New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-30
FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE.
HOLMES RECALLS COUNSEL.
a STRONG WEB OF CIRCUMsTANTIAL
EVIDENCE WOVEN ABOUT HIM.

TOR TIME THE PRISONER CONDUCTS HIS OWN
nrreScE AGAINST OVERWHELMING ODDS.
p,-r AT NIGHT HIS LAWYERS ARE READ
MIrrEp TO THE CAsE-HIs IRON
NERVE FoRsAKEs HIM ONLY
oxCE-IDENTIFICATIoN OF
THE BODY OF PIETzEI.
HOLINESS WEAK
LINES OF DE-
FENCE.
PHILADELPHIA. Oct. 29.-Fairly enmeshed and
with the shadow Of the galows looming darkly
over him. Fl. H. Holmes tonight recalled the
counsel he dismissed from his service yesterday
morning and gladly avaied himself of their aid
From 10 o'clock until this afternoon Holmes
sruggled against the current that is bearing him
swav and again he lost himself in labyrinth OF
cuesttons in his cross-examinaton Of witnesses
Fact after fact was piled up against him In pitt
less array by the Commonwealth, and only once
did his iron nerve partly forsake him. He met
each new eliminating piece Of evidence with the
host ~ his unframed ability ard combatted 1t
vaMantly.
throughout his long and trying ordeal Holmes
never once allowed himself to become angry or
s1c,ted Only occasionally. when the District
Attorney
meaningless questions. there would come
tightening Of the lips beneath the brown mus
tache and a sudden. cruel. hardening OF the
clsar eve which showed that the man was put
ting q great restrainst on himself. With the
evident purpose of trying the effect on Holiness
nerves the District-Attorney compelled him to
nit opposite ali day TO a large crayon portrait OF
the man for whose murder he is being tried.
But. II such Mr.. Grahams intention, the
portrait might as we'll have been placed before
the Sphinx as far as any effect was produced
on Holmes.
HOLMES REALIZES HIS DILEMMA.
The Commonwealth to-day presented wit
nesses for the purpose of proving the cause OF
Pietzel's death, and his identihcation The tes-
timony OF the witnesses fairly wove a web Of
incrmnating circumstantial evidence around
Holmes. He appreciated this, and was at
loss to extr.cate himself from the position In
which he was caught. From his line OF ques-
tioning II would seem that at one moment he
had decided on adopting for his defence the
theory that Pietzel committed suicide while
drunk and then he would suddenly swerve off
in an entirely different direction. and it would
appear that he intended TO base his denial or
the murder the plea that the body was not
that of Pietzel at all. but substitute placed IN
the house TO deceive the insurance companies.
II these ideas of defence Holiness they
were untenabe for he has already made sworn
afidavits which would contradict them HIS
medical knowledge was Of some assistance to
him in his cross-examinaton of the physicians
who testified but he brought out nothing "a
vorable TO himself. At the close of the after
noon session Holmes stated 10 the Conrt tnat
tHn strain was proving too great for him, ana
he asked that only two sessions of the court
be held a day. instead of three This was de-
MED. end then il he determined to call In
his old counsel
Holmes tonight for the first time seemed to
lose his nerve. large picture of little Alce
Pietzel was suddenly introduced by the DIS
trict-A ttorney. and the sight Of Il evidently up
set him. When the commonwealth proposed
evidence showing that Holmes, in addition to his
other crimes. had made this child the victim or
his passions the man greatly dscomposed.
and showed his relief in his face when the evil
dence bearing on this point ruled out by the
Court.
THE PRISONERS NIGHT IN JAIL.
All last night in his eel. in the County Prison
Holmes worked steadily preparing his case. 1t
was only as the first rays OF the sun began to find
their way through the window that he threw HIM
self on his cot He slept only an hour. and then
was up and at work again until 1t was time TO
start for court.
Promptly at 10 o'clock the jury filed into the
box moment afterward Holmes entered De-
spite his long and sleepless night. he looked
fresh and bright, and while waiting for the
District-Attorney to come In he busted himself
reading morning paper containing an almost
verbatim report of Yesterdays proceedings.
District-Attorney Graham announced that Mrs
Howard as Holiness latest wife Is known. had
seen the prisoner this morning before he was
brought into court. What took place at this in
terview is known only to the prisoner and the
woman he deceived into marrying him.
Jeanette Pietzel. Or. as she was familiary
known in the family. bessie" the daughter OF
the dead Pietzel the first witness Before
any questions were asked. Holmes arose ana
asked the Court for further privileges In the way
Of books etc. TO enable him to conduct his case
He also complained Of the lack OF a lawyer.
whereupon Mr.. Graham interrupted him ana
said that he had held a consultation with his
former attorney. Shoemaker. this morning.
Holmes replied that ne had only seen Shoemaker
for about three minutes and that only the same
amount Of time had been allowed In his Interview
with his wife He asked and received permission
TO see his wife in the recess of court to-day.
Then bessie" Pietzel was examined. Her only
testimony was the Identification OF a large crayon
portrait OF Pietzel as that of her father. Holmes
asked some irrelevant questions about the pict-
ure and then the girl excused.
THE FINDING OF PIETZELs BODY.
Eugene Smith the man who discovered Pietzel's
body. testified 10 his acquaintance with Pietzel,
whom he knew under the name Of Perry. Smith
told Of several interviews with Petzel and OF
waiting for the latter for some time on the Mon
day following the day Pietzel is supposed to have
been killed The next morning (Tuesday, Septem-
Der q Smith went to the house again. and not