The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-09-07
NOTES OF IDENTIFICATION
Police Believe This is Noted
 Chicago Murderer.
Shielded in Iowa and Letters Found in His Pockets Admit Murder of Mother and
 Sweetheart.
l in Iowa and Letters Found

Chicago, Sept 6-The body of a man thought to be William Bartholin. mur- derer of his mother and sweetheart in fin field near Lowther, Iowa. 2s0 miles from Chicago.
 A bullet hole in the head and a revolver on the ground beside the body showed how the supposed hunted fugitive had died. In the pocket in the mans coat was a letter confessing to the murder of two women in Chicago.
 Letters signed Minnie Mitchell" the name of Bartholin's murdered fance, also were found in the Suicides pocket.
 Nothing was said of the death of his mother, Mrs. Anna Bartholin, who was found buried in the basement of the resi- hence at 4s10 Calumet Avenue nearly three weeks after the son had fled. Neither was any direct reference made to Minnie Mitchell. The letter simply said two women" had been murdered.
 The body was found in flax field six miles from Ricevile. The discovery was at once reported to the town authorities and the body was removed to Riceville. There it was recognized as that of a man who had been in the locality for some dime. A number of persons recalled that the stranger had been seen around the town for several days. To some who had talked to him he had given the name of William" To others he said he was William Roscoe. At a hotel he had registered as Edwards" He disappear sd a week ago today, and 1t is presumed h' was then that he took his life; tn despair of eluding the police and in terror of being captured.
 The town authorities notice1 the re- Hemblance the body bore to the descrsp- xion of the Chicago fugitive which lh- spector Hunt of Chicago sent to every town within 300 miles of. Chicago.
 Note Signed William Bartholin."
 It was then that a more careful ex- animation was made of the body and the note confessing the murder was 1uond. The town authorities buried the body. but 1t will be exhumed to remove any doubt that may be raised as to the identity of the suicide.
 The note found upon the body referred 10 the two murders in Chicago and de- clared that no one except the writer was concerned in the commission of the crimes. The note filled one and a QudTleT pages Ol OTulildEy lStteI pdpeE was signed William Bartholin."
 The letters found on the body were written two years ago and were signed "M. M" The initials are supposed to stand for Minnie Mitchell.
 The body itself furnishes several points which are similar to those in the amended police description of Bartholin issued Au- gust 13 Chief of these is the upper false teeth. The undertaken who handled the body found in Iowa said tonight that the upper teeth were false and 'set in a white plate.'' As to whether there were two gold crowned teeth in the mouth, another means of identifying Bartholin. the undeStaker could not remember
 The body was buried today. It was ap- parent death had occurred several days ago. and to this fact Is due the oblitera- tion of some of the points relied on for a full identification.
 BarthoIin was 30 years old. The un- dertaker could not estimate the age of the man whose body was found in the field He could not estimate the weight. Bartholin weighed 160 pounds. Thes un- dertaker estimated the height at six feet. The fugitive was feet 10 inches. Bartholin had brown hair and large nose, mouth and ears. The undertaken said the hair on the head of the body was lime, biICt ucdllip idU AHoNc accurate statement as to the ears, nose and mouth impossible. The undertaken could not say whether the dead man had blue eyes and a scar on his left cheek, as did Bartholin.
 In Iowa Three Weeks.
 Three weeks ago the suspect arrived at Riceville. He made his way to the Wilkes Hotel and registered as 'Wil- liam Edwards" The stranger seemed faded when he arrived at the Iowa hotel and rested for a few days. To those with whom he talked. he said his name was William and he did not use the name Edwards except infrequently.
 After a week the stranger began to look for work. He inquired about Rice vile, but found nothing. He then made short excursions into the country and found work finally on a farm five miles south of the little town. Out of sight of the Riceville people the man almost dropped out of their minds until Friday. pr. Pratt the village physician, in pass ing along a road beside the hemp field, noticed a body. He went to the body and ascertained that life was extinct. When he returned to Riceville he called up the coronor of Howard County at Cresco and notified him of the discovery. A verdict of suicide was returned by the coroner's jury.