The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-08-02
After All the Sensational Finds I'm
Present to thc Grand jury.
HIS TRACKS WE'LL COVERED
CONVICT ALLEN TO BE PUMPED. But
WITH LITTLE PROSPECT.
All Discoveries Thus Far, Outside OF
Those of the Pfetzcls, Concern
SWindling Schemes.

CHICAGO, Aug. l.-No new developments
were made in the Holmes case to-day and
the police admit that they are about at
the end of their rope. without a particle of
tangible evidence which Holmes can be
charged with murder. A number of small
clews were worked on during the day, but
none OF them developed anything. Dozens
of prominent clews have been carefully in
vestigated; witness after witness, who was
confidently expected to tell ALL" has been
examined without result and at last de-
tectives are forced to admit their efforts
have been unavailing SO far as real proof
of guilt is concerned. This was admitted by
Inspector Fitzpatrick to-day.
when we started on this case he said.
1--WE knew it would be almost impossible TO
get any one who could positively connect
Holmes with any case of murder yet we
thought il our duty to investigate, and We
have done the best we could. We believe
several crimes have been committed and be-
lieve that Holmes and his confederates are
guilty of several murders. but so far we are
unable to prove our belief correct. We have
no evidence that would even cause an in
dictment against any of the men under sus-
picion II ii were presented to the grand
jury
Lawyer Capps left the city tonight for
Little Rock, where he will interview the
convict Allen and then confer with the
Governor as TO advisability Of a pardon for
the man, il he finds that Allen has any
real knowledge of the doings of Holmes.
The officers at Englewood continued the
attempt to trace the missing Williams
girls to-day. or Annie. but little is known
and Minnie has been traced to June, 1893.
Letters were found showing that she was
in the confidence of Holmes and was sup
posed by people living at a distance to be
a man and partner Of Holmes. A letter
from F. E. Randall, Of Aurora, referred
10 a deal in which Holmes and Minnie
Williams were interested. The effects OF
the Quinlans were searched, but nothing
found.
In connection with Capps.s visit to Allen.
Inspector Fitzpatrick said that the attorney
had no instructions to try TO get Alien
released from the penitentiary, but that
he was told to simply try and get wnat
information he could from this man M lr with N
The future actions of the department In
regard to the convict will be greatly in
fiuenced by the attorneys report.
Four witnesses were examined by In
spector Fitzpatrick this evening. The most
important Of them was man named
Erickson. who is at the present tim time SsSa EN-
He told the officials that he was at one
time employed in the castle drug store.
He knew Holmes well, and said that ne
always considered him very peculiar.
"Why?' asked Inspector Fitzpatrick.
"Weil' replied Erickson, "he always
wanted so much chloroform during the
time | was there. 1t was only few
months, and 1 sometimes sold this order
to him nine or ten times week, ana each
time ii was in large quantities. asked
him what he used ii for on several occa-
sions. but he gave very unsatisfactory
answers. At last refused to let him have
any more until he told me- as / pretended
that L was afraid that he was not using IT
for any proper purpose. He then told me
that he was making some experiments, and
the following day showed me bottle con-
taining a yellow fluid. He had another
bottle with white liquid in 1t, and when
he mixed the two heavy vapor arose, to
which he set fire. He also told me that
the gas was poisonous. Some time after,
when he got more chloroform. l asked him
If his experiments were nearly completed.
and then he said he was not making any
more experiments"
Pat Quinlan was given q two hours ses-
sion i'm the sweat box" to-day, but the
result was as unsatisfactory as the pre-
Ian gives no evidence of weakening, and
stubbornly sticks TO his statement tnat he
knows absolutely nothing of any killing
The police received word to-day OF the mys-
terious hauling away from the Holmes
house at night of several large boxes; The
boxes were teken from the castle during
Holiness residence there, and several de-
tectives were detailed on the new lead In
the case.