Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1895-08-03
He Alleges PietzeI Committed
Suicide at CaIow Hill House.
THEN HOLMES DID THE Res
Mutilated the Body With Explosives in
order TO Make 1t Appear
Accidental.


posed murderer Of the PietzeI children
The man Of many crimes gives III Dc
tail his version Of how Pietzel came By
his death last September and alsC
states his GiOlmes) connection with the
tragedy. Holmes says that on the Sat
urday night preceding the death OF
Pietzel, the latter came tC his home on
North Eleventh street, where he was
staying with Mrs. Hoard. Pietzel told
Holmes a heartrendng story Of his
pecuniary difficulties and Of the sick
ness Of his daughter in st. Louis II
must have money" or words to that
effect, ito send to my wife in st. Louis. =
Holmes demonstrated with PietZel as
60 his spendthrift habits ana spoke sub
stantially to him as follows: "YO Ou
have been a good friend Of mine, | II
admit l have made lots of money
through you, hut [ can not keep this
thing up. Where is that $50 l gave you
the other day? If You do not quit
drinking, you and I viii have to sep
arate."
This conversation is said to have
been carried on along Eleventh street,
the men walking north until Morris
street was reached. When they arrived
at the corner, Pietzel exclaimed: "I
am of no benefit to you. I will soon
get rid of my difficulties. Life has
become a burden to me-"
Holmes then AYERS that he jOllingIy
remarked to Pietzel. well, your body
Is as good as any other, but I would
not advise YOU to do anything rash"
Holmes accounts for making this re-
mark by saying that he and Pietzel
had n.
of the Fidelity Mutual Insurance Com
pany. Holmes says Pietzel became
angry and again avowed he would com
nit suicide. Holmes then explains that
Pietzei left him with the intention of
going home. Holmes says he gave him
no money that night, but promised TO
meet him at Callow Hill street house
the following morning.
1T was about 10 o'clock the following
day Sunday. Holmes goes on to say
that he went to visit Pietzel at the Cal
low Hill house. When he reached the
place no one apparently was at home
Holmes sat in the kitchen for 20 min
ntes waiting for PetZel The latter,
Holmes supposed, had gone out for
breakfast, The cOnspiratOr then says
that ne became anxious about his
friends whereabouts and began a
search for him. LAS / rose to 20 up
stairs, he says, Il noticed a note lying
on the counter in the front part Of the
house. 1t was addressed to me" Holmes
explains that he tore the note open.
1T directed him to go on the second
floor and open a closet in which he
would find a large blue bottle contain
ing another letter addressed to him.
Holmes, following the directions, found
the note in the bottle, as described and
was Mortified when he read it. 1t was
from Benjamin Pietzel and advised
Holmes that his (Pietzel's) dead body
could be found in the house The letter
pleaded that Holmes look after Pict
zel's children and suggested that there
would be no difficulty in getting the
insurance money from the Fidelity
company, now that the dead body Of
Pletzel could be produced in evidence
Holmes then told Of the appearance of
the corpse and said he sat in the room
with the body for over an hour. He
was dazed and hardly knew what
course to follow. He finally made up his
mind that since Pietzel had taken his
life there would be no harm in destroy
ing any evidence of suicide to get the
insurance on his life without difficulty |
Holmes then dragged the dead body to |
the second floor, laid the corpse on the |
floor, pried open the mouth Of the dead |
man and poured in Il quantity of eX- |
plosive Chemicals. He then says he |
placed a lighted match to the dead |
mans mouth, when the explosion which |
80 horribly disfgured followed To give |
the forcible impression that Pietzcl |
came to his death by an accidental eX- |
plosion, Holmes stated that he cot a |
pipe of his, filled it with tobacco. lighted |
it, then blew out the flame after the /
tobacco had been partly consumed, and !
placed the pipe beside the dead mans |
body. 1t was nearly o'clock in the af-
ternoon before he left the house He |
put on a hat of Pietzels and partially |
concealed his identity and placed his /
own hat, which was a felt one, under |
his coat. The criminal went directly to |
the Broad street station, 50 he alleged
and inquired at what hour the first
train left for Chicago. Holmes alleges |
that he and his wife left for Chicago |
that night
1t is understood if the prosecution
concludes to indct Holmes for the muir
der of Pietzel in Philadelphia they will |
produce a witness who, it is said, heard
PietZel on that eventful evening when
the latter threatened to do away with |
his life.
STILL ANOTHER VICTIM.
Chicago, July 29-Another case Of
mysterious disappearance which may
yet be charged to Holmes was reported
to the police today by neighbors of
Russler, who disappeared in 1892 DR.
,,1a To,- u -
fee in the Holmes building. He and
Holmes We're often together, apparent |
ly being Intimate friends. Some time
in 1892, the date being a matter Of
doubt, the physician dropped out Of
sight. He had but few acquaintances,
and although his disappearance caused
some talk among the neighbors little
was paid to it.
Charles Chappell, son Of NJ. S. Chap |
pell, who claims to have been the as
sistant Of Holmes and to have articu-
lated skeletons for him, says his father
has been Of unsound mind for several
years and expresses the belief that his
father knows nothing whatever OF
Holmes doings
MORE EVIDENCE UNEARTHED.
The search for traces of the many
supposed victims Of H. H. Holmes was
resumed It his castle" today. In the
basement labOrers We're kept at work
with pick and spade, while as many
detectives carefully examined every
handful of earth thrown up. The de-
tectives found today two tool chests, in
one Of which was a hammer spotted
and stained. 1t was believed by the
officers that the spots were blood and
an analysis was ordered. A number Of
bones We're found in the basement to-
day and examined by Robinson. He
them parts Of a human
body. Examination showed that most
Of the bones were from butcher shop.