The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-11-01
When Miss Yoke Goes on the
Stand Against Him.
HE GIVES WAY TO HIS SORROW.
Evidently He Had Hoped She Would
Not Help the Prosecution.
Her Testimony Is Very Damaging to
the Prisoner Holmes. Conflicting
Stories About Pitzel and the Chill
dren Told I'm Evidence-Tne Defense
Has No Witnesses

x.
minutes today the nerve which all men
have marveled at forsook Holmes. and he
sunk his head into his hands and sobbed
like child. Meanwhile the woman he
persists in calling his wife. and upon
whom he had pinned his highest hopes,
sat two yards away. relating the story
that slowly but surely frightened the moose
around his neck. Throughout her testi-
m0ny. Miss Yoke. for such she called her
self. never once bestowed a passing glance
upon the man she once lived with. The
case progressed so swiftly today that few
witnesses remain 10 be heard before the
closing or the commemorative case. Then
the defense viii open, and in spite OF
Holmes statement that he would himself
testify and also cali Miss Yoke. his coun-
sci privately stated tonight that the de-
Tense would offer no defense, but submit
the case on argument alone. The attor-
ney expressed confidence in his acquittaI
Holmes. as calm and unmoved as ever.
was placed I'm the dock at 10 o'clock. and
had long, earnest colloquy with his
counsel, Holmes was apparently Offering
suggestions. He appeared brighter and
more cheerful than at any time since the
trial began. and after counsel resumed
their seats he chatted and laughed with
two court officers.
The first witness was Sydney l. Samuels,
a member of the bar of Fort Worth, Tex
He invariably referred 20 Holmes as the
individual. Holmes smiled broadly when
ever the term was used. District Attor-
ney Graham produced note identified by
Mrs. PitZel yesterday as one Holmes
pretended to pay at the St Louis
bank. for which ne took 5000 from her.
Sanuels said the body of the note was in
his handwriting In the latter part of
April or early in May 1894 there was i'm
Fort Worth man who was known as
II. NJ. Pratt. overseeing the erection of a
three-story structure as agent of BENTON
t. Lyman. the supposed owner Pratt
saw witness and tried TO get loan of sls,-
600 by mortgaging the property. A note
was drawn up and signed Benton +. Ly-
man. Subsequently Pratt claimed 10 have
lost IT, and told witness he had drawn up
a second note. The note wes never in
dorsed. nor the loan made. Graham
sought TO prove that the note was never
legal document.
Inspector Gerry. of the insurance COM
pany, was recalled. Graham saying he
proposed TO prove by him that Holmes was
much married: that Miss Yoke was not
his lawful wife. and is therefore compe-
tent 10 testify. Gerry said he had seen at
the prisoners house in Willamette. ILL.,, a
woman representing herself as Mrs. IT. II.
Holmes He identified photograph of
her. She was not Miss Yoke. Last De
cember witness told Holmes in prison OF
his visit TO Willamette. Holmes said he
wanted TO write letter TO his wife. and
did so. asking witness TO mail II. Holmes
told witness he had deposited 81 600 Of the
insurance company's money with Mr.
Blackman. OF Chicago. his real estate
agent, SO that Mrs Holmes could draw
upon il. Defense entered formal objec-
tion TO all the evidence OF Gerry concern
ing Miss Yoke but IL was overruled
Miss Yoke, or Mrs. Howard. the alleged
wife of the prisoner, was called She gave
her testimony in whisper Holmes
gazed steadily at her a few seconds. Then
ne bent forward over a little desk. drew
a handkerchief. and for a moment or two
sobbed Quickly recovering himself. ne
dried his eyes, bowed his head and husily
engaged himself with notes, still occasion
ally giving way to a sob.
Georgiana Yoke. as she gave her name.
is a tall, slender woman of about . years,
with fiaxen hair and blue eyes. She was
dressed stylishly.
Were you In ST. Louis In June. 1892"
was the first question asked Miss Yoke.
II was"
did you know the prisoner"
'T did"
"By what name?"
III r. Holmes and Fl. NJ. Howard"
What was his business them
The drug business"
Yoke said: II came to Philadelphia the
first week In August. 1891 The prisoner
met me at the Broad street station, and we
went TO 1905 North Eleventh street, the
boarding house kept by Mrs. Or. Alcorn.
I remained there as long as | was N
Philadelphia. four weeks. The prisoner
was in the copying business, looking after
leases, deeds. etc.
Mr. Graham then put a series OF ques-
tions as TO Holmes whereabouts on the
day the murder is supposed to have heen
committed. Sunday September ?. 1874. She
said: II was in my room on the evening
of Saturday September /. I had been III,
mart OF the time in bed. The prisoner = as
home. Some one called during the even
ing 10 sec him. and he went downstairs
when he came UP he said u was meSsen-
ger from the PENNSYLVANIA railroad. and
he was 10 see the officials Of the company
At the messengers house next morning 70
close out contracts for copying. Atter-
ward he said hts caller was Pitzel This
was the day before we left Philadelphia
s.was he al home the next day
part of the day lie went out At about
10 50 in the morning. He sad he had been
"a Nicefown. a suburb OF Philadelphia
ne had before mentioned going away
and said he would 90 home 10 lndianapo-
lis We we're known here by the name OF
Howard We left on the l0.h train 4 ne
nrisoner remained with me IN Indianapolis
for a dav or two Then he went away
saving he was going 10 St Louis taeh
ha went with me 20 my mother nom" N
r-apkIfn Ind. From there We returned
n INDIANAPOLIS. and a few days afttt-
v,sra no went 20 philadelphia, saying the
eorviDg deal had been closed.
AFTER detailing their travels ~ ana IA
and Vernon, and the arrest N Boston.
she said that during these travels sc ha' @
y.,-er seen Mrs Pitzel or heF chh1fFn.
-. ,Ser,fasd Pifzers picture IS that or
-. - had known IN Fort worth as
-, Holmes name fhere was Pratt.
"a ne exclaimed it ny saving fnaf nusl-
80 arrangements about the property were
,.o,,,n1 srated. and he thought L best 70 us@
-. ~av.a ..s~ross-examins. Satd the
district RttorneT-
NJ Rslan. % the defense a"fci
49, he prisoner insisted on coma uel-Fl1
-Aa rross-exaEr1inafioa = p@1Soss
---.-. consented and Holmes adoFessea
~ -rss,tor,s tr4r7u.eusly 70 the woman
5-s raflaa his wlfe- She never raised heT
s .rs gave her replies in 2 ~a4sper.
49,. .~f.~ ~epaated them aloud She said
Fs,1.,.ss ear,e into the house sunday AFTER
-r,a- septeusber > ls4 booking worried
s~a disturbed. he explained taAt ne ha4
vraIkss fast. Al tbs point Holmes 1o'd
- ro-grf that be wou.d reserve Whatever
questions he had until ne called the VII
ness directly for the defense
Mrs p5fzs. was recalled and Identified
clothing which belonged to her husband
The daughter Dessa also idenufled them.
ana nirttlres oT Howard. Nellie and Alice
pltZei
Holmes moyements throughout the eoaa-