Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-09-08
CHEATS THE HANGMAN
Bartholin, Degenerate Murderer
of Mother and Sweetheart.
Dead by His Own Hand.
SEEMS TO HAVE HAD A CONSCIENCE
Sort of Embryonic Affair, That Led
Him to Suicide-His Brief
Confession.

Riceville, Ia, Sept. S.-The body
which was buried here Saturday morn
ing and which was believed to be that
of William Bartholin, was eXhumed
yesterday afternoon and positively
identified as that of the Chicago dou-
bic murderer The identification was
made by William Mitchell Il brother
of one of Bartholin's victims, and De
tective Andrew Rohan, of Chicago,
who arrived here yesterday morning
from Chicago. DR.. \. J. Coey. of Chi
cago, who came here with Detective
Rohan, cut out the lower jaw of the
dead man, which contained two gold
crowned teeth which have figured
largely in the description sent broad
cast throughout the country for pur-
poses of Identification. The jaw will
be taken to Chicago by the detective.
BODY Found in a Flax Field.
Bartholin's body was found last Fri
day afternoon about six miles from
Riceville. by ]. G. Pratt, resident of
Riceville. Pratt was driving to Elma,
and when passing flax field saw the
body lying against stack of flax.
Thinking it was Il man asleep he paid
no attention, but on returning found
the man still There, and upon investiga-
ton discovered he was dead with Il re-
vOlver lying by his left hand. Coroner
vOlver lyig by MS left hand. Coroner
Carpenter was notified and the body
removed to an undertaking establish
ment at Riceville. There ]. B. McCOok,
editor of a Riceville paper, discovered
that the dead man bore Il striking re-
sembiance of the Chicago murderer.
Left Chicago a Railway LabOrer.
Inquiry here developes that Bartho-
lin came to Riceville Aug. 6, before the
bodies of Mrs. Bartholin and Miss
Mitchell We're discovered. Thomas
Phee. contractor doing some work
here for the Great Western road, adj
vertised for laborers in Chicago on
Aug. ,, Offering free transportation to
the place of work. Among those who
respon led was Bartholin, who hired
under the name of George Edwards.
He worked at the construction work
for but half Il day, and had since been
working on Il threShing machine and
in the harvest fields until the morning
of Aug. 81, when he was last seen
leaving Riceville in the direction of the
place his body was found.
Confession That He Left Behind.
The following brief confession was
found in his pocket:
ITO Whom 1t May Concern: wish
to state that l am the Bartholin the
police are looking for. | also wish to
certify that l had no assistance of any
kind from any one. Thompson. Claffy
and Counselman are all as innocent as
an unborn child and should be freed
at once.
Il cannot go into details in regard
to the crime. They We're not planned.
1t was all Minnie and 1 could do. My
mind is wandering. Such drop in life
in so short a time, two months ago
travelling in the best company. today
leading the life of hoboes, Il muir
derer.
Il intended to go into details and
tell all, but l can't get my mind CEN
tered. Even my handwriting is dis
graceful. but above all things l ask
clear everybody from under suspicion,
there is no second party and / am the
last WILLIAM BARTHOLIN."
RicpyiIIa In AnO 81.