Omaha daily bee., 1895-10-31
MRS. PITzEL ON TIE STAND
Details the Connection Of Her Husband
with the Alleged Murderer,
MURDER TRIAL THE SENSATION OF THEYEAR
Prisoner In the Dock Takes Back His
Attorneys but He stili Retains
Control of the ENnmina-
tiOn of Witnesses.

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 3O.--Durng court
hours, under the scrutlnizing gaze OF court
room crowded with strangers, a pale, worn
woman underwent an ordeal which well might
have broken the nerve Of many a strong man.
She was Mrs. Carrie Alice Pitzel. with
bravery and fortitude she stood the test, in
spite Of the fact that her physical system had
been so shattered by the battle Of woes under
which she has all but succumbed, that she
was Obliged to interrupt her pitiful mar
rattve at frequent intervals to accept spoon
fuls OF medicine from the trained nurse who
attended her. In a voice broken with grief
she told the whole distressing story Of how
her husband was spirited away from her and
murdered out of sheer greed for gain; how
she bade her little ones goodby conHding
them to the care of the man Holmes. In all
truthfulness, little thinking that when she
would next see them the two little girls would
be lying side by side on the marble slab Of
morgue, cold in death, and the boy parcel OF
mOulderlng bones. Between hsr bitter sobs
she related every detail-from the first
meeting with Holmes almost up to today
and so affecting was the story that even
District Attorney Graham, long used to tales
of grief and distress, paused in the exam
inaton to wipe away furtiye tear.
The woman's physical condition was such
that court had to repeat her testimony after
her because of her weak voice. Throughout
It all the shrunken, pallid figure in the dock
sat unmoved Not muscle quivered, not
lash moved. even when the strain became SO
great that Che hearing halted TO give the
wretched woman an opportunity to recover
herself. Indeed, once or twice, as some sta'e-
ment from her lips struck a chord In his
breast-f chords there be in such mana
malicious sneer played around his thin,
bloodless lips, but never once did the woman
look toward him. During every moment of
the long examination she kept her eyes riy-
eted on the commemorative officers, or on
the counsel for the defense as If fearing to
shift them to either side. lest in their course
they should fall upon the man in the dock
HOLMES GUIDES THE LAWYERS.
There were other witnesses called, but nat
urally Mrs Pitzers testimony was the feature
of the day. She went on the stand at Z:3O IN
the afternoon, Immediately upon the reas-
sembing OF the court after the lunch recess
and remained there except for the evening in
termission until $50 o'clock. The other in
Cidents Of the day were the reading OF state
ments made by Holmes to the Boston police
when first arrested there on November II
last telling the story of the conspiracy to
swlndle the insurance company out Of the
$40 900 on PitZels life.
The cross-examnation of the witnesses was
conducted actively by Messrs. Shoemaker and
Rotan, the lawyers whom Holmes dismissed
on Monday and recalled last night, but 1t was
apparent that it was really Holmes himself
who was conducting the defense. He con-
tinucd to take copious notes and almost mo-
mentarly his attorneys were at the dock
side, accepting suggestions from him. Inter-
est in the case. instead Of tagging, has grown
with each successive session, and 1t is not con-
fined to the morbidly curious general public,
for during the greater part OF the day Judge
Arnold was at intervals receiving well known
men the bench, while in the court clerks
enclosure sat group of gaily dressed society
ladies, friends Of the commonwealth" gazing
curiously at the various actors in the play and
drinking in every word of the testimony. In
the opinion OF all those who heard, except
possibly Holmes and his attorneys, the evil
dence Of today is strong enough to send him
to tn gallows. Slowly, but none the less
surely, was the chain forged around him, and
it is chain which will be hard to break
There will be a pretty point of law In the
case presently-if anything associated with it
can be called There is law here that a
wife cannot testify against her husband. In
spite Of this, MIR. Graham declared that he
would call the alleged Mrs. Holmes or How
ard to the stand This is why he is combat
ing Holmes assertion that this woman, whom
Mr.. Graham persists in calling Miss Yoke, is
his lawful wife
Sharply at 10 o'clock Holmes, with his
quick stride, came swinging along the steel
barred corridor leading from the cell room
and under the escort of big officer took his
seat in the dock. A moment later the jury
men were ushered in from their cell room,
for so long as the case lasts the twelve good
men and true" are under lock and key in the
big Jury room of the city hall.
Messrs Shoemaker and Ration who achieved
notoriety on Monday by withdrawing from
the case under Holmes orders, in spite of
Judge Arnold's threats, and who came back
to their client last night, held whispered
consultations with him before the taking of
testimony was resumed.
STATE RESUMES IT'S CASE.
The first witness today was Susan Hurley,
who keeps a boarding house al 1904 Race
street. She said Pitzel boarded at her house
for week in August, 1894.
Mrs. Alice Pierce of 1904 Callowhll street
identified Pitzels picture the man who
lived at 1916. She had known him through
his buying cigars at her store. On cross-eX-
animation she said Ptzal was not man OF
cheerful disposition.
o. Laforest Perry, assistant to the presi-
dent of the Fidelity Mutual Life association,
was then called This was the company
that was swindled out of the $40 900 for
which Pitzels life was insured. and 1t was
Perry who began the investigation into the
gigantic conspiracy. He first identified the
policy issued, in which Carrie L. Pizel, the
widow, is the beneficiary. 1t is dated No
vember 9, 1898. Next he identified receipt
for S9,715.S5. the amount OF the policy less
expenses paid to and receipted for by Jeptha
D. Howe, the st. Louis attorney who repre-
sented Mrs. Ptzel This is dated September
"a, 1894. Perry was present when Howe re
ceived the money. When Holmes came TO
this city at the request OF the company to
identify the body. Howe and Alice Pitzel
in the office. Holmes came in after
ward aud was introduced to them. He and
Howe met as strangers, but he said he had
met Alice before, and she remembered him.
FIRST INTIMATION OF FRAUD.
After the payment OF the money the matter
closed until a letter was received by
President Fouse OF the insurance company
from Superintendent of Police Harrigan of st.
Louis. This contained the declaration OF
Hedspeth, the train robber. that while in
Jail in St Louis he had heard Holmes and
Pitzel talking of forming conspiracy to de-
fraud an insurance company of $40, ,00O by the
substitution of a corpse for Pitzel Inspec-
tor Gray of the Insurance company was sent
to St. Louis and interviewed Hedspeth. On
the information thus obtained a warrant was
sworn out for Holmes on the charge of con
spracy and upon this he was arrested in
Boston. The witness went to that city and
identified Holmes. The latter made a verbal
statement to the witness in the presence OF
Deputy Superintendent Hanscom, Chief
OF Police Watts and John
Cornish private detective in
Chief Watts office. Il asked him where
Mrs. Pitzel was" said Perry. land he replied
that he did not care to tell. Then | asked
him where Pitzel was and he said he was in
South America on his way there, and the
boy Howard with him. Alice and Nellie
he said, were in London with Minnie VIII
liams He said he had given Howard to his
father In Detroit and had sent Nellie and