The Portland daily press., 1894-11-23
LAWYER HOWl'S STORY
Regarding His Connection With the
Insurance Fraud.
HAD SIMPLY ACTED AS ATTORNEY
FOR MRS. PITZEL.
However He Charged Heavy Fee for
Collecting the $1O.OOO-The Woman
Kate Durkee, Supposed to be Murdered
by Holmes Turns Up.

Collecting the $1OOOO-The Woman
Kate Durkee, Supposed to be Murdered
by Holmes Turns Up.
Philadelphia, November 22-Lawyer Howe,
wanted in the insurance fraud case, sur
rendered himself today. Before doing SO
he went the reporters room in City hall,
where he made this statement: II learn
more about this case every day, and at this
time there is very little to say. Mrs. P1tzel
came to me as an attorney and asked me to
prosecute her insurance claim. The first
thing did, believe, was to notify the st.
Louis agent OF the insurance company rely
ing upon him to communicate with the main
Office in Philadelphia. l next wrote the
superintendent of police. Captain Linden,
to the company and to' the coroner. The
coroner in replying, said the body was here
and must be identified, for said he. we
know it as the body of B. F. Perry. and un-
less someoth her Identification Is made 1t Will
be buried as the body of Perry | asked the
widow about the conflict in name. She told
lne Pltzel her husband, was living in Ph1la-
delphia, under the name of Perry, and
showed me number of letters from him
that convinced me the writer was her hus-
band. told Mrs. Pitzel that she must go
to Philadelphia with me. Then had an
other letter from the coroner saying he
must have positive marks of identification
to demonstrate the corpse was fItzel.
showed this letter to Mrs. Pitzel and told
her that she must assist me in getting those
positive marks. She gave them to me and
I transmitted description to the coroner.
again received word from the coroner or
some one else, that still the Identification
was insufficient. THAT said | to Mrs. Fit
eel, means you must go to Philadelphia.
She replied that the baby was not well and
that she could not leave it. l told her l
would take care of the child and then she
said that she had no money. was poor and
could not pay her way. told her that she
must raise the money herself"
AT this point. Lawyer Mcdonald, who was
present, exclaimed: st don't see the use of
going into all these Details
s'rrue," rejoined Howe, and resuming,
he said: ANY way, Mrs. Pitzel raised the
money and she got it from her gIoceryman.
When / went for her / found her SICK IN
bed / told her some one must go. She SAID
the little girl (Alice) could go. | did not
like the idea, but it was the best we could
| do for Mrs. PitZel was too i'll to move. l
brought the child with me and she identi-
/ fed the body to the SaLlSIaction oiftAe ooAii-
pany, and got the $4,000. Returning to
St. Louis. 1 gave it to Mrs. PitSel and took
! her receipt for it. gave her my receipt
| for my fee and that is all have seen OF her
| or of the case
| How admitted Mrs. PitZel paid him $250O.
| When asked as to his connection with
| HoImes and what he knew of him, Howe
| said at present he did not caro- to talk about
| that part of the case. Neither did he care
| to discuss the connection of train robber
| Il Hedg epath with the case. Late this after
| noon District Attoreny Graham announced
| he would accept $25OO bail for Howe's re-
| lease. A. S. l.. Shields is engaged to defend
| Howe, and stated that his client could not
E! at present furnish the amo unit. He will be
locked up until efforts are made secure
| bail.
Kate .Durkee Knew Holmes Slightly.
Omaha, November 2s.-Miss Kate Durkee.
| re ported from Chicago as missing, is at
home in this city. She is friend OF
Holiness wife, and in June of 1892, Holmes
asked her when she was visiting at his
| home in Chicago. to accept conveyance of
] land in Enplewood giving as a reason he