The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-10-30

intention the portrait might as well
nave been placed before the Sphinx as
Tor us any effect was produced upon
Holmes. In answering the District AT
torney or in making, his frequent in
quiries of the Court. Holmes manner
was mild even unto supplcation, and
although more than one covert sneer
was directed toward the prosecuting
officer, at no time throughout the day
was this singular mans voice raised
much above IL whisper.
FROM his line of questioning witness
es, II would seem that at one moment he
mad decided upon adopting for his
defense the theory that Pictzel commit
tea suicide while drunk ana then he
would suddenly swerre off into an en-
trely different direction and il would
appear that lie intended to base his
denial of the murder upon the plea
that the body was not that of PietZS
at all but substitute for the corpse
placed In the house to deceive the in
Surance company. If either of these
ideas of dcnfense were Holmes they
were untenahle. for he has already
made sworn afiitlavits that would con-
tradict them. The truth was that
iolmes was fairly impallcd upon the
horns of two dilcma. and he saw no
way off either OF them. His medical
knowledge was OF some assistance 10
him in his cross examination of the ply
sicianS who testified, but he brought
out nothing favorable to himself.
Both of Holmes recalled counsel arc
young men and are not focmcn worthy
OF the District Attorneys steel as they
lack the experience necessary to enable
them To grasp and present to the Jury
the points favorab BILE to their client.
The defense is certainly without wit
nesses. and the two attorneys tonight
were only too evidently unprcparcd to
go on with the case They cross cx-
Il rn nj FrS,t Il,
tions they asked il would seem that
they had decided that the best line of
defense would be to deny the identity
Of the body found as that of Iolctzcl.
although this may be an entire sup
position.
Holmes tonight for the first time
seemed to lose his nerve. 4 large pie
turc of little Alice Pietzcl was sudden
~ introduced by the District Attorney
and the sight of IL most evidently up-
set him and when the Commonwealth
proposed evidence showing that Holmes
IN addition TO his other crimes had
made this child the victim of his pas
sions. the man was greatly diSconlposed
and showed his relief in his face when
Inc evidence bearing upon this point
was ruled out by the Court Rcyond
the return to the case OF the two at
lorn"Xs tonight the proceedings were
dnil ana unmtcresting in the main ana
ne commonwealth having completed
rs Identification of Pictzcl, the court
adjourned untii Tomorrow morning
In compliance with his request the
woman whom he had deceived into the
belief that she was his legal wife under
me name OF Mrs. Howard met Holmes
inns morning in tie District Attorneys
Office III the presence of her mother
rhc object of Holmes in seeking the in
tcrHieW was 10 obtain from the ,,iIl
.hr return 10 him of certain properties
ihlt he had decided over 10 her This
she Told him she would he only too
Siad Ia do and that she never again
wished to sec him. Holmes asked for
ahoiher interview with Mrs. Howard"
al noon but she was too much prostrat
see him again.