The evening times., 1895-08-17
Columbus MissJ Story Enc
mating frum Mrs. Holmes.
MAN NAMED THOMAS KILLED
Holmes, Ben enhminPietzeIand Thomas
Go Ont Boating and Holmes and
Pietzel Return without Thomas.
Alleged Confession Of Holiness,
scheme TO Liberate Holiness.

Columbus, Miss, Aug. I'm this tow
another murder has been traced to Holmes
and Benjamin Pietzel The register of the
Gilmore Hotel shows for January 16 last
the names OF Mrs. NJ. Holmes and child.
with 10 place of residence.
She is described by the hotel clerk as q
tall handsome woman; the child, a slight,
Lucy. They remained at the hotel three
OF four days and were not sociable.
On the second day after her arrival the
woman went, to the office of Justice Of
the Peace Foot and said she desired a con-
fidential talk with him. She made her
child leave the ROOM.
She then made an affidavit before Justice
Foot, charging IL. II. Holmes, then in Jail
in Philadelphia, with murder. When asked
by the justice for her proof she produced
written paper. signed by Holmes. which
she claimed TO have found among his papers
in the Chicago castle"
In this document Holmes relates the story
of his murder of George II. Thomas on the
Tombisbee. River, Six miles below Colum-
bus Upon this affidavit reQuisition pa
pcrs were issued by Gov. John NJ. Stone.
HAS HOLMES CONFESSION.
Mrs. Holmes went to the law office of
Judge IA. Orr, and sought to retain. bis
services to. prosecute the case, but Judge
Orr refused his services. She left with nim
the original confession of Holmes.
The woman gave az her reason for max
ing the affidavit that Holmes had been very
lr-.fa al in, W.
she hoped by his conviction to get some of
his property, as be was worth over $780,,
900.
The document states that Holmes, Piet-
Eel and the murdered George Thomas were
in this city June 20, 1894, but that they
stopped at different places, aud were
not seen together on the streets. Their
conduct was such as to leave the commu
nifty under the impression that they were
strangers.
A few days after their arrival they
procured a small boat, and all three went
down the river together. After going
six miles holmes got out on the bank
In search Of drinking water. and was absent
some time When he returned Thomas
was dead.
PIETZEL THERETOo.
Pietzel said his death was caused from
falling from the boat aud striking his
head on the rocks; that they buried the
body in the river swamp and returned to
Columbus
The requisition papers came from Jackson
and Chief of PcNSA Munder arranged to go
to Philadelphia after Holmes. but In the
meantime Mrs. Holmes had left the city.
tbo hos
from Chicago about the time the murder Is
alleged to have been committed About this
time Thomas also arrived. stopping at a
different hotel He claimed to be in the lum-
Der business, and SO did Pietzel In that
way he became acquainted with Thomas.
Judge Orr yesterday, while admitting
the main facts about the confession, refused
to disclose the nature Of his business with
Mrs. Holmes. but said he knew her reason
for wanting her husband brought here from
Philadelphia.
When the Chicago police officers were
interviewed concerning the story, they
were much surprised. They had not heard
of Thomas before and knew nothing OF the
circums; ances related in the Columbus affi-
dayit. One Of the officers said that If the
story was true, the woman Who went to CO.
lumbus must have been Mrs. Myrtle Holmes,
of Wilmette, ILL.,, the second wife of the
alleged murderer, who has remained faith
full to him through all his trouble.
She has children by Holmes, and the po-
lice here think it may have been part of a
scheme to get Holmes away lam Phila-
delphia and secure his release in Mississippi.
hotog raphs of Minnie Williams, Mrs.
Connor and Mrs. Myrtle Holmes Will be
sent to Columbus for possible Identification
by the local police. 1t is known here that |