The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-07-30
CAREERS THAT JOIN
ASTOUNDING CONDOLENCES Be
TWEEN PRATT AND HOLMES

Pratt, the Wichita Man, is Dasbiny Abou
Denver, Working Rich Woman TO
Her Money at About the Same Time Ina
Holmes is Doing the Same Thing-On
OF Holmes Aliases, Strange to Say, wa
Pratt. and the Two Men were the Sam
IN Many Things-It Makes "A Strang
Story which is Peculiar and PerpIexins
On June % last, the daily Eagle gave
some Facts in regard TO the liability
OF Frank Pratt, formerly of this city
oeing II. H Holmes, now in jail in
Philadelphia. At that time little was
known OF Holmes real estate crimes
since then discovery has followed dis
covery until Holmes is today the great
est criminal known TO history.
Following this the Eagle has again
been called upon TO sift the identity of
Frank Pratt down 10 a chain of aston
ishing condolences has been unravel-
led, which are intensely interesting and
perplexing
The renewed interest came about
yesterday morning by the discovery of
fact that was not known before. This
fact was that one Of Holmes aliases
was Frank Pratt. 4 search TO unite
the two men accomplished some sur
prising results
F'irst-Pratt was in Wichita in Decem
her, 1892 without visible means of sup
port, but a "high-fyer" his money
being supplied by fine looking woman
with whom he associated on North
Main street tthis woman's presence in
the city not being known by Mrs.
Pratt now living in this city) In the
spring of 1898, Pratt was in Denver
A woman claiming TO be Miss Georgia
Mason was with him. She was very
rich and supplied Pratts spending mon
ey- Pratt was not known Is Pratt then
Some trouble ensued and Pratt and
the woman disappeared This was in
the spring of 1893. Now Holmes was
in Denver in the spring Of 1892, under
the name of Harry Gordon. He had a
woman with him from Fort Worth, Miss
Minnie Williams, whom Holmes is
charged with numbering later. Now
Harry Gordon and Miss Williams dis
appeared from Denver al the same time
with Pratt and Miss Mason, whom
Pratt claimed was his half-sister.
WHERE IS MISS MASON?
Second-Pratt has not been heard
from since then, except through his
wife. Mrs. Pratt now living in this city
who declared yesterday that Pratt was
not in Jail in Philadelphia but that
she received letters from him regularly
That she was married to him in 1888
that after breaking up in business in
st Louis he left for the east in 1891
and she did not see him until he turn
ed up in Wichita in the last month of
1892; that he went to Denver taking
her oldest girl; that she heard that he
was living with the "half-Sister" and
ant frr- =. III
yer in the spring of 1893 and what is
most important, she does not know
where Miss Mason is. except that she
is not with Pratt a this time
Third-Pratt left Wichita early in
1898, because of some peculiar business
tactics. He sold mortgage property
in the identical way in which Holmes
in Chicago worked his frauds time and
time again. One of his victims was
James Howard. The other was the
Smythe brothers to whom he gave a
check for $40, they returning him $40
in cash and afterward finding he had
no money in the bank.
Fourth-Marcus Cossitt of this citv
knew Pratt well: he describes him as a
very smooth gentleman, easy and self
confidnet and extremely reticent of all
personal matters. He also says Pratt
visited Forth Worth. Sam Amidon of
this city also knew Pratt well. Mr..
Amidon says that Pratt was always
talking about the times when he taught
school This is Holmes talk over AGAIN.
Holmes claiming he started in as
school teacher. Mrs. Pratt now in this
city, denies that Pratt ever taught
school in his life. Mr.. Amidon saw
Pratt in Denver in the spring of 1893
and Pratt was living in great luxury
supported by the money of his half
sister" When Mr.. Amidon met Pratt.
Pratt cautioned him not to give him or
his Wichita History away. Mr. Amidon
in Denver Was he known as Harry
Gordon? Mr. Amidon is not able to say
He has forgotten.
ALL HAVE DISAPPEARED.
II viii be seen that there are parallel
incidents in Pratt's and Holmes careers
right through. a times diverging and
conflicting. bat similar nearly all the
time. Holmes alias was Pratt
Holmes was living with Minnie Will
Jams to get possession of her property
and money for she was rich. Pratt was
with Miss Mason for her money. Miss
Williams came from Fort Worth.
Pratt told Cossitt he was frequently in
Fort Worth. Miss Mason has disap-
peared. Miss Williams has disappeared.
is Miss Williams. Miss Mason. and are
Pratt and Holmes the same men?
There is one killing contradiction 10
that supposition. Mrs. Pratt. who was
interviewed Yesterday, declares that
Pratt-is not in prison; but that he is 1t
freedom in a western city.
There is only one way to deny this
in order to establish the
identity of Pratt and Holmes. Pratt
may he Holmes and may be deceiving
his wife for some reason. lie is allow
ed 10 write letters in prison and the let
Chicago. pass into the hands of
friend and be remailed there To Wichita.
This is merely a possibility and a poor
one I that.
From the facts deduced. If Pratt is
Holmes. Mrs Pratt of this city is his
first victim in the matrimonial line;
since then he has beer married p least
five times. And if Pratt IS Holmes
most of the crimes he has been charged
with have occurred since his residence
in Wichita Holmes began his opera
tons in Chicago and ceased them sub
sequent 10 Pratt's residence in Wichita.
HOW THE CAREERS FITS.
A careful sitting of the matter
forces the conclusion that Holmes
whose alias was Pratt. was not the
Krank Pratt Of Wichita. but the careers
and mysterious actions of the two men
do fit together in most marvellous
way.
For instance:
Pratt was in Fort Worth early in
1853. according to friends.
Holmes was in Fort Worth early in
1893. passing as Mr.. Pratt.
Pratt was in Denver with woman
not his wife in May 1898, under an as
sumed name.
Holmes was in Denver with woman
NOT his wife in May 1898. under an as
eumed name.
Pratt disappeared from Denver in T.
June. 1898.