The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-09-10
CONFESSION OF THE CRIME.

SoI<c ESSloEN oE III IL Ch M n
Bartho1in Murdered His Mothe
and Sweetheart Ended Lif
by Suicide.
For several weeks the authorities II
Chicago have been in quest of Bartho
lin, whose mother and sweetheart wer,
mysteriously murdered, and he ha
been hunted like dog ever since, bu
when found few days since he hat
committed suicide. A special gives
| the following particulars:
William DarthClin has ended his
career Of crime by adding suicide to
the murders of his mother and h,s
sweetheart, Miss Minnie Mitchell. His
body was found in field Of fsx, nea,
Lowther, suburb of Rlceville, Iowa.
1t was found in thickest of the crow.
ing grain and in one of the pockets
was letter containing a full confess
sion of the two murders, which for
atfocity have not been equalled in the
criminal annals of Illinois.
The letter was in Dartholin's hand
Writing, according to those who have
had an opportunity to compare it with
the originals Df the mans writing sent
out by the police. After going into
details Of The hidden crimes, explain
ing how, when and why the murders
were committed, the writer signed his
name, Z" Will Bartholin."
The confession bore date of August
81 and il is presumed that la, tholin,
haunted by tLe crimes he committed,
knowing he was being hunted like q
dog, and finding himself cornered,
ponniless and without friend To whom
TO turn TO aid him, used The same pistol
with which he had killed Minnie Mi
chel' TO end his own life.
The body is badly decomrosed from
lis exposure, but il will be kept at the
morgue at Riceville until the Chicago
officers have an opportunity to reach
That city 10 make Identification doubly
sure, although there Is no doubt it is
the remains of Baltholin.
The crime for which Bartholin was
wanted was committed several weeks
ago and since then unavalling efforts
have been made 10 locate him. Why
the murderer killed his mother and
sweetheart is noL known. Bartholin
and his aged molher resided together
anu he killed her at night as she was
preparing TO retire. He knocked her
senseless by blow on the head and
then strangled her. The murderer
then dragged The body to the cellar,
dug grave aud inferred il. He re-
NAMED in The house several days after
tne murder and answered inquiries re-
Sarding his mother by the statement
.nat she had gone TO visit relatives.
About week after the murder of
his mo,iler Barjholin called on his
sweetheart and he and the gnl went
out for walk. The next day The girl
was found in the street with bullet
in her braiu and Barthoi;n hal disap.
peared. His house was then searched
and The body of his mother found in
The celia.
Bartholin was a scion of a noble
Danish family, his fathers brother
bearing The title of baron.
The body which was believed to be
that Of William Bartholin was exhum-
ed and positively identified as that of
the Chicago double murderer. The
Identification was made by William
Mitchell, a brother of one of Bartho-
liu's victims, and Detective Andrew
Rowan, of Chicago.
Ear,holin's body was found last Fl;-
day afternoon by j. G. Pratt, resi-
denL of Ricevllle. Mr.. Pratt was drlv-
ing to Elma and when passing fax
field saw the body lying against stack
Of flax. Thinking it was q man asleep,
he paid 10 attention, but on returning
he saw The man still there and upon
Investigation discovered he was dead
with revolver lying by his left hand.
COronerT. s. Car, enter was notified
and the bcdy was removed to an un-
dertaklng establishment at I,iceville.
There J. Il. McCook, editor of Rice
vile paper, discovered that the dead
mau bore striking resemblance to the
published pictures of The Chicago MUIR
derer. The text of q confession left
by The suicide is as follows:
"To whom it may concern:
want 70 state l am the Bartholin
the police are looking for. Also want
to certify had no assistance of any
kind from any one. Thompson,
Claffey aud Counselman are all as in
nocent as an unborn child and should
be freed AT once.
"I cannot go into details in regard
10 the crimes. They were not planned.
1t was al Minnie and could do. My
mind is wandering. Such drop in
life in short time. Two months age
was living in the best company; TO-
day living the life of hoboes-a mur.
derer.
Z" intended to go into details and
tell ell, but / cannot get my mind
settled. Even my handwriting is dis.
graceful.
"BuL above all ihings, ask II
clear everybody from under suspicion
There ,s no second parry; am th'
last. "W. D. Dal holm"
| The average number of persons kill