The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-08

murder him or his children. on Sunday
morning, Sept. >, l found Pitezel dead IN
the third story of the CallOwhiu street
house. found note in bottle, telling
me that he was tired OF life and had
fully decided to commit suicide. lie re-
QueSted me TO look after the insurance
money ana take care OF MS VIE anu
family. / then fixed up the body IN the
position IL was found. These children
you speak of are all right. They are with
Minnie Williams in London. I gave How
ard to Minnie Williams in Detroit. and /
sent Alice and Nellie to her from Toronto.
They met Miss Williams I'm Niagara rails,
and sailed for Europe from New ork.
Between this time and his trial for con-
spiracy to defraud the insurance COM
pany, TO which he pleaded guilty Holmes
differed very little from those already
given. Each time he pretended to tell the
truth but ne sedulously avoided doing So
Nobody believed what Holmes said about
Pitezel. and he would not say anythins
about the children, except that they were
In his many interviews with District
Attorney Graham, Holmes persisted that
the three missing Pitezel children were
with Minnie Williams I'm London. lie
even persuaded Mr.. Graham 10 have an
advertisement in the shape OF a cipher
puzzle inserted in New York paper,
for the purpose of bringing Minnie VII
liams and the little Pttezels back from
Europe. The district attorney placed lit
tie faith in what Holmes had told him
but the advertisement was published as
a sort of last and hopeless effort. When
the bodies of Nellie and Alice Pitezel were
unearthed i'm Toronto Holmes denied nav
ing killed them. When Towards charred
bones were located in Superannuated
stove in lrVngtOn, Ind, Holmes calmly
denied any knowledge of the lads death.
When the murders of Minnie Williams
and her sister were discovered, Holmes
said Minnie Killed Nancy I'm a jealous
frenzy. and he buried the body in Lake
Michigan. He vigorously denied having
put Minnie TO death so as to secure her
property. The disappearance of Emily
Cygrand was traced to Holmes, but the
criminal said he know nothing of the
girls fate. The partially consumed bones
that were found in the Chicago "castle''
are known to he those of some of Holmes
victims About the last time that Holmes
was taken TO the district attorney office
to confess Mr.. Graham lost patience
with him. He actually gave the district
attorney veritable Jolly" about the
Pitezel family and Minnie Williams be-
ing still alive. The scene that ensueG
was extremely dramatic. Mr.. Graham
said:
Holmes, you are an Internal lying muir
derer. l will hang you in Philadelphia
for the murder Of Benjamin Pitezel.'
Holmes nerve was still with him, and
he said:
Il defy you. You have no evidence to
prove me guilty"
Mr.. Graham looked with disgust and
determination at Holmes and said:
You will surely hang in Philadelphia
for numbering Benjamin Pitezel."
The trial and conviction followed. The
ing the trial, through Detective Geyer
that Holmes also killed the Pitezel chill
dren, but Judge Arnold, before whom the
case was tried, declared this to be ir-
relevant. Geyer had unearthed the muir
der of the children after a prolonged in
Vesugauon and the commonwealth was
prepared to prove that Holmes also com.
mitted these crimes.
Holmes embraced the Catholic religion
when 1t became evident to him that he
must hang and Rev Father Bailey min>
out the trial and subsequent imprison-
ment this arch-criminal maintained a non
chalance that was remarkable
Herman Webster Mudgett was born in
Gdlmanton, N. H., May 16, 1860. on July
4, 1873, he married Clara \. Lowering, at
Alton, n. f., and on Jan 2S 1887. under
the name of Harry Howard Holmes. he
committed bigamy by marrying Myrta
y. Belknap. A few weeks thereafter
Holmes applied in Chicago for a divorce,
and the suit was pending until June 4
1881, when the court dismissed it, owing
10 the non-appearance of the complain
ant. Holmes continued his bigamous ca.
reer by marrying Georgianna Yoke, in
Denver, Col, on Jan. II, 1897,
he assuming the name Of Hen
occasion. 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
Holmes was indicted for the murder Of
Pitezel on September r. last, and he was
paced on trlal on Oct. y. verdict of
gullty was rendered on Nov. 2, and Nov
80, he was sentenced to be hanged
Miss Yoke. with whom Holmes was liv-
ing at the time of Pitezels death was an
important witness for the commonwealth
at the trial, and it was largely upon her
evidence that the accused was convicted
She told Of Holiness absence from their
boarding house on Sept. 2, 1894 (the day of
the murder) and Of his excited condition
when he returned. On that night the cou-
pie left Philadelphia and went direct to
INDIANAPOLIS " of
throughout the country then began and
they ended with his arrest at Rnstnn -