The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-11-01
SOBBED LIKE A CHILD
HOLMES WONDERFUL NERVE
AND GOODNESS FORSOOK
HIM YESTERDAY.
HIS WIFE TURNED AGAINST HIM


for One Hour and Forty Minutes, She
Related Story that Slowly bat Sure
ly frightened the Moose Around His
Neck --HOImes Conducted the Cross
Examination Himself.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa, Oct. 81 For about
thirty minutes to-day, the nerve at
which all men have marvelled forsook
Holmes, and, bowed and broken, he
sank 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 hope,
sat two yards away, relating a story
that slowly, but surely frightened the
moose on his neck. For one hour
and forty minutes she whispered to the
court cTier the words that told how
Pietzel had come to the Eleventh street
house, where they were stopping, the
night before the murder; and how
Holmes bad been away for FIVE hours of
the next day, coming back flushed and
excited, and carrying her hurrledly off to
Indianapolis. 1t was the day after this
that the corpse was found in the CalloW
hill street house. At the close of her
eXaminatiOn-in-c chief, Holmes asked to
conduct the cross examination himself,
and standing in corner of the dock,
nervously wringing his hands, he put a
few questions. Then he said he would
reserve the right to call her as a witness
for the defense.
Throughout her testimony, Miss
Georgiana Yoke, for so she calls herself
never once bestowed a passing glance
upon the man she once had loved
During the greater part of it, she kept
her blue eyes riVeted on the floor, and
when it came necessary to raise them,
she was careful to lift them so that the
pale, shrunken face in the dock should
not come in their path
The case progressed so swiftly to-day
that but few witnesses remain to be
heard before the closing of the common
wealth's case. Then the defense will
open and, in spite of Holmes statement
that he would himself testify and also
call Miss Yoke, his counsel privately
stated tonight that the defense would
offer no evidence but submit the
case on argument alone. And the,
express supreme confidence in his
acquittal Their first victory was
gained onight and it disappointed
those morbid listeners who had counted
on viewing the bones of the dead boy,
Howard The defense strenuously OBJ
iected to the introduction Of any further
evidence touching the alleged murder of
the children, and Judge Arnold sus-
tanned the contention. This was evi-
IDENTIFY blow to the commonwealth, and
District Attorney Graham fought against
it with great vigor. Holmes showed no
elation at the triumph, but his lawyers
were unfeignedly jubilant.
The taking of testimony was resumed
at 1920 a. m. The first witness was
Sidney Samuels, a member Of the bar of
Fort Worth, Texas, who told about
Holmes coming to him, under the name
of Pratt to have him draw up the note
which Mrs Pietzel testified Holmes pre-
tended to pay at st. Louis. The note
was never indorsed, nor the loan made.
After Inspector Gary of the insurance
company has given some testimony tend
ing to show that Holmes was a much
married man, Miss Yoke or Mrs How
ard, was called to the stand.
For the first time Holmes broke down.
He gazed steadily at her for a few sec
onds, while his hands twitched nerv-
ously and his lips opened and closed,
but she carefully avoided meeting his
eyes.
Then he suddenly bent forward over
little desk in his dock and the tears
began to trickle down his cheeks. He
drew his handkerchief ont and for mo-
ment or two sobbed. Then quickly recov-
ering himself, he dried his eyes and bowed
his head, busily engaged himself with his
notes but still occasionally giving way
to a sob. She gave her name as Geor-
giana Yoke, said she was in st. Louis in
June 1894, and knew the prisoner, who
was in the drug business and went
under the names Of II. II. Holmes and
II. M. Howard. She came to Philadel
phia in August and remained here four
weeks.
Mr.. Graham then put a series Of
questions to fix Holmes whereabouts on
the day the murder is supposed to have
been committed-Sunday, Sept. 2, 1894.
~ was in my room on the evening of
Saturday, Sept /. ] had been i'll part
of the time in bed. The prisoner was
at home. Some one called during the
evening and he went down stairs. When
he came up he said it was messenger
from the Pennsylvania Railroad to see
him about copying deal with the com
pany Afterwards he said the caller
was B. F. Pietzel This was the day be-
fore we left for Philadelphia.
Was he at home the next day?"
Part of the day He went out about
half past ten in the morning, and came
back between 3 and in the afternoon.
He said he had been at Nicetown, a sub
urb of Philadelphia We left on the
1915 train. The prisoner remained
with me in Indianapolis for a day or
two. Tnen he went away, saying he
was going to st. Louis. When he came
back, he went with me to my mothers
home in Franklin, Ind. From there we
returned to Indianapolis, and a few
days afterwards he went to Philadel-