The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-07-30
A CONFESSION
IN Which Holmes Gives His vSrsion OF
Pitzers Death
TANK IN The CASTLE CELLAR
Expected to Greatly Add to List
of Sensations.

PHILADELPHIA, July W.-Ihe bulletih
priuts the following: An entirely new
statement has just been made 10y H. n.
Holmes, the supposed murderer OF inc
Pitzei children. In IL tho man OF many
crimes gives In detail his version oil now
pitzel came by his death last september
and also states his (Holmos) connection
with the tragedy. The statement was
given to a close friend OF Holmes In Phiia-
dolphin, who gave it to Bulletin repre-
sentative.
Holmes says that on the Saturday night
preceding the death Of Pitzel, the latter
came to his house on North eleventh
street, where he was staying with MIS-
Howard" Pitzel told Holmes heart
rending story of his pecuniary difficulties
and of the sickness OF his daughter In 81
Louis. "I must have money he said OF
words to that effect. Ito send to my wire
in st. Louis" Holmes demonstrated WIN
Pitzel as to his spendthrift habits
This conversation Is said TO have peeh
carried on along Eleventh street. Pltzei
exclaimed: II am OF no benefit to any
one. will soon get rid OF my diilicuities'
Life has become nuisance TO me-
Holmes then AYERS he jokingly re-
marked 10 Ptzel: "Wcll, your body is as
good as any other but l wouldn't advise
Won 20 do ANYTHING rash" Holmes ac-
counts for his remarks by saying that
he and Pitzel had under consideration tne
defraudinq Of the Fidelity Mutual In
surance company.
Holmes saws Pitzel then became angry,
md again avowed that he would commit
suicide. Holmes then explains that Pltzei
left him with the intention of going home
Holmes saws he gave Pitzel no money tha'
night, but promised to meet him AT ,he
Callowhill street house the following
morning.
The "suicide" Discovered.
II was ahou, 10 o'clock the following
dav Sunday, Holmes goes on 20 say, thal
he went 10 visit Pltzel at the Callowhii
street house When he reached the piac'
no one apparently was about. Holmes
sat in the kitchen for almost 20 minutes
waiting for Pitzel to appear.
Time wore on. and the conspirator say
that he became anxious about his friend
whereabouts. and began 10 search th
house for Pftzri-He came across not
from BENJAMIN Pitzel that advises
him that his (Pitzels) dead body coul'
be found in the house. The letter pleade
that Holmes look after Pitzefs children
and suggested that there would be n
difYiculty In getting the Insurance none
from the Fidelity company now that TN
dead body OF Pitzel could be produced l
evidence.
Holmes then told his friend OF the al
poarancfof the corpse, and said that b
sat I'm the room with the body for over
hour. He hardly knew what course to pu
sue. He finally made mp his mind thu
since Pitzel had taken his life there won
be no harm in destroying any evidence
srici,io. so that no might be able to get ti
insurance.
A Cool Proceeding.
Holmes has confessed that he thereupc
dragged the dead body 70 the second hoo
laid the corpse on the floor, pried open q
mouth OF the dead man with pencil al
poured in a quantity OF explosive chem
Gals He then, he says, placed n nghtt
match TO the mans mouth, when the @
plosion. which so horribly disfigurcd Il
corpse, followed.
To give the more forcible impressit
that Pitzel came to his death by an ac'
dental explosion, Holmes states that
rot pipe of Pitzers, filled IL with
bacco. lighted IL, then blew out tho far
after the tobacco had been partly co
sumed, and placed the pipe beside the de-
mans body.
II was nearly o'clock In tho afternoo
Holmes states, before he left tho Gallo
hill street house. He put on hat
Pitzel's TO partially conceal his idcnti
and placed his own hat, which was OF fe
under his coat. Holmes at once ma
preparations TO leave the city. He and
wife, he alleges, left for Chicago u
night.
II Is understood that il the prosecuti
conclude to indict Holmes for the mur'
of Pitzel In Philadelphia, they will p
ducc witness who, IL Is said, heard
conversation between Holmes and Pit
on that evcntful evening, when the lat
threatened to do away with his life.
II has also been learned that the st
has another witness who was on the tr
on which Holmes and his "wifo" travo
20 Chicago This witness, II Is und
stood, can testify that Holmes sat in
apparent stupor on his way 20 the we
that ne held novel before him for o
an hour, and was seemingly so mi
dazed that during that time he ne
turned a page Of the book.