The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-09-07
'DESPAIRED OF ESCAPE
AND ENDED EXISTENCE
Body Bears All Marks of the Man Who
Murdered His Mother and Min
ME Mitchell, His
Sweetheart.
e-e-%-4-A-4@%%-~-%-4-%->- s-s-s-e-e eS-e-s-S
= TEXT OF BARTHoLlNS NOTE. =


y Leader from Riceville. Ia, gives =
y the following as the text of the =
y letter found on the body of the y
- suicide supposed to be William =
y Bartholin: =
y ITO All Concerned:
y 'I am alone to blame for the y
y death of my mother and sweet y
~ heart. l had no aecomplices. Wish y
y those now under arrest to be re- =
y leased. Would write more of the =
y particulars only 1 cannot get my =
y mind concentrated on the subject. y
= 'WILLIAM BARTHOLIN." y
y Several letters were found on his =
y body signed Your darling sweet =
y heart NJ. NJ" the letters supposed y
y to be those of Miss Mitchell. One =
y was signed Minnie Mitchell" y
~-%-~~&~-~<~-%~-~~-<~
Chicago, September 6.-The body of a
man thought to be William Bartholin,
murderer of his mother and sweetheart
in Chicago six weeks ago, was found to-
day in a field near Lowther Ia, 2sO miles
from Chicago.
A bullet hole in the head and a revolver
on the ground beside the body showed
how the supposed hunted fugitive had
died.
In the pocket of the mans coat was
letter confessing to the murder of two
women in Chicago.
Letters signed Minnie Mitchell" the
name of Bartholins murdered flanee,
were also found in the dead mans pocket.
'8a Nothing was said of the death of his
mother, Mrs. Anna Bartholin, who was
found buried in the basement of the resi-
dence at 43l0 Calumet avenue nearly
three weeks after the son had fed
Neither was any direct reference made
to Minnie Mitchell. The letter simply
said two women had been murdered.
The body was found In a fax field six
miles from Riceville. The discovery was
at once reported to the town authorities
and the body was removed to Riceville.
There it was recognized as that of man
who had been in the locality for some
time.
A number of persons recalled that the
stranger had been seen around the town
for several days. To some who had talked
to him he had given the name OF Will
liam."
Died in Despair.
To others he had said he was William
Boscoe. At a hotel he had registered as
Edwards. He disappeared week ago
today, and 1t is presumed 1t was then
that he took his life in despair of elud-
captured.
The town authorities noticed the resem-
hlance the body bore to the description
of the Chicago fugitive which Inspector
Hunt of Chicago sent to every town
within 300 miles of Chicago.
1t was then a more careful examination
was made of the body and the note con-
Tossing to the murders was found
The town authorities buried the body
but 1t will be exhumed to remove any
doubt thai may be raised as to the mans
identity.
The note found upon the body referred
to the two murders in Chicago and de-
clared that no one except the writer
was concerned in the commission of the
crimes. The note filled one and quarter
pages of ordinary letter paper and was
signed civilian Bartholin."
The letters found OH the body were
writton TWO yseIs ago and were signeG
sM NJ" The initials are supposed to
stand for Minnie Mitchell The body
itself furnished several points which are
similar to the description furnished by
the police Chief of these is the upper
false teeth. The undertaken who handled
the body found in Iowa said tonight that
the upper teeth were false and ''set in
n white plate" AS to whether there were
two gold crowned teeth In the body an
other means of identifying Bartholin, the
undertaken could not remember. Tho
body was buried today. 1t was apparent
death had occurred several days ago and
to this fact is due the obliteration of
some of the points relied on for a full
Identification.
Could Not Estimate Age.
Bartholin was 80 years old. The under
taker could not estimate the age of the
man whose body was found in the field.
ou4f, ha
tholin weighed 1856 pounds. The under
taker estimated the height at six feet.
The fugitive was five feet ten inches
Bartholin had large nose. mouth and
ears The undertaken said the hair on
the head of the body was light" TSne
since DEATH had made accurate state
nent as to the ears, noes and mouth i'm
possible.
The undertaken could not say whether
the dead man had blue eyes and a scar
on his left cheek as did Bartholin.
Three weeks ago the suspect arrived at
Riceville He made his way to the Wilkes
hotel and registered as William Ed
wards" The stranger seemed jaded
when he arrived at the hotel and rested
for a few days To those with whom he
talked. he said his name was Wiliari
ord he did not use the name Edwards
except infrequently.
After week the stranger began to
look for work He inquired about Rice
Vile but found nothing. He then made
short excursions into the country and
found work finally on a farm five miles
south of the little town. Out of sight Of
the Riceville people the man almost
dropped out of their minds until Fri
dav Dr. Pratt, the village physician in
nassing along a road beside hemp
feld noticed body. He went to the
hody and ascertained that life was ex-
tinct. When he returned to Riceville he
called up the coroner of Howard coun-
at Cresco and notified him of the
discovered. verdict of suicide was re-
t,rned by the coroner's jury.