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diff --git a/old/64249-0.txt b/old/64249-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index f5c1017..0000000 --- a/old/64249-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,5039 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Holmes' Own Story, by Herman W. Mudgett - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Holmes' Own Story - In which the Alleged Multi-Murderer and Arch Conspirator tells - of the twenty-two Tragic deaths and disappearances in which he is - said to be Implicated, with Moyamensing Prison Diary Appendix - -Author: Herman W. Mudgett - -Release Date: January 10, 2021 [eBook #64249] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Robert Tonsing and The Online Distributed Proofreading Team - at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images - generously made available by the Library of Congress) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOLMES' OWN STORY *** - - - Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1895, by H. W. - MUDGETT, M. D., in the Clerk’s Office of the Librarian of Congress, - at Washington. D. C. - - - - - HOLMES’ OWN STORY - - IN WHICH THE ALLEGED - MULTI-MURDERER AND ARCH CONSPIRATOR - TELLS OF THE - Twenty-two Tragic Deaths and Disappearances - IN WHICH HE IS SAID TO BE IMPLICATED - WITH - MOYAMENSING PRISON DIARY APPENDIX - - PHILADELPHIA: BURK & MCFETRIDGE CO. 1895. - - COPYRIGHT, 1895 - - - - - PREFACE. - - -The following pages are written under peculiar circumstances, perhaps -the most peculiar that ever attended the birth of a literary work. -Incarcerated in prison and awaiting trial for the most serious offense -known to the law, it has been written only after mature deliberation, -against the advice of my friends, and in direct opposition to the -positive instructions of my counsel, who have attempted in every way to -dissuade me from its publication; but the circumstances under which I -am placed, in my judgment, make it imperative that I should disregard -all of these considerations. - -For months I have been vilified by the public press, held up to -the world as the most atrocious criminal of the age, directly and -indirectly accused of the murder of at least a score of victims, many -of whom have been my closest personal friends. - -The object of this extended and continuous enumeration of alleged -crimes has been apparently to create a public sentiment so prejudiced -against me as to make a fair and impartial trial impossible. My friends -have been alienated, my nearest kindred plunged in grief, and the world -horrified by the bloody recital of imaginary crimes. - -I feel therefore justified in the course I am now pursuing, and -am impelled by an imperative sense of duty to publicly deny these -atrocious calumnies. The following pages will therefore be found to -contain a simple and complete narrative of my entire life, and a full -history of my associations and dealings with Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Pitezel -and their children, the alleged disappearance of Minnie Williams and -the tragic death of her sister Nannie. - -My sole object in this publication is to vindicate my name from the -horrible aspersions cast upon it, and to appeal to a fair-minded -American public for a suspension of judgment, and for that free and -fair trial which is the birthright of every American citizen, and the -pride and bulwark of our American Constitution. - - H. H. M. - - - - -Come with me, if you will, to a tiny, quiet New England village, -nestling among the picturesquely rugged hills of New Hampshire. This -little hamlet has for over a century been known as Gilmanton Academy. -So called in honor of an institution of learning of that name, founded -there by a few sturdy, self-denying and God-fearing men, over a hundred -years ago, who, could they now leave their silent resting places in the -church-yard near by, and again wander for an hour through these quiet -streets, would, with the exception of new faces, see little change. - -Here, in the year 1861, I, Herman W. Mudgett, the author of these -pages, was born. That the first years of my life were different from -those of any other ordinary country-bred boy, I have no reason to -think. That I was well trained by loving and religious parents, I know, -and any deviations in my after life from the straight and narrow way -of rectitude are not attributable to the want of a tender mother’s -prayers or a father’s control, emphasized, when necessary, by the -liberal use of the rod wielded by no sparing hand. - -On my fifth birthday I was given my first suit of boy’s clothing, and -soon after was sent to the village school-house where the school was -“kept.” I had daily to pass the office of one village doctor, the door -of which was seldom if ever barred. Partly from its being associated -in my mind as the source of all the nauseous mixtures that had been my -childish terror (for this was before the day of children’s medicines), -and partly because of vague rumors I had heard regarding its contents, -this place was one of peculiar abhorrence to me, and this becoming -known to two of my older schoolmates, they one day bore me struggling -and shrieking beyond its awful portals; nor did they desist until I had -been brought face to face with one of its grinning skeletons, which, -with arms outstretched, seemed ready in its turn to seize me. It was a -wicked and dangerous thing to do to a child of tender years and health, -but it proved an heroic method of treatment, destined ultimately to -cure me of my fears, and to inculcate in me, first, a strong feeling -of curiosity, and, later, a desire to learn, which resulted years -afterwards in my adopting medicine as a profession. - -When I was about eight years old, an unusual occurrence took place in -our village—the arrival of an itinerant photographer. He was a man -apparently suffering from some slight lameness, and gladly accepted -my offer to act as his errand boy, and in payment for my services he -was to execute for me a likeness of myself. One morning upon going to -his office I found the door still locked. It was immediately opened, -however, by the artist, sufficiently for him to hand to me a small -wooden block broken in two pieces. He instructed me to take them to -our village wagon maker and have him make a new one, which I was to -return to him. I did this, and upon entering the office again, I found -the artist partially clothed and sitting near the door, which he at -once locked. He then proceeded to remove the greater portion of one -of his legs, and not having known until then what was the cause of -his lameness, in fact, not ever having seen or even known that such -a thing as artificial limbs existed, my consternation can better be -imagined than described. Had he next proceeded to remove his head in -the same mysterious way I should not have been further surprised. He -must have noticed my discomfiture, for as soon as his mending process -had sufficiently progressed, he quickly placed me in a dim light, and -standing upon his whole leg, and meantime waving the other at me, he -took my picture, which in a few days he gave to me. I kept it for many -years, and the thin terror-stricken face of that bare footed, home-spun -clad boy I can yet see. - -In those days in our quiet village, so remote from the outside -world, that even a locomotive whistle could scarcely be heard, -daily newspapers were rare and almost unknown, our usual source of -information being the weekly papers and a few periodicals; and in one -of these I saw a glowing offer, emphasized by a fine illustration of a -gold watch and chain, a few of which would be sold at a comparatively -trifling sum. Surely this was for me the one opportunity of my life, -and although my entire wealth at that time consisted mostly of pennies -and other small coins, almost every one having for me its own peculiar -history, all of which I converted into more transferable shape by -exchanging them with our shoemaker, who was also my confidant in the -matter, was hardly more than sufficient to buy the watch. - -I was far more concerned lest, before my order should reach the distant -city, all would be sold, than troubled over the depleted condition of -my purse. Then came anxious days of waiting and later the arrival of -the watch, and after going alone to my room to wind it and deciding -which pocket was most suitable for its reception, and still later going -to the several stores and some houses, bargaining beforehand with a -little friend that, in consideration of his accompanying me and at each -place asking in an unconcerned manner what time it was, that he should -wear it the greater part of the day, although I was to be present that -no harm befell my treasure; but before it came time for him to wear it -the wheels had ceased to turn, the gold had lost its lustre, and the -whole affair had turned into an occasion of ridicule for my companions -and of self-reproach to myself. - -My first falsehood and my first imprisonment occurred synchronously, -and were occasioned as follows:— - -One morning as I was driving our small herd of cows, which had a few -days previously been increased by the addition of several others -belonging to a neighbor, to their usual feeding ground, outside the -limits of the village, an inquisitive neighbor met me and asked, “Whose -be they?” I replied very proudly, “Ours.” “What, all of them?” “Yes, -_all_, everyone, and that best one is mine, my own.” An hour later upon -returning to my home I found father waiting to receive me. He demanded -why I had told Richard the lie about the cows, but before I could -answer him my mind was most effectually taken up by the production of -an implement, to which I was no stranger, and by its vigorous use. -After this I was consigned to an upper room and strictly enjoined to -speak to no one, and for the ensuing day I should have no food. My -absence was soon noticed by my playmates and the cause ascertained, -and not long after upon looking out of the window I saw my little -friend perched upon the fence nearby, looking almost as disconsolate as -I, and later in the day, after sundry pantomime communications he came -with a liberal supply of food, which, with the aid of the ever present -ball of cord, which you can find in almost every boy’s pocket, I was -soon enjoying. Accompanying the food was a note written in his scrawly -hand encouraging me to “never mind,” and that upon the following -Saturday we would go down and let Richard’s cows into his cornfield. - -But this was not done, for late at night when the shadows in my room -had assumed strange and fearful shapes, my mother came and taking me -into her own room, knelt down and earnestly plead with me and for me, -and it was many days before I forgot that lesson. This little note, -however, with two others form a unique collection. The second was a -joint production of my friend and myself, addressed to an unpopular -school teacher one vacation upon our hearing that some slight financial -calamity had overtaken him. This was done with the belief that a new -teacher was to take his place during the coming year, but in this we -were mistaken. I had abundant evidence during the first day of the -following term that he had received our letter, when he changed my seat -from one I had long occupied, and which was very favorably located for -looking into the street, to the opposite side of the room. My seatmate -was a very disagreeable and unpopular girl. - -The third note was also a joint production, written upon brown paper -and tacked upon the barn door of a village farmer, who had, as we -thought, misused us. It was not a lengthy note, the words being “Who -will pull your weeds next year?” This note was occasioned by the farmer -engaging us for a stipulated price to rid a field of a large weed that -is common there, and a great hindrance to the healthy growth of other -products. The weeds were tall and strong, and the pittance we were to -receive was ridiculously small for the amount of work. But when we had -finished and held out our tiny, blistered hands for our pay, it was not -forthcoming. We went again and again for it, and being convinced it -was useless to go more, we returned quietly with two large baskets to -where we had piled the weeds, to be dried preparatory to their being -burned, and very soon thereafter the seeds from all that we had pulled -were sown broadcast over the field again. It is, perhaps, a small -matter to speak of here, but it so well illustrates the principle that -many times in my after life influenced me to make my conscience become -blind, that I thought well to write of it. - -My first business ventures consisted of a pair of twin calves that I -raised, and later to bring home, on a stormy winter day, a tiny lamb -given to me by a farmer, which, in time, together with a few others -purchased later, expanded into a flock of about forty sheep. Both -ventures were failures, however, from a financial point of view, but -the failures were nothing compared with the collapse of the innumerable -air castles which had depended upon the result of these speculations. - -One day I found a purse containing about $40; an immense sum at that -time to me. In the purse were other papers showing me plainly who the -owner was. I know that I hesitated, but only for a moment; and having -made up my mind could not too soon return it to its owner, and because -I had hesitated was adverse to receiving the reward offered me. - -When I was about nineteen years of age (the preceding years having -been filled in for the most part with six to nine months each year of -preparatory studies and the balance of the time devoted to work and -teaching) I was prepared to enter the Dartmouth College, but instead -of doing so, I decided to commence a medical course at once, and, with -this object in view, I matriculated at the University of Vermont, at -Burlington, where I remained one college year, deciding, before it -had expired, to complete my course at some larger college, and the -following September found me at Ann Arbor, Mich. After having paid -my college fees, bought my books and other articles necessary for my -second year in college, I found myself hundreds of miles away from -friends and relatives, and with about $60 in money with nine months of -hard study before me, allowing but little time for outside work if I -wished to keep up in my studies with the other members of my class. - -About this time I first became acquainted with a Canadian, a -fellow-student, and from then until the time of his death he was one of -the very few intimate friends I have ever allowed myself. - -The limits of this book will not allow me to write the many quaint and -some ghastly experiences of our medical education were I otherwise -disposed to do so. Suffice it to say, that they stopped far short of -desecration of country graveyards, as has been repeatedly charged, as -it is a well-known fact that in the State of Michigan all the material -necessary for dissection work is legitimately supplied by the State. -At the end of my junior year I entered into an agreement with a fluent -representative of a Chicago firm to spend my vacation in the northwest -portion of Illinois representing his firm as a book agent. In this -venture I committed the first really dishonest act of my life. - -The firm as well as the book itself, from the sale of which I had -been assured I could earn hundreds of dollars during my vacation, was -a fraud, and after the most strenuous efforts, having succeeding in -selling a sufficient number to defray my expenses and pay my return -fare to Ann Arbor, I came back without making a settlement with the -firm there, and for the remainder of my vacation earned what money I -could in and about the college city. - -I could hardly count my Western trip a failure, however, for I had seen -Chicago. - -The remainder of my medical course differed very little from the first -two years; filled perhaps more completely with hard work and study, -and almost wholly devoid of pleasure and recreation. At last, however, -in June, 1884, our examinations were passed, our suspense was ended -and I left Ann Arbor with my diploma, a good theoretical knowledge of -medicine, but with no practical knowledge of life and of business. -After taking a vacation of less than one week in my old New Hampshire -home, I went to Portland, Maine, and engaged with a large business firm -of that city to represent them in Northern New York in the sale of -their products; my prime object being to find some favorable location -in this way where I could become a practitioner. Such an opening was -not easily found, however, and I accepted a winter school to teach at -Mooers Forks, N. J., and later opened an office in that village. Here -I stayed for one year doing good and conscientious work, for which I -received plenty of gratitude but little or no money, and in the fall of -1885 starvation was staring me in the face, and finally I was forced to -sell first one and then the last of my two horses, and having done this -I resolved to go elsewhere before all of my means were again exhausted. - -During my long years there in New York I had abundant time to work out -the details of a scheme that my University friend, before referred -to, and myself had talked over during our hungry college days as a -possible last resort in case our medical practice proved a failure; and -from certain letters I had received from him, I judged that he, too, -had not found all his hardships at an end upon receiving his diploma. -I therefore went to where he was located, and found that though his -experience had been less disheartening than my own, it had from a -pecuniary standpoint been far from successful. During this visit we -carefully planned the following method of obtaining money:— - -At some future date a man whom my friend knew and could trust, who then -carried considerable life insurance, was to increase the same so that -the total amount carried should be $40,000; and as he was a man of -moderate circumstances he was to have it understood that some sudden -danger he had escaped (a runaway accident) had impelled him to more -fully protect his family in the future. Later he should become addicted -to drink, and while temporarily insane from its use should, as it would -appear afterwards, kill his wife and child. - -In reality they were to go to the extreme West and await his arrival -there at a later date. Suddenly the husband was to disappear, and -some months later a body badly decomposed and dressed in the clothing -he was known to wear was to be found, and with it a statement to the -effect that while in a drunken rage he had killed his family and had -shipped their dismembered bodies to two separate and distant warehouses -to conceal the crime, first having partially preserved the remains by -placing them in strong brine. That he did not care to live longer, and -that his property and insurance should pass to a relative whom he was -to designate in this letter. - -At the proper time he was to join his family in the West, and remain -there permanently, the relative collecting the insurance, a part of -which was to be sent to him, a part to be retained by the relative, -and the remainder to be divided between us. This scheme called for a -considerable amount of material, no less than three bodies in fact. -This difficulty was easily overcome, however, so long as it was -supposed that they were needed for experimental purposes, but no doctor -could call for three bodies at one time without exciting suspicion, and -so it was arranged that I was to go to Chicago for the winter, and some -time during the intervening months we should both contribute toward -the necessary supply. I reached Chicago in November, 1885, but finding -it difficult to obtain satisfactory employment, I went to Minneapolis, -where I spent the winter in a drug store as a clerk. Meantime, my -friend had promptly obtained his portion and placed it in the storage -in Delaware, from which place it was shipped to me later in Chicago. I -remained in Minneapolis until May, 1886, when I returned to Chicago. My -own life I had insured meantime for $20,000, which, at a later date, -I intended to realize upon. I had prior to this time made arrangements -to furnish my portion of the material. After reaching Chicago, certain -sudden changes in my plans called me hastily to New York City, and I -decided to take a part of the material there and leave the balance in -a Chicago warehouse. This necessitated the repacking of the same, and -to accomplish this I went to a hotel (May, 1886), where I registered -under an assumed name, and occupied a room and had the package, which -had been shipped from Detroit, taken there, and carefully removing the -carpet from one portion of the room I divided the material into two -packages. In doing this the floor became discolored. - -Later, one of these packages was placed in the Fidelity Storage -Warehouse in Chicago, and the other I took with me to New York and -placed it in a safe place. Upon my trip from Chicago to New York I -read two accounts of the detection of crime connected with this class -of work, and for the first time I realized how well organized and well -prepared the leading insurance companies were to detect and punish -this kind of fraud, and this, together with a letter I received upon -reaching my destination, and the sudden death of my friend, caused all -to be abandoned. - -Soon after leaving New York I came to Philadelphia, where I sought -employment in some drug store where I could hope to become either a -partner or an owner. Not finding such an opportunity at once I took -a situation as a keeper in the Norristown Asylum. This was my first -experience with insane persons, and so terrible was it that for -years afterwards, even now sometimes, I see their faces in my sleep. -Fortunately within a few days after entering the Asylum I received word -that I could obtain different employment in a drug store on Columbia -avenue, which I at once accepted. About July 1st, one afternoon, a -child entered the store and exclaimed, “I want a doctor! The medicine -we got here this morning has killed my brother (or sister).” I could -remember of no sale that morning corresponding to the one she hastily -described, but I made sure that a physician was at once sent to the -house, and having done this I hastily wrote a note to my employer, -stating the nature of the trouble, and left the city immediately for -Chicago, and it was not until nine years later that I knew the result -of the case. - -Later, when it became necessary to disprove the alarming statements -that were made relative to various persons having been killed at 701 -Sixty-third street, I placed in