The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-08
MURDERER DIES -.
! BY HISOWN HAND
Decomposed Body Of William Barth-
olin Found in a Flax Field
Near Riceville, Iowa.
Confessed in Letters to Strangling
His Mother and Shooting
~ His Sweetheart.
Identification Established by Chi
cago Officials and Relatives
of Miss Mitchell.

CONFESSION OF VIM. RARTHoLIN.
To Whom 1t May Concern:
want to state am the BarthoiIn the
police are looking for. Also wish to GER
<ify | had no assistance OF any kind from
any one. Thompson, Ciaffy and Counsel
man are all as innocent an unborn child
and should be freed at once.
| cannot 90 Into details In regard to the
crimes. They were not planned. II was
all Minnie and ! could do-rny 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; murderer.
Intended to 90 Into details and tell all,
but ! can't get my mind centered. Even
my handwriting Is disgraceful.
But above all things, | ask to clear
everybody from suspicion. There Is no
second party; am the last.
w. J. BARTHoLlN...
Riceville, Iowa, Sept. 8.-The body Of
William Bartholin, author of one OF the
most heinous double murders In the crimi-
nal annals Of the west. lies buried in a
paupers grave in the little town Of Rice
Vile, Iowa.
All doubt as to the identity of the man
was set at rest yesterday afternoon, when
the body was exhumed and positively
identified by those who knew him in life.
The Identification was made by William
r. MITCHELL a brother of one Of Bartholin' 8
victims; Lieutenant Andrew Rohan OF the
Chicago detective force, and DR.. A. j.
Coey, also Of Chicago, who has been close
<ly identified with the case ever since the
bodies Of Mrs Bartholin and Miss Mitch
ell were discovered.
-, Died by his Own Hand.
Rarthoin's body was found lying in a
flax field about six miles from RiceVille. A
s2-caliber revolver lay beside the body,
one bullet from which had been fired
through the roof of the burderers mouth,
coming out at the back of his head. From
the advanced state Of decomposition 1t
was believed the man had been dead sew
eral days.
Coroner j. S. Carpenter, who lives at
Lime Springs, was notified, and the re-
mains were removed to an undertaking es-
Establishment in Rlcevile There the cloth
ing was searched and series of notes
found among them Bartholin's farewell
confession.
Together with this confession were sew
'eral notes signed Your Darling Sweet
heart. Minnie" or in other cases simply
M. M"
These were identified by William Mitch,
ELL brother Of Minnie Mitchell, as being
in the handwriting Of his sister, the muir
dered Minnie Mitchell.
Owing to the advanced state of decom
position, it was thought best to inter the
remains at once.
The burial was made in the potters' FIELD
adjoining the little cemetery, a mile from
Riceville.
Identification Doubiy Sure.
When the rough pine box. enclosing tn
body Of the murderer suicide, had beel
brought to view, and opened, it wa
found that the peculiar marks on the feet
together with their unusual formation
tailed precisely with the descriptions O
the fugitive prepared by the police o
Chicago.
William Mitchell declared his conviction
that the body was that of Barthoiir
Lieutenant Roman conceded with thi
affirmation.
The Riceville authorities and Corone
Carpenter were convinced that the Chi
cago murderer had committed suicide an
been buried in Riceville. Then it wa
decided to take measures that would pre-
vent any question as to Bartholin
adentity
There, in the open, with the crowds
spectators looking on, some of thel
DR.. Coey drew out his surgical instru
ments and removed the lower jaw frol
the skull.
This jaw was then turned over to I.iey
tenant Rohan, who will take it to Chcag
for the purpose of confirming the fact tia
the teeth had been filled in the same fash
ion in which Bartholin's molars Wei
created.
No other formalities were necessar
The coroner's jury had already returned
verdict that the spicide was William
Bartholin, and the Chicago officer WE
satisfied with the Identification. I'll
body was reinforced in the paupers' buri
ground.
Worked In Harvest Fields.
Inquiry develops that Bartholin came
Riceville Aug. 6, before the bodies Of Mr.
EBartholin and Miss Mitchell were disco
cred. Thomas Phee, a contractor doir
some work for the Great Western roo
advertised for laborers in Chicago on Au
8, Offering free transporta ton to til
place of work. Among those who respon
ed was Bartholin, who hired under tt
name OF George Edwards. He worked f
Phee but half a day. and had since be,
working threshing machine and
the harvest fields until he was last SCI
leaving Riceville in the direction Of t
~ 49,.