Birmingham age-herald., 1895-07-25
GRIM STORY OF THE BONES
MORE DAMNlNG PROOF AGAINST HOLMES,
Detectives Unearth the Backbone of Human Form in the Holmes Cellar at
 EngeWood.

Chicago, Julys 24.-The backbone of human form was one of the awful morning finds of the detectives, who are at work in the Holmes building in Englewood. The second find was a rib. Later there was a bone with two teeth, and now Chief Badenher and Inspector Fitzpat- rick have gone to Englewood to direct personally the future search. The find was at once reported to Inspector Fitz- patrick at the city hall and communi- cated to Chief Badenher. Two of the officers at once started for the Holmes house in Englewood to make personal examination of the objects and have them submitted to a physician for exam ination. Inspector Fitzpatrick made hn announcement of the find, and sad: "Sergeants Norton and Fitzpatrick re- ported to me by telephone few momepts ago that in digging in the baseme 1tlof the Holmes house they had found the backbone and ribs of a human being. The report that the officer makes is that there is no doubt that the bones are part of human body. Chief Badenher and I will start at once for Engleweod and examine personally all the clrcu'5- stances of the discovery.
 Just what bearing this will have on the case I am unable to say, as the re- port is meager." a.is=a
 The inspector said he supposed the bones were part of the body of one or the Williams sisters Besides ti.is neither the chief nor the inspector cared to Ven- ture an opinion as to the probable result of the discovery, although both seenied to be greatly pleased. The pieces or human skeletons were found in the base ment under the drug store, and the dis- gers are still hard at work.
 In the earth mixed with quickllme the men saw what appeared to be several ribs protruding. They dropped their ehoyels and spades and carefully uncov- cred the bones with their hands. seven ribs were thus taken out, when seVefai sections of the vertabrae and what IS described as an upper jaw with two teeth attached were found. Eleven more pieces of the ribs were taken out of the place. With the ribs they found portion CT d Woman's jacket. On the jacket was small bunch of hair, too much discoldred by the dirt to give notion of it's original color. The bones lay on board 2O inches wide and 30 inches long. ne hard dirt underneath would indicate that it was the original floor of the cellar and that it had been filled with about feet of earth at later period. In tnls filled portion lay the bones.
 Three sections of. the vertabrae and four of the ribs were taken to the ofilce of pr. Charles F. North at Sixty-third street and Wentworth avenue. He ex- amined them carefully and gave 1t as his opinion that they were from human body.
 "I am not able to apply any tests, but from a superficial examination l would unhesitatingly pronounce the bones as being from human body, said Dr. North. '"They are discoored with age or the attack of some chemical sub stance and the damp earth in which they have been lying has added to their dis coloration. I believe careful examina- tion will dsclose their human origin.
 All the eighteen bones thought to be ribs lay alongside the sections of Verte- brae and apparently were joined at one time to the backbone. The quicklime will indicate that the rest of the bones had been eaten away.
 Two pieces of flat bones were found in the hole, probably by the police, being from the shoulder blades. That sections of the smaller bones of the body should have been found without any trace of larger bones of the arms and legs makes the find more mysterious.
 Detective Morton. in charge of the dig ging party, had the spot looked over carefully in the hope of finding traces of other portions of human body. A glass vial containing about four ounces Of fluid was found in the same place. but Its character has not yet been determined.
 After reaching the building the chief of police and Inspector Fitzpatrick and the detectives retired to the rear of c. E, Davis drug store in the building with the newly found fragments.
 Joseph Owens, who was present, and who it is. said, assisted Pietzell and Holmes to carry the mysterious trunk into the building, was also on hand dur ing the consultation.
 Druggist Davis suggested the theory that the bones were too small to be a part of the skeleton of either of the Williams girls, and he at once declared his own be- lief that they were portions of the re- mains of Mrs. Corners little girl. who disappeared when or years of age.
 Investigating at Indianapolis.
 Indianapolis, Ind, July N.-Detective Geyer arrived here from Detroit today to investigate this end of the eHolmes-Pietzel affair It is believed by the local officers that the missing lad, Howard Peitzel, was murdered here and his body taken from the Circle Park hotel where Holmes was stopping. in a trunk. What disposition was made of the bo.y is the II. TAt