River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-04-16
TELLS OF HIS GRIMES.
Extracts from . Reported Confession by
II. n. Holmes.

Extracts from Reported Confession by
II. n. Holmes
Philadelphia. April 1.-THE North
American of this city will this morning
print what purports to be sentences
from the confession alleged to have been
made by Murderer II. ii. Holmes.
Among other things the story says:
In prefacing the confession, which COW
ers In full nearly three newspaper pages,
written IN Holmes own handwriting, and
detailing with a minuteness that is simply
at times revolving. the arch-mutilator and
author OF q murders, as he admits himself
TO be. states with something like pathos
that he does so simply that he may obtain
enough money 20 educate his boy.
Holmes writes of his blood-curdling atroc-
tiles with an abandon that simply apalls
one. Not one grain OF remsprse seems to en-
ten into the construction or that document
and never for a moment. except in two iso-
lated cases-one where he refers touchinyly
to the memory of Minnie Williams and an
other time when he pathetically speaks of
an outrage perpetrated on his boy-does the
redeeming element pity figure In the case.
Regret Is never for a moment expressed.
and he comes out boldly and without COM
junction on his very opening with the
statement: Il was born with the very devil
In me-"
Even now he believes that the evil spirit
is the guiding genius of his destiny. He
asserts that he Is gradually changing in ap-
pearance. In figure, that his face is becom-
ing distorted. and he sees. whether in the
distortion OF his bloody Imagination, which
coniures up hosts of vengeance-calling
dead. or not, his face assuming the look. the
eyes, the leer. and the very ears the exact
siInilitude of the picture of Satan them
selves.
Il was born with the devil In me-" says he
In one part of his confession. II could not
help the fact that i was a murderer, no
more than the poet can help the inspiration
to song, nor the ambition of an intellectual
man to be great. The inclination to murder
came to me as naturally as the inspiration
TO do right comes to the majority OF per-
sons. Net only that, l was not satisfied In
taking 1t In the ordinary way. sought de-
vices strange. fantastical. and even gro
tesque.
II am convinced" he declares. that since
my Imprisonment have changed woefully
and grewsomely from what formerly was
I'm feature and in figure. / mean. in fact,
that my features are assuming nothing
more nor less than q pronounced satanical
aspect; that have become afflicted with
that disease, rare but terrible. with which
physicians are acquainted. but over which
they seem to have no control whatever"
That disease" says he, lis a malforma-
ton or distortion of the osseous parts, caus-
ing deformity so marked that in many cases
men are made to assume ikenesses to the
inferior animal
From what / can see 7 believe fully that
i am growing to resemble the devil: that
the osseous parts of my head and face are
gradually assuming that elongated shape
30 pronounced in what is called the de-
generate head, and that the similitude Is
almost completed"
Holmes confession from this on speaks
of his early experiences. of his boyhooG
days on the farm up in Vermont. and the
life he led. until he entered college to study
medicine In Michigan
1t was not until after he was graduated
and fully equipped with the knowledge o:
persons and the easiest way to sever the
thread of life. that Holmes began his Ca
reer as murderer and mutilator.
When he begun. he admits himself. he was
ruthless, aud never once halted until he
took q lives.
And : would have committed six other
MURDERS" he added, had not certain oc-
currences interviewed"