The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-06-22

thing About Pratt--W. }. Coleman Say
the Philadelphia Man is not Pratt-Mrs
Pratt brings Out Letter.
The trial for murder of Holmes Of
Nugget in Philadelphia has attracted
world wide attention but there ar,
people in Wichita who suppose tina
the star character in that drama i!
none other than Frank Pratt who lef
here less than two years ago.
Pratt was a bright highly educated
man and he made friends here and
while he had plenty of money he wa!
- noted for his liberality.
1t is now claimed that before coming
TO Wichita Frank Pratt put up life
insurance scheme by which he secured
$4,000 from an insurance company and
afterwards killing the man that helped
TO put up and execute the conspirac,
SO as TO get all the money himself in.
stead of dividing with his accomplice.
Or in other words, it is claimed that
a man who sometimes went under the
name of Holmes and other times Mug
Sett did that thing and that Holmes OF
Nugget, as he is called, was Frank
Pratt. The officers here claim thai
such information or suspicious have
been communicated to them and it is
even asserted that Hank Reiserman
was asked TO go east and identify
Pratt
County Attorney Davis says he
knew Pratt when he was here and that
he had plenty of money. The county
attorney tells that he saw Pratt set up
a champaign supper to some friends on
North Main street. The wine had the
effect OF making him realize his great
wealth and when he paid the bin Pratt
drew from his side pocket large roll
OF money that must have contained
several thousand dollars.
Z. NJ. Cossitt says he became init
mately acquainted with Frank Pratt
When ne was here. He used to live
up on North Waco" said Mr.. Cossitt.
and he was a very bright fellow. He
could talk on almost any subject and
convinced you that he knew what he
was talking about.
Il got acquainted with Frank Pratt
by playing whist with him. He was
the fIest whist player / ever saw He
codId play in game and come the
nearest telling every card that had
been played and what cards were still
out of anybody l ever knew
l think Pratt went off and left his
wlfe here. L afterwards heard of him
IN Denver. He got to gambling up
there and lost some money and had
some woman representing herself as
ms wife commence suit against the
gambling houses there for $4,000.
never heard anything more of the case
and whethre he dropped it or made the
gamblers come down for something /
never knew
Do you say County Attorney
Davis and Hank Hizerman think this
Phliadeiphia man is Frank Pratt?
Wen. Well! | would never have though
that. l never thought he was that
bad"
Hank Hizerman was seen last night
seated in an easy chair under the avn
ing in front of the Occidental hotel
What is there in this story about the
man Holmes or Nugget arrested in
Philadelphia, Mr.. Heizerman?" asked
reporter for the Eagle.
Come here and sit down and I will
tell you all about that" said the ex-
register OF deeds. 81 expect that am
responsible for that story. I was in
Philadelphia early last spring and
stopping at the Keystone hotel when
Holmes or Nugget, as you call him,
was arrested.
Il picked up the Philadelphia Call in
the hotel and in it was picture Of the
man arrested. / looked "a it and saw
that il was a very good picture of
hotel that / knew that man and his
name was Frank Pratt. Then they
told me that Holmes had been trading
In real estate in Texas, Kansas and
Colorado.
That only confirmed my opinion
that the man arrested was Frank
Pratt. | took a walk out in the CITY
and when i came back the hotel clerk
told me that a lieutenant of police had
been there after me TO go and see
Nugget or Holmes and see If L could
identify him as Frank Pratt
i was ready 10 come home and il oc-
Cured 10 me that they might hold me
as a witness in case l identified Pratt
ana so i told the clerk that / was going
to my room and that he must not al
low the police to disturb me until
morning. The next morning | got up
and lit out for home. ] knew Frank
Pratt very well and i did not want to
be witness against him anyhow, but
that picture in the Call looked exactely
like Frank Pratt"
The reporter for the Eagle got n
pointer that Frank Pratt's wife lived
out on East Central svnue Just at the
foot Of the hill east Of Chisholm creek.
He went out there and called at
house and enquIred of the lady IL she
knew Mrs. Frank Pratt
Why yes" she replied.
DO you know where her husband
ls?''
mo. He left her more than a year
ago. Mrs. Pratt and her four children
live With brother. w. ]. Coleman. who
llNes over across the creek where the
Jersey cattle are.
That Mr.. Coleman is one of the best
men | ever knew. He is a Christian II
there is one in this world. He is not a
rich man nor is he a very strong man.
but when Pratt went away Mr.. Cole
man took Mrs. Pratt and her four chill
1ren and gave them all home at his
house with his own family. Now there
s what / call a Christian"
The reporter came back TO the place
Indicated and asked some children
playing in the yard If Mr.. Coleman
ived there. Yes" said a bright little
sirl and she ran in the house and
brought him out.
.ory and told Mr.. Coleman that ru-
nor was in circulation that the man
arrested at Philadelphia was Frank /
Pratt
Frank has wronged his family and |
1e has wronged me- said Mr.. Cole |
nan. hut he is not the man To commit |
l murder. He is in fact a good hearted /
nan but he got to drinking and gam |
'Hng and went down hill. I think he |
: trying to reform and If you say any 1
hing about him for the sake of his /
amily do not be too hard.
His wife IS my sister and she and 4
Ter four children are here now. They /
lave three girls and one boy. The |
'ldest is girl nearly Il years old and |
he youngest child is only little over /
NE year old.
Frank has been in the east but I /
lever heard Of his being at Philadel- 1
,hia. He went from here TO Denver
'ut he is not in Denver now and / am
Is certain as / can be that he was
| hal iireoE feeling