The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1895-11-01
WIFE OF HOLMES VICTIM ON The
STAND AGAINST HIN.
TELLS A VERY SAD TALE.
IIreaks Down when Asked About Her
Cbudrcn Prisoner Unaffected
and sim Keeps Up Ills Remark
able Ncrye--uc i the Mas
ter spirit in the Gross
Examinations.

PM ADELpntA. Oct 49, II For four long
hours yesterday. under the scrutiniz-
ing gaze of "a court room crowded with
strangers to her, pale. worn woman
underwent an ordeal which well might
have broken the nerve Of many a
strong man. She was Mrs Carrie
Alice Piet1el With bravery and for
titude She stood the test in spite OF
the fact shat her physical condition
has been so shattered by the battalion
of woes under which She has all but
succumbed that she was obliged 10 in
terrupt her pitiful narrative at fre-I
quent intervals 20 accept spooufuls OF
medicine from the trained nurse who
attended her ina voice broken
with grief. sho told the whole dis
trcssiug story How her husband
was spirited away from her and rhur-
dered ont OF sheer greed of gain;
how she bade her little ones go0d 10y.
contding them 10 the care OF The man
Holmes la all truthfuiness. little
thinking that when She next should
see them the two little girls would bc
lying side by side ON the marble SLAB
If morgue, cold in death and the
boy a parcel OF moldering bones. Be
NNtt|A nAI RAkAfI NnUnr Hllt ItluNfu
every detail from the first meeting
with Holmes almost mp 20 to-day, and
so affecting was her story. that even
District Attorney Graham, long used
10 tales Of rriefand distress paused in
examination TO wipe away furtive
tear
The womans physical condition was
such that the court had to repeat her
testimony after her because of her
weak voice. Throughout it all the
shunken, pallid figure in the dock,
tn one unfamiliar with the shocking
STORY. would never be taken for the
arch criminal OF the age. sat unmoved.
Not "a muscle quivered not lash
moved even when the strain became
so great that the hearing halted TO
give the wretched woman an oppor.
tunity 10 recover herself
There were other witnesses called.
but naturally Mrs pietzcl's testimony
was the feature of the day She went
ou the stand at 2.3e in the afternoon,
Immediately npon the reassemblng Of
cpart after The lunch recess, and re-
iaaiucd there except for the evening
inteimission. until $3.50 O'Clock. The
other incidents of the day were the
reading of statements made by
Holmes to the Boston police when
first arrested there on November ] {
last, telling the story of the con
spiracy to sWindle the insurance COM
pany out OF $4,000 ON Pietzers life.
The cross examination of the wit
nesses was conducted actively by
Messrs. shoemaker and Botan but il
was apparent that il was really
Holmes himself who was conducting
he defense lie continued To take
eopious notes, and almost momentar-
ly his attorneys were at the dock side.
accepting suggestions from him.
SIN the wonder {, the exhibition of
nerve made by the man Holmes Not
% change passed over his features dur
ing the day, and at many critical
points Of the testimony he sat care
lessly reading "a newspaper. Ina the
opinion Of AN those who heard. except
possibly Holmes and his attorneys,
The evidence was strong enough TO
send him to the pallows. There VIII
le pretty point of law ia the case
presently. There Is law mere that
Wiie cannot testify against her hus-
band. Ina spite of This Mr. Graham
declared thut he would call the alleged
Mrs. Holmes, or Howard 10 the stand.
ihis Is why he has been combating
Holmes assertion that this woman,
whom Mr.. Graham persists in calling
Miss Yoke, is has lawful wife.