The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-11-13

In authorization Of the crowd of morbid
people who would be attracted to the scene,
cordons of police guarded all the entrances,
and only those having business in the court
room were admitted.
Holmes is suspected OF having murdered al
least twenty-three persons. the most OF them
in furthering insurance frauds that he had
planned. There are men. women and chill
dren among his alleged victims, and two
countries and dozen States have harbored
him at different periods In his long career OF
crime. and have, it Is believed. evidence
enough against him to hang him. He is In.
dicted for murder in Pennsylvania, Indiana,
Illinois and Canada.
Holmes came of a respectable country
town family in New Hampshire. He learned
his trade of insurance swindling while
student at the University OF Michigan. A
fellow student proposed q swindle by which
they could make little money. It was sue
cessful, and Holmes KEEP on at the business
When Holmes left the University in 1878
he was twenty-o1e years old. When he was
locked up for an insurance swindle last
spring he closed career Of seventeen years
Of crime, not single day OF which had not
1t is believed, been spent In the planning Of
murder, always OF some one who sup
posed him a friend. He filled in the time
with robberies, great and small, with leading
women astray, with blackmailing. He hac
built over several houses into dens for the
perpetration of his crimes, with trap-doors,
blind passages. quick-lime pits.
The murder OF Benjamin Pitezel, one ofthe
last in the series, was done in Philadelphia.
Pitezel thought he was to profit by the swim
die, and that he was to die only 80 far as the
insurance companies were concerned. But
it was the real Pitezel who died In Phila'
dephia. and Holmes, appearing as benev.:
oent former employer OF Pitezel and
who felt sorry for the widow, aided
in the Identification which caused the
insurance company to pay over the $4,000,
While the insurance company was satisfied
with the Identification, it suspected muir
der, and long investigation resulted In the
Indictment Of Holmes.
Meanwhile three of Mrs. Pitezels children
had been lured away from her. Their bodies
were found in the Holmes Toronto den.
Directly after the prisoner had been placed
in the dock and Judge Arnold had taken
his seat on the bench, Holiness two attor.
news, Messrs. Rotan and Shoemaker, asked
for a continuance of the case.' This request
was refused. Then the defendants lawyers
announced that they would withdraw from
the case. The Judge expressed his sur
prise at such unprecedented action at the
beginning of a murder trial, and told the
two attorneys that IL they withdrew they
placed themselves in jeopardy OF being dis
barred. The two lawyers left the courtroom
Notwithstanding this advice. The Cour
then ordered the trial to proceed. Still de-
termined to have no delay, the Common.
wealth's officers consulted with The Judge,
and then called upon Everett A. Schoteio
and j. N. Fahy, young members OF the par
who agreed to assume responsibility.
Holmes, however, objected on the ground
that as he knew none Of these gentlemen he
did not to entru5t his life to them. He
announced that he would not accept the
lawyers appointed by the Court, and that he
would conduct his own defense.
A hum of astonishment went around the
courtroom, but, alone and without friend
by his side, his iron nerve did not give way.
he exercised his right of challenge, and be.
fore the jury was obtained, eighteen men had
been set aside ry him.
The opening address Of the District Attor-
ney, which followed the swearing in OF the
Jury, was forcible throughout, but his de-
nunciation Of Holmes. which was at times
particularly severe, had no outward effect
upon the accused. Holiness composure was
wonderful, and during the narrative ne
busted himself in taxing copious notes OF
the prosecuting officers address.
The Court ordered an adjournment at the
conclusion Of his address. but before this
was announced by the crier Holmes arose
from his seat in the dock and asked Judge
Arnold to instruct the prison authorities to
place him In lighted cell and have him sup
piled with writing material. The Judge re-
piled that this would be attended to.