The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-08-21
MISS WILLIAMS IS ALIVE
HOLMES COUNSEL HAS RECEIVED
 4 TELEGRAM FROM HER.

In 1t She Says That the Report That She
 Was hurdered Is Absurd-when the
 Message Was shown to Holmes He
 Brushed Tears From His Eyes-It is 6
 Strong Link in His Favor.
 Philadelphia, Aug. 2o--W. A. Shoe
 maker, counsel for Holmes, to-day re-
 ceived a message from "Minnie R.
 Williams" dated Providence, R. l..
 which stated that the sender was alive
 and we'll. This Is one of the women
 whom Holmes Is accused of having
 murdered in the Chicago castle" When questioned in relation to the
 matter MT. Shoemaker at first seemed reluctant to discuss it, but finally ad-
 mitted that he had received such a dispatch. we have contended all along" said he, "that Minnie Williams
 was alive We will have mo difficulty in producing her at the proper time" When asked what action he would take in the matter MT. Shoemaker said:
 q cannot say wha will do now.s think it was rather inconsistent on the part of Miss Williams to telegraph here"
 When asked if he thought the tele-,
 gram was genuine Mr. Shoemaker re- piled:
 "It may or may not be. My opinion. however, is that it was sent by Minnie Williams. Holmes told me he supposed the girl had just arrived from London and perhaps was induced to send the
 message by some of his friends. It is
 more than likely that Minnie Williams sent a message from Providence and then hurriedly left the town She has always had a particular fondness for
 Boston and has many friends there.
 She may have been on her way there when she telegraphed rne." The telegram reads:
 Providence, R. T., Aug 19-To w, A. Shoemaker, attorney, Philadelphia.
 Report that I was murdered absurd.
 Am alive and we'll (Signed) MINNIE R. WILLIAMS" I When the message was shown Holmes he at once exhibited his feelings "T
 know my story would be confirmed" said he as he brushed the tears from his eyes. ''I am sorry, however that
 she has made herself so public by tele- graphing. She might as well have | written"
 l Then Holmes reiterated the state
 ment that he has made so often that the last time he saw Minnie was when
 he left her at Toronto with the Pitezel children. The prisoner has every con- l fdence that Minnie Williams is the best | friend he has and feels assured that | the telegram received to-day was sent by her for the purpose of showing loy- atty to him. The genuineness of the l telegram will be investigated by MT. l Shoemaker and if it is found that Min- nie Williams sent it it will be a. very, 1 big link in the chain of evidence for the defence.
 w. A. Cappa, the Fort Worth attor- ney, who came here Tn tie interest of l Texas people, who are trying to prose- cute Holmes, was told while on his way l to take a train for New York that Min nie Williams had been reported alive.
 MT. Cappa said:
 l sI never thought she was dead. The Fort Worth people think she is alives | but it seems mighty hard to locate her. ! She may be somewhere near Boston.
 She has many friends there" l Assistant Attorney Barlow would not say whether he though the telegram
 was genuine or false. He admitted,
 however, that he would not be aston- ished if Minnie appeared at any time.