The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-07-30

CircumstantiaI story That Seems Not
Altogether Improbable.

Altogether Improbable.
CHICAGO. July GA local paper has
quite plausible story that Minnie Will
liams is still alive in spite of the numer-
Gus newspaper s<efles that she is dead
and that she was murdered by II. H.
Holmes. The story is that these state
ments were made without one scntilIa of
evidence that Minnie Williams was dead.
The fact that she has not been seen
proves nothing, and. in view OF Holmes
confession last November, that Fannie
Williams was killed by Minnie in a fit Of
jealousy. it is not probable that the latter
would be in evidence at the present time.
il she valued her liberty. Holmes. in the
intercepted letter to Pat Quinlan. his con-
fdentiaI friend. makes the following state
ment, which seems to bear out the theory
that Minnie Williams is not dead. but in
hiding for fear of criminal prosecution
for killing her sister:
when Minnie killed her sister 1 needed
you the worst way, but would not drag
you into 1t. If the detectives go TO New
where Minnie w. took them by boat /
have done no killing, Pat. One by one,
they are finding them alive. Minnie w.
will not come here long as there Is
danger of her being arrested. Boston
man knows where she is and her guardian.
Morris H. Watt, will at the proper ana
Sdle tl.Iie 20 " hci'
This is an important link if any depend
ence at all can be placed In Holmes state
ment. In the confession made to the Phil
adelphia authorities last November Holmes
SAYS that il was to save the property of
the Williams girls that he swindled the
insurance company, and that Minnie Will
liams went abroad.
while living in Chicago, about eighteen
months ago." said Holmes in his confess
sion last November, fell in with type
writer girl and furnished house on the
outskirts of the city, where We lived to-
gether A younger sister came to visit
us and the woman grew SO jealous Of her
sister that in a quarrel one day she struck
her over the head with a stool and killed
her. To save the woman with whom l
was living put the body in a trunk, loaded
it with stones, and sunk 1t in the lake.
The woman had property in Texas worth
about $4,000 and we, Pietzel and /, took
II off of her hands and sent her abroad.
We never had legal title to this property.
and to save this property, Pietzel and l
formed the ,s scheme tnsnrance nc companv M de-
serve TO be punished for what have done"
This statement was made at the time
he met the typewriter eighteen months be-
fore That would make IL about May i.
which. according TO the best witnesses
that he met Minnie Williams. 1t was
within a week or two of the time Homes
and Minnie Williams went to NO, i1zo ~
| and Mrs. Henry Gordon, and rented the
| fat of Mr.. John Oker.
In order that there covla Md oe ap no possible sre
| none other than III. II. Holmes and Minnie
| Williams. a reporter took two of the very
| hest COMES of Holiness and Minnie Will
|
and his daughter TO identify them and tell
VINO they were Both said that the man s
| nhotovranh was that OF Gordon and the
rwoman's was that OF his wife Minnie
| Another evidence that the Williams girls
! lived at 1920 wrightwood avenue is the fact
iams was delivered there by the Wells
| Fargo Express Company. and unclaimed,
as Annie Williams had disappeared on July
| < or & and no trace has ever been had of
her since the afternoon OF July 5. The trunk
was. held nearly year and sold al auction.
July Ann,s %sass wroe ysn1 eer aaa aan, asa
| that Holmes or brother Harry as she
| called him. had promised 10 take herself
| and sister to Europe
| Holmes, in his confession last November.
| when he. stated that Annie Williams was
1 dead and Minnie abroad, told the truth. In
1 that case IN is more than probable that the
| large. biacx fiat-top trunk that 50 mysterl-
/ ousiy disappeared contained the remains os
~ toe ,bn mystersous trunk at sixty-taird and
/ wallace streets, but was almost new. II
urouestionably belonged 20 Minnie VIII
The sudden determination OF Holmes "a
1 leave the fat at No. l20 Wrlshtwood avenue
would result from an AFFAIR Ike that he
| saws happened in which Minnie killed fef
sister. The trunk disappeared myster.ousi,,
I and in all probability contained the remains
| as ne sad.
| Still another feature bears out the con-
| fession OF Holmes and the theory .hsf An
| ME williams is dead. and that Minnie Will
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