The morning call., 1894-11-19
DARING WORK OF sCHEMERs
They Collect Ten Thousand on a
Life Policy.
SUBSTITUTION. OF THE CORPSE.
Detectives Finally Run DOVE One of
the Participants in the Gigantic
Swindle.

PHILADELPHIA. Nov. 18.-By the arrest
of r, III. Holmes. alias Howard, in Boston,
a gigantic swindling scheme has beer un-
earthed by detectives of the Fidelity
Mutual Life Insurance Association of this
city. On September 3 last the corpse of a
man was found at 1916 Calowhill street,
this city. and was buried by the Coroner
under the name of B. f. PilZel Now it
appears that the corpse WAS bold substi-
tute for the purpose of defrauding the
lnsuranc company OF $4,000.
b. +. PitZel rented the house on Caliow-
hill street during the summer under the
name Of B. f. Perry, ana conducted q
patent medicine business. The last week
of August be disappeared and on Septem-
ber man with whom he had had bust
ness relations went to the house and found
Perry dead on the floor. Death was at
tributed to the explosion of jar of clean
ing fluid. On the body were found a
small sum Of money and two letters dated
ST. Louis. evidently from the mans wife,
in which she signifisd her intention of
coming TO Philadelphia. The body lay in
the Morgue for eleven days without identi-
fication. The Coroner's jury called it
death caused by burns accidentally re-
ceived.
After the body had been buried in the
potter's field communication was re-
ceived by the Fidelity Mutual Life Asso-
citation, dated at st. Louis. and signed by
an attorney of that city. j. d. Howe. The
latter stated the mans real name was
PitZel. The company refused to recognize
the unusual claim, and sent to the general
manager in Chicago, where the policy had
been issued, for description of the man
who took it out. TIE policy had been
issued through the agency of a reputable
business man, but when he was ques-
toned he referred the inquirer to II. Fl.
Holmes, who had a desk in the came
building with the deceased in Chicago
during the Worlds Fair. The general
Manager could not locate Holmes, but
found his wife, and by her was told that
her husband was travelling man and she
would communicate with him. The next
day. however. Holmes wrote to the Phila-
delphia Office. stating be had learned the
death was in Philadelphia, and that as he
expected to be in Baltimore soon, he would
stop in Philadelphia.
Meanwhile Attorney Howe appeared in
Philadelphia, accompanied by young girl.
whom he represented at the daughter of
the dead man. IL was then decided to ex-
hume the body. which was done by off,
cials of the company. The officials of the
company were satisfied and the BODY was
reburied, and Attorney Howe received the
$40, 600, representing the sum due Mrs.
PiizeL
A month ago one of the company's
agents while in st. Louis became cogni-
zant of some of the facts, and formulated
the story of conspiracy. He discovered
that Holmes and Howe had been related
in the character of lawyer and client in
case where Holmes had been arrested un-
der the name of H. NJ. Howard for OBJ
talning goods under false pretenses. Then
it was found that Holmes and Pitzei had
been in business together in Chicago dur
ing the Worlds Fair. where they con-
Quoted hotel with secret rooms in which
they hid goods, obtained by swindling
merchants. The place was called the
Worlds Fair Hotel.
While here Piizel took out policy with
the Fidelity Company, and Holmes fol-
lowed his example month later, both Civ
ing notes for the first payment Holmes
was chased all over the country. 1t was
learned that Ptzel and Holmes obtained
by some means or other a corpse from the
New York Hospital, brought it here. sur
rounded it by the evidence of violent
death in the Callowhll-street house, and
obtained the $4,000. Holmes was arrested
in Boston by detectives. who are now after
ha ofh har pir