The herald., 1895-11-01
FORGING A FATAL CHAIN
Miss YOrke Testifies in
the Pitzel Case
SHE WAS LIVING WITH DEFENDANT
At the Time Benjamin PitzeI
Met His Death
HOLMES NERVE FORSOOK HIM
When the Woman Whom He Calls His
Legal Wife
And Upon Whose Testimony He Based q Hope
OF Escape
HOLMES NERVE FORSOOK HIM
When the Woman Whom He Calls His
Legal Wife
And Upon Whose Testimony He Based Hope
OF Escape
Whispers the Strange Story Of intrigue and
Crime. and With Averted Eyes
Draws Tight the Moose
About His Neck

HILADEnPHlA, Oct. 31.-For about
thirty minutes today the nerve. which all
men have marveled at forsook Holm. es
and he sunk his head into his hands and
sobbed like child. Meanwhile the wo.
man he persists in calling his wife and
upon whom heshad pinned ,his highest
hopes sat two yards away relating the
story that slowly but surely tightened the
moose around his neck. Throughout her
testimony, Miss Yorke, for such she
called herself, never once bestowed a
passing glance upon the man she once
lived with.
The case progressed so swiftly tnat but
few witnesses remain to be heard before
the closing OF the comm monealth' case.
Then the defense will open, and in
spite of Hclmes' statement that he
would testify and also call Miss Yorke,
his counsel privately stated tonight that
the defense would offer no defense but
submit the case on argument alone. The
attorney expressed confidence in his &C.
quittal. Their first victory was gained
tonight. The defense objected to the in
PRODUCTION of any further evidence touch
ing the alleged murder of ths children.
The jury was temporarily taken to their
room. Elaborate argument followed and
atsthe end Judge Arnold sustained the
contention.
Miss Yorke or Mrs. Howard, the al
legged wife of the prisoner, was called.
She gave her testimny in a whisper
Holmes gazed steadily at her few sec.
onds. Tnen he bent forward over lit
tie desk. drew handkerchief and in q
moment o. two sobbed. Quickly recover.
ing himself, he then dried his eyes and
bowed his head, busily engaged himself
with notes, still occasionally giving way
to sob. Georgiana Yorke. for so she
gave her name. is tall, slender woman
of about 25 years, with faxen hair and
blue eyes. She was..dressed stylishly in
black.
Miss Yorke was living with Holmes in
Philadelphia at the time Pltzel was
murdered and her testimony related to
the moves OF Holmes, whom she knew as
Howard. in this city.
Were you in St. Louis in june, 1S94?"
was the first question asked Miss Yorke.
81 was.
"Did you know the prisoner?'
II did,
"By what name?"
n: II. Holmes and II. NJ. Howard"
What was his business Ahen?'
THE drug business"
In answer to furt Ter questions Miss
Yorke said:
81 came to Philadelphia the first week
in August. 1894. The prisoner met me at
Broad street station and we went to 1905
North Eleventh street, the boarding house
kept by Mrs. DR.. Alcorn. | remained
there as long as was in Philadelphia
hn hn
copying business, looking after leases,
deeds, ETC..
Mr., Graham then put a series Of ques-
tions as to Holmes whereabouts on the
day the murder is supposed to have been
mmitted-Sunday. September ?, 1894.
~ Was in & my room % on the ,.g evening Sai Of
part of the time in bef. The prisoner
was home. Someone called during the
evening to see him and he went down
stairs. When he came up he said it was
a messenger from the Pennsylvania rail
road, and he was to see the officials of
the company at the messengers house
copying. Afterwards he said his caller
was Pitzel. This Was the day before We
left Philadelphia"
Was he at home the next day.
Part of the day. He went out at
about lo:31 in the morning. He said ne
udu Dccu W NlCcioWll, u VI nllu'
deiphia. He had before mentioned going
away and said he would go home to In
dianapolis. We were known here by the
name of Howard. We left ON the 9:l5
train. The prisoner renamed with me
in indianapolis for a day or two. Then
he went away, saying he was going to st.
Louis. Thon he went with me to my
mothers home in Franklin, Ind. From
there we returned to Indianapolis and a
few days aftewrard he went to Philadel-
phia, saying the copying deal had been
clUssd."
After detailing their travels III Canada
and Vermont and the arrest in Boston,
she said that during these travels she had
never seen Mrs. Pitzel or her children.
She identified Pitzel's picture as a m an
she had known in Fort Worth as Lyman.
Holmes name there was Pratt, and he
explained it by saying that business
arrangements about the property were
com plicased and he thought it best to
use that name.
Gross examine, said the disrtict at
torney.
Mr.. Rotan of the defense announced
that the prisoner insisted on conducting
the cross-examination in person..
The court consented and Holmes ad-
dressed his questions .remulonsly to the
woman he called his wife. She never
raised her eyes and gave her replies in q
whisper. The crier repeated them aloud.
She said Holmes came in the house Sum
day afternoon, September 2, 1894, look
ing worried and disturbed. He explained d
that he had walked fast.
At this point Holmes told tue court
that he would reserve whatever questions
he had until he called the witness
directly for the defense. The court then
took a recess until o'clock.
The court reconvened at 2 p. m. Mrs.
Pitez was called and identified clothing
which belonged TO hsr husband. The