Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1895-08-22

stamps him as a moral monster-a man
wholly devoid of moral sense Every
move made by the man since he started
out in the world twelve years ago,
seems to have been made with crimi-
nal intent. He is by no means an ordi-
nary man, and his mental capabilities
rank him far above all the celebrated
criminals ever known to American or
English police. He was graduated from
the Michigan University at Ann Arbor
and began his career of crime while
yet a student in that institution. He
was school teacher in Vermont, and
before he entered the university he was
graduated in medicine. Thus equipped
he was in a position to begin the most
remarkable career of crime ever known
to the police. His case is the most re-
markable study in psychology and
criminalogy ever brought to light in a
civilized nation.
Holmes knowledge OF drugs would
have enabled him to make way with
the Pietzel children without the sight
of blood, Of which he seems to be in
mortal terror. Miss Minnie Williams,
the Fort Worth, Tex, typewriter who
lived with Holmes in Chicago, was, in
all probability, murdered in the same
way The theory of the police that Miss
Williams killed her sister with stool
in fit Of jealousy, and that, in order
to protect his mistress, Holmes disposed
of the body by sinking it in a trunk
in Lake Michigan, has given way to the
belief that Holmes was himself the MUIR
derer, a theory which the cruel, de-
signing nature Of the man thoroughly
justifies These two young women
owned property in Texas worth $4,000,
and subsequent developments lead the
detectives to believe Holmes coolly set
about to get them out Of the way in
order to come in possession of the mon
ey. At no time in his career has
Holmes ever hesitated to murder If the
intended victim stood in the way Of the
accomplishment of his scheme.
This is proven by the fate Of the Will
liams girls by the fate of Pietzel, by
the cruel murder of three Of the victims
children and by his attempt to blow up
Mrs. Pietzel at Burlington, vt. Certain
1t is that Holmes contemplated and plot
ted the death of the entire Pletzel fam
lily in order that not single person
having a knowledge Of the Fidelity
sWindle and the death of Pietzel, the
first murder that became necessary to
its success should be left alive. The
fiendish cruelty Of such plot seems
almost beyond belief.
Every instinct in Holmes seems to
have been criminal. His every move
was toward the accomplishment of
some crime He never moved in a direct
line. Every talent, every energy, every
bit of education he ever had have been
employed toward criminal end The
result is the most accomplished and sue
cessful crook in police annals-a crimi-
nal beside whom the record of any one
man ever arrested in America prior to
September, 1894, pales into insignifi-
canoe. Murder has only been an incl
dental part Of Holmes career. He MUIR
dered when some human being stood
in the way of his daring schemes
Swindling and fraud were the prime
factors in every crime he ever commit
ted, and he loved them as the gambler
loves the green cloth. He played his
schemes with the same feeling that the
poker shark plays his cards. They were
his amusement his pastime, his means
Of securing the money necessary to cay
~ on his wild and terrible career.