the proper authorities’ hands a full -collection of documentary evidence, consisting of railroad and storage -warehouse receipts, letters, references and dates sufficient to show -the truthfulness of my statements. - -Upon reaching Chicago I found I could obtain no employment as a -druggist until I had passed an examination at Springfield, Ill., and -when I went there for that purpose I gave my name as H. H. Holmes, and -under this name I have since done most of my business. Later, in July, -1886, I went to 701 Sixty-third street, Chicago, where I found a small -store owned by a physician, who, owing to ill-health, wished to sell -badly. A little later I bought it, paying for it for the most part with -money secured by mortgaging the stock and fixtures, agreeing to repay -this loan at the rate of $100 per month. My trade was good, and for -the first time in my life I was established in a business that was -satisfactory to me. - -But very soon my landlord, seeing that I was prospering well, made me -aware that my rent would be increased, and to protect myself I was -forced to purchase at a great expense the vacant property opposite the -location I then occupied, and to erect a building thereon. Here my real -troubles commenced. The expense incurred was wholly beyond the earning -capacity of my business, and for the next few years I was obliged to -plunge deeply in debt in every direction; and, worse than this, when -these debts became due, if unable to meet them to resort to all means -of procuring a stay or evading them altogether. At last there came -a day when Thomas Fallon, a constable, together with a lawyer named -Sanforth, both of Chicago, came to my store to attach the same to -satisfy the claim of some impatient creditor. And during the appraisal -of the goods they came and asked me the contents of two small barrels. - -I gave them some misleading answer, and bringing out other goods to -attract their attention, they were passed for the time being. They -were the two packages I had arranged more than a year before at a -certain hotel, and which had been removed from the storehouses in -Chicago and New York, first to my former store, and later to the new -one. - -As soon as possible after this attachment took place, I resolved to -permanently dispose of both these packages, and to do so, I opened the -smaller of them and commenced its destruction by burning in a large -furnace, then in the basement. The experience was so unpleasant, owing -to the terrible odor produced, that I did not think it safe to destroy -more of it in the same way, and therefore buried the remainder of that -package, as well as the fragments that were partially burned, in the -places where they have lately been found. - -The other package was removed, unopened, from the building, and so -disposed of that it is hardly probable it will ever be found, and I do -not feel called upon to bring it forth, as it would only serve to add -more newspaper notoriety to the case. - -If, however, my life is ever jeopardized, or my other statements -discredited owing to want of additional proof in this matter, I shall -at once cause it to be produced, and my so doing will result in showing -that the portions therein contained are parts of the two bodies already -found, and more important still that the package thus brought to light -has necessarily occupied its present location for nearly seven years. - -This will be corroborated by documentary evidence, freight, express -and warehouse receipts, letters, etc., already in the hands of the -authorities, together with evidence from workmen, if still alive and to -be found. - -Early in 1888, needing some extra carpenters, there came to me, in -response to an advertisement, a tall, thin, muscular man, whom, at the -time, I took to be a farmer from the Western plains. - -[Illustration: BENJAMIN F. PITEZEL.] - -He assured me, however, that he was a carpenter, able to do as much and -as good work as anyone else, that his name was Benjamin F. Pitezel, -that he had a large family, was badly in need of work for their support -and begged me to give him a trial. This I did, but soon found him to be -a dreamer. - -Coming to him at his work I would find him with a set of figures and -perhaps a diagram illustrative of their use, or busy making a model -of some complicated contrivance. This proceeded so far that for my -own protection I had to cause him to work by contract instead of by -the day, although I found him fully as improvident of his own time as -he had been of mine. Little by little I grew to like his quiet ways, -and to depend upon him to take charge of the work at times when I was -obliged to be absent, and one day I said to him, “Ben, with all your -mechanical ingenuity you should have been a rich man before now. How -is it?” His answer was that heretofore the world had not seemed to be -inclined to be kind to him. This seemed so aptly to describe my own -case, that I talked with him further from time to time, and a summary -of what I learned was as follows:— - -He, like myself, had been a country-bred boy, knowing few pleasures, -but, unfortunately, receiving few school advantages. At a comparatively -early age he had married and commenced life as a farmer in Illinois -or Indiana. Later he had moved to Kansas, and, later still, had been -forced to leave that State owing to some legal trouble with a bank -there, to which he had given a worthless mortgage to secure a loan in -money. After leaving Kansas he had wandered through the Western States, -principally in the gold regions, and finally had settled in Chicago -with his family, which, while he traveled, had remained in Kansas. Very -soon after reaching Chicago he had commenced working for me, and from -that time until September 2, 1894, when he died, he was continually in -my employ, working as a carpenter and builder, and as a real estate -dealer and as a wholesale lumber merchant, buying and shipping lumber -from the South and West to Chicago and St. Louis, where I also sold the -same products. - -I think it was in 1889 that I was one day waited upon by two gentlemen -who wished to sell me a gas machine, by using which I could be forever -independent of the regular city gas company. So great were the -inducements held out that I later met them at their office in La Salle -street, and before leaving them had bought one of the machines, which a -few days later was arranged in the basement of my building, and I had -notified the city company that thereafter I should cease to be one of -their patrons. For two days the new machine performed wonders, and I -recommended it to many of my customers and friends. The third evening -when I was very busy my store was suddenly enveloped in darkness. I -was obliged to turn away my customers and close for the want of light, -and from then until morning I wrestled with my gas machine; and when -Pitezel came to his day’s work he found me still perspiring, and, I -fear, swearing over it. - -The machine was to him as a new toy to a child, although he soon -assured me that as a gas producer it was an absolute failure. That -afternoon I instructed him to temporarily connect it with the city -gas to provide light for the evening, and next day I would go to -the company and make a new application to again become a permanent -customer. As he finished making the connection he remarked that he -thought that it would be a good permanent arrangement without going to -the gas company. His quiet remark resulted in my having him, next day, -lead the gas from the city main to the machine underground in such a -way that it would not be known without a close inspection, and this -I did, not to defraud the city, but “to get even” with the company -who had defrauded me. A few evenings thereafter the president of this -company called upon me, and, after quietly studying my new light for a -time, spoke to me of it. - -I then told him that I had bought his machine for the purpose of trying -a new gas that for years I had been experimenting with. Several other -visits followed, and although I was apparently averse to disposing of -my new discovery, I finally did so, taking in return first a contract -so skillfully worded that there could later be no claims brought -against me, and, second, a check for a large sum of money. Had matters -stopped here as I had at first intended, all would have been well, but -I neglected disconnecting from the city supply from day to day, until -finally an inspector, more energetic than his fellow-workers, became -aware of it, and this resulted in my very willingly choosing to pay a -five hundred dollar gas bill in preference to being openly written up -and perhaps prosecuted. - -There have occurred other deals of a somewhat similar nature, and -generally inspired by the same motive, but this one suffices as an -example of those that occurred later. Sometime previous to this I -had had occasion to employ an attorney to transact some business in -which certain papers had to be signed in my New Hampshire name, and -to do this work I employed one I did not know in order that my real -name should not be confounded with the name of Holmes, under which I -had been known and had done all my work since commencing business in -Chicago. - -About a year after consulting this attorney, I was called into court -as a witness on some trivial case, and while giving my testimony under -the name of Holmes, I saw him sitting in the court room apparently -much mystified. Instead of denouncing me to the court, as he might -easily have done, he spoke to me alone, and, later, feeling he had done -me a most kind favor I gave to him the greater part of my legal work; -but though he attended to this conscientiously for me as an attorney, -he at no time encouraged me to acts that were wrong, nor was he a party -to them, and the late newspaper comments reflecting upon his integrity -are most unjust and uncalled for. - -Aside from this one incident I know of no time during the nine years -prior to my arrest that my two names conflicted the one with the other, -or caused me trouble or annoyance. - -In 1890 I added a jewelry store to my business, and placed Julius -L. Connor in charge of that and my drug business, his wife, Julia -Connor, assisting him as cashier for a time, who, after the sale of -the store, lived in the building and supported herself and child by -taking boarders. That she is a woman of quick temper and perhaps not -always of a good disposition may be true, but that any of her friends -and relatives will believe her to be an immoral woman, or one who -would be a party to a criminal act, I do not think. She lived for her -child, and her one fear was that she should lose her, and as soon as -the daughter is of sufficient age to protect herself, I feel that her -whereabouts will be made known. I last saw her about January 1, 1892, -when a settlement of her rent was made. At this time she had announced -not only to me, but to her neighbors and friends, that she was going -away. - -At this interview she told me that, while she had given her destination -as Iowa, she was going elsewhere to avoid the chance of her daughter -being taken from her, giving the Iowa destination to mislead her -husband. I corresponded with her upon business matters later, and the -so-called secreted letters lately found could only have been obtained -from my Chicago letter files, in which hundreds of my business