The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-19
THE PITZEL INQUEST.
Murdered Children's Mother TO
Identify Them.
SHE TALKS ABOUT HOLMES.
Thinks He Hypnotized Her-Professed
TO Be Her Friend and the
Childreu's.

Toronto. July Slowing TO the misun-
Outstanding of the present jury as 10 the
time and place O: the inquest on the
bodies OF the Pitzel girls. which was 10
have opened today. the inquest did not
proceed The corooeT fixed tomorrow
evening for the inquest 10 open Mrs.
Pf1zel, the wife Of the murdered man. ar
rived in Toronto tonight from Chieago-
She is in an exhausted state. TIE bodies
of the two girls are being made as pre-
sertable as possible. ana II her neaih
permits she VIII view. them tomorrow
London, July ls-Tnquiries made in this
city by a representative Of the Associated
Press regarding the statement OF Her.
mann Nuigetts alias n. II. Holmes. alias
II. H Howard. suspected OF having muir
dered the two PitzeI girls at Toronto. ana
who is now in custody at Philadelphia.
indicate that he d.d not tell the truth
when he Informed District Attorney era
ham, OF Philadelphia. that the children
were taken TO England by the Williams
woman. According 20 a dispatch just re-
ceived here, Holmes Is said 10 have given
the girls into the keeping or Minnie Will
Jams. who came TO the city from New
York and established a massage resort at
8 Eeier. or yedar, street. She also said
that she was known here as Minnie VIII
iams Geraldine Wonder or Andel Coyelle,
no yeder or yedar street in London, and
when yigo and We're streets, the nearest
names to those mentioned by Holmes,
were searched, no trace was found OF
woman or an establishment answering the
description OF those referred TO by the
prisoner.
Chicago. July 1s-Mrs. Pitzel. who left
last night for Toronto to identify the
bodies of the two children found in the
L. - -e.t - =
talked just before leaving of her past life
and her husbands dealings with Holmes.
Mrs. Pitzel Is broken In health and mind,
the vistim. she believes, of a hypnotic in
fuence exerted by Holmes. Her story was
straightforwardly told. and II is impos-
sible TO believe. after being any length OF
time in her company. that she was either
a confederate or accomplish of Holmes In
the commission of any OF his crimes.
Holmes. whom / had never met but
once before the death of my husband"
said Mrs. PitZel, seemed from the time
he asked me for the children until his
final arrest. to have a peculiar in
fiuence over me. felt controlled by him.
He had a sway over me that then thought
natural, since he had been the intimate
friend Of my husband Beside. my hus-
band had repeatedly told me that could
trust him; that he was a good man, and
that he would always be true to us. The
children idolized him. There was nothing
that he could not do with them. Again
and again my husband told me how much
he thought OF Holmes and how honorable
he was, until / came to the same opinion
myself although at first l did not Ike the
man and told my husband so. and begged
him TO have nothing to do with him.
II saw my husband last on August "A.
1894. He had gone to St. Louis. He was
then heavily interested with Holmes in
whatever the enterprises were they had on
together. and ! was lying sick with my
baby. / was very sick. could not go 10
Philadelphia to identify the body which
they suspected to be that of my husband.
l could not be moved. Holmes came TO
me and Alice was taken East, and she
identified the body. II was after that that
Holmes told me that the body was not
that OF my husband; that II was a bogus
body made TO look like him. and that If
or the children said anything about Il the
insurance company would get hold OF Us
and we would be punished severely.
II was very sick. and believed Holmes.
He talked kindly and offered 10 take
Alice Nellie and Howard away from mo
and educate them. He said that he would
put them to school and pay all their ex-
penses. The children loved him and
was alone in the world and poor. l let
him take them, and they went away. At
this time and all other times Holmes
acted 70 me like a gentleman. He con-
stantly kept me under the impression.
though. that and the children were to be
mixed up with the bogus body which he
said was found in Philadelphia. He said
Pitzel was still alive and that would see
him again when this trouble was over.
He wished, though, 70 save US from ar
rest. and after the three children were
gone I moved about the country. began
tn worry about the children. I wanted to
see them. and wished 10 know where they
were Holmes always put me off with the
story that must keep quiet until the de-
tectives stopped their work.
When he took me 10 Detroit. II was
he who registered me as Mrs Adams. He
told me so when he came up TO the room
where Bessie. my oldest daughter. and
were told him that NJ. dii wrong 70 put
my name down wrong. but he explained
that the detectives must be kept off the
track. and that I was protecting my hus-
and by this. I finally heard the children
were at Toronto. and Bessie. and the
baby went there alone 20 search, but
without success.
Since then I have been working for the
location Of the children with District At
torney Graham. Of Philadelphia Mr..
Geysr. the detective Of PHILADELPHIA. and
the officers OF the hfe insurance company
have done all in their power TO aid me.
Won must understand that when my chill
fren were first really missing I was locked
up and could not communicate with any
one was not allowed 20 see the news
-an@rs or 70 receive mail. In Holmes
trunk there was found letter from my
daughter Alice % me which never reached
me- showing that my mail was Intercepted.
Since 7 have had my freedom the Phila-
deiphfa authorities and the insurance
company have worked 20 bring my chill
dren hack 20 me. and have aided them so
Tar as could
When gave the children M - Holmes
In 81 Louis was too sick and trusted
him too much 20 pay careful attention %
what did He told me- 20 GO home - r.
cruft there with my parents. and he womb
keep the children IN school when Re
took me 10 Detroit and sup
y,asssf he was being bounded by detectives.
Holmes paid most ~ the bills Some
times 7 was compelled 20 nav my own OK
pen<es- believe Holmes intenieS - kin
ne think he meant "a XII ma
IN Burlington. VI. but he must have
lost his nerve or rs still had the children
on his hands and hestfatet 7 cannot give
any other explanation of why he scaref
nv life. He intended 20 Kill my entire
family"