The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-09-06
DID DR.. HOMES USE IT?
Theory That the Alleged Murderer
Used Nitrobenzine.
Bodies Which are Placed In This
Deadly Chemical are Completely
Dissolved. Instances OF Some
Notorious Murderers Who
Were Scientific Man.

appearance oil some OF tho alleged VIC
Tins of DR.. II. II. Holmes has set
Buffalo chemist to thinking and thcoriz-
ing, and he has produced most novel
theory regarding the method probably
used by Holmes TO make away with tho
bodies of como of his victims after all
the little preliminarics in the way of
collecting insurance money and tho like
had been concluded.
Holmes is man Of scientific ideas, n
man who has kept abreast with the
march of science in all its branches,
and who has been apparently something
OF Il pioneer i'll research himself This
Is shown by the discovery i'll his Chi
cage castle" of most mysterious nu-
id, composed principally of petroleum,
which, when an acid was added, threw
off Gus which caused death in short
time, That much has been discovered
What the acid was remains TO be
learned
This Buffalo chemist, who seems to
have been dcvoting considerable timo to
the matter, has worked out theory
that Holmes may have used prepara-
ton known as nitrobcnzinc for tho ro.
moval of his victims after hc had used
them for whatever purpose he Ind in
view
The great study Of criminals when
they havo committed a murder is the
disposal Of tho body Of their victim,
and, strange as it may SEEM the most
educated men, tho most scientific, the
most studied thinkers ms we'll ms tho un-
educated and the heavy Drained, all
commit the fatal error Of too great
caution.
There was the Parkman. Webster muir
der, one of the most celebrated III the
history of killing in this country. Pro
feSsor Webster, the demonstration Of unat.
omy ut Harvard college, killed Park
man. The professor had handled hun
drcds of cadavers in his time and was
thoroughly fami liar with tho disposal
of the remains of bodies after they left
the dissccting room. Yet, with all his
wonderful mind and the opportunities
at his command for the disposal of II
body without suspicion, he attempted
to burn Parkmans remains and was
caught.
Every ono who reads tho newspapers
ut all must remember tho great care ex-
erciscd by the murdcrcrs of DR.. Cronin
to prevent discovery of their crime, and
so with the murderer of Unger, in New
York, some years ago-the man who
killed his friend, August Boiler and
shipped his body to Baltimore in
trunk. To prevent Identification ho
cut off the victims head and threw it
into the East river as he crossed one
night with the trunk Yet in the
forethought which he excrciSed-and he
spent two days figuring out his plans
for disposing of the body with certain
safety to himself-ho overlooked mark
OF positive Identification, crooked lit
tie finger and a most peculiar scar at
the joint. That identified tho body, and
Unger is now serving 20 years sen
tence. He would have been hanged il
the head could have been found. Had
no cut Off the little finger and disposed
of 1t he would be a free man today.
Holmes seems to have been more suo-
cesstul, for up TO the present time there
does not seem to be, Judging from what
has boon published, very much direct
evidence against him in any of the
cases. True, bones have been found in
his house, bat he has n defense for that
condition Of affairs i'll the fact that he
was medical man and had the bones
for study. And through all his case the
question stands ont clear and distinct,
What became of tho bodies!"
This may be solution Of the oues-
sion-this theory Of the chemist referred
to above.
Some time ago in Mulhausen, Alsace,
there was an explosion in a chemical
factory In room where there was stored
quantity Of what is known as nitro
benzine. There We're several men en-
paoyed IN the room, and all escaped but
one The nitrobenzine of course flooded
the place, and when the fire was put ont
and search made for the BODY of the
man the mixture was several feet deep
on the floor. 1t was thought the work
man had escaped, for no trace of him
could be found until part of one foot
was found at the edge Of pool OF the
nitrobenzine
That set the chemists to thinking, and
they experimental with the bodies of
animals, with the result that it was
fonnd the stuff destroyed every particle
OF the body, blood, bones, flesh and
teeth. Further experiments showed that
metal even would be destroyed by the
nitrobenzine, SO that the body of O hu-
man being, fully dressed, if placed in
the chemical Would ho totally, ob1ito-