO me and the statement that
followed, written by him at my request,
tell the story of the discovery of the plot.
They are as follows:
OCTOBER IA, 1894.
Major Laurence Hdrrin0Gr. Chief of Police
DEAR SIR: There has been $40, 900 swinde
worked upon a Philadelphia life insurance
com pany, and possibly murder comitled in
working it. Seventy-fve hundred dollars of the
money has already been maid and $500 is
YET in bank owing 10 a souabble over the fee
-. that howe is wanting for his part In 1t. 1 can
give some interesting Information regarding 1t
ana perhaps save the insurance company
something If they are notified at once.
MARION C. HEDGPATH.
j. c. Armstrong, Jail guard, in sworn
statement, also in possession of Chief of
J,
that be was approached by j. D. Howe
for the purpose of getting his assistance n
securing Hedgpath's escape.
The statement of Hedgpalh, before men,
toned by Chief Harrigan, is as follows:
CITY. De. o. 1894.
Mojor Laurence Hdrrioan. Chief of Police
=. DEAR SIR: When Ii. NJ. Howard was here
some two months ago he told me he would like
to talk 10 me. After we got acquainted he told
me that he had scheme by which he could
make $4,000. and that he needed some
lawyer who could be trusted, and said that II |
could Introduce him TO one he would give me
$500 for so doing. He then told me that p. F.
Pitzers life was insured for SIC. 600; that Pit.
eel ana he were going TO work the insurance
company for that sum. He told me Just
how they were going TO do It,
He said he was an expert at 1t
that he had worked it before, and that being
druggist he could easily deceive the insurance
company by having Pitzel fix himself I'D ac-
cordlng TO his direction and make it appear
that he was mortally wounded by an explosion,
ana then put corpse In place of Pitzers body
and have it identified as hat of PltzeL
In a few days Mr.. Howe came to me and told
me that Howard had been to him and init o.
duced himself, saying recommended him. and
that he tHoward) had laid The whole plot open
to him. Howe told me that he would see that
got my $500 If 1t worked, and that Howard
was gong on East at once to attend to it.
Howe told me il was the Fidelity Mutual of
Philadelphia. When notices appeared in the
newspapers OF Pi ZePs death Howe came down
at once and told me that 1t was now only a
maIier OF few days until we got the money.
Later Howe and a little GIRL think Pitzel's
daughter. succeeded In having the body recog.
nlzed and Identified as that OF B. f. PitZeL
Howe told me that PitZeps wife was priyy to
the whole thing. He says now that Howard
would not let Mrs. itZel 20 TO Philadelphia to
identify the body OF her husband, and that he
(Ebwe) feels almost certain that Howard de.
ceived PitZel. and that Pitzel, 10 following
Howards instructions, was killed, and that IL
was really the body Of PiZel.
The policy was made out to the wife and
when The money was put into the bank How.
ard stopped it and left the wife to settle with
Howe for his service. She was willing TO pay
e him $1,000, but he wanted $4,000 So $500 is
held until they get over squabbling over il.
1t Is hardly worth while to say that 1 never
got the $500. This, and lot more. will
swear to. Yours, respectfully, nj. C. III.
On this Information Howe was arrested
this morning. After receiving this com.
munieation said Major Harrgan, / wrote