St. Paul daily globe., 1895-11-19

the opposing attorney. Under IN
structions, Geyer went to Mrs. Mar
garet Reah, matron in the Fourth
district police station, and she, under
the name of Blanche A. Hannigan,
was taken to Shoemaker by Schwelch-
Ter. Meantime, Shoemaker had pre-
pared an affidavit, stating that the
deponent had known Pietzel, and
that to her he had expressed his in
tention of committing suicide. Mrs.
Hannigan readily signed and swore
to this, and Shoemaker gave her two
SO bills for doing so. On each bill she
marked the initials "B. A. H." and
today she exhibited them in court.
Shoemaker walked into the trap
blindfolded. When he read the affi-
davit to the court, he declared that
it's contents had been dictated to him
by the woman. A moment after
wards irrefutable testimony was pro-
duced showing that he had himself
made up the affidavit and dictated 1t
to a stenographer before he had even
asked Schweichler ito procure a wom-
an to sign it, and that he had not so
much as read or explained its pur-
port to Mrs. Hannigan.
Judge Arnold, who was on the
bench during the trial, had called in
Judges Thayer and Wilson to hear
and decide with him on the merits
of the arguments for new trial. AS
the strange revelations came, the
three judges did not hesitate, by
their bearing and words, to manifest
their sense of the gravity Of the ac-
cused lawyers situation. Shoemaker
had nothing to say. He was stunned
and shocked beyond measure, but
said this was not the time for him to
talk. Rotan, his associate, expressed
his confidence in his colleagues final
exoneration, but admitted that the
evidence of his guilt was overwhelm-
ing. Rotan himself was unsmirched.
The witnesses, the district attorney
and the court were careful to make
that clear, and the young barrister
who has fought, and practically sim
gle-handed, battle against tremend-
Gus odds with some skill and much
forrtitude, was visibly affected.
A strange story is whispered about
Shoemaker's initial appearance in
this case. A little over a year ago,
it is said, he first came to Philadel-
pllia. Whence he came no one seemed
to know, but a tale is told that he
had been for some time in little
town in Indiana Upon his arrival
here he is said to have spoken of the
receipt Of letter from Boston
signed III" 1t is stated that the
writer desired to retain him as coun-
sci in a case which would soon after
wards come up in Philadelphia, and
enclosed one-hundred-dollar note as
a retaining fee. A few days after
wards Holmes was arrested in Bos-
ton, and the story of his manifold
crimes came out. Now it is said that
the little town in which Shoemaker
lived was but short distance from
another town where Holmes had
lived and foStered his multifariouS
schemes. 1t is even said that in Shoe
makers Office has been found map
of the county i'm which these two
towns lie, and that line is drawn
in red ink between the places, but
so drawn as to avoid railroads and
settlements, cutting through the bare
country. This curious story is not
given out officially, but with those
who know of it there is an unanimity
as to its details. The Holmes case
was the first Shoemaker tried in Phil
adelphia. 1t is probably also the last.
The proceedings were begun by Mr..
Shoemaker, who asked that the argu-
ment be postponed. He urged that since
the verdict had been rendered the de-
fense had come into possession of new
information and additional clues of Vi
tai Importance to the case, and which
would result in Holmes acquittal. Sub
sequent to the trial, he confined, they
had obtained information of a person
who had known Pietzel when he lived
at 1916 Callowhill street. This person,
Blanche A. Hannigan, had made affida-
Wit in substance as follows: In August,
1894 she kept a cigar store at 1888 Cal
lohill street, and had known and talked
with PietZel then known as Perry.
On Aug. 29, in her store, she told him
she would have to leave the store and
visit a dying friend, whereupon Pietzel
spoke of the uncertainties of life, say
ing he had more troubles than any one
would suppose, and that he would not
care if it was he who was dying in
stead of her friend. He spoke of his
many troubles and added that the end
would come soon, as he could not stand
it much longer. Ali his actions and
flcs tnr1 lAI 70 -I,
eide.
In presenting this affidavit, Mr.. Shoe
maker said that Mrs. Hannigan would
have come forward with this testi-
mony before, but she disliked notoriety,
and had been out of the city for some
time. AS soon, however, as she found
that there was a life at stake, she had
come forward. Besides this new testi-
mony, Shoemaker went on, there were
many other clues to be run down, some
of which had come to their knowledge
as late as last Saturday.
District Attorney Graham asked that
before this, ,applicati be passed upon
Mrs. Hannigan be called to the stand.
Mr.. Rotan, who is associated with
Shoemaker replied that they had been
unable to find her; that the affidavit
had been procured by John Sweckler.
detective, and that counsel would
not permit her to testify until they
had an opportunity to examine her
privately and sift the truth of her
statement.
In response to questions from the
court. Mr.. Shoemaker then said that
the affidavit had been written by him
self at the dictation of Mrs Hannigan.
Mr.. Graham said it became his duty
to make q painful declaration Dur
ing the early part of the recent trial |
he had received information that eff |
forts had been made to procure false
testimony by bribery. Subsequently |
he learned that these efforts were be- |
ing prosecuted to the end. Thereupon !
he sent for the persons thus employed |
to furnish evidence, and she was in |
court at the present time.
'I will produce her and show that she |
was employed by Mr.. Shoemaker; that !
she was taken to his office and ques- |
toned: that she said she knew moth
- Il, A..