The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-17
ANOTHER HOLMES HORROR.
ALLEGED MURDER ny HIM AND
PIETzEL DONE IN MISSISSIPPI.

Affidavit Made TO the Chnrge by a
Woman Calling Herself Mrs. VI.
HOImes-GOv. stone Issues Requisf-
ton Papers for Holmes, But the
Lady Leaves Town and the Case
Is DrOpDed-The Alleged Victim
One George Thomas, a Lumber
DeaIer-DetniIs of the Crime.
Columbus, Miss. Aug. l6.-In this town
another alleged murder has been traced 10
Holmes and Benjamin Pitzel The regis
ter OF the Gilmore hotel shows for Jan.
l6 last, the names Of Mrs. NJ Holmes
and child. with no place OF residence.
She is described BY the hotel clerk as a
tall. handsome woman, the child a slight,
fair-haired girl. about years OF age
named Lucy. They remained at the hotef
three or four days and were not sociabIe.
On the second day after her arrival the
woman went to the Office of Justice OF
Peace Foote. and said she desired a con-
fidential talk with him She made her
child leave the room. She then made
an affidavit before Justice OF
Peace Foote charging H. H. Holmes.
then in Jail In Philadelphia with murder.
When asked by the justice for her PROOF
she produced a 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 Tombigbee river. six miles below Co
lumbus. Upon this amdavit requisition
papers were issued by Gov. John NJ.
Stone.
Mrs. Holmes went to the law office CT
Judge J. A. Orr and sought to retain his
services to prosecute the case, but Judge
Orr refused his services. She left with
him the original confession Of Holmes.
The woman gave as her reason for MAXI
ing the affidavit that Holmes had been
very brutal in his treatment OF her for two
years. and she hoped by his conviction to
get some OF his property, as he was worth
over 100000.
The document states that Holmes, PitzeI
and the murdered George Thomas were in
this city June 20, 1894, but that they stop
ped at different places and were not seen
together on the streets. Their conduct
was such as to leave the community uu.
der the impression that they we're stran-
gers. A few days after their arrival they
procured a small boat ana 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. Pltzel said his death was
caused by falling from the boat and strik-
Ing his head on the rocks; that they bur-
led the body IN the river swamp and re-
turned to Columbus.
The requisitlon papers came from jack
son and Chief Of Police Munder arranged
TO go to Philadelphia after Holmes, but
In the mean time Mrs. Holmes had left
the city. Pitzel registered at the hotel
as from Chicago at about the time the
murder Is said to have been committed.
About this time Thomas also arrived,
stopping at a different hotel He claimed
to be In the lumber business, and SO did
P.tzei In that way he became acquaint-
ed with Thomas.
Judge Orr to-day, while admitting the
main facts about the confession. re-
fused to disclose the nature Of his busi-
ness with Mrs. Holmes, but said he knew
her reason fog. wanting her husband
brought here from Philadelphia.