Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1895-08-02
He Alleges Petzel Committed
Suicide at CalIow Hill House.
THEN HOLMES DID The RESI-
MutiIated the Body With Explosives In
order TO Make 1t Appear
Accidental.

been made by II. H. Holmes, the sup
posed murderer of the Pietzel children.
The man of many crimes gives In de-
tail his version of how Pietzel came by
his death last September ana also
states his (Holmes) connection with ths
| tragedy. Holmes says that on the sat
| urday night preceding the death OF |
| Pietzel, the latter came tic his home on |
North Eleventh street, where he was !
| staying with Mrs. Hoard. Pietzel told
| Holmes a heartrending story or MS
| necuniary difficulties and of the sick
| ness of his daughter in st. Louis Il
| must have money" or words TO that
| effect, ito send to my wife in st. Louis
Holmes demonstrated with Pietzel as
| to his spendthrift habits and spoke sub
stantially to him as follows: You
| have been a good friend of mine, III
| admit 1 have made lots of money
| through you, but l can not keep this
thing up. Where is that $50 1 gave you
the other day? If you do not quit
| drinking, you and l will have to sep
| arate."
| This conversation is said to have
| been carried on along Eleventh street.
, | the men walking north until Morris
. street was reached. When they arrived
at the corner, Pietzel exclaimed: Il
am of no benefit to you. l Will soon
| get rid of my difficulties. Life has
| become a burden to me-"
4 Holmes then AYERS that he jokingly
| remarked to Pietzel. well, your body
s | is as good as any other, but L would
not advise you to do anything rash
| Holmes accounts for making this re-
mark by saying that he and Pietzel
} had under consideration the defrauding
of the Fidelity Mutual Insurance Com
| pany Holmes says PietZel became
angry and again ayowed he would com
| nit suicide. Holmes then explains that
, | Pietzel left him with the intention OF
| going home. Holmes says he gave him
no money that night but promised TO
meet him at Callow Hill street mouse
| the following morning.
o 1t was about 10 o'clock the following
p. | day (Sunday) Holmes goes on to say
that he went to visit Pietzel at the Cal
low Hill house. When he reached the
place no one apparently was at nome
Holmes sat in the kitchen for 20 min
utes waiting for Pietzel The latter
Holmes supposed, had gone out foi
breakfast The conspirator then says
| that he became anxious about MS
! friends whereabouts and began g
- | search for him. LAS l rose to go up
| stairs" he says, II noticed a note lyint
on the counter in the front part or tins
house. 1t was addressed to me- homes
| explains that he tore the note open
1T directed him to go on the secon'
| floor and open a closet In when n
would find a large blue bottle contain
ing another letter addressed to him
es Holmes, following the directions, foun
the note in the bottle, as described an
was Mortified when he read it. 1t wa
from Benjamin PietZel and advise
Holmes that his (Pietzeps) dead bod
could be found in the house. The lettt
| pleaded that Holmes look after Pie
ast | zels children and suggested that the1
would be no difficulty in getting tn
insurance money from the F1dellt
company. now that the dead body
he Pietzel could be produced in evidenc
Holmes then told of the appearance
the corpse and said he sat in the roo
! with the body for over an hour. t
: l was dazed and hardly knew VIII
. course to follow. He finally made up h
| mind that since Pietzel had taken
life there would be no harm in destro
II ing any evidence of suicide to get t
', insurance on his life without difficult
Holmes then dragged the dead body
the second door, laid the corpse on t
floor, pried open the mouth of the de
man and poured III quantity OF c
ia. | plosive chemicals. He then says
placed a lighted match to the de
mans mouth when the explosion viii
so horribly disfigured followed. To 81
}. the forcible impression tnat 1let
- came to his death by an accidental {
plosion, Holmes stated that he got
pipe of his, filled it with tobacco, light
it, then blew out the flame after
tobacco had been partly consumed, a
Ill, niaced The pipe beside the dead ma
body, 1t WAS nearly o'clock in the
ternoo1 before he left the house.
ice put on a bat of Pietzels and partia
concealed his identity ana placed
own hat. which was felt one, uni
II NJ. his coat. The criminal went directly
the Broad street station, 10 he alleg
NJ and inquired at what hour the Fl
iaa' train left for Chicago. Holmes allie
that he and his wife left for Chic'
I'm. that night.
' 1t is understood If the prescott
. concludes to indict Holmes for the m
,son. der of Pietzel in Philadelphia they
produce witness who 1t is said, he
the conversation between Holmes
~ Pietzel on that eventful evening" W
ACU. the latter threatened to do away "
his life.
sc, STILL ANOTHER VICTIM.
Chicago, July 29.-Another case
mysterious disappearance which I
- vet be charged to Holmes was reRoi
- to the police today by ne!ghbofs
IL! Russler, who disappeared in 1892.
4 Russler for several months had an
" flee in the Holmes building. He
Holmes were often together, appar
Nv being intimate friends. Some I
in 1892, the date being matter
8os' doubt, the physician dropped ou'