letters -were stored away in alphabetical order. - -In 1890 I opened an office on Dearborn street, Chicago, and organized -“The Warner Glass-Bending Co.,” the principal value of which consisted -in certain not very clearly-defined ideas I possessed upon the subject -of bending glass for mechanical purposes. This was a stock company, in -which I had interested, among others, Osmer W. Fay, a most reputable -and honest man (a retired minister), of whom I will speak later in this -history. Suffice it to say here that, when I found that he had invested -the principal part of his savings in my company, knowing that it would -not be a successful business venture to others, save myself, I returned -to him his investment with interest. At this time Pitezel was in the -same office with me, selling an invention he had lately patented, known -as “Pitezel’s Automatic Coal Bin.” I later established him in an office -by himself, where he opened a patent exchange similar to the one he was -conducting in Philadelphia at the time of his death. - -At about this time, Patrick Quinlan, a whole-souled Irishman, had left -his farm in Michigan to come to the city to work during the winter -months, and commenced his service with me. He soon became almost -indispensable, owing to his careful management and supervision of -help and general faithfulness, and for several years he worked for -me continually, though during that time he did no illegal act nor -committed any wrong so far as I know. - -Early in 1891 I became interested in one of the most seductive and -misleading inventions that has ever been placed before the American -public; a device known as the “A B C Copier,” which had been brought to -this country from Europe by a prominent official of the World’s Fair. - -He had been swindled in its purchase, and, knowing this, was very -willing to dispose of one-half interest in the invention to me for -$9,000 worth of “securities.” A company was immediately formed, and by -using his name freely as the president of same, we were able to make -over $50,000 worth of contracts for future delivery before our offices -had been open sixty days, numbering among our customers many large -insurance companies and prominent wholesale houses. - -However, I was glad to sell my interests, clearing about $22,000 in -cash upon the entire deal. It was at this time, while employing quite -a large office force, that Mr. J. L. Connor asked me to give his -sister Gertrude some work to do. Instead of doing so at once I told -him I would aid him in furnishing her with the means to take a short -course in a business college, and if later she proved proficient, I -would give her employment. Shortly after her commencing to attend -this business college, she received an offer of marriage from a young -clerk in Chicago. She spoke to us of it, and asked us to learn, if -we could, of the antecedents of the young man and of his prospects. -Our investigation resulted in learning that he had a wife living in -Chicago. Gertrude was inclined to disbelieve this statement, and not -expressing herself as being willing to break the engagement, Mr. Connor -thought best to send her to her home in Iowa. A statement from the -physician who attended her at the time of her death, long after this, -speaks for itself, effectually disproving one of the most persistent -and disagreeable charges that have been brought against me. I have had -many young ladies in my employ, most of whom are still living in and -about Chicago, whose parents and friends know only too well that far -from being their seducer I have done much to materially help them in -their narrow lives, owing to the enormous competitions in Chicago for -positions. - -At about this time I sent Pitezel South upon an extended lumber -purchasing trip, and upon his return to Chicago he encountered some -severe domestic troubles, the full details of which he did not tell me -until long afterwards. But at the time they resulted in a neighborhood -quarrel and some arrests, and thereafter he grew more morose, and drank -more freely than he had done heretofore, but managed to do so during my -absence or after working hours, as he knew me to be wholly intolerant -of drunkenness in my employees. - -It was about January 1, 1893, when I first met Minnie R. Williams at -the intelligence office of Mr. William Campbell on Dearborn street, -Chicago, whom she had engaged to provide her with a position as -stenographer. - -[Illustration: EMELINE CIGRAND.] - -I found her to be a bright, intelligent woman, an interesting -conversationalist and one who I could see had seen much of the world. -When she had been working in my office for a few weeks, knowing that -she had a history, I asked her one stormy winter afternoon to tell -it to me. After considerable hesitation she did so, in nearly the -following words:— - -“My earliest remembrance is of a poor home in the South. My father -was a drunkard and my poor mother was not strong. One terrible day -my father was brought to us dead, and very soon after this mother’s -strength seemed to leave her utterly, and she soon followed him, -leaving me, a tiny child, together with a still younger sister and -a baby brother, to the tender mercies of the world. An aunt in -Mississippi took my sister to live with her, and another relative cared -for brother, and an uncle, a physician, adopted me. - -“During the short time he lived he was a loving and tender father to -me, and at his death willed to me all of his possessions. A guardian -was appointed to care for me, but I was not again happy until years -later, when Mr. Massie was appointed to take his place, and since then -I have looked upon him and his wife as my parents. - -“When I was 17 years old I was sent to Boston to finish my education -at the Conservatory of Music. At first, after leaving my warm Southern -home, I nearly died from homesickness, and you will not wonder that -having met at some place of entertainment in Boston a young gentleman, -and having found that he was an honest clerk, occupying a position -where he could hope for advancement, I allowed him to address me, and -later became engaged to him. - -“Soon after the engagement he introduced me to a gentleman who is -prominently known throughout the New England States. He is much older -than myself. - -“From the first time I met him he seemed to exert a powerful influence -over me. I loved his wife, and my visits to her made a pleasant break -in the tedium of my school work, but as soon as he came home, or I -was in his company, I was ill at ease, my mind being filled with an -indefinable presentiment of evil. I avoided meeting him alone upon -all occasions when it was possible for me to do so, but he would -often insist upon accompanying me to my home, and this, owing to their -continued courtesies to me, I could not well refuse. All too soon there -came a day when I could no longer look into the eyes of either my lover -or of those of my betrayer, and for more than a year thereafter I was -wholly under the influence of my seducer; so much so, that any and all -good resolutions I would make during his absence would vanish upon -meeting him again, and my life became one of mental torture to me, for -by nature I was a pure-minded girl. - -“Our meetings for the most part took place at a hotel near his place of -business, a portion of which was available for meetings of this kind, -so long as the parties were known to the manager. - -“During the year I broke my engagement with my lover, and by so doing -apparently deserved his reproaches for heartlessness, although if he -could have known it my motive was of an entirely different nature. As -though my burden had not at this time been sufficiently heavy for me to -bear, about the end of this year I became aware that another and still -more terrible calamity was in store for me. - -“For days I sat in my room until it seemed I should go mad, and fearing -lest I should utterly lose my reason I decided to kill myself, but no -one realizes how dear life is until, thinking it worthless, they have -tried to destroy it. - -“I could not do it, and there was nothing left for me to do but to go -quietly away in a strange place, under a different name, and bear my -shame. - -“I went to New York, engaged board under the name of Adele Covell, in a -quiet portion of the city. - -“Physically, I had never been strong, and now followed days and weeks -of serious illness until, to save my reason, the life of my unborn -child was sacrificed. As soon as I was able I returned to my Texas -home, accounting as best I could for my terribly haggard appearance. - -“Later, feeling that there was left little that I could do, and being -wholly reckless of my future, I prepared for the stage, and for three -years I was almost continually before the public. Becoming somewhat -ambitious I organized a company, and for a time traveled through the -New England towns and small cities under the name of Geraldine Wande. - -“This venture cost me between five and ten thousand dollars, and in -1891 I went to Denver, Colorado, as a member of a theatrical company -then playing a prominent engagement. There I staid until the burning of -the theatre, which caused my engagement to end, and not being able to -find another suitable opening, I decided to prepare myself for office -work. - -“Unfortunately, while in Denver, I attracted the attention of a young -man engaged to be married to a lady whom I knew and liked, and rather -than to cause them trouble I decided to go elsewhere, though against -the wishes of the young man, who, if I had allowed it, would have -married me. At about this time my brother, whom I had never seen much -of, was killed, or rather died, as the result of a railroad accident -at Leadville, Colorado, leaving sister Nannie, who is now teaching in -Nudlothean, Texas, and to me, about $400 each, payable about one year -after his death. - -“I went to Leadville to attend his funeral, and later came here to -Chicago, where, until I obtained my position with you, I have been at -times really in need of money, as owing to my unfortunate theatrical -venture all my ready money has been used, and I now have left only one -piece of good real estate in Fort Worth, Texas, valued at $6,000 but -encumbered for $1,700. - -“A piece of land adjoining my property, of which Mr. Massey has -recently written me, can be sold by him for $2,500, besides paying a -heavy mortgage standing against it. - -“I have also one small, unimproved lot near Dallas, Texas, worth about -$200.” - -During the spring of 1893 I was, if possible, more busy than ever -before. - -Among other work, preparing my building to rent to a prospective -tenant, who would use the entire five stories and forty rooms, at a -good rental, if I could get it completed in time for World’s Fair -purposes. - -This left me with little time to attend to my office duties, which -gradually Miss Williams took more and more into her own hands, showing -a remarkable aptitude for the work. During the first weeks she boarded -at a distance, but later, from about the 1st of March until the 15th -of May, 1893, she occupied rooms in the same building and adjoining my -offices. - -Here occasionally meals were served from the restaurant near at hand, -and if any bones have really been found in the stove there I think it -will later be learned, by microscopical examination, that they are the -remnants of