Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-10-31
AUGUSTA. NAME THURSDAY OCTOBER 81 1896 ss

KNOW.
On Oct. 25, she went out to do some
shopping and accidentally met Holmes on
the street. Holmes was startled, and told
her he wanted her to leave Toronto, that
night. She and the two children, that
night, went to Prescott, Canada, where
they stayed at the National hotel.
From there they went TO Burlington,
VI, where Holmes met them. He was
angry because she did not come on the
train he told her to take, and said to her
Whenever l tell you to do anything j
want you to do 1t.
Holmes took the family to a house that
he had rented and left them there. At
| Burlington. Holmes told her that she
should be known as Cook. Again he
put the woman Off with lies and held out
| to her the hope that her husband would
appear in day or two. Mrs. Pietzel &c
cused Holmes of lying to her. He denied
that he ever told her IA lie and succeeded
in soothing her suspicious
Holmes disappeared for day or two,
and when her returned, he told her that
the children were In Toronto. He dlated
| upon how happy the children We're in the
| house at Toronto and said Howard was
wearing his heavy overcoat and the girls
| their heavy coats.
| Holmes told her to write to her husband
and he pretended to take the letter to
him. He brought back letter in cipher
| that he pretended was from Pietzel. She
| recognized the figures as Holmes and told
him so, and he admitted that it was his
writing, and said he had been compelled
to copy it for Pietzel, as the latter had
been drinking.
The witness stated that Holmes wrote
her from Boston to go to Lowell. In the
letter Holmes told her that there was
bottle of dynamite in the cellar under the
potato bin. He asked her to take the bot
tie into the attic and leave it there He
added that there would be no danger.
Mrs. Pietzel, instead of carrying the bot
tie into the attic, put it under the case
ment.
| More than once in her testimony Mrs
Pietzel was asked if she did not wish to
rest but she stuck persisgently to her
task. Holmes, she said, would not allow
her to mail her letters herself, but took
them from her and promised to post them
for her. A bunch of these letters to the
children that Holmes had never mailed,
was shown to Mrs. Pietzel and she iden-
titled them. Holmes had opened and read
them. In Burlington, Holmes was known
as .Iudson.
Mrs. Pietzel seemed about to break
down when asked to identify the hand
writing of her dead girls in the letters to
herself, but bore up bravely amidst
deathlikc silence in the court room, and
named the writer of each letter as it was
shown her
She left Burlington for Boston, she
said, with man named White, who
brought her letter from Holmes. In
Boston she saw Holmes under arrest and
he said to her: you needn't take it so
hard. Ben and 1 are the ones who will
have to suffer -
Mr.. Graham asked: "When did you
last see or hear from your husband"
In voice choking with emotion, Mrs
Pictzel replied: Il have never seen my
husband since the goth of July. or heard
from him in his own handwriting since
August %"
Then MIR. Graham, in a solemn voice.
asked: Have you ever seen any of your
children since you gave them to this
MAN.
This question was too much and,
amidst her sobs, Mrs. Pietzel replied ~
~
ing side by side in the morgue at Toronto
and have never seen Howard though
saw some Of his little things in the ooro-
ncr's office aJ Indianapolis.
The defence, realizing the probable effect |
of the incident upon the jury, interposed |
an objection. Mr. Graham was so yehe.
ment in his indignant reply to the de-
fences objection, that he was rcbuked by |
w n al
line of questioning. This concluded Mrs.
Pietzel's direct testimony.
The defence then began its cross ex-
animation, which was conducted by Mr..
Rolan. Throughout the intensely |
dramatic and pathetic recital of the view
ing of her children's bodies by Mrs Piet-
eel, Holmes retained an iminuvable aspect.
He busted himself while Mrs Pietzcl was
giving her testimony, in making notes for
the use of his counsel in the cross exami-
nation
The cross examination of Mrs Pietzel
covered much the same ground as the
direct testimony, and developed nothing
favorable to the defence, but If anything,
strengthened the story of Holmes cold
blooded knavery.
Mrs. Pietzel was still on the stand when
the court took a recess.
After her ordeal on the stand Mrs.
Pietzel was Frustrated, but under physi-
clans attention she recovered sufficiently
to be in court at Z. She resumed the stand
and her cross examination was proceeded
with.
Before Mr.. Rolan began his cross ex-
animation Of the witness, Holmes talked
eagerly with him for some time and was
evidently advising him as to the line of
questioning The witness was asked
several questions concerning the insurance
money, the evident object of the defence
being to show that she paid but $4,000 Of
the $4,000 insurance and got S1700 instead
of only $500 as she stated this afternoon.
1t was indirectly shown by the tcsti-
mony Of the witness that Holmes several
times paid rent for the Petzel family and
grocery and provision bills. Witness said
her husband told her that Holmes owed
him this money
BY indirect admissions Mrs Pietzel
showed that Pietzel was practically de
pendent upon Holmes for support Pet
eel she stated told her previous to its
carrying out Of the scheme to defraud the
Continued on page g. III