The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-23
NO MONEY FOR HOLMES,
Denial of a Report That He
Will Be Assisted by
Friends.
Detectives Still In the Dark Con-
corning Minnie Williams
Disappearance.

BOSTON, MASS, July 22-An emphatic
denial comes from the Boston business
man who is charged with supplying money
for the defense of Herman Mudgett, better
known as H. H. Holmes, now under arrest
in Philadelphia. He says that he was ac-
ouainted with Minnie Williams when the
girl lived in Boston three years ago. She
was then student at the New England
Conservatory of Music. He asserts that
he never knew Holmes under that or any
other name, nor ever to his knowledge saw
him. He was introduced into the case by
means of a letter which detective claimed
was given to him by Holmes while he was
in Moyamensing Prison. In speaking of
the affair this gentleman said:
81 did receive letter purporting to have
come from Holmes, and containing re-
quest for money, but / do not know the
man, and did nothing with it. Shortly
afterward a detective visited me, and
told him that never knew Holmes. He
spoke about the letter which l had re-
ceived, aad before the interview was ended
he admitted that he wrote this letter him.
self.
81 did know a girl in the city by the
name OF Minnie Williams, and from what
/ read / should not be surprised if she was
the person whom this man Holmes is sup
posed to have murdered My acquaint-
ance with her was simply that OF friend,
Just as dozens of other persons were ac-
quainted with her in Boston, and not a
very intimate friend, either. I have not
seen her for three years. The last saw of
her she said she was going to New York.
II did not kdow a great deal of her his
tory. l understood that she came here
from some place in Texas. She was very
quiet and steady and conducted herself in
at my house several times, but was always
received as a friend and acted as lady.
She seemed TO be girl in well-to-do cir
cumstances. OF her connection with
Holmes l have no knowledge more than
what obtain from the papers"
While the detective was here he looked
up another point of interest. So far as
could be learned, Miss Williams had not
been in Boston for three years, and yet he
ascertained that letter addressed to her
was received at Somerville Postoffice while
Holmes was in this city last fall, and was
delivered to somebody. This letter was
mailed from Ogdensburg. supposedly by
Holmes, and was addressed to Miss Minnie
Williams, Somerville, Mass. Miss Howard,
one of the women who supposed she was
thedawful wife of Holmes. saw him write
it, and also saw the little corner subscrip-
ton on the envelope. "lf not delivered, re-
turn to the Parker House, Boston,"
When Holmes reached Boston he called
at the Parker House several times and
asked for such letter, but it had not been
returned. Not content with that he sent
his '.wife'' to Somerville to asce rtain if it
had been delivered, and if not to obtain
possession of it. The postotfice authorities
could find no such letter, and the inference
was that some one had called for it, al
though to whom it was delivered, no one
knew. If Minnie Williams was not in
Boston at that time, the question is, Who
got that letter?