Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-08-01
HOW PIETzEL DIED.
TELLS A RATHER
FIsHY STORY TO A FRIEND.
COVERING UP A SUICIDE
Pietzel Was Dependent Because He
Had no Money--Another Discovery
in the Castle" Tanks Where
Chemicals Destroyed the Flesh OF
Holmes Victims

Philadelphia, July 30.-The bulletin
prints an entirely new statement said
to have been made by Holmes, giving
in detail his version of how Pietzel
come 10 his death last September.
Holmes says that on the saturday
night preceding the death of Pietzel,
the latter came 10 him; told a heart
rending story of pecuniary difficulties
and the sickness of his daughter in
to his wife. Holmes demonstrated
as to his spendthrift habits and said
If lie did not quit drinking they must
separate. Pictzel exclaimed Il am of
no benefit to any one. ! win soon
get rid of my difficulties Life has be-
come nuisance to me-"
Holmes ayers that he jokingly re-
marked:
well. your body is as good as any
other, but would not advise you to
do anything rash"
Holmes accounts for this remark by
saying that he and Pietzel had under
consideration the defIauding of the
Fidelity Mutual Insurance company.
Holmes then explains that Pietzel left
hins with the intention of going home.
Holmes gave Pietael no money, but
promised TO meet him the next morn
ing 1t was about 10 o'clock sunday
when he reached the place. No one
apparently was about. but he found
note directing him to go up 10 the
second floor and open a closet in
which he would find large blue bot
tie containing another letter addressed
to him. Holmes followed directions
He found note advising him that his
tPietzel's) body would he found in the
house. The letter begged Holmes to
look after his children and suggested
that there would be no difficulty in
getting the insurance money now that
the body could be produced.
Holmes said that he sat in this
room over an hour. de was dazed
but finally made up his mind that
here would be no harp in destroying
any evidence of suicide so he might
get the insurance. He thereupon laid
the corpse on the floor, pried open the
mouth and poured in a quantity Of cX-
piosive chemicals, PACED 4 light ID
match to the mouth. when the explo-
sion which horribly dlSngured the
corpse followed. To give Il more
forcible impression that Pictzel came
to his death by an accidental expo
sion. Holmes got a pipe, filed it with
tobacco, lighted it and then placed It
beside the body.
Chicago, July 30.-The search in the
Holmes building was proceeded with
yesterday on information given by NJ.
M. Chappelle, who articulated the
skeletons, that Holmes had two vats in
the cellar which had since been
walled in. One of the watts was used as q
vessel in which the flesh was eaten
from the bones by the use Of acids;
the other for the purpose Of bleaching
the bones. Twelve laborers worked
all day and were about to give UP
the search when one struck his spade
against something which gave forth n
metallic sound. The object proved to
be a tank, apparently eight feet long
and three feet in width 1t viii be in
NeStigated today. One Of the many
theories advanced concerning Holmes
castle is TO the effect that he was a
professional procurer. The presence Of
so many young girl about the prem
lses ut various times led to the slls-
picion that Holmes added this to his
other nefarious schemes. In lnls way
the disappearance Of some Of the I'M
fortunate creatures is accounted for.