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

w; Minnie and Mamie Williams in 1892,
besides possible others. witnessed his
own preparations for death.
Late last night, with the purgins
prayer of the priest, the soul of Holmes
was ready to go before it's maker and be
Judged for the acts it's owner committed
Whlle here on earth Holmes then had
made his final confession and the ears
on Rev. Father Daley, his spiritual ad-
wiser. heard possibly the only true, con-
trlte and heartfelt confession made dur
ing the prisoners long stay in the place
OF incarceration.
Holmes began the solemn preparat tons
FOR the salvation of his blackened soul
Yesterday. He prayed all day, and when
dark came he was visited by the priest
IN the garb of forgiveness, and the be-
ginning of the end then took place. The
murderer kneeled, and with bowed head
declared himself unworthy in the eyes
OF his Maker, and begged for the forgive
ness which was granted the penitent
thief on the cross
Holmes began his fast at IL o'clock last
night, which lasted until this morning,
Wnen he partool of the communion
Then for the first time Holmes had be-
me a communicate of the Roman
Catholic church. The symbolic wafer
which was carried on the chalice by the
Priest was then swallowed through the
UPS that have lied, and the murderer
was then ready, after a breakfast, to be-
gin the devotions Immediately preceding
the march to the scaffold These de-
VIC tions including the recital of the
litany for the dead and other prayers
for the dying, We're mingled at times
with the chant of the priest, and the
pleadings for forgiveness. Holmes had
be en- studying them since Father Daley
first visited him. and he knew the pray
ers by heart He went to the gallows
With these on his lips and died with a
prayer of forgiveness just as the last
sight of the world faded away forever
Il ON his view.
It was learned yesterday that Holmes
had in reality, been the sole agent in
bringing Mrs. Pitezel to this city. and
that his only object was to have her an
pear before either the governor or the
board of pardons, and, by appealing.
secure him further lease on his life,
which was blotted out forever this morn
ing.
Mrs. Pitezel came here solely at the
presence here was due to one of the
greatest coupS ever made by king or
diplomat.
Seated in the gloom of his cell at Moy-
amensing prison. Holmes, the murderer
who had cruelty wronged the widow, wac
then at work daily coniuring IN
schemes to save himself from the i'm
pending fate of the gallows, and that one
nj
of only the prisoner himself, was that
winch included. among other provisions.
the bringing of the woman to this CITY.
nd her finat appearance. pleading for
the life of the man who had wronged her,
and thereby securing to him longe,
lease of life.
Holmes knew when his mind concocted
t. at dark scheme that once he had the
woman before him he could so play upon
1er mind as to gain his point. With him
II was a game in which the stake was
life. Fle made his moves with precision
and care, and planned his actions all in
srch way that, as he himself thought
'oheckmating' would be impossible His
first move was to bring Mrs. Pietzel here,
This he did. Notwithstanding What is
s2id to the contrary. 1t was he that
brought the broken hearted widow to
this city, and on the night of her arrival
the willy criminal. in his own mind
chalked up one point, as they say in
sporting circles, ito the good and be-
gan right away to look out for move
mo. 2.''
Move No. was to get few minutes
conversation with the woman he had SC
brutally wronged. He wanted to see her
for "just five minutes" he is quoted as
having said when told that she was not
willing to hold a conversation with him
and then, finally, when he found she
would not be led into his trap, he became
frantic. and made every inducement to
her, and at the last moment pleaded for
Just word
Holmes knew that if he could say three
words to the woman he would break the
barrier. Throughout his checkered
career, his greatest influence was with
women. They melted before him, and
they quailed as well as adored him. Mrs
Pitezel herself knew this. 1t was even
stated on good authority that she feared
the stories told about his 'evil eye" and
that was why she didn't go to the prison.
She knew that if she once saw Holmes
behind the bars her heart would again
be moved by that strange power which
he welded once over the whole family,
that she would be induced to obey him
mplicitly,and that she would come away
willing to 60 before pardoning board to
plead for the life of the man who had
wronged, yet hypnotized her. And this,
in fact, was just what Holmes had hoped
to do.
Since that time it develops that
Holmes actual intention was to have
Mrs. Pietzel plead for his life That such
was the case was shown by a letter which
he wrote to her lawyer, Thomas A. Fahy
under date of May l. and which the
lawyer made public for the first time
yesterday.
The letter shows that Holmes all along
built high hopes on winning over Mrs.
Pitezel to plead his case for him. The
willy criminal knew that her words would
have more effect than a dozen legal
pleaders, and he knew that if she spoke
at all, it meant a respite possibly
months more of life. 1t was not pity for
the woman that engendered the thought
1t was simply move in the great game
he was playing against awful odds, and
when the news of her refusal to see him
or hav anything to do with him reached
him in the darkness of his cell. he knew
that the game was lost, and that the
stake-his own miserable life-went with
1t.
Wages In Mexico.
There are really no wages in Mexico
III WORKING paoO1a fake what thew cal