Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1895-07-18
ANOTHER DOUBLE MURDER,
ADDED TO THE GRIMES OF lNSUR-
ANCe sWlNDLER HOLMES.
The Bodies of Eta and Nettie Pictzei
Dug up In Toronto Found In the Cellar
OF House Rented by Holmes
Wanted in Canada.

Toronto, July 1G.-Found buried in the
cellar of the house No 16 st. Vincent
street yesterday afternoon were the bodies
of the missing daughters of Benjamin f.
Pietzel. Detectives Cuddy of Toronto and
Geyer of Philadelphia, made the discovery.
All doubts as to the fate of the little
girls have been set at rest. 1t is now IA
matter almost beyond doubt that the chill
dren, Eta and Nettie, were murdered
last October. after the murder of their
father in Philadelphia and their brother
in Detroit.
Doctors who have examined the bodies
agree with Detective Geyer's theory that
the two girls were killed by hypodermic
| injections of chloroform. Holmes is
known to be an expert in the use of hypo-
dermic injections.
The inquiries begun by the police led to
the knowledge that Holmes and the chill
dren lived at the house in question. A
photograph of Holmes was shown to
Frank w. Nudel of the educational de-
partment, who owns No. II, and without
any hesitation he identified it as that of
the man who had rented the St. Vincent
street house last October and who, after a
very short stay, had departed.
When they reached the cellar it APP
peared to the two detectives that some
thing had disturbed the cellar floor, and
they began to dig. The clay was soft and
easily removed. A short distance below
the surface they came across the arm and
portion of the head of one of the little
girls, and further work soon revealed the
entire body, not only of the first but that
! of her sister. They were both nude and
had lain there, in all probability, since
last October. The clothes had evidently
been removed to avoid detection.
| Inspector Stark had the two bodies re-
moved to Undertaken Benjamin Humph-
rtes establishment, on Younge street.
They are in a very decomposed state.
Coroner Orr at once ordered an inquest
to be called at police headquarters this
evening at o'clock.
Evidence of a most deliberate and care
fully planned double murder is said to be
obtainahle. r. w. Ryves, who lives at No.
is st. Vincent street. remembers Holmes
distinctly. He says that in October last
the man now in prison at Philadelphia
came to him and talked about renting the
house next door, which is n clapboard. de-
tached cottage, yet. withal. respectable
looking. He mentioned something about
bringing to live with him two children,
whom he was going to send to school, but
nothing definite was arranged.
Holmes disappeared for about three
weeks ana then returned and rented the
house. lie sent some boards and couple
of old mattresses to the place and one day
borrowed spade from Mr.. Ryves, saying
]
desired to fix his cellar SO as to receive
them. He returned the spade to Ryves
and the next day the children arrived.
That was the last soon nf them alive.
/ Holmes disappeared shortly afterward
and some months later the house was
rented to another person. The present oc-
cupant is Isaac Armbirst. lie has been
there couple Of months.
| Four weeks or so ago, terrible stencil
manifested itself. but Armbirst blamed it
on the plumbing, and much money was
spent in altering the sanitary arrange
mcnts. RyVes was called in, and noticing
| that the smell issued from the cellar, he
made an investigation and found that the
/ clay floor had been disturbed with a spade
or shovel. He notified the detectives. and
the search resulted as described as above
TORONTO WANTS HOLMES.
| Inspector Stark, chief of the local detec-
tive force has instructed the Philadelphia
authorities and herculean effort will he
made to get Holmes over here to stand his
trial for double murder
Ryves has identified the children and
/ Holmes by photographs in the possession
of Detectives Geyer, and. although tho
bodies of the children are in a terrible
condition, it is not thought that it will be
difficult to prove their identity. Holmes
has been traced to this city, and all his
movements here are known to the police
The appearance Of the bodies gives nc
indication as to how the children me,
death. The detectives incline to the be-
lief that Holmes asphyXiated them OF
gave them a mild poison A post-morten
/ 10