Omaha daily bee., 1895-07-21
SEARCHING FOR MISSING BODIES.
Chicago Detectives In Hot Chase After n
Dlsagreeable Odor.


CHICAGO, July 20.-The search for the
bodies of the missing Williams girls was
begun early today in the house in Englewood
formerly occupied by the alleged murderer,
II. II. Holmes. Yesterdays developments
led to the belief that evidences of the
supposed crime were concealed somewhere
about the house and the suspicion of neigh
bors and detectives pointed strongly toward
the large cellar, in when a disagreeable odor
had been detected. The belief was that the
odor was that of decaying flesh. and that
the search would reveal the body of the
second Williams girl from Texas, and possl-
bly, that Of little Howard Pitzel. Inspector
Fitzpatrick accordingly put a force OF men
to work digging up the damp earthen floor
Of the place. The cellar is over 100 feet long
and half as wide, and the task was tedious
one, every inch OF ground and spadeful of
earth was carefully examined by the detec-
tives who were experimenting the work.
Inspector Fitzpatrick, who was in charge of
the detectives, is convinced that the inyes-
tigaton will lead to startling developments,
He is positive he said, that there is some
sort of decaying animal matter concealed
IN the cellar, and confidently expects to
find traces OF the crime
Another important discovery was made
during the search in the old stove in which
human bones were said to have been found.
While examining this stove today the police
found several shoe buttons, and the charred
portion of woman's shoe, with several
shreds Of clothing, portions Of hook and
eye." 1t was rumored that several more
bones had been discovered, but this was
denied. All parts of the house were gone
over in search Of clews the interest, how.
ever, centering In the cellar. The place
was In a filthy condition, being piled full Of
old boxes and all sorts Of refuse.
The examination of the large CRATE Of
Holmes stove resulted in another startling
discovery when two charred bones, resemb-
ling human ribs, were found among the
ashes. The bones were badly burned and
were handled with great care to prevent
their being broken. The finding Of the sup
posed ribs with the burned woman's shoe, the
buttons and pieces Of cloth, were considered
by the police as practical proof that at least
a portion of the body of woman had been
cremated. The stove is a very large one,
about six feet high and four feet in diameter,
and would easily have held a body. The
ash CRATE in which the two bones were
found today had been removed from the
stove, this accounting for the fact that the
discovery was not mode during previous ex-
aminatons.
MORE IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES.
Late this afternoon a bunch Of human hair
was found in the chimney of Holmes house
by several newspaper reporters. The stove
pipe had been taken down. and clinging to
the bricks in the chimney was found guam
tity of hair. The police were notified and
upon examination the hair was pronounced
that of a woman. The appearance Of the
locks led to the belief that they had been
burned from the head and drawn up the
stovepipe. The discovery was considered of
the greatest Importance by the detectives in
charge OF the search.
Among the debris found in the house was
a bottle of carbolc acid. which gave rise to
a wild rumor that opiates had been dis
covered with other evidence, which proved
that Holmes had killed his victims with
poison and afterward burned their bodies.
The police, however, laugh at the story and
declared that the carbolic acid had probably
been used as disinfectant
While workmen were digging in the cellar
OF the Holmes Chicago house today a ter
rife explosion occurred, seriously injuring