Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1896-05-09
H. II. HOLMES.

The marvellous nerve of the man never
deserted him to the very end. Even on
the scaffold he was probably the coolest
person in the assemblage.
A half minute before Holmes was shot
into eternity he made this declaration:
Gentlemen, 1 have very few words to
say. In fact l would make no remaks at
this time, except that by not speaking /
would appear to acquiesce in my eXecu-
ton. | only wish to say that the extent
of my wrong doing in taking human life
consisted in the death of two I, omen,
they having died at my hands as result
of criminal operations. / wish to state
here, so there can be no misunderstand-
ing, that | am not guilty of taking the
lives of any of the Pietzel family-the
three children, and Benjamin, the
father of whose death l am convicted
and for whom I am today to be hanged,
That is all have to say.
Holmes spent the greater part of his
last night on earth writing letters. At
midnight he went to bed and slept sound
ly until O'Clock this morning 1t took two
calls to awaken him. Promptly arising.
he received a visit from his spiritual ad-
the Church of the Annucia ton. They
administered the last sacrament and left
him until nearly O'Clock. During their
toast and coffee.
At 1902 the sheriff called together the
official jury and after each man had an
swered to his name and subscribed to the
certificate. the solemn march to the gal
I'm Act tl,o i
liz intense silence before the scaffold a
murmured sound came from behind a
partition erected Immediately back of it
1t was the dolorous chant of the two
priests accompanying the doomed man
to the scaffold. They We're uttering the
psalm "Miserere." At 10:0S they mount
ed the fatal platform.
A moment of prayer elapsed, and ther
Holmes stepped to the front of the scat
fold, and resting his hands on the rails
before him, made his statement of limo
cence. 1t was received in absolute
silence. Two minutes later he had fin
ished his valedictory. Then at a silen
signal from the priests he bent to his
knees, his eyes fixed on the crHcifi;i
claspd in his thin hands. Until 1912 the
prayer continued. Immediately after
wards he arose, shook hands with the
priests and his lawyers, and in firm
voice babe them "Goodby."
Without an inStant'S delay his hands
were bound behind him and the black
cap adjusted. Sheriff Clement placed
the moose about his neck and after an
instant of terrible stiffness, the crack of
the bolt rang out like a pistol shot, and
the murderer had fallen to his DOOM
Consciousness left him instantly, said
the doctors, although his heart continued
a feeble beat for Is or 20 minutes. After
an examination had been made by sew
eral physicians, Holmes was pronounced
dead and the swinging corpse was cut
down.
Holmes was born at Gilmanton, N. II.
May 16, 1860. On July A. 1873, he was
married at Alton, N. H.. and on Jan. IS
1887, he committed bigamy by marrying
Myrta z. Belknap.
A few weeks thereafter Holmes APP
piled in Chicago for divorce, and the
suit was pending until June 4. 1891, when
the court dismissed it owing to the non
appearance of the complainant Holmes
continued his bigamous career by mar
rying Georgianna Yoke in Denver OF
Jan. II, 1894, he assuming the name OF
Henry Mansfield Howard on this DC
casion. A son was born to the first wife
and this is the boy whom Holmes is SAID
to have made the chief beneficiary of the
proceeds of the alleged confession OF
wholesale murders.
Holmes was indicted for the murder
of Pietzel on Sept II last, and he was
placed on trial on Oct. 2S. A verdict OF
guilty was rendered on Nov. 2, and Nov
no =.
Miss Yoke, with whom Holmes was
living at the time of Pietzel's death, was
an important witness for the common-
wealth at the trial, and it was largely
upon her evidence that the accused was
convicted. She told of Holmes absence
from their boarding house on Sept 2
1884 (the day of the murder). and of his
excited condition when he returned
On that night the couple left Philadel.
phia and went direct to Indianapolis
The wanderings of Holmes Throughout
the country then began, and they ended
with his arrest in Boston.
Holmes was one of the most conspicu-
Gus criminals of modern times, and il
the murder confessions which he ha.
written can only partially be believed
he was without a peer as bloodthirStj
| demon. His recent confession" where
in he claimed to have killed 81 persons
was disproved. partly at least, by tn,
appearance of several of the so-calleC
victims; but Holmes object in making
the confession" was realized-the OBJ.
| tanning of a sum, said to be $500, and
which amount is said to have been set.
| tied upon the criminals 1S-year-old son
While the confessions" have serve
| to increase the senSationaIism of thu
case, the only capital crime for which
Holmes had to answer was the killing
In this city on Sept. ,. 1894 of Benjamin
F. Pietzel his fellow-conspirator. Tn
| murder was committed in the dwelling
| 1915 Callowhill street.
Holmes conviction of murder i'm tn
| first degree, the affirmation by the Penn
| sylvania supreme court of the verde
| and the recent refusal of Governor Hast
ings to grant a respite. are so well know
that narrative of these facts IL un
Necessary.
i For 10 month. Holmes has beer. unds