The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-09-08
Dentist From Chicago Recognizes His
Work in the Dead Mans
Teeth.
TEXT OF THE CONFESSION
LEFT BY THE CRIMINAL
Statement That the Murders Were Not
Planned and That the Writer Was
the Only Guilty One-He Had Cast
Off Minnie Mitchell for Another
Woman.
Special to The Globe.


RICEV1LLE, Iowa, Sept. 7-Hunted
down like wild beast, practically pen
niless and tortured to the point of in
sanity by a conscience that continually
accused him of the cruel murder of his
mother and his sweetheart, William
Bartholin preferred to take chances in
the world beyond it was his body
that was found in the stack of flax near
Lowther. A post-mortem examination
made this positive today. The same
weapon with which he killed Minnie
Mitchell ended his own miserable, ex-
, istence.
Behind him he left hastily scrawled
letter showing unnistakable signs of
a tottering mind, but admitting two
atrocious murders. Motives he ne
elected to give, The inference, how
ever, strengthened by letter he re-
Gently received, indicates that he had
cast Minnie Mitchell aside for another
woman. Who this woman is is as much
q mystery as were the other features
of the case. That she knew of the
crimes committed and still loved the
double murderer is beyond doubt The
sole clew to her identity is what is
remembered of a letter written by her
from Chicago and sent to Bartholin in
Riceville.
"My Dearest Will"
She had addressed the envelope to
George Edwards the name by which
Bartholin was known here, but the
letter inside began, My Dearest Will"
Bartholin was working for Charles
Hoeft, a farmer, at the time of the re-
ceipt of this letter, Aug. %. Bartholin
dropped the letter and it was read by
Hoeft. The latter remembers the pas
sages, MY Dearest Will" Lie low and
get along as best you can" Then came
reference to some money matters not
yet settled in Chicago, for which the
receiver of the letter had evidently
been looking. Continuing, it said:
"Keep a stiff upper lip and I'll be able
to help you as soon AS
Upon learning that Hoeft had seen
the letter Bartholin left the farm.
Three days later he killed himself.
Identified by Dentist.
RICEVILLE, Iowa, Sept. 1.-THE
body which was buried yesterday
that of William Bartholin, was ex-
humed this afternoon and positively
identified as that of the Chicago double
murderer. The Identification was made
by William Mitchell, brother of one
of Bartholins victims, and Detective
Andrew Rohan, of Chicago, who ar
rived here this morning. DR.. A. J. Cory,
of Chicago, who came here with De-
tective Rohan, cut out the lower jaw
of the dead murderer, which contained
two gold crowned teeth, which have
figured so largely in the description
sent broadcast throughout the country.
The jaw will be taken to Chicago by
the detective.
Bartholin's body was found last Fri
day afternoon about six miles from
Riceville by J. G. Pratt, resident of
Riceyille
Coroner T. S. Carpenter was notified
and the body was removed to an under
taking establishment at Riceville.
There J. B. McCook, editor of a Rice
vile paper discovered that the dead
man bore striking resemblance to
the published pictures of the Chicago
murderer.
Text of the Confession,
The text of the confession left by the
i. suicide as made public by DR.. T. S.
Carpenter, coroner of Howard county,
follows:
''To Whom 1t May Concern: I want
to state I am the Bartholin the police
are looking for. Also wish to certify
] had no assistance of any kind from
anyone. Thompson, Claffy and Coun-
selman are all as innocent as an un-
horn child and should be freed at once
/ cannot go into details in regard to
the crimes. They were not planned It
was all Minnie and I could do. My
mind is wandering Such drop in
'life in short time. Two months ago
travelling in the best of company; to-
day living the life of hoboes; a nur-
derer
'T intended to go into details and
tell all, but l can't get my mind cen
tered Even my handwriting is dis
graceful. But above all things it is
to clear everybody from under sus-
picion. There is no second party: I am
the last. w. j. Bartholin."
Worked as a Thresher.
Inquiry here develops that Bartholin
came to Riceyille Aug. 6, before the
bodies of Mrs. Bartholin and Miss
Mitchell were discovered. Thomas
Phee. a contractor doing some work
here for the Great Western road, ad-
vertised for laborers in Chicago on Aug.
8, Offering free transportation to the
place of work. Among those who re-
sponded WAS Bartholin, who hired un-
der the name of George Edwards. He
worked at the construction work but
half a day and had since been working
on threshing machine and in the