Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1895-07-18
A RECORD OF THE CRIME.
How He Attempted to ImpIieate Others
in His Nisdoings.

Philadelphia, July 16.--With the finding
or the bodies OF the PietZel children in
Toronto, chapter in the history of one
or the most sensational criminal cases in
the annals Of this country is closed and the
net of the law is drawn more closely about
one of the boldest scoundrels that has
ever been arraigned at the bar of justice.
Herman Mudgett, alias H. II. Holmes is
in the county prison here awaiting sentence
for the confessed crime of conspiracy in
defrauding the Fidelity Mutual Life as
ISOLATION of Philadelphia out of $40, 900, by
palming off upon it a bogus body as that
Of Benjamin f. Pietzel, a policy holder of
the company.
The case has so many sides to it that it
is difficult to even outline it in the ordin-
airy length of newspaper despatch. In
July, 1894, the Fidelity Mutual Life associa-
ton issued a policy for 10000 upon the life
of Benjamin +. Pietzel. Shortly after this
man giving his name as b. r. Perry,
rented a house at 1919 Callowhll street,
this city. In September of the same year
a fire, supposed to have been caused by
an explosion, occurred at the house, and
the charred body of Perry was found. A
short time after this Jeptha b. Howe, a
young attorney of St. Louis, presented a
claim to the Fidelity company for $40 1000,
upon the life of Pietzel, alleging that the
man found at the house 1919 Cal
lowhill street was Pietzel. With Howe,
was Alice. q l3-year-old daughter of
Pietzel and Holmes, the arch-conspira-
tor in the case. The body of the supposed
Perry had been buried in Potters Field,
but was eXhumed, and Alice and Holmes
positively identified it as that of Pietzel,
The money was paid to Howe, and the
party returned to st. Louis.
Mrs. Peitzel was in St. Louis at that
time and, through representations that
she could aid her husband in furthering
his interests, consented to become II party
to Holmes scheme to deceive the insur-
ance company. According to the story
Holmes told Mrs. Petzel he and her hus-
band had concocted n plan TO defraud the
insurance company by passing off upon il
n bogus body as that of Pietzel. Holmes
told her that he and Pietzel had procured
a corpse In New York city, and had had It
shipped to the house at 1919 Callowhill
street, and that this was the body found.
Mrs. Pietzel believed this story, and to aid
her husband consented to so far take part
in the deception as to claim the money.
She was given $500. Howe got big fee,
and Holmes kept the rest of the $4,000.
The Insurance company became suspi-
cious and. setting detectives upon Holmes
track, built up a case against him. and in
November of last year Holmes was arrest
ed in Boston. A few days after the arrest
OF Holmes Mrs. Pietzel was arrested in
the same city and Howe was taken into
custody in St. Louis. After Holmes was
brought to this city he told so many con-
fiicting stories that he speedily showed
himself TO be q liar Of the greatest mag
nitude.
At the time that Holmes had given the
money to Mrs. Petzel In St. Louis he
offered to relieve her of the burden of
three OF her Ave children. The eldest and
youngest child remained with Mrs. Pietzel
and Holmes took the other three children
Alice, Nellie and Howard. 1t Ia the
theory of the police that Howard was
murdered in Detroit, before Holmes went
to Toronto.
Since parting with her children Mrs.
Petzel has never been able to obtain from
Holmes any definite knowledge of their
whereabouts. Holmes, however, said,
after his arrest. that the children were
alive, as was also Pietzel. His stories re-
garding Pietzel. however, were disbelieved
and when he was Indicted for conspiracy