The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-08
HOLMES PAYS The PENALTY
The Notorious Murderer Hanged at
Philadelphia.
HE REfCTES HIS CONFESSION
On the Scaffold the Condemned Man
Denies Causing the Death Of But Two
Persons An Execution Devoid
OF Sensational Features.
He REFuTES HIS CONFESSION

was hanged tnlS morning III the county
prison for the killing of Benjamin r.
PietZei
The drop fell at 1O.le o'clcck. aud
twenty minutes later he was pro-
nOunced dead by the prison officials. Dr..
sharp and DR.. Butcher.
The execution was in every way en-
tirely devoid of any sensational fea-
lures. To the last he was self-posses-
sed and cool even to the extent of Civ
ing i word Of advice to Assist Superin
tenTent Richardson as he was arranE-
ing the final details. He died as ne
had lied. unconcerned and thoughtlcss
III parentiy of the future. Even with
the recollection still vividly before him
of the recent confession in which ne
admitted the killing of a score of per-
sons OF both sexes and in all parts Of
the country he refuted everything. ana
almost hts last words were point
blank denial Of any crimes committed
except the deaths of two women al ms
hands hv malpractice. After the muir
der of several members of the PietZel
family he denied all completely. par
ticularly IN the murder of the father
for whose death he stated he was suf-
fering the penalty. Then with the
prayer Of the spiritual attendants still
in his ears and few low
spoken words to those about him the
tran was sprung. and beyond a few in
cidental post -mortem details the execu-
tion which eliminated one of the worst
stories known to criminology
was ended.
BODY REMOVED.
After the body had been lowered from
the scaifold and placed upon tn"
ii In =.
finally loosened and the moose removed.
the black cap was taken off. The face
was but little distorted. 1t was slightly
discolored and the eyes were half open.
The lips We're drawn back and the
teeth protruded. A bruise and an abra-
sion around the neck, where the rope
had frightened was visible above the
coat collar. After the body had been
viewed by the physicians and the man
ner of death determined the stretcher
was wheeled out of the corridor into the
Jail yard. Here 1t was placed In an
ordinary cheap pine coffin. One notice
able thing about the coffin was that 1t
was wide enough and deep enough to
have held two men of Holmes size. The
coffin was nut aboard an undertaker's
wagon and conveyed to the Roman
Catholic cemetery of the Holy Cross.
The only persons at the cemetery were
the undertaken and his assistants, two
grave diggers. two watchmen and a
couple of newspaper men. This little
company acted as pall-bearers and car
ried the coffin to the receiving vault.
When the vault was reached the object
Of the extra size of the coffin was dis
closed. Holmes dread of an autopsy
haunted him constantly and almost his
last thought was to provide against
such thing being attempted. The last
act in the receiving vault was per-
formed 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
completely covered with the cement. II
was Holmes idea that this cement
would harden around his body and pre-
vent any attempt at grave robbery
The coffin was left in the receiving vault
under the guard of two watchmen, who
will remain On duty all night. Tomor-
row afternoon the body will be inferred
in a grave in the cemetery. and 1t Is
probable that at that time religious SER
vices will be conducted by Father
Daley.
HOLMES LEFT NO WILL.
Holmes lef. no will and left no con-
fession. This is according to Mr.. Ro-
tan. He says he knows Holmes made
no will and, while the murderer gave
him this morning big bundle OF
papers. the lawyer says that he is con-
tident that these papers relate only tC
private business matters. AS yet Mr.
Rotan has had no opportunity to exam.
inc them.
Despite Mr.. Rotan's belief to the con-
trary IL is possible that when he eX-
amincs the papers left by Holmes he
may lind a confession among them
This Is the belief of George Chamber
lain, of Chicago. Mr. Chamberlain Is
lawyer and general manager of q
mercantile agency in Chicago ana Is
here representing certain creditors ol
Holmes and the chief Of police of Chi
cago.
KILLED NINE PERSONS.
Mr.. Chamberlain says that he has
proof that Holmes killed at least nine
people and he thinks it likely thai
Holmes has left some confession Of
these murders. At an interview will
Mr.. Chamberlain yesterday Holme:
promised to furnish him with some ma
terial to further him In his efforts Il
recover some of the money due hi!
clients. Mr.. Chamberlain says that th'
mortgages upon the Castle In Chica
go are forged and that when they are
brought into court they will be throw,
out and this property, worth S3O.OOO vii
revert to some of Holmes dupes.
The last chapter In the famous
ten today. Holmes had accomplices
both in his criminal operations and hi
murders and the police OF Chicago ar
now gathering up the threads whicl
will bring these accomplices to justice
Some one. probably representing SOM
medical institution today offered Nh
| Rotun $4,000 for Holmes body, but tn
offer was promptly refused.
THE CAREER or HOLMES.
Herman w. Mudgett better known a
| n. II. Holmes, was one OF the most con
| spicuous criminals of modern times, an
| II the murder confessions" which he ha
| written can only partially be believed n
| was without Il peer as a bloOd-thirsty de
| mon. His recent ingenious confession
| wherein he claimed to have killed twent!
seven persons was disprOved, partly =
| least, by the appearance OF several OF tn
so-called victims; but Holmes object l
making the confession" was realized
the obtaining Of sum said to be S,j'
| and which amount Is said to have bee
settled upon the criminals lS-year-old soi
While the confessions" have served :
increase the sensationalism of the cas-
the only capital crime Of which Holrlo
had to answer was the killing In this c!,.
on Sept. 2, 1894, of Benjamin r. Pitezel n
ow-consplrator. The murder was con
mitted In the dwelling, No. 1876 Callowhi
street. Holmes conviction of murder
the first degree, the affirmation by til
Pennsylvania Supreme court Of the ve
diet and the recent refusal of Governc
Hastings to grant a respite. are so wei
known that u narration Of these facts
| unnecessary. tt,'t F9
Holmes was captured In Boston, Mass
In the latter part of 1884. by owen Han
com. the deputy superintendent of polio
upon the strength Of u telegram from Fo
Worth. Tex. where. he was wanted Z,