The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-05-14
THE NOTED CRIMINAL DECLAR-
ED HIMSELF INNOCENT OF
THE PITEZEL MURDERS.
He MADE A FINAL DECLARATION.
Told the Assemblage He Was Respon-
sible for Only Two Deaths, Which
Were the Results of Criminal
Operations.

Philadelphia, May 7.-Herman NJ.
| Mudgett. alias II. II. Holmes, was
hanged in Moyamensing prison today.
| The drop fell at 1912 -. 1t was fully
| half hour later before he was officially
pronounced dead.
A half minute before he was shot into
eternity he made this declaration to the
| solemn assemblage gathered about the
scaffOld:
Gentlemen, | have very few words
| to say. In fact, | would make no re-
marks at this time except that by not
speaking l would appear to acquiesce in
my execution. | only wish to say that
the extent of my wrong doing III taking
human life consisted in the death of two
women, they having died at my hands
as Il result of criminal operations.
wish to state here, so there can be no
chance of misunderstanding, that | am
not guilty of taking the lives of any of
the Pitezel family-the three children
and Benjamin, the father, of whose
death | was convicted, and for which |
am today to be hanged. That is all |
have 10 say.
The words were well chosen and dis
tinctly enunciated. The voice of the
condemned man never quivered: the
hands casped on the dark railing of the
scaffOld did not tremble; the nerve
which all along characterized this most
marvellous of assassins did not desert
him at the end. As the last syllable fell
from his lips he turned to his attorney.
Mr.. Rotan. Clasping the right hand of
the young lawyer Holmes placed his
left on the other mans shoulder and
gazing up into his eyes, said in Il loud
voice:
Good bye"
Then he carefully buttoned his coat,
nodded to the sheriff, and an instant
later he was shot up into the air.
He was undoubtedly the most stoid
of any in that assemblage of more than
fifty men. The palor of his face was no
deeper than the ordinary prison bleach,
and he stood erect, gazing steadfastly
before him until the horrible black can
shut out his last look at earthly things.
Holmes spent his last day of life I'M
eventually. During part of yesterday
Father DAILY said prayers. In the after
noon his lawyer, Samuel p. Rotan. spent
a short time with him. The rest of the
day Holmes spent in reading his Bible
and other devotional books.
Father DAILY came again early in the
evening and remained until 1O:1:5
o'clock. After he left Holmes wrote
letters of farewell until midnight 1t is
understood that these communications
were addressed to his wife in Gilman.
ton, \, H., and Georgiana Yoke, Of
Franklin, Ind, the so-called third wife
whose testimony did much to bring
about today's execution. He also penn.
ca letter of instruction to Mr.. Rot0n.
ms council. Absolute secrecy is main.
tanned regarding the contents of these
letters. VI '"e'e
At II o'clock Holmes undresscd and
went to bed under the watchful eve Of
Keeper Weaver, who was fearful LOST
the man in the cell beyond might com.
mt suicide. But apparently nothing
wa, iurther from the abnormal mind Of
MS charge; Holmes slept like an in
nocent babe and at 6 O'Clock in tbo
morning it required two calls 70 owoI , ,nn
him. ~ AWAKEN
At I o'clock Fathers DAILY and NJoco
appeared. Holmes received them silent ,re
~ ana knelt with them while they went
over the communion service. Accorjin,r
10, the rites of the Catholic church IS
winch he had been converted durnm +ho
past week. in form at least. He ba n
been fasting since midnight, The S S"r'
wee once over, his breakfast of eggs, drv
toast ana coffee was brought and he oto
Win an apparent relish. "'e
oil! SlSn Oh uehanco that he modo
was Just after the priest left, ''''''e
Am nervous" he demanded strotob
ing his hands out to Keener W I!,io.cn-
ney were as steady as a rock ''''i'
Holmes smiled and retired to tha roo,
OF his cell. He declared that ba na arar
felt better in his life Soon after tb; ise tba
priests returned and remained with b 're
until the end. Win MN
Holmes wore a sack coat and trousorS
or gray material to the gallows onJ
white shirt. There was a thin e =, rta "a
beard on his chin. eio" I'll Oh
:. there was a pause when he reached
the trap and then Holmes stenned for
ward '': and delivered his speech. # t iOI
nm exactly two minutes to utter w rbO
nearly every. man there regarded as 4ha
last OF a series of lies. US 'he
Father DAILY knows, if any living man
Toes, whether or not Holmes wnpt i intn
eternity with lie on his lips. for 70 b;u
tonnes, either last night or today mad I,
! confession. What the murderer ir nnr
ided to the priest is a secret of tho e COW
,essional and it will never be made n oui
Inc body was allowed to hang unt;,
-o:i5 O'Clock. Then it was emf down. .,,
md placed in a coffin. N'' uo"h
At l2:3O O'Clock the big iron doors :.
he rear of tho nriSop e,r,,,,. 'iS III