The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-08
Bartholin Was mt Riceville, Ia., Before
the Bodies of His Two Victims
Were Found.
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CASE
BARTHOLIN ACCUSED OF KILLING
MINNIE MITCHELL, HIS FIANCEE.
OF Throwing Her Nude Body Into Va
cant Lot, of Staying HIS Mother
and Burying Her I'm Cellar.

RICEVILLE, Ia. Sept. 1.-The body
which was buried here yesterday morning
and which was believed TO be that OF Will
liam Bartholin was exhumed to-day and
positively identified as that of the Chi
cago double murderer.
The Identification was made by William
Mitchell, a brother of Bartholin's MUIR
dered sweetheart, and Lieut.. Andrew Roe
han, of Chicago. who arrived here this
morning from Chicago. DIR. A. Coye, OF
Chicago. Bartholins dentist who came
here with Lieutenant Rohan. cut out the
lower jaw of the dead murderer. which
contained the two gold-crowned teeth
which have figured so largely in the de-
scription sent broadcast throughout the
country for purposes of Identification
The jaw will be taken to Chicago.
Bartholin's body was found last Friday
about six miles from Riceville by ]. C.
Pratt, Of Riceville. Pratt was driving TO
Elma, and when passing a flaxfield saw
the body lying against a stack of fax.
Thinking 1t was a man asleep he paid no
attention at first. but returning he found
the man still there and upon investigation
discovered that he was dead. revolver
was lying near his left hand. Coroner T.
S. Carpenter was notified and the body
was removed to undertaking establish
ment at Ricevile There ]. b. McCook,
editor of a Riceville paper. discovered
that the dead man bore a striking re-
semblance to the published pictures of the
Chicago murderer.
The text of the confession left by the
suicide, made public by DR.. 7. s. Car
penter, coroner of Howard county, follows:
ITO Whom Ii May Concern-I want TO
state 1 am the Bartholin the police are
looking for. Also wish to certify / had no
assistance of any kind from any one.
Thompson, Claffy and Counselman are all
as innocent as an unborn child and should
be freed at once.
the crimes. They were not planned. II
was all Minnie and / could do. My mind
is wandering: Such a drop in life In a
short time. Two months ago travelling In
the best of company: to-day living the life
of hoboes, a murderer.
81 intended TO go into details and tell
all, but / cannot get my mind centered.
Even my handwriting is disgraceful.
But, above all things. / ask TO clear
everybody from under suspicion. There is
second party. Il the last.
''w. ]. BARTHOLIN."
In the note there is evidence of great
mental stress. After the words, ''It was
all Minnie and 1 could do, stretches an
Eligible scrawl, clearly showing that the
writer had no intention to connect the girl
with the crimes, to which he referred in
the preceding sentence. At the same time,
IL is apparent that Bartholin and Miss
Mitchell shared in some trouble to which
the suicide referred.
Several notes to Bartholin, signed M.
M" and identified by William Mitchell
as the handwriting of his sister, were
turned over 10 the brother, who seemed
eager to prevent their publication. One
is specimen of the rest. 1t is addressed
to Dear WILL" and informs the recipient
that the girl could not meet him that night
Two of these miSsives signed, Your
darling sweetheart. Minnie" All are dated
in Chicago during April. The confession
was written on note paper and dated Aug.
81, on the day on which Bartholn is be-
| lieved to have killed himself.
1t transpires that Bartholin came to
| Ricevilie Aug. s, before the bodies of his
victims. Mrs. Bartholin. his mother and
| Miss Mitchell his sweetheart. were dis
/ covered. Thomas Phee, a contractor do
| ing some work here for the Great Western
road. advertised In Chicago for laborers
| on Aug. 5, offering free transportation to
the place of work Among those who re-
| sponded was Bartholin. He hired out un-
/ der the name of George Edwards After
reaching Iowa he worked with the con-
| struction gang for half a day, and then
went to work with a threshing machine
and in the harvest fields. Last Sunday
morning he left Riceville and went I'm the
| direction of the place where his body was
found. That was the last seen OF him
4 here