The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-16
HOLMES LATEST.

AS rule, jests about manslaughter are
not In the best Of taste. but in the case of
the facile confessor and monumental !iar
Herman II. Holmes, this rule stan Is
waived. He clearly is u romanccr who
delights to shock people solely for the no.
toriety 1t brings him. and upon whom con-
siderate treatment would be wasted The
Pittsburg Times gets off this amusing bit
of burlesque on Holmes, which puts his
CORY pretensions to the right kind of iidl-
Cule:
Philadelphia, April 13.-The accomplish
ed murderer and humorist. Ha Ha
1t was made in the presence Of his press
agent and his business manager. both Of
whom vouched for its authenticity This
is not Mr.. Holmes first authentic con-
fessiOn, and his manager was grleved to
say would not guarantee that it shall be
his last. Mr.. Holmes was reluctant to do
literary work on the Sabbath, and only
yielded out OF 8! mIathy for the relatives
of his late victims, fOrty-seveT of whom,
he said, are now living In the Greater
Pittsbc:s. He also stipulated that the
docrmc:.t should be dated on Monday, 30
that ITS authenticity could not De ques-
toned in court.
Mr.. Holmes latest autobiography is the
result of more mature deliberation. 1t Is
better in its literary style, and the Incl
dents are arranged to give better effect.
He said substantially: II am the original
man with the marble heart. I also used
inc Slau manu-, but IOunu IL eIIectlVe only
in female cases, and, as l found more
improved methods Of seducing them to
their fate, l abandoned 1t after cOmplet-
ing my series of Whitechapel murders.
Whatever credit Is due me, l owe only to
my mother. She first taught me the taste
for paregoric, under the influence of which
drug | committed most of my assassina.
tions and did all my canvassing for life
insurance. 1t supplemented a lack of
nerve which might otherwise have proven
fnf fnl fn mi NJ trcu
This | do not reckon as one of my own
unaided accomplishments. 1t Is due MAIN
ly to the fact that my rascally jailers have
refused to furnish my wonted dram. They
say the drug IL not for sale in Philadel-
phia, as there is no need or demand for
Mr. Holmes did not give the names of
his victims in this confession, as he has
mislaid his typewriter list, and does
not wish to contradict his former confess
sions. My memory" said he. has gone
with my intellect. 1t does not signify.
as | never inquired the name Of the man
or woman whose throat l was about to
slit Mr.. Holmes is certain, however.
In. His English experience. he said, was
limited. Outside of the Whitechapel mur-
ders he had but one victim, Charles l.,
whom he beheaded. He said that it Was
esttf5e, he i1srd rlaiiet orr tt1p tt
which covered "Shoebox" Miller. A pre-
vous engagement, he said, rendered it
impossible for him to be present at Gains
murder of Abel. fact for which he ex-
pressed considerable repentance. He said
that he alone could reveal the hiding place
of "Bill' Pritz, and that he was the real
inventor of the Gatling gun and the Man
haitian cocktail.
Mr. Holmes referred with scorn to the
imitators who have sprung up in the
shadow of his great success. He said that
he will ada more details from time to
time, as he can think up names for his
Victims and he had requested to be fur
nished with directories of all the princi-
pal cities of the country, so that this de-
partment of his business may be made
easier. He has made a record of his
murders by marking his chest with char
the bath which he was obliged to take on
entering prison has destroyed his ac-
counts, so that even the number is now in
doubt He is now writing three-act play