The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-07-26
A Find Which May Aid in the
Conviction of the Accused.
TELL-TALE LETTER PICKED UP BY
THE SEARCHING PARTY.
Police Prevents an Insurance Agent
Being Lynched at Il suburb Of West
Indianapolis on an Accusation OF
Assaulting q Severn Year-Oid Child.

Assaulting a Seven-Year-Old Child.
CHICAGO, July 25.-Not so sensational
find as that of yesterday was made by
men digging in the basement of the
Holmes building to-day. but IL was one
which may go further toward securing
the conviction of the murderer. One OF
the men found in pile of rubbish a let
ter. signed "H. II. Howard" and dated
May ., 1875. The signature is one OF the
many aliases used by Holmes, and one OF
the cOmmOuest of the lot. The letter is
in his well-known writing and is ad-
dressed to an occupant of the building.
1t is believed, however, that the letter IS
to c. +. Davies, the jeweler who occupies
the building with Druggist Robinson.
Tho letter inquiries particularly as to
the doings of the janitor. Qunlan, and
asks where he now is. 1t then goes on in
& jocular manner to describe the fate OF
the Williams girls. ard asks the recipient
whether he has seen them or their ghosts
about the building. Special inquiry IS
made as to the partitions IN the house,
and in conclusion the writer says he will
! not nave to stay III jail much longer.
1t WAS at first reported that TWO letters
had beeu found, but Detective y NOrton.
who has charge of the material found in
the cellar, denies that this is SO. lie de-
| clares thai the two supposed letters were
only parts Of the same letter.
y new accusation now rests against
Holmes character, ana that is that he
made away with q Miss Cigrand, with
whom he lived in the house al Sixty
third and Wallace streets just before he
had the Williams girls there. The neigh
bOrs remember but little OF the woman.
She was blonde. about % years old, ana
lived with Holmes for six months.
When she went away Holmes told jeW-
eler Davies. rs the latter claims, that he
had succeeded in 'marrying her o1f.''
1t will be remeln bered that this is very
much like what he told concerning the
disappearance of Mrs. Conner. He said
at the time that he had married her off IN
California.
Miss Clgrand came to Chicago from
Indiana. She associated but littls with
the nelghbOrs, and even the other in
mates OF the building were in complete
ignorance concerning sher habits.
Holmes was not often seen with her. and
on these occasions he kept aoof from his
friends and introduced her to no one.
Mrs. Doyle knows moro about this girl,
it is believed, than anybody else, bur the
Central Station officers will not permit
her to talk about the case.
The building in which Holmes crimes
were probably concocted and accom-
plished will probably not be pulled down.
Z. Il. Chandler, mortgage broker, who
holds lien on it for $4,000, advanced to
Holmes with which 10 build it, was told
by the Building Inspector that all that
was necessary was to improve the upper
portion. This will be done at once. An
order of foreclosure has already been Sc
cured from the court and tomorrow an
order will DO asked for allowing the i'm
provements to be put. The property is
worth $4,000. Besides the principal, there
is So, ,00O interest due on 1t.
\ few bones Wero found to-day The
force Of men was dOub bled to-day and ne
work is progressing much faster. The
belief is gaining ground that Holmes
wife, who lives at the suburb of VIII
mette, knows much more about the
crimes OF her husband than she cares to
tell It is probable that she will be put
in the sweat box.
Mrs. Quinlan and Mrs. Doyle are sill
under police restraint, as are Quinlan
and Owens, though none have been for
maliy arrested.
one OF the most important develop
meuts of the case during the day was the
alleged connection established between
Holmes and an insurance solicitor, L. j.
Downey, an alleged doctor, who operated
in the insurance business in Engiewood,
and who is said TO be the man who as
sisted Holmes in placing insurance on
his victims and upon the lives of persons
insured in his favor. Downey is wanted
by more than one local insurance COM
pany, and it is beloved If the police sue
ceed i'll getting hold OF him he will be
able TO tell an Interesting story Of
Holmes operations. In fact, there arc
those who believe he was an accOmpljce
of the Englewood swiudler, and worked
for division OF the spoils received from
the insurance companies. 1t Was Dow
ney who made the application for the in
surance on the life of Pat Quinlan, and
succeeded in getting his risk placed with
the North American Accident i Ssocla-
ton. DoWney has worked for every life
insurance agency in this city. He was
dropped from the Northwestern for an
alleged discrepancy in his accounts.
Startling disclosures were made to-
night to the Chief OF Police and mis- su-
bordinate officers engaged in the Holmes
investigation by Patrick Quinlan, the
trusted friend and former employe of the
alleged wholesale murderer. lie gave
Information which convinced the police
Holmes made eaway with Miss Kitty * ely,
who was Employed by him as his clerk at
The drug store in Engewood Quinlan
gave the police picture which he said
was that OF the missing girl. de will be
examined again Tomorrow.
At midnight Chief Badenoch said the
case was growing more horrible and
mysterious every hour, and he was sure
that Holmes had committed more muir
ders than the world had yet been ap-
prised OF.