The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-08-30
He Probably Killed Little Howard
Pietzel with Cyanide of Potassium
Before Butchering Him.
FINDING OF AN OIL CAN
SUGGESTION OF THE MANNER IN
WHICH HE MADE A HOT FIRE.
Druggist Nnvin Filled a Prescription
gins Its investigation.

little Howard PetZel was killed by H. H.
Holmes in the Irvington house and his
body disposed of there. Yesterday more
| discoveries were made, bones being found
buried in the cellar, and small phial half
filed with deadly potassium cyanide was
discovered hidden in the stable. An empty
phial marked acontium napellus was also
| found in the house. In no city has the
| identification of Holmes been made so
| strong in connection with foul deeds as
| here. Detective Geyer and Inspector Gary
| both say the case here against Holmes is
| very strong, and that Holmes, If brought
| here, could no doubt be convicted for the
| murder of Howard Pietzel upon the cir
| cumstantal evidence at hand. Coroner
| Castor is impressed with the case made
| against Holmes, and last night, after re-
| viewing the testimony given him, he said
| he could see but one thing for him to do
| in the case Of no conflicting evidence, and
| that was to return a verdict that H. HI.
Holmes committed murder In the Irving
| ton house. and the victim was Howard
| Pietzel. Coroner Castor worked all day
yesterday upon the case. and he hopes
| to have his report ready within few
| days. The grand jury gave witnesses
| against Holmes precedent yesterday over
all others. and an early Indictment is ex-
| pected. 1t must not be forgotten that Mr..
! Geyer is working ins the interest of Phil
| adelphia to obtain evidence for the trial
| of Holmes in that city for the murder of
Benjamin Petzel. and he looks upon the
| evidence gathered here as a link IN the
| chain.
There was no evidence of an abatement
| of interest in the case yesterday. The cot
| tage at Irvington was visited by hundreds
| of persons, and the developments of the
| case were watched with interest. Since
| the horrible discoveries it is surprising to
| find how many persons saw or talked to
| Holmes while he was in this city. Detec-
| tive Geyer was unable to hear any of the
many strange stories now told before he
| located the Irvington house. Many persons
are now positive that they saw Holmes
| and since tine discoveries Holiness photo
graphs have been identified a score Of
times. The Identification Of DR.. Thompson.
Elvert Mooreman, Charles P. Brown and
two or three others, made before the dis
| closures, stands strong proof that
Holmes was the man who entered the cot
tage with boy and then disappeared.
| THE COAL-OIL CAN.
| All day yesterday a search of the house
was continued. Many of those who exam
| ined the property were citizens drawn there
by an interest in the case, and anxious to
| discover anything they could. Boys were
again responsible for an important discov-
cry. In the front cellar under the house
they began to dig near where child's pair
| of shoes was found Wednesday. In their
| digging the boys unearthed a number Of
i human bones. The neck of the femur. a
|
small sections of the ribs and the skull
were brought forth and turned over to the
coroner. Charles Haskell and Ralph Eley
are the names of the boys who found
these things. and not far away they found
| coal-oil can which will hold about a gall
| lon. The smell of oil still remained in the
| can, and it is thought that coal oil was
used on the fire in which Howards body
| was burned. There are a number of bones
which have not yet been found, and one.
at least, is thought to exist. 1t is the
os calcis. or hard bone Of the heel, and it
| is very doubtful if Holmes succeeded in
destroying it, as it is one of the hardest
and most indestructable bones of the body.
Three or four teeth were also found in the
front cellar. More damaging evidence is
thought to be buried about the place, and
more Investigations are to be made.
That Howard was killed by some deadly
| drug now seems a certainty. Being a doc
| tor, Holmes was acquainted with the diff
ferent drugs and knew their actions. Much
| cred yesterday. physicians phial of about
! two-ounce size was found in the stable, half
filled with potassium cyanide. said to be
The phial was found in a barrel, covered
with corn cobs and trash. A few drops of
this drug would have been, sufficient. to
| o1r fr,nn1 Hot IA "a,
! cyanide is, by weight, one-half prussic
acid. few drops of which is fatal dose.
The commercial product OF prussic acid
usually sold to physicians contains but 2
per cent. of prussic acid in solution. and
one or two drops Of this is as much as is
waS as IS seo
except to physicians. The contents of the
phial is to be analyzed and shown con-
the physicians had little doubt of the con-
tents last night Another physicians phial.
| marked aconitium napellus. was found In
the house. This drug might have been used
| TO cause death. although it is frequently
| used by physicians In the treatment of
fever. Such phials as the one found. how
ever, are only sold to physicians, and pre-
scriptions are not put up In such shape.
HAD A PRESCRIPTION FILLED.
On Aug. last a man answering the de-
scription of Holmes had a prescription
filled at Navin's drug store, corner Delaware
and Market streets. The man wrote the
| prescription himself and signed it W. H.
Conway. NJ. ID. The prescription contained
| cocaine. The same man afterward re-
turned and left two cocaine prescriptions to
be filled. He called for one of them Mr..
Navin has seen the photographs of Holmes
and read his description, and he is positive
that his customer who acted rather impa-
| tiently was none other than the notorious
| murderer. Mr.. Geyer says il is possible
that Holmes was in the city upon that date,
i and he might have seized the opporfuni.y
| TO lay In a supply of cocaine for future use.
| The identification of Holmes is hoped to
| and furniture now held by the coroner.
| Yesterday Mr.. Geyer and Inspector Gary
| spent some time trying to find a store
| which had sold such articles last October, or
! an expressman who hauled them to the
| Irvington cottage. Such persons surely had
dealings with Holmes and must remember
| him. The stove is evidently second hand.
| and anyone who ever owned IL or hauled
1t would probably recall the fact. 1t Is q
| sular Oak The bedstead and dresser are
also old, and II is thought that all the ar
ticles were purchased at secondhand
| store. What Holmes said in making the
purchase is desired, and what he said In
getting the articles removed to the Irving
ton house IS also wanted. Holmes prob.
ably talked more regarding these articles
than upon any other subject connected with
the renting and occupancy. of the house
Coroner Cas.oT yesterday examined q
number OF witnesses regarding the case, the
testimony being the same as had been given