The San Francisco call., 1896-05-08

passed through the doors and the latter
closed when from behind was heard the
slow and measured tread of the death
party.
The suspense was almost painful brief
| though it was, when, preceded by Sheriff
Clements and Superintendent Perkins,
Holmes appeared and stepped on the trap.
On the right was Father Daley, to the
left Fatter McPake. and behind them
| Lawyer Rotan and Assistant Superin-
tendent Richardson. The little party
stood a moment looking down, and then,
| in response to a signal from one OF those
beside him, Holmes stepped forward. He
spoke slowly and with measured attention
to every word--a trifie low at first, but
louder as he proceeded, until every word
was distinctly audible.
| 'Gentlemen," he said, 81 have very few
words 10 say, in fact, would make no
statement at this time, except that by not
| speaking / may be made TO acquiesce in
my execution. / only want to say that
the extent of my wrongdolngs in the
| taking of human life consisted in the
| death of two women, they having died at
my hands as the result of criminal opera
| tions. wish to state also, however, so that
| there will be no misunderstanding here
after, that am not guilty of taking the
lives of any of the Pietzel family. the three
children or the father, Benjamin f. Plet-
eel, OF whose death am now convicted,
and for which am to-day to be hanged.
That is alI.'
| As he ceased speaking he stepped back,
and kneeling between Fathers Daley and
| McPake, ne Joined with chem in silent
prayer for minute or two. Again stand
| ing he shook hands with all about him
| and then signified his readiness for the
end. Holmes was the coolest of the whole
party. He even went to the extreme of
suggesting to Assistant Superintendent
Richardson that the latter should not
hurry himself.
"Take your time; don't bungle it,"
| Holmes remarked as the official exhibited
some little haste, the outcome of nervous
ness. These were almost his last words.
The cap was adjusted, a low-toned query,
"Are you ready?" and an equally low
toned response, ''Yes, good-by," and the
trap was sprung.
| Holmes neck was not broken, and there
were a few convulsive twltches of the
limbs that continued for about ten min
utes. "But he suffered none after the
DROP" said DR.. Scott, the prison physi-
clan.
The trap was sprung precisely at 10 :121z,
and fifteen minutes later Holmes was pro-
nounced dead, though the body was not
cut down until 10:45. When it was laid
out on the stretcher occurred the only in
cident approaching the revolving in con-
nection with the affair.
The knot had become iammed and the
efforts of the doctors failed to loosen it as
they attempted to remove the moose from
about the neck. The head was twisted
about from side to side in the attempt and
finally it was decided to cut the rope.
Superintendent Perkins objected, however.
ana the knot was undone after several
minutes of trying work.
\ After the body had been viewed by the
physicians and the manner of death de-
termined the stretcher on which it lay was
wheeled out of the corridor into the jail
yard. Here it was placed in an ordinary
cheap pine coffin, 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 Roman
Catholic Cemetery of the Holy Cross.
The only persons at the cemetery were
the undertaken and his assistant, two
grave-diggers, two watchmen and a couple
of newspaper men. The little company
acted as pallbearers, and carried the coffin
to the receiving vault. The last act in tue
receiving vault was performed at Holmes
express command.
The lid of the coffin was taken off and
the body was lifted out and laid on the
ground. Then the bottom of the coffin
was filed with cement. The body was
then replaced in the coffin and covered
with cement. II was Holmes idea that
this cement would harden around his
body and prevent any attempt at grave
robbery. The coffin was left in the receiv-
ing vault under the guard of two watch
men. who will remain on duty all night.
Tomorrow afternoon the body will be in.
tered in grave in the cemetery, and 1t is
probable that at the time religious serv-
ices will be conducted by Father Daley.
Holmes made no will and left no con-
fession. This is according to Mr.. Rotan.
He says he knows Holmes made no will
! and, while the murderer gave him this
| morning big bundle of papers, the law
yer says that he is confident that these
papers relate only to private business
| matters. As yet Mr.. Rotan has had no
opportunity to examine them.
| Mrs, PietZel was seen after Holmes was
hanged. Ali she could say, between her
sobs, was that she was glad that he had
received her just deserts, but that his
death would not return to her her hus-
band or her children. Mrs. Pietzel will
return to her home, at Galya. ILL.,, next
| week.
The two women referred to bv Holmes
in his confession from the scaffold were
Julia Connor of Chicago and Emily
| Ciprand of Anderson Ind.