Mexico weekly ledger., 1895-11-07
HOLMES CRIMES.
He Is Suspected of the Murder OF
Twenty Three Persons.

learned his trade of insurance swind-
ling while a student at the University
of Michigan. A fellow student pro-
posed a swindle by which they could
make a little money.
1t was successful, and Holmes kept
on at the business. When Holmes left
the University in 1873 he wa twenty
one years old. When he was locked
up for an insurance swindler last
spring he closed a career of seventeen
years of crime, not a single day OF
which had not, it is believed, been
spent in the planning of murder, al
ways of someone who supposed him a
friend. He filed the time with rob-
berries, great and small; with leading
women astray, with Matchmaking.
He had built over several housesin in
to dens for the preparation of his
crimes with trap-doors, blind pass
ages, quick-limep pits. The list of
ders of which he is suspected, SO far
as it has been completed at the pres
emit time, is as follows:
Julia L. Conner, divorced wife of
his bookkeeper.
2-Peari Connor, daughter of Mrs.
Connor.
3-Emeiine G.. Cigrand, his stenog-
rapher.
4-Robert E. Phelps, who, according
to Holmes, married Miss Cigrand.
5~-Beniamin F. Peitzel, his compan-
ion and accomplish.
6 and Alice and Nellie Peitzel,
BENJAMIN Peitzel's daughters.
s-Howard Peitzel, Benjamin Peitz-
els son.
9-Edna Van Tassel.
1O-Annie Williams.
11-Minnie r. Williams.
While Holmes was in prison he
wrote a history of his case, and it was
published in book form. He seemed
greatly to love the notoriety his case
has excited, and caused a sensation
during the first days of his trial by
Diminishing his counsel. He conducted
his own case for two days, and then
recalled the lawyers, realizing that he
was greatly at a disadvantage single
handed. The court gave the case for
the prosecution a severe blow during
the trial by ruling as inadmissable any
evidence touching the murder of the
Peitzel children, which evidence Pros
0o,,tN.. (Nro1o~, napciInrn6 oo NM IF
the main features of his case against
the prisoner.
Peitzel, for whose murder he was
convicted, was a citizen of st. Louis.
He lived in Carondelet for quite a
while, with his wife, who was one of
the principal Witnesses against
Holmes, and their three children who
who were supposedly murdered in
Toronto, Canada.
Holmes and Peitzel, no doubt,
were partners in crime. They were
always together, and when Holmes
opened a drug store in north st. Louis
Peitzel seemed to be his partner.
Holmes and Peitzel left here togeth-
or, and soon after Mrs. Peitzelreceived
word that her husband, on whose life
a SIC, 1000 policy had been issued, was
dead.
She went to Philadelphia, and the
money was collected, but she never
received but a small amount of the
sum-.
Jeptha Howe, a st. Louis attorney,
became mixed up in the affair, and
began to expose Holmes crimes. II
looked serious for Howe, but later de-
velopments caused all proceedings
against him to be dropped.
Holmes, before his crime was dis
covered, took the Peitzel children
away and they have never been seen
by their mother again. Their remains
were found in Toronto.
1t is supposed that he killed several
of his victims in the celebrated castle
in Chicago, which he fitted up for his
schemes, and destroyed their bodies
| by the use of chemicals.
Among others, the Williams sisters,
both of whom were reasonably wealthy
and each of them we're infatuated with
| Holmes, met their deaths there. Re-
mains found confirmed the story, al
though there is no definite evidence.
THE Louisville Courier Journal edi-
torially says:
A Republican organ says:
"By the way, il the Democratic vic
tory of 1892 was q declaration in favor
of free trade and a repeal of the Nc
Kinley tariff, is not the election of a
Republican Congress, including q ma
jority of Republican Senators, evident
that the decision of 1892 has been r
considered and overruled?"
By no means. In 1892 the tariff wal
the dominant issue, as it was in 1890
and the Democratic victories of those
years meant a popular demand for the
repeal of the Mckinley Bill. In 1ss.
the Mckinley Bill had been repealed
and the Republicans made the point
that the way to stop tariff agitation
was to elect a Republican House
which could not do any harm SO lonl
, as there was a Democratic Presiden
to hold 1t in cheek. Moreover, the,
promised the country a surcease o
tariff agitation, a promise which the,
are apparently preparing to violate
according to their invariable custom
This promise, with the hard times TO,
which the Democrats were most I'm
justly held responsible, accounts foi
the lamentable result of the election
Of last November.
The little daughter of Mr.. FredWeb'
Der, Holland, Mass, had a very bat
cold and cough which he had not beer
able to cur with anything. / CAV,
him a 25-cent bottle Of Chamberlain
Cough Remedy, says W. P. Holden
merchant and postmaster at Yves
Brimfield, and the next time l saw
) him he said it worked like q charm
This remedy is intended especially TO
acute throat and lung diseases sucl
as colds, Group and whooping cough
~-l IA e. u,