The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-05-08

d!squiet. die spoke slowly and with
measured attention to every word IA
trife low at first. but louder as he pro-
ceeded. until every word was distinctly
| audible.
Gentlemen" he said. II have very few
words to say, in fact, l would make no
statement at this time except that by
| not speaking | would appear to acquiesce
In life -in-mY- execution. j only want
to say that tina extent of my wrong do
ings in taking human life consisted in
the deaths of two women, they having
| died a { my hand as the result of criminal
operation. i wish to also state, how
ever, so that there will he no misunder-
| standing hereafter, l am not guilty of
taking the lives of any of the PietZel
family, the three children or father.
Benjamin Il. Pitezel, of whose death /
am now convicted and for which l am
to-day to be hanged. That is all"
As he ceased speaking he stepped
back, and knneying between Fathers
Daley and McPaSe, joined with them
In silent prayer for u minute or two.
Again standing he shook the hands of
those about him, and them signifed
his readiness for the end.
Coolest of the entire party, he even
went to the extreme of suggesting to the
| assistant, Superintendent Richardson.
that the latter need not hurry himself.
Take your time; don't bungle it,"
he remarked. as the official exhibited
some little haste. the evident outcome
of nervousness These were almost his
| last words. The cap was adjusted Il
low toned query "are you ready?" and
an equally low toned response of Yes,
good bye" and the trap was sprung.
The neck was not broken, and there
were q few convulsive twitches of the
limbs, that continued for about ten min
| utes.
but he suffered none after the DROP
til IA,. fl.a x..t. Nl.,- 1l.
The trap was sprung at precisely
10:l2k, and fifteen minutes later Holmes
was pronounced dead. though the body
was not cut down until 10:45.
After the body had been lowered
| from the caffold and placed upon the
stretcher and the stiffened knot finally
| loosened and the moose removed, the
black cap was taken Off The face WAS
but little distorted. 1t was slightly dis
colored, and the eyes were half open.
The lips were drawn back and the teeth
protruded. "A bruise and an abrasion
| frightened was visible above the coat
collar. After the body had been viewed
| by the physicians and the manner of
death determined, the stretcher was
wheeled out of the corridor into the Jail
yard. Here he was placed into an or
dinary cheap pine coffin. One notice
able thing about the coffin was that II
was wide enough and deep enough to
have held two men Of Holmes size.
The coffin was put aboard an under
takers wagon and conveyed to the Ro-
| man Catholic Church OF the Holy Cross.
The only persons at the cemetery were
the undertaken and his assistants. two
grave digSers. two watchmen and a
couple OF newspaper men.
This little company acted as pail
bearers and carried the coffin to the re-
ceiving vault, When the vault was
reached the bject of the extra size of
| the coffin was revealed. Holmes dread
of an autopsy haunted him constantly
and almos; his last thought was TO pro-
vide against such Il thing being attempt
| ed The last act in the receiving vault
was performed at Holmes express COM
mand. The lid of the collin was taken
| If and the body was lifted out and laid
on the ground. Taen the bottom of the
coffin was filled with cement The body
was then replaced in the coffin. and com
| pletely covered with cement II was
Holmes idea that this cement would har-
den around his body and preven. any
attempt al grave robbery. The coffin
was then left In the receiving vault
under the guard of two watchmen, who
will remain on duty all night To-mor-
row afternoon the body will be Inferred
| IN grave in the cemetery. and it is prob
able that at that time religious services
Will be conducted by Father DALEY.
tlpIlnes Nlaue n VIII and left no con-
| fession. Mr.. Rotan says he knows that
Holmes made no will and while the muir
derer this morning gave him a big bum
| die of papers the lawyer says he Is CON
| fdent that these papers relate only 10
private business matters. AS set Mr.
Rotan has had no opportunity to ex-
| anime them.
Herman ". Mudgett better known ns
| IL. III. Holmes. was one of the most CON
spicuous criminals of modern times. and
If the murder confessions which he has
written can only partially be believed.
he was without peer as n blood thirsty
demon. Hts recent ingenious ''confes-
sion,' wherein he claimed to have killed
| twenty-seven persons. was disproved.
| partly. at least. by the appearance of
several so-called victims: but Holmes
object in making the Confession" was
reallzed-the obtaining of sum said to
be $500 and which amount is said 10
have been settled upon the criminal's
tS-ycar-old son. While the Confessions
ism of the case, the only capital crime
Tor which Holmes had to answer was
the killing in this city on February Q
1884. of BENJAMIN f. Pietzel. his fellow
conspirator. The murder. was commit
ted in the dwelling. No. 1916 Caliowhill
stree. Holmes conviction of murder
in the first degree. the affirmation by the
pennsylvania Supreme Court OF the YER
dict. and the recent refusal OF Gov. Hast
inEs to grant n respite. are so we'll known
that narration Of the facts is unneccs-
sary.
Inl