The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-07-30
IT IS HOLMES STORY
What Pletzel Says and Where the
Corpse Was.
TOO HORRIBLE TO RELATE
dragged the Body to Another
Room. Poured Explosives In
the Mouth and Applied
a Lighted Match.
TOO HORRIBLE TO RELATE

Philadelphia, July 29.-The Bulletin
to-day prints the following; An en-
| tirely. new statement has just been
| made by III. II. Holmes, the supposed
murderer OF the Pletzel children. The
man of many crimes gives in detail his
version Of how Pietzel came by his
| death last September and also states
his Qiolmes) connection with the
tragedy. Holmes says that on satur-
day, preceding the death of Pietzel,
the latter came to his house on North
| Eleventh street, where he was staying
with Mrs. Howard" Pietzel told
Holmes u heartrendlng story of his
pecuniary difficulties and of the sick
ness of his daughter in st. Louis. II
must have money" or words 10 that
effect, TO send to my wife in st.
Louis" Holmes demonstrated with
Pletzel as to his spendthrift habits and
spoke substantially to him as follows:
Then you have been good friend
and made lots Of money, but | cannot
keep this thing up. Where is that $50
l gave you the other day. II you don't
quit drinking you and l will have to
separate"
This conversation is said to have been
| carried on along Eleventh street, the
men walking north to Morris street.
When they arrived at the corner Piet-
eel exclaimed: 1T am Of no benefit to
you; will soon get rid of my difficult
| ties. Life has become "A nuisance IN
me-" Holmes then AYERS that he jok-
II
as good as any other, but would not
advise you TO do anything rasn."
| Holmes accounts for making this re-
mark by saying that he and Pietsel
had under consideration the defrauding
of the Fidelity Mutual Insurance COM
pany. Holmes says Pietzel then be-
| came angry and again avowed that he
would commit suicide. Holmes then
explains that Pietzel left with the in
| tentlon Of going home. Holmes says
he gave him no money that night. but
promised to meet him at the Callow
| street hill house.
| Sunday, Holmes goes on to say. that
he went to visit Pietzel at the Callow
hill house. When he reached the place
no one was apparently about. Holmes
sat In the kitchen for almost 20 min
utes waiting for Pietzel. The latter.
Holmes supposed, had gone out for
breakfast. The conspirator then says
that he became anxious about his
| friends whereabouts and began to
| search the house for him.
| "As / arose to go upstairs" says the
criminal, II noticed a note laying on
the counter In the front part Of the
| house II was addressed TO me-"
| Holmes explains that he tore the note
open. 1t directed him to go on the sec
| ond floor and open a closet in which he
would find a large blue bottle contain
| ing another letter addressed to him.
Holmes followed the directions. He
| found the note In the bottle as de-
scribed. and was Mortified when he
read 1t. 1t was from Benjamin Pietzel
and advised him that his (Pietzels)
dead body could be found in the house.
The letter pleaded that Holmes look
after Pietzel's children and suggested
that there would be no difficulty in get
ting the insurance money from the FL
deity company, now that the dead
body of Pietzel could be produced in
evidence.
Holmes then told of the appearance
of the corpse and said he sat In a room
with the body for more than an hour.
He was dazed and hardly knew what
course to follow. He finally made up
his mind that since Pietzel had taken
his life there would be no harm in de-
stroying any evidence Of suicide. To
o. 10. 4. l.n.-
difficulty. Holmes then dragged the
dead body to the second floor. laid the
corpse on the floor. pried open the
mouth of the dead man and poured in
quantity of explosive chemicals. He
then says ne placed lighted match to
the dead mans mouth. Then the ex-
plosion, which so horribly disfigured
the corpse. followed. To give them a
forcible impression that Pietzel came
10 his death by an accidental explo-
sion. Holmes stated that he got a pipe
| of his. filled II with tobacco. lighted II,
then blew out the fame after the TO-
bacco had been partly consumed, and
placed the pipe beside the dead mans
body.
1t was nearly p. m. before he left
/ the Callow street house. He put on a
hat of Pietzels to partially conceal his
identity and placed his own hat. which
was a felt one under his coat. The
/ criminal went directly to the Broad
street station, so he alleged. and in
quired at what hour the first train left
for Chicago. Holmes alleges that he
| and his wife left for Chicago that nj.
/ and his wife left for Chicago that
night. 1t is understood If the prose-
cution conclude to indict Holmes for
the murder of Pletzel in Philadelphia.
they will produce a witness who. 1t is
claimed. heard the conversation be-
tween Holmes and Pietzel on that
eventful evening when Pietzel threat
! ened to do away with his life.