such meals. Certain it is that no human being was ever -cremated there during my occupancy of the room, my own experience years -ago being quite sufficient to show me the danger of such proceedings on -account of the awful odor, if I had no other motive to deter me from -such a course. - -About the first of April I dictated quite a number of urgent letters -to parties who were owing me, requesting them to make immediate -settlement of their accounts, as I was much in need of the money at -this time. Some days later Minnie brought me a draft for about $2,500 -and asked me to use it until she should need it, explaining that this -was the proceeds of the Texas sale she had previously spoken to me -about. I could make good use of the money at that time, but declined -to take it until I had explained to her, at some length, more of my -business affairs than she had before known. And, finally, I caused to -be transferred to her, by warranty deed, a house and lot at Wilmette, -Ill., valued at about $7,500, in order that she should be well -protected against loss in case of my death. - -This money was returned to her about May 10, 1893, from money obtained -for this purpose from Isaac R. Hitt & Co., Chicago, who paid it to -Miss Williams personally. At about this time she expressed a wish that -I should aid her in converting her remaining Southern property into -either cash or improved Northern property. This was hard to do, and I -finally advised her to execute a worthless deed (by having some one -other than herself sign same) to a fictitious person and offer the -property for sale at a very low cash figure, and years later, if she -chose to do so, to demand an additional sum in exchange for the good -deed. - -This was done, forging the name upon the deed so made, which deeds -are still in existence. When matters had progressed thus far in -our various transactions, Miss Williams was taken seriously ill for -several days at the house where we were stopping at the time. She -suffered from the same form of acute mania that she had been troubled -with in New York years before. She was under restraint at this hotel -a few days about May 22d, but owing to careful nursing and good -medical attendance, she soon became so much better that she could plan -intelligently with me what steps were best to be taken for her safety. - -It was decided that she should go to the Presbyterian Hospital, near -the Clybourne avenue car limits in Chicago, to stay until I could -determine if she were in further danger. She entered this institution -about May 23, 1893, as a private patient, and her ailment being such -that it was prudent for her to pass for a married woman, she was -enrolled upon the records there as Mrs. Williams. - -The greatest drawback to her improvement here was the fact that she -knew she was in an asylum with other insane persons, and she soon -begged me to take her to some private apartments where she could -receive special attention. To accomplish this, I hired a house at 1220 -Wrightwood avenue, and early in June accompanied Miss Williams there, -and during my absences she was in care of a young woman hired for this -purpose. - -Here she rapidly improved, and during the following months exhibited -only once any maniacal symptoms, when, owing to some trivial -disagreement with her attendants, she so frightened her that she -left at once. At this time Miss Williams first spoke of inviting her -sister to spend the summer and fall months with us, and in response -to a letter Nannie came from Texas. I met her at the train and -found her to be a remarkably quiet and gentle woman—apparently not -very strong—certainly of a most kindly disposition. The sisters had -never lived together for any considerable length of time, and they -anticipated much pleasure in the society of each other. Minnie had -asked that it should appear to her sister that we were married, and -also that nothing should be said of her recent illness, which she now, -day by day, seemed to be overcoming. - -[Illustration: NANNIE WILLIAMS.] - -I cannot imagine a happier, quieter life than they passed there during -the month of June and the first part of July, 1893. I was extremely -busy in the city, but was at the house whenever I could conveniently -arrange it. Minnie had so far recovered as to attend to several -business matters and to aid me in my writing. Among other things, -arrangements were made to convert her own and her sister’s interests in -her brother’s estate into money, and to commence certain preliminary -proceedings that would ultimately cause her betrayer in Boston to pay -her a considerable sum, and, to make this easier, it was thought wise -that she obtain some evidence in support of her claim by wiring to him -for a small amount of money. - -This was done, and to this telegram he promptly responded by sending -to her, by wire, $100. At the time it came to the Western Union -office she was not feeling well enough to go there for it, and I -executed the proper papers, signing her name in her stead, and next -day, to more fully protect her attorney in the matter, she executed a -supplementary receipt in her own name. Later in the year it was her -intention to return to Boston and go further with the matter. Late -in June, upon returning one day from my business in the city, I met -and was introduced by Miss Williams to a Mr. Edward Hatch, whom she -had formerly known during her theatrical life (he was at that time -attending the Columbian Exposition at Chicago). A few evenings later he -accompanied Minnie, Nannie and myself to the Exposition. - -Early in July it became necessary for Miss Williams to leave the city -for a day, and before doing so she asked that I come home early and not -allow Nannie to remain alone during the evening and night. I went with -Miss Williams to the cars, and later accompanied her sister as far as -the business portion of the city, upon her way to spend the day at the -Exposition. That evening I returned to the house at about 6 o’clock, -and soon after Nannie also returned. During the previous weeks of Miss -Williams’ illness, I had been unable to be away from the house at -night, and wishing to go out that evening I asked Nannie if she would -mind staying in the rooms alone, explaining to her that there were two -other families in the house. She replied that she would have no fear, -and that being so tired from her day’s exertions among the crowds, she -felt sure that she would sleep all night. - -This being arranged I went away, agreeing to call on my way to the -city next morning, and asking her if her sister returned before I did -to refrain from telling her I had staid elsewhere, giving to Nannie as -my reason for this that her sister would feel annoyed at my leaving -her alone. Next morning I reached the house at about 8.30 o’clock, and -shortly before Miss Williams returned. - -Being in haste to reach the city I welcomed her, and almost immediately -bade them both good-bye, and taking my bicycle from the hall started -down the street. At this time both sisters were standing within the -doorway of the house. - -Quite early in the afternoon, upon returning, I was surprised to notice -the shades at the windows closely drawn. Entering the hall and passing -from thence into the parlor, I was greeted by Miss Williams screaming -to me:— - -“Is that you? My God! I thought you would never come. Nannie is dead!” - -She was seated upon the floor holding her sister’s head in her arms, -rocking back and forth and moaning, much as a mother would over a -child that was dying or dead. I did not believe it at first—I made -no effort to do so—looking upon it as one of the jokes which, when -well, she so liked to indulge in, but a moment later I noticed the -disordered condition of the room, and as my eyes became accustomed to -the darkness, Miss Williams’ terrified face, which good actress though -she was, I knew she could not so successfully counterfeit. - -[Illustration: Showing room where Nannie Williams was killed.] - -I was alarmed and instantly was upon my knees beside them, to find -to my horror that Nannie had probably been dead for hours. By this -time Miss Williams seemed almost as lifeless as her sister, and half -leading, half carrying her, I took her to her room and did all I could -to restore her, but it was hours before she was in a condition that -would allow of her giving me an intelligent account of what had taken -place during my absence. - -In the meantime I had carried Nannie to my own room, where she lay, -looking more like one asleep than dead. The only mark of violence -discernible being a slight discoloration upon one of her temples, from -which a small quantity of blood had apparently flowed. - -Later, in answer to my questions, I gained the following knowledge:— - -Upon my leaving the house in the morning, Miss Williams had seized her -sister by the arm and ran romping with her through the rooms to the -dining room, and without waiting to remove her hat had sat down at the -table and drank some coffee, talking to Nannie the while. She had -asked her what time I had reached the house the preceding evening, to -which question Nannie answered that she did not know, as I was at home -when she had herself returned, thus giving the impression that I had -been there during the night. - -After finishing her lunch, Minnie had passed into her own room, had -exchanged her street costume for a house dress, and then, in going to -the front portion of the house, had passed through my room, and in -doing so had noticed that it had not been occupied during the night. - -With this one thought in her disordered mind she had rushed into the -adjoining room where her sister then sat, and in a voice, which only -the very few who have been intimately acquainted with Miss Williams can -appreciate and understand the tragedy of, had said: - -“You devil! You have stolen my husband from me.” - -At the same time she had struck her sister with a small foot-stool, -causing her to fall to the floor, where, with hardly a struggle, she -had ceased to breathe. - -Miss Williams had, at the first moment, run to the lower portion of the -house for assistance, but the people being absent for the time being, -she had returned, and at first thinking her sister had only fainted, -had resorted to all the means of which she knew to resuscitate her. She -soon found her efforts useless, and from then until I had arrived, had -remained in the position in which I found her. - -After this came the terrible question of what steps should be taken. It -is useless for me to speak now of what should have been done. What was -finally decided upon is as follows:— - -I first wished to call in the authorities and explain fully, and -also have it known that at the moment the act was committed Miss -Williams was not accountable for what she had done. She would not -listen to this. Next, I suggested that it should appear that death had -resulted from an accidental fall, but to any and all propositions that -necessitated a court investigation she would hear nothing, begging me -to go to Englewood, and with Patrick Quinlan’s aid take the body to -some quiet place and bury it. - -Finding that the discussion was worrying her into another serious -condition, I gave her some medicine, and as soon as I could do so -safely, I left her, intending to go to Englewood, and did go as far as -Twenty-second street. - -There were some