The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-10-30
HOLMES GIVES UP.
He Weakens and Sends for His
Lawyers.
The Big Strain Proves Too
Much for Him.
LIMIT TO ENDURANCE.
He Only Had Two Hours Sleep
One Night.
The Severe Ordeal Brings Him
Almost to a Collapse.
LIMIT TO ENDURANCE.

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 30.-It became
apparent last night that the pictur-
esque and startling features of Fl. FL.
Holmes career were not to be confined
to his destructive wanderings over the
American continent, for with each
successive day comes something still
more strange and unexpected.
Monday he dismissed his counsel and
began to try his own case because the
court refused to grant the plea made
by them for continuance. They left
the court in spite of Judge Arnold's
threats to disbar them, and rellgiously
kept away. Last night, after lighting
tooth and nail singlehanded against
the tremendous machinery OF the
commonwealth and the apparently
complete chain of evidence which
has been forged around him, he threw
up his hands and sent for his lawyers,
AIessrs. Shoemaker & Rotan. Then he
told the court what he had done and
a reluctant consent to their cOntinu-
ing with the defense was given. There
was an impression that this was but
another part of the by-play following
Holmes personal failure to catch the
sympathy of the court and jury by
making himself out a much-wronged
man. forced to fight alone what would
be his last battle, in spite of his ignor-
ance of the technicallLies of the law
and his alleged physical infirmity.
The big work of the trial-taking
testimony-was begun yes erday, and
with the exception of brief intermis-
sions at lunch and supper time, was
continued until nearly O'Clock last
night. The star witnesses of the
trial-Mrs. Pietzel, Detective Geyer,
Agent Perry Of the swindled insurance
company, and the arch-crimina1, him
self-remain to be heard, as also
nearly two score of others.
Holmes made a plea last evening
asking the court to hold but two SEES
sions day. In pleading he said his
health was such that he felt unable to
continue his cross-exa mination of the
/ witness es, and besides, he was subject
+ to sick headaches Judge Arnold in
sisted. however, on holding an extra
/ session, and said to-day could be at
tended TO when it came.
During the supper recess, which fol-
lowed the incident Holmes privately
said that the preparation of his case
in his cell had kept him up
until 4 o'clock in the morning, and
then he was reused from bed two
hours later In addition to This, he
had not eaten anything from Monday
night until O'Clock yesterday after
noon. 1t was after making tins state
ment that he sent for his attorneys.
Up to that time there had been a gen
eral impression that human patience
could not stand the terrible ordeal
which he had set for himself,
and that if he persisted in
going on with his own case,
there would be d breakdown before
long. All day, as he sat in the dock,
the eyes of the man he is charged with
numbering gazed at him from a large
crayon portrait placed upright on the
district attorneys desk in full view
of the entire court. Next to this was
an equally large size picture of the
daughter Alice, whose death is also
laid on his shoulders, but he did not
seem to be affec ed. His stolid de-
meanor never deserted him for an in
slant.
The witnesses examined yesterday
did not bring out anything new, but
were put on the stand to esta blish the
fact of P1etzel's death. On the cross
examinat ton Holmes exhibited won
derful skill as a lawyer, holding his
own with the prosecute