The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-11-20
l. 1. HOLMES 10 HANH
The Noted Criminal Guilty Of Murder
in the First Degree,
VERDICT DAzEs THE PRIsoNERl

Decision Quickly Rendered--It Took the
Jurymen Only Few Moments to Ds.l
eide Against the Prlsoner.--To Ask forj
New Trlal---Ghastly Relics Exhibit
ed by the District Attorney. 80.
b. q. Holmes, the most remarkable crimtJ
nal America has ever produced, must die on
the gallows for the murder Of his fellow
swindler, Benjamin F. PitezeL The jury at
ut Philadelphia, Penn, after only
one ballot, brought in q 5yer3
dict Of murder in the first degrees
Without having called single witness to-
testify In his defence Holiness case waa
given to the jury at forty-fve minutes past
5 o clock on the afternoon of the sixth day
OF the trial. The jury were out only g few
hours when they came in with their yerdiet.g
Judge Arnold. In his charge to the jury, said
the evidence was entirely circumstantiai,
but that was not unusual In murder case
He said there was no doubt Pitezel was
murdered, and his charge, on the whole, WIS
unfavorable to the prisoner. District
Attorney Graham, in his closing gads,
dress to the Jury, argued that 1t was fmt
possible for Pitezel to have committed sui3
eide and that the evidence pointing to-
Holiness guilt was clear and concise. Mr.i
Rotan. In pleading for the life Of the prisj
oner. said he had decided to offer no deg
fence, having confidence that the Common3
wealth had not made out its case, aud that
the reasonable doubt in the matter had not
been removed by the prosecution.
After tho retirement Of the jury from the
court room, the spectators streamed out into
the corridors and eagerly discussed whatths
ve-uict would probably be. There was cont
siderable difference of opinion, as many be3
lieved the Commonwealth had not estab3
lished its case against Holmes. but thet
majority were inclined to believe that thf
Jury would convict. II
At S.95 word was sent to Judge Arnold that
the jury WAS ready 10 return the verdict g
Tie prisoner was brought In and placed In
the dock. he wasimpassive as he took hiss
scat. The jury came in and took their places
The Court, ordered Holmes to arise. and
then, in reply to the question Of the Court,
the foreman Of the jury pronounced the Eer5
diet: "Guilty Of murder in the first degree. =.
The verdict was greeted with absolute
silence. The charge of the, Judge must
have foreshadowed what his fate would be-,
but the word "Guilty" fell upon Holmes
with stunning force. He made no outcry
and exhibited no emotion OF any kind.
he sat down, and while the jury vaa !
polled and each man answered to his name
and gave his verdict Holmes stared vacantly
before him. bis face was like that OF
corpse. It was absolutely expressionless. M
as the effects Of the blow began to passf
away Holmes slowly recovered. He realized
that his counsel was making motion Tor ~
new trial His under lip fell and he ran his
tongue over 1t. 81 K !st Sc
Clasping his hands together he leaned Ior-
ward to listen to the Judges decision. When
Judge Arnold said that he would hear the
application for new trial on November 184
an expression of something like hope cams
over bis dull face. Turning to the court :
officers he said in an eager whisper:
Monday, November 1872 8! "a
These were the only words heS uttered,
Judge Arnold then expressed to Mr.. Rotan,
and Mr.. Shoemaker his appreciation OF their
difficult task, and complimented them on
being able to make as good defence as they
did. he intimated that their withdrawal
from the case was device OF the prisoner
the Court to understand that their Withdraw
al was no device of their own, but was done
from sincere conviction. because they be-
Heved time had not been given to them to-
prepare their case. Judge Arnold then or -
dered that the prisoner be removed. BythtS
time Holmes had recovered much Of his com-sS
posure and he walked from the room with
quick, springy step. The Judge thanked
the jury for their attention and discharged 4
them, and so ended the trial. II = II
The jury was never in doubt. When they
retired from the court room they had sup u
per, and then brief discussion took place.
One ballot was taken, and every man voted !.
to convict. They consumed three hours Tor &
their retirement from the court room, but
they could have found verdict In fifteen Il
minutes II they had wished to do so. Holmes =
was returned to prison and placed IN cell st
for condemned murderers. ;JS5 K
After the Court was closed District Ats
torney Graham took the jury into his office
and showed them the mass Of evidence col,
lected under the direction OF Attorney &
Thomas W. Barlow, but excluded from tha
trial. This included the stove In which
Holmes burned little Howard Pltezel's body
near indianapolis, the fragments Of skull
and the teeth found in the chimney, and
many other ghastly relics. III