reasons why this last mentioned course would have been -advantageous, as it was not generally known that I was living with Miss -Williams as her husband; and those who did know of it did not know my -identity, and to have this matter known, as well as the death of her -sister under such distressing circumstances, would have occasioned an -amount of notoriety that would have been ruinous to me. - -But as I rode towards Englewood, I could see good reasons for not using -Quinlan in the matter. His loyalty to me was such that I should not -have feared his making it public, but I did not think I had a right to -burden him with so terrible a secret. - -In fact, it was by never asking him to do any act that he could be held -accountable for or that would jeopardize his property that the loyal -feeling had been caused to exist. - -Leaving the cars at Twenty-second street, I returned to the house, -finding Miss Williams still asleep; later we clothed her sister in a -light dress she had liked to wear, and taking the large trunk she had -brought with her from Texas, I placed her therein as carefully as I -could. - -No funeral rites were observed; no prayers were said, for I felt that -from either of us such would have been a mockery. I also took her -small, well-worn Bible (this without Miss Williams’ knowledge) and -later consigned it with her to her last resting place, which was all I -felt at liberty to do. I then went to a livery stable and obtained a -covered conveyance, stopping upon my return at the car barns near by, -where there were many workmen waiting to take the cars. I engaged one -of them to accompany me to the house and help me place the trunk in the -carriage. - -I then drove to the lake-side, and waited until night had fallen, -making it appear to parties noticing me, if any, that I was awaiting -the return of some belated boating party. Afterwards, I procured a boat -at some distance, and took it near my waiting place, and still later, -with considerable difficulty, I placed the trunk in it, and proceeded -about one mile from the shore. - -There in the darkness, passed beyond the sight of this world, into the -ever grasping depths of Lake Michigan, all that was mortal of this -beautiful Christian girl; but from my sight it has never passed, nor -has there been a day, an hour, since that awful night that I would not -have given my life if by doing so that of Nannie Williams could have -been returned. - -Upon coming towards the shore I thought it wise to deposit the trunk -upon another and more remote portion of the beach. I did this, and, -after returning the boat, drove away, and later came back for the trunk. - -Upon reaching the house I found Miss Williams more at ease. She had -occupied her mind during my absence by collecting and placing in -Nannie’s room all of her belongings, even those of her own things that -her sister had used. She was inclined to talk to me and plan for the -future, but for this I had no heart, and little by little, as often as -I could do so without exciting her again, I told her that our life -together was ended. - -I did not do this with anger, and agreed to guard her secret so long as -it did not place my own life in danger. The housekeeping was broken up, -and very shortly thereafter Mr. Hatch took her to Milwaukee, where she -remained in a private institution until later in the summer. The cause -that had produced her unsound mental condition had been removed. - -Hatch did not know of her sister’s death for months afterward, and then -against my advice was it told to him, he supposing she had returned to -her Texas friends. All of the things that Minnie had separated from -her own were packed and taken to Englewood and were placed in a room -in the second story, where they were kept for several weeks until I -could obtain time to dispose of them, when I assorted some of them -and gave them to Pitezel, telling him that they were some that Miss -Williams had sent to his children. All the others were burned in the -large stove in the third-story office, and this I plainly told the -Philadelphia authorities in the fall of 1894, and all the subsequent -excitement occurred as a direct result of a visit made there by their -representative in verification of my statement. - -Another trunk, containing pictures and books, was not taken from the -express company owing to a mistake in charges, though Miss Williams -supposed this had also been disposed of, and this was the one later -returned to Fort Worth. Before going to Milwaukee, Miss Williams was in -such a nervous condition that only one important step was taken, which -was that her people in the South should suppose that she, together with -her husband and sister, had gone to Europe or elsewhere, this being -made easier inasmuch as some talk had been had earlier of a short fall -trip abroad if money matters would allow it. - -At about this time there occurred a very severe lake storm, July 18, -1893, doing much damage and it was hoped they would conclude that -all had perished during this storm. Certain it is that Miss Williams -wrote no more letters to her friends and did not appear publicly in -Chicago, if possible to avoid it, in order to carry out this idea, but -fortunately for my (our) present safety there are, as I shall show -later, several instances when she did appear and in my company. - -While she was in Milwaukee, I did what I could to arrange our business -affairs so that neither she nor myself should suffer loss, it being -impossible for her to make new transfers of a later date or to go -to Texas without abandoning the idea of deceiving her friends there -regarding her existence. - -I was determined, too, as soon as possible, to sever all my relations -with her, deeming it unsafe to continue them, and from time to time I -encouraged Hatch in his attentions to her, which he was more willing to -bestow than she to accept. - -Just here it would not be amiss to return to an exciting incident, -which lasted some days, in connection with one of my insurance cases. - -It happened shortly after the death of my medical friend and former -college chum. - -The sad announcement of his death—for to me it was a sad one—set me -to thinking. I began to seriously consider the chances of my carrying -out the plans which my old friend and I had spent so many anxious days -and nights in perfecting. The prospect was a good one, and I desired, -and finally determined, to carry at least one of them to a conclusion, -single-handed and alone. No person was to be in my confidence, and I -set to work getting my scheme in order. - -Some time previous to this I had, while in Minneapolis, insured my life -for $20,000 in favor of my wife. Failure in this one instance, where -my friend was concerned, made a desperate man of me. I determined to -succeed at any cost. The prospective profits in the work were most -alluring. The chance for detection, of course, must be guarded against, -and the contingencies of all other serious accidents which might arise, -and make exposure certain, had to be taken into consideration. - -Upon figuring up what the gross proceeds had been in similar -operations, the result showed me that, with the very modest outlay -of $3,950, they aggregated $68,700. This work one can easily see was -profitable beyond any legitimate work that might be entered into. - -The assessments having been paid up on my recent $20,000 policy to and -including the month of June, 1887, I thought that it was time to bring -this case to a close. - -In order to realize the $20,000 before September 1st, I accordingly -went to Chicago and had a long conversation with an acquaintance of a -year before, who was an assistant at —— Medical College, over certain -details of my proposed work. - -However, I found it more difficult to obtain a body that would prove a -substitute for my own. I had a “cow-lick” which could not be imitated -by artificial means, and it was absolutely necessary to get a subject -so favored by nature, and I had a most gloomy wait, lasting about two -weeks, going to the dead room of the college each morning to inspect -the “arrivals,” which had come in during the preceding twenty-four -hours. - -Finally, my patience was rewarded, about May 20th, when I was informed -that a man had been killed accidentally falling from a freight car. The -body in due time arrived, and after making a most minute and critical -examination of it, I determined that it was just what I required for my -purpose. Satisfactory arrangements having been made with the hospital -for my possession of the subject, I started out to ascertain the best -way to have it moved. - -It was here that a chain of most extraordinary and gruesomely -interesting circumstances began. All the precautions that the mind can -conceive and the body execute had to be brought into execution. No -chance for detection now could be entertained. No loophole for surprise -and discomfiture was to be left uncovered; and I had to do all that was -vitally necessary to this end alone. - -Knowing that I had a most trustworthy friend in a certain expressman, I -at once repaired to his abode. My surprise and discomfiture were great. -He was dead. He had died some time previously. All hope for assistance -in that quarter, naturally, had to be given up. - -From inquiries I made of the janitor of the college, I learned that -a certain expressman in the neighborhood could be employed for the -purpose I desired, as he had on former occasions been hired for -“outside work” by some of the men in the institution. - -I called at this man’s address, and after seeing him I stated my -business. “How much will you charge me for taking a body from —— -College to Polk Street Station?” I asked. - -“Five dollars,” was the reply this man gave me. - -This price being satisfactory to me, we started for the place where -I had ordered a trunk to be made according to a special design. This -trunk was one of more than ordinary large size, and externally it -resembled one of those iron-bound, burglar-proof arrangements jewelry -salesmen call sample cases. Inside, the construction was of a very -elaborate nature. - -The greater portion of it being occupied by a large zinc box of -sufficient dimensions to allow a man to occupy it by doubling his -joints, where doubling was necessary. This was fitted by a lid of wood -to deaden any sound that might be caused through the possible rattling -of the ice, which was to surround the inner box. The entire trunk was -made water-proof, but who knows how it could travel on a railroad train -without undergoing severe usage, and possible demolition? - -The trunk was taken to the college, the body placed in it with the aid -of the expressman, who did not seem to relish that sort of work. He -seemed to weaken at times, and once or twice I noticed him grow pale. -After the trunk was carefully packed and ready for conveyance to the -station, we found that it was almost too early to remove it. - -After standing about for some time, the Jehu grew more courageous, -inasmuch as he gazed through a few inverted liquor glasses when their -contents were amber-lined. He said:— - -“I can’t do this job for $5.” - -“Why not?” I asked, very much surprised. - -“Because, if I make a hearse of my wagon and personally act as -combination driver, undertaker and pall-bearer, I must have $35. If I -don’t get that sum, I shall inform the police that all is not right.” - -Of