Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1895-11-07
HOLMES TO HANG.
Tho Arch-Fiend Found Guilty Of
the Murder Of Pitzel &


Philadelphia, Nov. a. Henry II.
Holmes was convicted Of murder IN the
first degree at 1851 o'clock Saturday
night for killing Benjamin F. Pitzel.
He coughed slightly when he heard the
words. That was the only sign.
The jury retired to deliberate at $40
o'clock. According to one Of their num-
Der, they had reached their verdict be-
fore the doors of their room closed upon
them. For hunger's sake they ate their
supper first. Then they took ballot,
and without hesitation every man of
the IL answered: Guilty Of murder in
the first degree"
At $40 o'clock there was hustle Of
moving people in the packed courtroom
and 1t became known that the jury was
coming in. A moment later Judge Ar
mold took his seat. District Attorney
Graham and his assistants entered and
the jury filed solemnly in and took their
seats in the box. Then, amid an OPP
pressive silence, Holmes was brought in
and placed in the dock. For moment
there was not sound. The silence was
literally painful and every heart in that
crowded room throbbed faster. The
man who was about to hear his doom
pronounced stood erect in the dock, the
same death like pallor on his face. He
stared at the Jury blankly, his hands
clasped behind his back. Once or twice
he moistened his lips with his tongue.
There was no other sign of agitation.
Then, from a deep-voiced court clerk
came the request to the jury for their
verdict. The condcmning words came
promptly from the foreman: Guilty
of murder in the first degree
Then the jury was polled, and as each
name was called Holmes wrote it on the
margin of newspaper in his hand, and
the fingers holding the pencil never
shook. The verdict was formally re-
corded by the court, the motion for a
new trial was made, and Holmes was
taken to his cellroom and few mo-
ments later to prison. Then the jury
was thanked for It's attention and Ia
bors and sent home, the court adj
journed and the most extraordinary
case in tho annals Of American courts
was ended.
Immediately after the announcement
of the verdict the usual application for
leave to file motion for new trial was
made. District Attorney Graham did
not oppose the motion, and Judge Ar
mold fixed the 18th of this month for a
hearing. The principal reason urged
will be lack of time for the preparation
of the defense. Should new trial be
refused, an appeal will be taken to the
supreme court, and argument heard al
it's next sitting in this city, January
1896.
Mr.. Graham made the argument for
the prosecution and Mr.. Rotan that fol
the defense.
Judge Arnold, in his charge to the
jury, began with the usual definition OF
the various degrees of murder and man.
slaughter, and read several passages
from the penal code of Pennsylvania.
He instructed the jury to direct their
thoughts to the question whether the
prisoner had committed murder, and,
If so, of what degree. If the common.
wealth had proved that it was wilful.
deliberate and premeditated murder,
then he was guilty of murder in the first
degree. If persuaded that 1t was sui
eide and not murder, or if there was a
reasonable doubt in the minds of the
Jurors they must acquit.
Philadelphia, Oct. 31.Mrs. Pitzei
was placed upon the witness stand
Tuesday afternoon, and her story fur
nished the first really sensational fea-
ture in the Holmes murder trial.
Mrs. Pitzel testified that she EN-.
ployed Howe to collect the insurance
money by the advice of Holmes. At the
time Holmes told her that Pitzel was
alive and was going around by Puget