Owingsville outlook. [volume] (Owingsville, Ky.) 1879-192?, 1896-04-16

Even now he believes that the evil spirit is
the guiding genius Of his destiny. lie believes
hat he is fully under the spell Of the damned,
md despite the assertions 10 the contrary that
ne is receiving the attentions OF q minister of
Sod. and Is gradually becoming imbued with
the spirit OF forgiveness and religion, he feels
that he - lost hopelessly lie even goes fur
Their He asserts that he is gradually chang
ing in appearance, In figure; that his face is
becoming distorted, and he sees, whether in
the distortion OF his bloody Imagination, which
eoniures up hosts of vengeance-calling dead,
or not his face assuming the look, the eyes
the leer, and the very ears the exact similitude
Of the picture Of satan himself
Il was born with the devil in me" says he
in one part OF his confession Il could not
help the fact that was n murderer no more
than the poet can help the inspiration TO song,
nor the ambition OF an INTEL ectual man to be
great was born with the evil one standing
as my sponsor beside the bed where l was
ushcred into the world, and he has been with
me since.
naturally as the inspiration TO do right comes
20 tbs majority OF persons Where others
hearts were touched with pity, mine filled
with cruelty, and wherein the others the feel
ing was TO save life, reyeled In the thought
OF destroying the same.
Not only that was not satisfied in TAX
ing IL in the ordinary way. l sought de-
vices strange. fantastical and even grotesque.
IL pleased my fancy. IL gave me play TO
work my murderous will. and reveled in
IL with the enthusiasm OF any alchemist who
is hot on tn trail Of the philosophers stone.
This inclination" continues Holmes. came
TO me early in life. / remember, when a mere
lad. my ambition was to study medicine, that
I might know the relative effects of poisonous
gases: that might fully become acquainted
with their uses, and learn to be an expe TT in
handling them.
- Inn ha hat ali
my Imprisonment have changed woefully and
gruesomely from what i formerly in
feature and in figure
IF you look at my picture, when was first
taken into custody in Boston, nearly two
years ago. and look at my face now. you
may begin TO observe something OF what j
mean
Il mean. in fact, that my features are assum-
ing nothing more or less than n pronounced
satanical cast; that have been afflicted with
that disease, rare but terrible. with which
Physicians are acquainted. but over which
they seem 10 have no control whatever
''Tha. disease" said he, lis a malformation
or distortion of the osseous part, causing de-
formity so marked that in many cases men
are made TO assume licensees to the inferior
animal
The horror OF the thing did not pail on me.
for It was quite in keeping with my nature,
and. like true medical student, began to
study the new conditions that had arisen.
From what can see / fully believe 1 am
growing to resemble the devil; that the osse-
Gus part OF my head and face are gradually as
Stunning that elongated shape so pronounced In
what is called the degenerate head, and that
the similitude Is almost completed
In fact, so impressed am with this be-
lief, continued Holmes. that am convinced
that have no longer anything human in me "
Holmes confession from this on speaks of
his early experiences OF his boyhood days on
the farm in Vermont and the life he led, until
he entered college 10 study medicine in Mich
igan-
1t was not until after he was graduated. fully
| equipped with the knowledge of poisons and
the easiest way TO sever the simple thread of
life that Holmes began his career as q muir
derer and mutilator
When he began. he admits himself he was
ruthless and never once halted until he took
/ "a lives
and ! would have committed six other
murders, " he added, had not certain occur
rences interviewed"
Possibly one Of the worst, most brutal, re-
voting and disgusting crimes this arch-muti-
lator ever committed was one he speaks OF in
q chapter devoted to his boy. the son of his
FIRST wife. The only explanation he offers is
that he did it simply to crafty his love OF
muttlation-
at was shortly after was married" he de-
clares. land our boy was then but a youngsters
L called him In from the road, where he
was frollicking about like an innocent with
lot of other lads. and took him out TO a rear
barn
L don't know what It was that possessed me
but took a surgical knife along with me. 1t
was simply the craving OF the murderer within
me that inspired me to make subject OF my
little one"
With the utmost abandon. and with here
and there an expressed sigh OF regret, Holmes
then tells how he went through the operation
/ Of mutilating his own son