The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-07-22
CRIMES OF HOLMES
Chicago Police Make Startling
Discoveries in the Engle-
wood Residence.
HUMAN HAIR AND BONES
Found in the Stove-Thought
to Be Those Of the Will
Jams Girls.

CHICAGO, July 22.-The search for
the bodies Of the missing Williams
girls was begun early in the house in
Englewood, formerly occupied by the
alleged murderer. H. H. Holmes. Fri
day, developments had led to the be-
lief that the evidences Of the supposed
crime were concealed somewhere about
the house, and the suspicion OF neigh
bors and detectives pointed strongly
towards the large cellar in which a dis.
agreeable Odor had been detected. The
belief was that the odor was that of de-
caying flesh and that search would re-
veal the body of the second Of the
Williams girls from Texas, and posi-
bly, that of little Howard Pietzel.
Convinced There wit Be Developments.
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 a tedious one,
as every inch Of ground and spadeful OF
earth was carefully examined by the
detectives who were experimenting the
work. Inspector Fitzpatrick; who was
in charge Of the detectives, was con-
WINGED that the investigation would
lead to startling developments. He was
positive, he said, that there was some
sort of ~decaying animal matter con-
cealed in the cellar, and confidently ex-
pected 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 the police found several shoe
buttons and the charred portion of a
woman's shoe, with several shreds of
cloth and portions of a 'hook and eye"
Found More Bones.
The examination Of the large ash
CRATE of Holmes stove, resulted in An
other startling discovery, when two
charred bones, resembling human ribs,
were found among the ashes. The
bones were badly burned and were
handled with great carr to prevent
their breaking. The finding Of the sup.
posed ribs, with the burned woman's
shoe, the buttons and the piece of cloth
were considered by the police as prac-
tically proving that at least q portion of
the body of a woman had been Gre
mated. 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, had been re.
moved from the stove. thus account.
ing for the fact hat the discovery was
not made during previous examinations.
Bunch Of Human Hair.
Later a bunch of human hair was
found in the chimney of Holmes house
by several newspaper reporters. The
stovepipe had been taken down, and
clinging 20 the bricks Of the chimney
was found a quantity Of hair: The pc.
lice were notified, and upon examina.
ton 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 uI
the stovepipe.
Struck Some Explo sive.
While the workmen were digging in
the cellar Of the Holmes house they
struck some kind Of an obstruction. II
exploded with terrible force, seriously
injuring four men. Two of them are
thought to be fatally hurt.