The herald., 1895-10-31
IHE PTzA MURDER CASE
The Dead Mans Widow
Gives Her Testimony
A STORY STRANGER Than FICTION
The Property Interests Which
Tempted Holmes to Crime
ABLE TO PROVIDE CORPSES
Which Might Be Used to Defraud In
surance Companies
Equally Ready to Kill Little Children to
Guard His Secrsts
Strange Mixture of Mutifarious Aliases,
Of Fiondish Cunning and of Infer
Eal Crime-The Children's
Intercepted Letters
Equally Ready to Kill Little Children to
Guard His Secrets
Associated Press Special Wire

intercepted LettcTS
Associated Press Special Wire
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 30.-During
four long hours today, under tn 9 scrut;n-
izing gaze of court room crowded with
strangers to her, pale, worn woman I'M
derwent an ordeal which wei; might have
broken the nerve of many q strong man.
She was Mrs. Carrie Alice Pitzel. With
bravery and fortitude she stood the test,
in spite of the fact that her physical sys-
tenn had Deen 50 shattered by .tha battle
OF woes under which she has all but sue
cumbed, that she was obliged to inter-
rupt her pitifu! narrative at frequent in
tervals to accept spoonfuls of medicine
from the trained nurse who attended her.
In voice broken with grief sho told tn o
whole distressing story of how her hus-
band was spirited away from her ard
murdered out of sheer greed of gain how
she bade her little ones goudby. confid .
ing them to the care of the ma.i Holm es
in all their youthfulness, little thinking
| that when she next saw them the two
little girls would be lying side by side on
the marble slab of q morgue, cold in
death, aud the boy parcel OF moulder-
| ing bofes. Between her bitter subs she
related every detail-from the first meet
| ing of Holmes almost up to today-and
Sd affecting was the story that even Dis
trict Attorney Graham, long used to tales
| of grief and distress, pausso in the exam
ination to wipe away furtive tear.
The womans physical condition was
such that the court had to repeat her
testimony after her because of her weak
voice. Through it oil the shrunken,
| pallid figure in the dock, who by one
unfamiliar with tha shocking story,
would never have besn taken for the
greatest criminal of the aga, sat un-
moved. Not muscle Quivered, not an
eyelash moved, even when the strain be-
came so great that the nearing halted to
| give the wretchel woman an opportunity
| to recover herself. In Iced. once or twce
as some statement struck a chord in his
breast-if chords there bs in such a man,
q malicious sneer played around his
thin, bloodless lips, but never once did
the woman look toward him.
During every movement OF the long ex
animation sne kept her eyes riyeted or
the commonwealth 8 officers, or the coun
! sci for the defense, as ii fearing to shift
them 10 either side lest in their course
they should fall upon the face of the mar
in the dock.
There we're other witnesses called, but
naturally Mrs. Pitze's testimony was tht
feature of the day. Sne went on tn,
stand at 2;30 p. M, immediately upon
the reasemb bling of court after the lunch
recess, and remained there. except for the
| evening intermission. until $50 o'clock
The other incidents of the day were the
reading OF statements made by Holmes
to the Boston police Off GERS when frs
arrested there on November 18th, last,
telling the story of the conspiracy 20
swinule the insurance company ort o
the $40. 00C on Pitzels life.
The cross.examin alton of the witness
was conducted actively bv Messrs. Shoe
maker and Rotan, lawyers whom Holmes
dismissed on Monday and recalled las
night, hut it was apparent that it was
really Holmes him self who was conduct
ing the defense. He continued to stakt
copi0us notes and almost momentarlly hi
attorneys were at the dock side accepting
suggestions from him.
In the opinion of all those who heard
except possibly Holmes and bis attorneys
the evidence of today is strong enough
to send him to the gallows. Slowly but
none the less surely the chain was forged
around him and it is chain which
will be nald to break. There will be 6
pretty point of law in the case presently
If any ything associated with 1t can bt
called so. There is law here that 6
wife cannot testify against her husband.
In spite of this, Mr.. Graham declared
that ne would cali the alleged Mrs.
n q
is why he has been com batting Holmes
assertion that this woman, whom Mr.
Graham persists in calling Miss 4orke, il
his lawful wife.
The first witness today Was Susan Hur-
ley, who keeps a boarding house at No
Io4 Race street. She SAID Pitzel boarded
at her house for a week in August, 1884,
Mrs. A. lics Pierce, OF No. 1874 Callow-
hill street. identified Pilzel's picture as
that of the man who lived at No. 1916
She had known HIM through mis- buying
cigars at her store.
presid ant of the Fidelity Mutual Life
association. was then called. This was
the company swindled out OF $4,000 fol
which Pitzels life was insured, and II
was Perry who began the Investigation
into the gigantic conspiracy. He first
Carrie e. fitzel. the widow, is the bene
iiciary. 1t is dated Nov. 8, 1898. Next
Perry identified receipt for SO, 1855 thf
amount of the policy. less expenses, paid
to and receipted fol by J. D. Howe, the
ST. Louis attorney who represented Mrs.
Pitzel. This is dated Septe mbsr "a, 1894.
Perry was present when Howe received
the money. When Holmes camo to this
city at the request of the com pany tC
identify the body, Howe and Alice Pitze
were IN the off ,e. Holmes came in after
wards and was introduced to them. H.
and Howe met as strangers, but he said
he ha0 met Alice before and she remem.
bered him.. After the payment OF the