Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-09-08
ENDS
OWN BLOODY CAREER
Chicago Man Who Killed
Mother and His Sweet.
heart Writes His
Confession.

tholin. the, murderer of his mother, Mrs.
Annie Bartholin and Miss Minnie Mitchell
his fiancee. in the paternal home in Chi
cago, and for whom an immense reward
was offered by the Chicago police and
newspapers, committed suicide in a wheat
field near Lowther, Howard county.
The body of the fully identified man
was found last night by Joseph Pratt, g
well-digger, but the information that 10
was that of the famous and long-hunted
fugitive was not brought out until late
today.
Pratt went out into the field with c.
Dawes to do some work yesterday. Be-
hind a shock of wheat, Pratt noticed
something that looked like man. but did
not investigate. He returned to the field
about 4 p. m. when he again noticed the
apparent figure of man. This time ne
Investigated. He discovered a body
stretched out at full length on a shock OF
wheat.
The mans feet were crossed, and in his
left hand he stu grasped a revolver. with
which he evidently had ended his life.
A bullet wound in the mans head show
ed how accurate had been Barthohn's
aim.
A confession found on the fugitive's
body was dated August 81. The SUPPOSE
ton here is, therefore that BarthOlin
committed suicide on that date-last Sun
day Coroner Carpenter took possession
Of the confession this afternoon and, noti-
fed the Chicago police of his belief that
the body was that of William Bartholin.
In the written confession Bartholin
stated:
u am the Bartholin whom the police
are looking for. I had no assistance Of
any kind from any one. ask to clear
everybody from suspicion. There is no
second party and / am the last" t
William Bartholin's crime stamped him
as one of the most conspicuous criminals
OF recent years, and by far the most cold
blooded since the startling cases OF DR..
Cronin and the sausage-maker, Leutgert,
who boiled his wife in one of his watts.
Chronologically, Bartholin is believed to
have killed his mother June 30, in her
home 1881 Calumet avenue. burying her
body in the basement Of the place. remov-
ing a portion of the heavy cement floor
for the purpose.
The murderer and his mother had dis
agreed frequently. the son being persist
ent in his demands for money. and sane
ton to his proposed marriage to Minnie
Mitchell.
1t has been the theory OF the police that
Bartholin impaired to his friends an ink
ling Of the crime he had committed and
because CT her immediate and vehement
expression Of horror ard implied threats.
Of exposure. Bartholin killed the young
woman.
Her body was found in badly decom-
posed condition on a large lot, near 4Stn
and State streets July 18th, by boys play
ing in the neighborhood which was the
first intimation of the terrible double
tragedy.
Some days after newspaper men, dig
cling in the basement of the Bartholin
home, discovered the aged womanis arms.
DiIigent and vigorous searches failed 10
locate the murderer and his disappear
ance was as complete and mystifying as
that Of Willie Tascott, of the renowned
Smell case.
oscar Thompson, John Claffey and Ed
ward Counselman are now in the Cook
county jail, charged with completely in
the crimes. Thompson was boarder at
the Bartholin home and Counselman and
Claffey are suspected of having partici-
pated in the removal of Miss Mitchells
body in a laundry wagon to the place
where ii was found.
EARLY IN AUGUST
5ARTHoLIN ARRIVED
DIES MONIES, Ia, Sept 6.-The dead
body Of William Bartholin was found Fri
day evening in field. southeast Of Rice
Vile. There is every proof that he killed
himself last Sunday night.
Bartholin came here the first week IN
August, presumably from Chicago and
worked on the Chicago Great Western
road.
After a half days work he went into the
country and secured employment on the
Higginson farm and remained there for
three weeks. after which he went TO the
Huss farm and stayed three days, return
ing to Riceville the night before he is
supposed TO have shot himself and slept at
the hotel Wilkes. He had his breakfast
taken up to his room and he remained IN
bed all the forenoon. Upon arising ne
avoided entering the dining room. He
seemed troubled and was very quiet.
Later he went down the track about six
miles and was met on the road by J.
eastman, with whom he talked for some
time and agreed TO help eastman stack
grain the next day. The spot where the
two men met was about ~ yards from
where the body was found. The tragedy
is thought to have occurred shortly after
Bartholn left Cashman.
A letter of confession and love letters OF
Minnie Mitchell were found in the pock-
cts of the suicides clothing There was
a 90 calibre revolver in the left hand and
a bullet hole In the mead. Judging from
the decomposed state of the body, II hao
lain where it was found for probably
week.
The confession. which was found in the
dead mans pocket, was dated August 81.
and in it the writer declares that he kill
ed his mother, Mrs. Annie Bartholin, for
her money ana lateF uuIOeieu HIS SWEEP
heart Minnie Mitchell.
The murder of Mrs. Bartholin the con-
fession runs was accomplished according
to a plot arranged between the two low
ers, and later Bariholin killed Miss
Mitchell.
The discovery of the aged womans
body was more CHASTITY than the finding
of the body of Miss Mitchell on the lonely
Englewood prairie Thursday night For
DAYS the abandoned home of the murder
ed woman had been shrouded with the
mystery that is now brought TO light. The
darkened windows and silent halls almost
told the tragedy that had been enacted
there.
Neighbors had been forced to regard II
with suspicion because the house itself
seemed to signal murder.
In sepuIehre of Debris.
In a dingy corner of the basement, be-
meath a small window. where the daylight
was reflected directly upon it, Mrs. Bar
thOlin's disintegTated body was found
buried under three feet of earth, and COW
cred with pile of wood and debris.
When taken from the rude grave where
the assassin inferred it the body was
wrapped in two thick blankets already
falling apart from decay.
Save this covering the form of Bartho.
Inns aged mother. like that of his muir
dered sweetheart, was almost nude One
stocking was the only garment on the
remains. In the grave. however, was
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