The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-13
Or Else He Was a Colossal Liar In His
Confidential EpistIes to His At
torney I'm This City.
A CONFESSION FOR $4,000
LETTERS IN DETAIL WRITTEN by
THE FAMOUS BUTCHER OF HUMANS.
His Movements I'm This City Minutely
Described-His Reference to the
Mysterious Hatch.

The GOODNESS and flippancy with which H.
II. Holmes, the arch criminal recites the
story Of twenty-seven murders is only
equaled in the persistent manner in which
he claimed his innocence in his letters to his
attorneys. There is also a suspicion that
the confession was palmed off on a news
paper syndicate in order TO obtain the 5000
offered. About Jan. 1 Holmes wrote to
attorney Henry w. Bullock, of this city,
He had secured the services Of detective
Corbett in his behalf and ii was his desire
that Mr.. Bullocks bureau assist the detec-
tive in gathering evidence. Holmes seemed
to have desire that the murder OF Howard
Pitezel, which is supposed to have occurred
at Irvington. be at least cleared up before
his death on the scaffold. Considerable cor
respondence passed between Holmes and at
torney Bullock. Through Mr.. Bullock the
Journal Is able to publish part Of this cor
respondence.
while Holmes has made this fun con-
fession," said Mr.. Bullock yesterday, 81
would not be surprised to hear of him maxi
ing modifying statement before his execu-
ton, for 1 know he wrote US in January
that he could fall back on the offer of 5000
made by New York paper for his con-
fession If he could get money in no other
way"
Mr.. Bullock gives the following detailed ac-
count of Holiness movements here: Oct. 8,
1894. Holmes was in st. Louis and received
the $4,000 insurance money on the life of
b. +. Pitezel. Albert Schiffiing says that on
that day Holmes left two cases of surgical
instruments with him to be sharpened. Oct.
1 Holmes went TO Franklin and remained
over night; came to this city on the morning
OF Oct. 5. The house at Irvington was
rented on that day at o'clock .. m. Oct. 6
he came back from Franklin: keys were
called for at DIR. Thompson's office, Dr.
Thompson thinks about 10 o'clock ]. w.
Waltz. the miller at New Palestine, says
that Holmes arrived at Irvington at $50
and went to DR.. Thompsons and DIR. Barn
hilfs office. They were not in. Holmes
came again soon after. Sunday, Oct. Z,
was spent at Franklin. Oct. Holmes was
at the office OF j. L. Wright & Co., and
called for his instruments at IL a. m. Oct.
he and Miss Yoke came from Franklin and
were at the Circle Park Hotel and else
where. They remained here over night and
went to English's Opera House in the even
The boy left the hotel at noon and was
seen In lrvington at o'clock in transfer
wagon with men; coat was left at Pixies
grocery store before o'clock D. m. Gilbert
Mooreman assisted the tenant in placing the
stove at o'clock and the boy was alive al
m nar5 as Hn ne asked s for milk avs at Mrs Lay
ticket Office at o'clock .. m. for registered
package He claimed he was in Chicago the
next morning, but George Armstrong thinks
ne saw him on the morning Of Oct. 10 or IL.
ONE OF HOLINESS LETTERS.
The Holmes letters in the possession O.
Mr.. Bullock. and exhibited to the Journa
yesterday, were written in his cell in III,
4 lad
ly legible. The letters were all written will
lead pencil. Jan. 4. two months after hi:
conviction. Holmes wrote long letter to nj.
attorneys here. in which he speaks of havine
received some good news
1T seems that my new year is commenc
ing in very promising manner he wrote
I'm Burlington, VT, we have found tn.
Hatch clew that the authorities here hay,
withheld. In Toronto Il have forty-eight hour.
clear-Miss Williams's boarding place found
Your work in Indianapolis is even bettei
than had hoped. as is Corbett's in Chicago
ing,. which / thank you for. You can writ,
10 CorDett direct. IL necessary, as he can b,
trusted. He first entered the other side o
the case, working for the Fort Worth Bank
but found so much that was in our favor tina
me me-, Voi OIL, 70 aid He Is energetic, an'
|, there has been cleared up. Mr. Wishar.
represents the Franklin family / paid hin
his fee in advance for certain work when
was tnere, and, as | don't want to brins
wish as soon as you hear from Chicago yo,
would lay the matter before him and ask hin
my favor so far as wrong doing e IN IndySan
apolis Is concerned. II he does not wish 4
DO so, he can at least tell you why and thu
show US wherein our defense is not strong
/ wish he would also write Judge Harvey Il
st. Louis CPickerell can go before him TO
deposition; and ask him to state that wa
there all OF Oct. and 3. and. therefore. couk
not have called on the owner of the Indian
apolis house. The line Of reasoning for Mr.
V Wishard is as follows; Boy alive noon
Chicago at such time on the 18th as to hav
made IL necessary to have left Indianapoli
on ,a'e tLarn the lotn. between noon or or
| just before o'clock delivery; called again a
g.. and at was at the Denison quite a tim
also twih send letter showing postmark).'
HIS PLAUSIBLE STORY.
ITO have been at Irvington 1 would hav
had to make three trips during that time
thirty-six miles of suburban travel. The Irv
ington work needed twenty-four hours o
constant attention, and no one would hav
| left the house a moment meantime, lest il b
discovered during his absence. If more proc
| Is needed, reason that was in st. Louis .
and Sd. when two visits were made to mir
| the house; that could not have been at Iry
| ington before II 40 or after O'Clock (wil
send you the detailed proof If you need in
that the final payment OF so cents at the no
| tel was made after left leaving il reasona
| Bile TO believe that the boy was not killed a
| the hotel, as stated, but that ne staid Their
| for dinner and supper the 10TH and wa
/ taken 10 Irvington then. This correspond
with the amount OF time Hatch consume
/ and accounted for by saying he was delave
at junction en- route TO Detroit The trun
was old. tied together with ropes and
| would have been hazardous shipping a bod
via the depot, as they claim. / knew nothin
| OF the Irvington house unfit you spoke of tn
car connections. l believed IL TO be a sui
| urban village on the Fort Wayne RAILROAD
| The only drug store / visited was on Wash
/ ington street, near Illinois street north side
| where wrote prescription for chloroforT
IMMINENT that was afte ward used at Frank
| lin by my wife, who told the authorities Of n
rs there no clew by means of handwrii
| ing at other drug stores-unusual to give on
/ poisons of this kind without record. VIVA
hours was tenant at drug store? / hav
| testified about asking very many questions
although there are many / wish 10 asl
The trunk matter seems TO me no,
the most important of all Can you nc
| determine at the depot III any trunk wa
| shipped in the evening of the 10th to Irvine
ton or by street cars We know the trun
| was at the hotel later than noon the lOtf
| Now II the Irvington neighhors who hay
| seen so much I'm favor of the a.,