The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-08

a perverted ambition to be regarded as the
greatest" monster who ever walked in the
form Of man, and desire to gain the 5000
offered for the Confession by a newspaper.
The known victims OF Holmes numbered
ten. Bones and indications of more persons
have been found in houses which he has
occupied. SO the total number may never
be known, unless he makes a complete con-
Is purely circumstantial, for no one has
been found who saw Holmes commit muir
der. 1t Is known that he drew victims to-
ward him a spider might draw fly,
and after an acquaintance with Holmes ten
persons are known 10 have disappeared,
% % s IF sad s0d and Of
death. The ten victims are:
MINNIE WILLIAMS,
ANNIE WILLIAMS.
EMELINE CIGRAND,
JULIA L. CONNER,
GERTRUDE CONNER,
ALICE PITEZEL.
NELLIE PITEZEL,
HOWARD PITEZEL
The story of the murder Of Pitezel, for
yesterdays Journal, together with a brief
history of his Life.
THE CASTLE or HORRORS.
Before entering into any of the details
Of the murders charged against Holmes.
a brief description of the now famous castle
fsince destroyed), at 7O1 Sixty-third street Chi
cago, is necessary. In fiction the villain takes
some mysterious old house with widowed
rooms, and in the dead Of the night builds
trap-doors. secret passages and hidden vaults.
Holmes built his den of horrors in broad
daylight, in the center OF busy community.
He built it the same as man would
packing house. Suppose a novelist would
-koI
great city three-story building 165 feet
deep, and planned ii so as TO make murder
a safe and profitable profession. But that
was what Holmes did. he constructed
labyrinth, with sealed chambers and false
doors, trap doors and narrow passages Lead
ing into hidden vaults In the bath room,
floor which escaped detection for the first
few days Of the search. The trap was about
four feet long ana TWO rect VIDE den be into
darkness After crawling down them about
eight feet, one stood in a secret chamber.
situated about half way between the first
and second floors. 1t was the size Of the
bath room, seven feet by five, but there
was little floor space on account OF the
stairs above, and cut through which
second set Of stairs descended. AT the south
end of this secret chamber there was door
securely fastened. 1t opened on a stairW M.,
floor. There were secret doors leading out
to the roof OF adjoining houses. The base
connecting with the floors above by secret
openings and narrow, winding stairs, closed
at the top by false DOORS
This conception was Holiness masterpiece.
He built Ii after years OF crime had imbued
him with contempt for the law 1t was
an audacious challenge to the machinery
of the law. Here Holmes made the base
of his operations. and IL Is not yet time
to pen a complete history of the tragedies
there committed.
as the last but 1t served to harden his
heart and open his eyes to the great possi-
biities in other directions. He and chum
are said to have stolen bodies In a neigh
boring burial ground from which they real
lied considerable. The robbery of bodies
suggested to the two the idea OF deirand
a dead body for the person whose name
appeared on the policy. Mudgett and his
life insured for 1880, and later his supposed
BODY was found in Connecticut. The scheme
worked WELL the money was co.lected and
stroke more than he could have earned by
the practice of medicine in two years time
His first triumph led MN on TO commit
more daring crimes.
BEGINNING OF HOLMES.
After quitting Ann Arbor he went to
Moore's Fork. Pa, and began the practice
of medicine His wife and child Joined him.
For a few brief months he tried 10 live
down his former crime. but AL the while the
struggle between 'sDr. Jekyl and Mr.. Hyde"
was going on. and. as Is often the case,
s'Mr Hyde" won After the wife and child
had been sent back TO the New Hampshire
home Mudgett said he was going TO Chicago
TO try his fortunes there and he would
write to her. She believed him, and, al
though she heard nothing from him for
years, she waited prayerfully for his return.
hoping that all would be right In the end
Mudgett went to Chicago ana IL. II. Holmes
was born on his arrival.
1t Is a strange observance, once made by
detective Frank Geyer while in Indianapolis.
that women have been tangled up in his
crimes and al the women with whom he
had anything TO do were blondes. His
first wife a blonde and his succeeding
wives were also blondes His schemes grew
more gigantic as he advanced, until he con-
ceived the idea OF numbering his chief con-
federate and entire family. Minnie VIII
iiams, OF Fort Worth, Tex. an accomplished
young woman. who graduated from the Boz
ton Conservatory OF Music, was the first
victim. Her sister Anna came TO Chicago
10 visit Holmes and his supposed wife;
Holmes said Anna killed Minnie in fit OF
jealousy and to protect his wife he sunk
Annals body in the lake.
About this time Holmes became In possess
sion or his famous castle, on Sixty-third
street, Chicago. which has been the scene
or numerous crimes. Emma G.. Clgrand, of
Anderson, Ind, was the victim 10 follow
Minnie Williams. She held twenty thousand
dollars worth OF stock In a copying concern.
Holmes was supposed TO have married her.
then she disappeared. AIRS. Conner and her
became intiuate-vitn Mrs. Counex. causing