The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1895-08-03
He Alleges Pietzel Committed
Suicide at CalIow Hill House.
THEN HOLMES DID THE RESI-
Mutilated the Body With Explosives in
Order to Make 1t Appear
Accidental.

Philadelphia. JULY 29.-The Bulletin
today prints the following:
An entirely new statement has just
been made by H. 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 and also
states his (Holmesl connection with the
tragedy. Holmes says that on the Sat-
urday night preceding the death Of
Pietzel, the latter came to his home on
North Eleventh street. where he was
staying with Mrs. Hoard. Pietzel told
Holmes a heartrending story Of his
pecuniary difficulties and of the sick
ness of his daughter in st. Louis. II
must have money" or words to that
effect. "to 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 good friend of mine, I'll
admit I have made lots of money
through you, but I can not keep this
thing up. Where is that $50 gave you
the other day? If you do not quit
drinking, you and I 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
1T the corner, Pietzel exclaimed: II
am of no benefit to you. will soon
get rid of my difficulties. Life has
become a burden to me-"
Holmes then ayers that he jokingly
remarked to Pietzel: "Well, your body
is as good as any other. but I 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 avowed he would COM
init 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 house
the following morning.
It was about 10 o'clock the following
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 home.
Holmes sat in the kitchen for 20 min
utes waiting for Pietzel The latter,
Holmes supposed, had gone out for
breakfast. The conspirator then says
that he became anxious about his
friends whereabouts and began a
search for him. "As I rose to go up
stairs" he says, II noticed note lying
on the counter in the front part of the
house. It was addressed to me-" Holmes
explains that he tore the note open.
It directed him to go on the second
floor and open a closet in which he
would find large blue bottle contain
ing another letter addressed to him.
Holmes, following the directions, found
the note in the bottle, as described and
was Mortified when he read it. 1t was
from Benjamin Pietzel and advised
Holmes that his Pietzel's) dead body
could be found in the house. The letter
pleaded that Holmes look after Piet-
xers children and suggested that there
would be no difficulty in getting the
insurance money from the Fidelity
company, now that the dead body of
Pietzel could be produced in evidence.
Holmes then told of the appearance of
the corpse and said he sat in the room
with the body for over an hour. He
was dazed and hardly knew what
course to follow. He finally made up his
mind that since Pietzel had taken his
life there would be no harm in Destroy
ing any evidence of suicide to get the
insurance on his life without difficulty.
Holmes then dragged the dead body to
the second floor, laid the corpse on the
Moor, pried oven the mouth Of the dead
man and poured in quantity of ex-
pl0sive chemicals. He then saws he
placed lighted match to the dead
mans mouth, when the explosion which