The evening bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1887-1905, 1896-04-11
II. Il. HOLMES.

In prefacing the confession which
covers in full nearly three newspaper
pages, written in Holmes own hand
writing, and detailing with a minute
ness that is simply at times revolving,
the arch-mutilator and author of 81
murders, as he admits himself to be,
states with something like pathos that
he does so simply that he may obtain
enough money to educate his boy.
Holmes writes of his od-curdling
atrocities with an abandon that simply
appalls one. Not one grain of remorse
seems to enter into the construction of
that document and never for amoment,
except in two isolated cases-one where
he refers touchingly to the memory of
Minnie Williams, and another time =,
when he pathetically speaks of an out
rage perpetrated on his boy-does the
redeeming element pity figure in the
case. Regret is never for moment eX-
pressed, and he comes out boldly and
without conjunction on his very OPEN
ing with the statement, II was born
with the very devil in me-"
Even now he believes that the evil
spirit is the guiding genius of his des-
tiny. He believes that he is fully under
the spell of the damned and despite the
assertions to the contrary, that he is re-
ceiving the attentions of minister of
God and is gradually becoming imbued
with the spirit of forgiveness and re-
ligion, he feels that he is lost hopeless
ly. He even goes further. He asserts
that he is even changing i'll appearance,
in figure, that his face is becoming dis
torted, and he sees, whether in the dis
tortion of his bloody imagination, which
conjures up hosts of vengeance calling
dead, or not, his face assuming the
look, the eyes the leer, and the very
ears the exact similitude of the picture
of Satan themselves.
II was born with the devil in me-"
says he in one part of his confession.
II could not help the fact that l was a
murderer no more than the poet can
help the inspiration to song, nor the
ambition of an intellectual man to be
great, l was born with the evil one
standing as my sponsor beside the bed
where | was ushered into the world,
and he has been with me since.
"The inclination to murder came to
me as naturally as the inspiration to do
right comes to the majority of persons.
Where others hearts were touched with
pity mine filed with cruelty, and
wherein the others the feeling was to
save life / revealed in the thought of de-
stroying the same. Not only that l
was not satisfied in taking it i'll the or
binary way. l sought devices strange,
fantastical and even grotesque. 1t
pleased my fancy. 1t gave me play to
work my murderous will, and L revelled
in it with the enthusiasm of any al
chemist, who is hot on the trail OF the
philosophers stone.
"This inclination" continues Holmes,
"came to me early in life. / remember
when mere lad my ambition was to
study medicine, that l might know the
relative effects of poisonous gases; that
might fully become acquainted with
their uses, and learn to be an expert III
handling them.
II am convinced" he declares, "that
since my imprisonment | have changed
woefully and gruesomely from what l
formerly was in feature and in figure.
If you look at my picture, when was
first taken into custody in Boston, near
" two years ago, and look at my face
now, you may begin to observe some
thing of what mean. l mean, in fact,
that my features are assuming northing
more or less than pronounced satanical