The herald., 1895-08-26
CONFESSION OF HIS PERFIDY
Induced the Girl to Make Fraudulent
Real Estate Transfers
The Body Of Mamie Williams Was Sunk In
Lake Michigan
He Says He Last Saw Minnie Williams in
Detroit, and Believes She ID Alive
and Well-Hls Letter
in Detail


ment written by H. H. Holmes, in prison
at Philadelphia, and certified to by his
lawyers. going into the details OF his ac-
quaintance with Minnis Williams, is
printed by a local paper. Holmes writes
that he first met Minnie at an intelligence
office kept by one Campbell on Dearborn
street, Chicago, in January, 1893, and
employed her as stenographer. She was
installed in his Office in the building
which has been known as Holmes
"castls." and from March to May of that
year occupied rooms in that BUILDING ad-
Joining the office. Meals wers served in
the building, and if any bones were
found in the stove there. he writes. it
will be found by microscopic investigation
that they were the bones of meat.
He continues: at is certain that no
human body was cremated there during
my occupancy Of the rooms, my own ex-
perience, years ago, being quite sufficient
to show the danger of such proceedings
oo account of the awful odor. if had
no other motive to deter me from such
course.''
Holmes says that in April Minnie Will
liams. knowing him to be in need OF
money, gave him draft for $500, the
proceeds of the sale of real estate she mad
held in Texas, and asked him to use it
until she should need 1t. In order that
she should be protected, he transferred to
her by warrantee deed house and lot
at Willamette. H., valued at $500, The
money was returned to her in May. 1888.
being paid by Isaac r. Hit Il Co. of
Chicago. She desired to convert her other
southern property into cash or improved
northern property, and ne advised her to
execute worthless deed (by having some
one other than herself sign the same) to
fictitious piece and offer the property for
sale at verJ low price. and years later
TO demand an additional sum in exchange
Tor good deed. This was done. Clarence
a. Phillips forging the name of Alexan-
dor Il. Bond upon the Iced so made,
which deeds are still IN existence. About
this time, Holmes narrates, Miss Williams
was taken i'll, suffering from acute pneL-
Tonia. being enrolled as Mrs. Williams.
as her alnient was such that it was
prudent for her to pass as a married
woman.
Minnie Williams condition was brought
about so Holmes says she told him. by
prominent Boston business man, head
OF firm dealing in surgical instruments,
whose wife she visited at their home in
Somerville. This man had aquired an
influence over her which she was unable
to resist. betrayed her. and she met him
frequently at a hotel near his place of
business, breaking her engagement to
marry an honest clerk,
When she grew better and returned to
his house, her sister. Mamie Williams,
came from Texas to visit her. Returning
one evening, early i'll July, from day in
the city. he was greeted by cry from
Minnie Williams in the parior: lis that
you? My God l thought you would never
come. Mamie is dead.''
She was seated upon the floor. holding
hnr eiota IN 1,.,v
and moaning as a mother would over
child.
He found that Mamie had been dead
for nours, and laid ner body upon the
bed in his own ROOM, finding no mark OF
violence, but a slight discoloration on one
written by Holmes, Minnie Williams had
been away the preceding night. and
Holmes had also been Unexpectedly de-
tained by business all night. When Mn
ME Williams returned that morning she
noticed that his bed had not been occu-
pisd during the night. This is what
Holmes writes:
"And with only this one thought in her
disordered mind had rushed into the ad-
Joining room whore her sister then sat,
and in voice which only the very few
who have been intimately acquainted
with Miss Williams can appreciate. she
said: You devil, you have stolen my
husband from me-. At the samo time
she had struck her sister with small
footstool. causing her to fall to the floor,
where with hardly struggle she had
ceased to breathe.."
AT first Minnie thought her sister had
only tainted, and tried TO revivs her.
Then she found her efforts fruitless, and
remained in the position in which he
found her. Then came the question of
what to do. Holmes story OF what was
done follows:
We clothed Mamie in light dress she
lad liked to wear and took large trunk
The had brought with er,from Texas and
placed her in it. l went to a staple and
obtained coverd conveyance and upon
ny return l engaged man to accompany
me to the house and help me place the
trunk in the carriage. l then drove to
appearing to parties noticing me, il any,
that l was waiting the return of some
belated boating :party. Then procured
boat at some distance and took it near
my waiting place and later. with consid-
erabie trouble, placed the trunk in the
craft and proceeded about one mile from
shore. There. in the darkness, passed
beyond the sight of this world in the
depths OF Lake Michigan all that was
mortal OF sthis beautiful Christian girl.
coming toward the shore thought 1t
and more remote portion of the beach.
did this and after returning the boat,
drove away and later came back for the
trunk.
THE housekeeping was broken up
and very shortly thereafter Mr., Hatch
took Minnie Williams to Milwaukee,
where she remained in a private instit,i-
tion until later in the summes, Xhe