The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-11
10 GRAIN OF REMORSE.

uuQGE sentence OF 0GaA4 lot Inc AZ +-7
der Of BENJAMIN Pietzel, has made q
confession
In prefacing the confession, which
covers in full nearly three newspaper
pages, written in Holmes own hand
writing, ana detailing with a minute
ness that is at times revolving, the
arch-mutnator and author Of twenty
seven murders, as he admits himself
TO be, states with something like
pathos that he does so simply that he
may obtain money enough to educate
mis- boy.
Holmes writes of his blood curdling
atrocities with an abandon that simply
appalIs one. Not one grain Of remorse
seems to enter into the construction
of that document and never for mo
lnent except in two isolated cases-one
where he refers touchingly to the
memory of Minnie Williams and an
other time when he pathetcally
speaks of an outrage perpeUrated on
his boy, does the redeeming element,
pity, figure in the case.
Born with the Devl Ga Him.
II was born with the devil in me,
SAYS he. in one part of his confession.
81 could not help the fact that I was
a murderer no more than the poet can
help the inspiration to sing, nor the
ambition of an intellectual man to be
great. I was born with the evil one
standing as my sponsor beside the bed
where / was ushered into this world,
and he has been with me since. The
inclination to murder came to me as
naturally as the inspiration to do
right comes to the majority OF persons.
Where other hearts were touched
with pity, mine was filed with cru
city, and where in others the feeling
was to save life, / revealed Ia the
thought of destroying the same. Not
only that I was not satisfied in taxi
ing il IN the ordinary way. sought
devices strange, fantastical and even
grotesque- 1t pleased my fancy 1t
gave me play to work my murderous
viii, and L revealed in 1t with the en-
thusiasm of any alehemist who is on
the trail Of the philosophers stone.
tfIhis inclination, Holmes cOutin-
ues, came TO me early in life
remem Der when a mere lad, my ina BIZ
ton was TO study medicine, that I
might know the relative effects of
poisonous gases; that L might fully
become acquainted with their uses,
and learn to be an expert in handling
them.
Il am convinced that since my i'm
Prisonment I have changed woefu1ly
and grHesOmely from what I formerly
was in feature and in figure. If you
look al my picture when 4 was first
taken into custody in Boston, nearly
two years ago, and look at my face
now, you may begin to observe some
thing OF what L mean.
81 mean, in fact, that my features
are assuming nothing more or less
than a prom ounced satanical cast; that
I have become afflicted with that dis
ease rare but terrible, with which
physicians are acquainted, but ever
IA an~ n
whatever That disease is a malf0r-
nation or distortion of the Osse0us
parts, causing deformity so marked
that in many cases men are made to
assume licensees to the inferior ami
mails The horror of the thing did
not pail on me, for it was quite in
keeping with my nature, and, like a
true medical student, began to study
the new conditions that had arisen.
Growing to Resemble Satan
From what 1 can see believe fully
that / am growing to resem bic the
devil; that the osseous parts of my
head and face are gradually assuming
that elongated shape so pronounced
in what is called the degenerate head.
and that the similtude is almost com
pleted.
"In fact, SO impressed am / with
this belief, continues Holmes, that
] am convinced that have no longer
any thing human in me"
Holmes confession from this on
speaks of his early experiences Of his
boyhOOd days on the farm up in Yer
mont and the life he led until he en-
tered the college to study medicine in
Michigan.
Tt was not until after he was gradu-
ated, fully equipped with the knowl-
edge of pOisous and the easiest way to
sever the simple thread of life, that
Holmes began his career as a muir
derer and mutilat0r.
When he began he admits himself
he was ruthless, ard never once halted
until he took twenty-seven lives.
And 4 would have committed six
other murders" he added, had not
certain occurrences intervened."
Probably one Of tine worst. most
brutal, revolving and disgusting
crimes this arch mutilIator ever com
mitted was one he speaks Of in a chap
ter devoted to his bOy-the son OF his
first wife The only explanation he
offers is that he did it simply 70 crafty
his love for humiliation
ut was shortly after 1 was mar
ried, " ne declares, t'and our boy was
then but youngster. I called him in
from the road, where he YVES frolicing
bout like an innocent with a lot Of
other lads. and took him out to q rear
barn I don't know what it was that
Possessed me. but 1 took a surgical
knife along with me
With the utmost q bandOn, and with
here and there an expressed sigh of
regret, Holmes then tells how he went
through the operation Of mutuating
his own son. Finished with that.
Holmes felt satisfied and did not muir
der his boy outright
No man lifts his eyes to Christ who