Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-07-30
HOLM ES' LATEST.
A Friend Peddles Out Yarn Concerning the
Death OF PitzeL.

PHILADELPHIA, July 3O.-The Bulletin
prints the following: An entirely new
statement has just been made by H. H.
Holmes, the supposed murderer of the
Pitzel children. In it the man Of many
crimes gives in detail his version Of how
Pitzel came by his death last September,
and also states his (Holmes) connection
with the tragedy. The statement was
given to a close friend of Holmes in Phila-
delphia, who gave it to q Bulletin repre-
sentative.
Holmes says that on the Saturday night
preceding the death of Pitzel, the latter
came to his house on North Eleventh
street, where he was staying with "Mrs.
Howard" Pitzel told Holmes heart
rending story of his pecuniary difficulties
and of the sickness of his daughter in st.
Louis. II must have money" he said, or
words to that effect, ''to send to my wife
In st. Louis" Holmes demonstrated with
Pitzel as to his spendthrift habits.
This conversation is said to have been
carried on along Eleventh street. Pitzel
exclaimed: II am of no benefit to any
one. / will soon get rid of my difficulties.
Life has become a nuisance to me-"
Holmes then AYERS he jokingly re-
marked to Pitzel: "Well, your body is as
good as any other, but l wouldn't advise
you to do anything rash" Holmes ac-
counts for his remarks by saying that
he and Pitzel had under consideration the
defrauding of the Fidelity Mutual In
surance company.
Holmes says Pitzel then became angry,
and again avowed that he would commit
suicide. Holmes then explains that Pitzel
l-rx Ia L. s-A
Holmes says he gave Pitzel no money that
night, but promised to meet him at the
Callowhill street house the following
morning.
1t was about 10 o'clock the following
day Sunday, Holmes goes on TO say, that
ne went to visit Pitzel at the CallOwhill
street house. When he reached the place
no one apparently was about. Holmes
sat In the kitchen for almost 20 minutes,
waiting for Pltzel to appear.
Time wore on, and the conspirator says
that he became anxious about his friends
house for Pitzel He came across note
from Benjamin Pitzel that advised
him that his (Pitzel's) dead body could
be found in the house. The letter pleaded
that Holmes look after Pitzel's children,
difficulty in getting the insurance money
from the Fidelity company now that the
dead body Of Pitzel could be produced In
evidence.
Holmes then told his friend Of the ap-
pearance of the corpse, and said that he
sat in the room with the body for over an
hour. He hardly knew what course to pur.
sue. He finally made up his mind that
since Pitzel had taken his life there would
be no harm In destroying any evidence of
suicide, 90 that he migh<{oe able to get the
insurance.
Holmes has confessed that he thereupon
dragged the dead body to the second floor,
laid the corpse on the floor, pried open the
mouth of tho dead man with pencil and
poured In quantity. of explosive chemi.
Gals. He then, he says, placed a lighted
match TO the mans mouth, when the ex.
piosion, which so horribly disngured the
corpse, followed.
TO give the more forcible impression
that Pitzel came to his death by an acci'
dental explosion, Holmes states that he
rot Q pipe of Pitzerss filed IL with to
baooo, lighted II, then blew out the flame
after the tobacco had been partly con-
sumsd, and placed the pipe beside the dead
mans body.
Il was nearly 4 O'Clock In the afternoon.
Holmes states, before hs left the Csllow-
hill street houss. Hs put On . hss q