The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1902-09-12
.BARTHOL|N|S BODY FOUND
In . Field. 300 Miles From Chicago-
Indications Point to Suicide-A
Confession to the Murder Of His
Mother and Sweetheart Found I'm
Pocket-Accused Men Innocent.

Chicago. Sept. s-The body of a man
thought to be William Bartholin, accused
or the murder of his mother and sweet.
heart In Chicago month ago, was found
IN field near Lowther, Iowa, 29O miles
from Chicago 1t had been shot in the
head and pistol lay nearby.
In the mans pocket was a letter cor.
fessing to the murder of '.two women"
In Chicago. and one signed "Minnie
M.tchell." the name of Bartholin's mur-
dered fiancee. Nothing was said of the
death Of his mother, Mrs Anna Bar
tholin, whose body was found in the base.
ment of her residence in Chicago three
weeks after the son fed.
Ihe BODY was removed to Riceville,
where 1t was recognized as that of a
man who had been in the vicinity for
some time.
A number of persons who had talked
with him recalled that he had given the
name Of William" To others he was
William Boscoe. At the hotel he had
registered as "William Edwards" He
disappeared a week ago. and 1t is pre-
sumed that 1t was then that he took his
life In despair of eluding the police and
In terror of being captured.
The town authorities at once noted the
resemblance the body bore to the descrip.
ton of the Chicago fugitive 1t was then
that more careful examination was
made and the note confessing the mur-
ders was found. The town authorities
buried the body. but it will be exhumsd
to remove any doubt as to the identity of
the suicide.
The confession was dated August 81
and in it the writer declares that he mur-
dered his mother for her money and later
murdered his sweetheart. Bartholn ac-
cuses Minnie Mitchell Of being party to
the plot to murder his mother
The murder of Mrs. Bartholln, the con-
fession runs, was accomplished according
to a plot arranged between the lovers and
later Bartholin killed Miss Mitchell.
The confession states that Thompson
Claffey and Counselman, the other sus.
murders.
Bartholin's note referred to the two
murders and declared that no one ex-
cept himself was concerned In the CON-
mission Of the crime. The note filled
one and a quarter pages OF letter paper,
and was signed "William Rartholin."
Other Letters.
Other letters found on the body were
written two years ago and were signed
IN. M" The initials are supposed to
stand for Minnie Mitchell The body It,
self furnishes several points. which are
similar to those in the amended police de-
scription Of Bartholin, issued August 10.
Chief of these are the upper false teeth.
The undertaken who handled the body
found in Iowa said that the upper teeth
AS to whether there were two gold
crowned teeth-another means of identify
ing Bartholin-the undertaken could not
1t was apparent that death
had occurred several days ago and to
this fact is due the obliteration Of some
of the points relied on for full identifica-
tion.
Unable to receive any official informa-
tion from Riceville, Chief O'Neil has sent
two officers who were personally ac-
quainted with Bartholin to the scene to
establish his Identity. They were accom-
panied by Robert Mitchell, brother of the
murdered girl.
Riceville, Iowa, Sept. 8.-The body
buried here and believed to be that of
William Bartholin was exhumed and
positively ientidtified that of the Chi
cago murderer, who assassinated his
mother an buride her in the cellar and
afterward KILLED Minnie Mitchell, his
sweeteart. The Identification was
made by William Mitchell, brother
of Minnie Mitchell, one of Bartholin' g
victims, detective Andrew Rohan of
Chicago, who arriaved here from Chic
agoand DR.. A. J. Coey, "a Chicago dem
tist, who had worked on the murder
er's teeth. DR.. Coey cut out Of the
dead an the lower jaw, which con-
tanned the gold crowned teeth that
have figured SO largely in the descrip-
ton of Bartholin sent broadcast by the
police. The jaw was taken to Chic
ago by the detectives.