course I expostulated with the man, and resorting, as often before, -to my sugar-and-fly policy, I placated him, gave him $5 in cash and -promised the other $30 when we reached the station. - -This was all right, for he said if I did not pay he would have me -arrested instantly. - -In due course of time the trunk was carted to the Illinois Central -Station, and, after having it placed on the platform, the driver turned -to me and demanded the $30 forthwith. - -This was the chance I had been waiting for. - -“I shall not give you another cent,” said I. - -“Oh, yes, you will!” - -“Besides, I have a mind to demand the return of the $5 from you for -attempting to extort money from me.” - -“You would stand a great chance of getting it, too. Now, give me $30 or -to the ‘cops’ I go.” - -“You may go, but first listen to me and answer my questions. Did you -not, in the presence of the janitor and myself, help place the corpse -in the trunk? Did you not haul it here? Have you not assisted me in all -this work?” - -“Yes, I have.” - -“That man was murdered. Speak a word about it to any one, and I will -have you arrested as an accessory to his murder.” - -The driver was evidently very much frightened, as his eyes widened and -bulged, and his hair began to assume a perpendicular position. - -“The body must go in the lake,” I continued, “and let the waves bury it -forever from human sight. I hope you understand me.” - -Then he told me that he did not want any more money, and as I knew his -address, he would always be at my service at any future time. - -Having purchased my ticket for the timber lands of Michigan, I checked -my trunk, and it began its adventurous trip North. - -Everything had gone along as well as I could have wished until our -train was nearing Grand Rapids. My attention was attracted to a group -of trainmen standing about a trunk in the baggage section which -occupied the forward part of the smoker in which I was traveling. - -I got up and looked closer, and was almost stricken dumb with horror -when I saw that it was my trunk, and that the men were talking as -though they suspected something wrong with it. - -I immediately changed my plans about going North directly, and was in -a feverish state of excitement when we reached Grand Rapids. As soon -as the trunk was deposited in the baggage room, I went in as though to -claim it. As I did so, I noticed a stranger looking at me and on the -trunk in a manner which made me feel quite uncomfortable. I pretended -not to notice him, and thereby got a better chance to study him. I -soon concluded that he was a Secret Service man, and that I had been -“spotted.” - -Realizing that some decisive and telling action was necessary at this -time, I stepped to the telegraph office and wired myself at the hotel, -as follows:— - -“Holmes. Look after my trunk, which left Chicago this morning. - -(Signed) HARVEY.” - -The initial “H” was the same as that on my trunk, and when I got to -the hotel, I showed the clerk the telegram, which he held for me, -and engaged communicating rooms for Harvey and myself, with a bath -attachment. I sent a porter for the trunk, and after seeing it in the -rooms, I then learned the cause which attracted the attention of the -trainmen to it. My suspicions had been confirmed, for an awful odor -emanated from the trunk, and I then knew that the man had been dead -longer than the college attendants stated, and, also, that I had been -imposed upon. - -Fearing that such a contingency might arise, I formulated a plan while -on the smoking car of transferring the body from the Chicago trunk to -another, which I should purchase. - -After locking my room carefully, I started out to look for a suitable -trunk, but stopped long enough to tell the clerk that my baggage would -be on hand in the course of an hour or so. It was growing toward -evening, and I had but little time to spare. - -After looking about for a short while, I soon got a used trunk that -suited my purpose quite well. I ordered the lock to be changed on it, -and while this was being done I made several trips to a couple of -plumbing shops and bought a considerable quantity of old lead pipe. I -had this cut up into suitable lengths, and made into packages. I made -several trips to the trunk store, and each time I placed a package of -the heavy material in the new trunk, after which I had it sent to my -room at the hotel. This was done to make it appear that it was filled -with my effects. - -The day had been warm, and the night also promised to be sultry. No -time was to be lost in getting things in order and to guard against -surprises. - -During my several trips to the trunk store I noticed the man I first -saw at the Grand Rapids Station was looking after me, and I was placed -on my guard. - -As I said, the night was going to be warm; I knew that it would be but -a short time until all the floor I occupied would be permeated with the -odor from my friend in the trunk. - -I went out again and secured a water-proof hunting bag, and carried a -considerable amount of ice to the room, which I placed in the bath tub. - -I then took the lead pipe from my new trunk and laid it beside the -first one in the adjoining room. - -While doing this work the atmosphere became so stifling that I had to -hoist the window. This window opened out on the roof of a porch, and by -the time that was done it had grown quite dark. - -I decided to defer further work until after I had eaten. - -As I entered the dining room I could see the eye of that mysterious -stranger watching me in the reflection of the mirror from the bar. - -I was somewhat troubled at this, and I did not enjoy my dinner very -well. - -After my repast, I lounged out to the office and then went to my room. - -I went to the bath room first, drained the water from the ice, and -prepared a place for the dead man to lie in. When this was done to my -satisfaction, I went to the trunk my supposed friend was to occupy and -opened it. The usual balancing and cording precautions which I had -taken were all right, but the face that met my gaze was drawn, colored -and hideous, yet it somewhat resembled the outlines of my own when I -first secured the body. - -The sight was disgusting, yet when I looked upon it, and realized that -at least $20,000 would come to me after a little further trouble, I -gazed on it as a very good investment which was about to mature. - -The monetary possibilities of this work set me thinking, and yet I knew -I had in this instance to work rapidly. I loosed the cords, raised the -body, and carried it to the bath tub, where I sought to freeze it hard -enough for another day’s transportation. - -There, in the twinkling light of a solitary gas jet, lay all that was -mortal of—I knew not whom. - -I claimed him as my own, and as I studied the now rigid form, strange -questions arose and floated across my mind. - -Who was he? What had he been? Was he a father, a lover, or brother? Was -his absence from home noted? Was he cared for? Or, was he, like myself, -a wayward son? Such thoughts troubled me but little before, and yet, as -he lay there on his frozen bed, I, seemingly fascinated by the awful -solemnity of death, did not seem able to tear myself away. - -The gas flickered, a door slowly opened, and before I knew what had -transpired, I was given the opportunity of looking straight into the -eyes of the mysterious stranger—the Secret Service man—over the -glittering barrel of a death-dealing weapon. - -Not a word was spoken, but our eyes instinctively turned towards the -object in the bath tub. - -“Consider yourself under arrest, sir,” said the nocturnal intruder. - -“I am at your service,” I replied, knowing that it would be useless to -try conclusions with that man in such a small room. - -While he was getting some iron bracelets out of his pocket, I mentally -determined to have him in the street, glad enough to get away from me -and my rooms. - -I was ready for him when he walked out into the next room; he keeping -his pistol leveled at me with one hand, and trying to get his handcuffs -out with the other. - -By the merry little twinkle in his eye I read his character as though -it lay printed before me on an open page. It was part of my game, and -I intended to play my hand as well as I knew how. He seemed to hold a -good one, too, but as I had the greatest bower—money—I knew that it was -worth the while to play it as best I could. - -Desperate, indeed, did my situation become when I saw that he had a -companion awaiting us in the room, and a glance at the window explained -how their entrance had been effected. - -As we got into the chamber the man with the pistol, who was much larger -than his associate, looked at me and winked. - -“John, go to the station house, and wait until I send for you; but do -not say anything until you get word,” my captor said to the other. - -No sooner had the man called “John” gotten out on the porch roof than -the other turned to me with:—— - -“This is a nice sort of a business, and I have entrapped you neatly in -it. It looks very much like the rope for you.” - -“My dear sir, you will let me explain, I hope. This man was my brother. -He has just died of a malignant and very contagious disease. He had -been sent to a medical college for dissection, and when I learned of -it, I determined to save the body from the demonstrator’s knife. Come, -look again, and see if you cannot discern a family resemblance?” - -As I was talking, the man drew back, and, at my invitation, turned an -ashen color. His hands trembled, and as they dropped listlessly the -pistol fell to the floor and exploded with a loud report. - -Critical as the moment was, it was time for me to act, and I made a -successful effort to get the weapon, and as I did so, I ordered him to -go to the window and save his life if it was of any value to him. - -He lost no time, and as his form disappeared over the ledge of the -porch I fired a shot into the air. - -This of course brought the landlord and several guests to my door, -which I opened in response to repeated knockings. - -I was very much excited, apparently, and called out, “There, see, there -he goes.” The crowd of half-dressed men and women rushed to the window -and gave me a chance to close the bathroom door. Heavens, but I did -breathe more easily! The escape was a narrow one, but I succeeded in -allaying suspicion by saying that the man had attempted burglary, and -as I shot he jumped from the roof. - -The figure of a running man was discernible in the darkness when they -were at the window, which had the effect of verifying my explanations. - -After they had gone the landlord offered me the use of another room, -which I, of course, declined. - -Now my real hard work was to begin. The man was apparently satisfied -that I had told the truth, yet he had a suspicious look which I did not -like. - -As early as possible in the morning, I packed my own trunk with the -lead pipe, and to leave that of the fictitious Harvey, while I took my -dead friend from his frigid resting place, and repacked him in the new -trunk. Upon going to breakfast, I explained that I must go to a place -which was somewhat distant, on the early train; but would leave my -friend’s trunk in the room, as he was expected at any time. - -Therefore I had the porter take the newly-packed trunk to the station, -where he bought me a ticket and had the trunk checked to my pretended -destination. - -I timed myself to get to the station just as the train was going out, -and as the coast seemed clear, I boarded the smoker. - -I knew if the detective missed me, he would go at once to the hotel, -and if he found my trunk there he would naturally wait around for an -hour or so, thus giving me a pretty good start of him. - -When about thirty miles from Grand Rapids I got off to get a paper. -The newsstand was next to the Western Union Telegraph office, and as I -looked over the operator’s shoulder, he received the following message:— - -“Look out for man and black trunk. Left here this A. M. Arrest and hold -him.” - -I may have looked queerly, but I inquired in a natural way, how far it -was to ——, my destination. - -“Forty-eight miles,” was the reply of the operator; and without raising -his eyes, he called a boy to take the message to the station policeman. - -But he was too late. The train started, I swung on, and immediately -got hold of the baggage porter. I showed him my ticket, and asked him -to put my trunk off at the next station, which was but eight miles -distant. This he did, and it was a dismal place, indeed. When I got -off the train it was raining. It had been raining hard, evidently, all -night. The mud was hub deep on the lumber wagons, and the prospect of -stopping there was not a pleasant one. - -I learned, upon making inquiries, that I could get to a little town -fifteen miles distant, which connected with another railroad, and to -do this I would have to drive. I determined to go, however, as the -detective, no doubt, would haunt every station between Grand Rapids and -my destination until he got some trace of me, when he would learn that -I had gotten away from him. - -It was with difficulty that I secured a conveyance, which I did in -the evening, as I did not want a driver, because I knew the trunk had -become troublesome again on account of the odor of my dead companion. - -Having carefully attached the trunk to the rear of a back-number -buck-board, a dismal trip was begun. As I said, I had considerable -difficulty in getting the rig, and as it was I had to leave a deposit -large enough to buy several of that particular kind. - -After seven hours of the worst riding it has been my misfortune to -endure, I reached a small town from which a combination freight and -passenger train was about to leave. It was one of those accommodating -trains. I “saw” the conductor, who agreed to hold the train for half an -hour. - -This delay was for the purpose of giving me a chance to freshen my -subject up a little. Ice was not procurable, and as there was no drug -store in the town, I went down to the grocery store, got the proprietor -up and bought several bottles of ammonia, which, when combined with -one or two other simple things, made a solution that rendered my quiet -friend quite acceptable so far as one’s olfactories were concerned. - -This operation of attempted preserving was done in the privacy of -the baggage car, and all went well until we got about three miles -from town. Through the negligence of some section hands a rail was -left without the fish-plate being bolted on, and the whole train was -ditched. - -The engineer was killed, and the conductor was badly injured, as also -were two or three passengers. I escaped through a window, and after -helping some of the injured who needed surgical attendance, I went to -the baggage car. It was a wreck. So was most of the baggage. My trunk -and one or two others were intact, and while awaiting the arrival of -the relief train and wrecking crew, my thoughts again got to wandering. - -There was a score of us. Some were injured, one dead, and all of us -anxious. The morning was just breaking; the rain had ceased to fall; -and, as I looked away down the railroad, I could just distinguish a -cloud of steam and smoke, through the fog, which showed the approach of -a train. - -Something seemed to tell me that I was about to be confronted with -some disagreeable occurrence, and, in anticipation of this premonition -becoming a fact, I quickly hauled my trunk to a little shed used by -workmen, and impatiently awaited the wrecker. Therefore, I was not -astonished when I saw that the first man to alight was my friend, -the detective of Grand Rapids. He also saw me, but seemed to pay very -little attention to me, as he knew I could not escape, for by this time -it was broad daylight, and no trains coming or going. - -Finally he accosted me, and we entered into “an agreement” to have my -trunk taken to the junction of the road, which was done to my entire -satisfaction, and, I have every reason to think, to his also. Just what -that little agreement cost me I am not at liberty to say, for that -officer still lives. - -It was a dark and dreary day when I got into the wild wildernesses of -Northern Michigan’s lumber tracts. I was soon established in a hut, and -it shortly became known that I was a lumber operator of considerable -means, and was regarded with much consideration by the hardy hewers of -trees and strippers of bark. The men were all honest, it seemed. So one -day I went out in the evergreen forest and failed to return. - -A week or so later what was purported to be my dead body was found -pinioned to the earth by a fallen tree. Money and papers were found -in the clothes on the body which established my identity beyond the -question of a doubt. - -Thus, by case No. 5, after a great deal of trouble and thrilling -escapes from the law’s officers, I added the neat little sum of $20,000 -to my bank account by September 1st, as I had anticipated. - -When I had finished with the trunk I presented it to a friend, but at -the time did not tell to what use it had been put. - -Some years afterwards I met him at his home, and told him all about it. -Then he and his wife declared that often they had found it open—no one -having touched it—when both declared it had been closed and locked the -day previous. - -One day in July, 1893, I met an old friend upon the street. I had not -seen him for nearly two years, and I noticed at once that he had not -prospered since I last saw him. I asked him to accompany me to lunch, -and upon inquiry, he told me that his only means of support at that -time consisted of what he could earn as a solicitor for the Fidelity -Insurance Company of Philadelphia, and he asked me if I could not carry -some insurance in his company, to which I replied that I was carrying -all I felt able to pay for. - -I gave him, however, the names of several parties whom he was to visit, -some of whom he later insured. I invited him to come to the office and -accompany me to lunch whenever he was in that part of the city, and -later, at his solicitation, I abandoned the company in which I had been -insured, and allowed him to place a policy for me with his company -for two reasons: _first_, that he might be benefited by the premiums -I paid; _second_, upon his showing me the advantages they offered. -Considerably later, having exhausted all my resources so far as finding -him customers was concerned, we were standing within the Chamber -of Commerce Building, Chicago, when Pitezel, just returning from a -successful Southern lumber trip, came in; and not having seen my friend -for quite awhile, they talked for some time together, and finally he -asked Pitezel if he could not carry some insurance. Pitezel answered -that he did not care to do so then. - -Up to that time Pitezel’s insurance record was as follows: Upon all -long trips, his instructions were to take out temporary insurance at -the time he bought his transportation ticket or mileage, making the -policies in favor of his family, and at my expense. He had occasionally -carried yearly accident insurance, and upon one occasion some regular -life insurance in the Washington Life Co. Soon after this meeting with -Pitezel, my friend asked me to try and induce him to take some in his -company. Pitezel was about to receive several hundred dollars, the -greater part of which I knew would, in a very few days, be wasted, -and considering the great help it would be to my friend during the -coming winter, I decided to induce Pitezel to insure, telling my friend -beforehand my reasons for doing so, and instructing him to place no -more insurance than Pitezel would pay cash for at the time. - -Later, a policy was issued for $10,000, for which a cash premium was -paid. This policy differed very materially from one I should have -chosen, if any fraud had been anticipated at the time. After this I do -not think insurance was again mentioned between Pitezel and myself for -six months. - -[Illustration: MRS. PITEZEL.] - -My first intimate acquaintance with Mrs. Pitezel and her children began -in the fall of 1893, although I had often seen them prior to that, -especially the children, whom I liked and looked upon as remarkably -bright when they had come to me from time to time upon errands. At this -time Pitezel had gone to Indiana on some lumber business there among -the farmers, and to aid him in establishing a credit, had taken with -him some worthless checks to carelessly exhibit among his money, thus -having it appear that he was a man of considerable means and worthy of -credit in his business. - -While under the influence of liquor he either lost or tried to use one -of these checks or drafts, resulting in his being arrested. - -This necessitated my making three special trips to Terre Haute, where -his arrest occurred, and during this time a part of his family being -sick, it was also necessary for me to visit them often as well. In -November, 1893, I met Miss Williams by appointment at a hotel, where I -made some preliminary arrangements that resulted later, after several -more visits, in her accepting collateral security for all her real -estate holdings in Texas, they being valueless to her for the reasons -previously given. - -The last of these visits took place in Detroit in December, 1893 -(nearly six months after the death of her sister), since which time -I have not personally seen her. At the time of this visit a final -settlement was reached. I told her, after having reached such a -settlement, that I was very shortly to be married. This created so -severe a scene that she not only threatened my life, but that of my -prospective wife as well. These threats ceased only when I told her I -should, upon my return to Chicago, give to the authorities the details -of the tragedy that had occurred there in July. - -The next day she seemed as pleasant as usual, and planned her own -future course, which consisted in opening a massage establishment in a -London hotel, Hatch to help her in conducting the enterprise. - -About the middle of February I sent to her, from Fort Worth, $1,750, -which, when deducted from my previous indebtedness due her, left me -still considerably in her debt. This was secured by the Wilmette -property, the title to which it was agreed she should hold until all -was paid. I left Miss Williams in Detroit, apparently well pleased with -her business arrangements, and at least passably satisfied that the -many other matters between us had been settled. - -Early in January, 1894, I sent Pitezel to Fort Worth, instructing -him to sell the real estate there which previously had been conveyed -to Benton T. Lyman, whom Pitezel was to personate, it not being safe -for him to act in his own name on account of his recent trouble in -Terre Haute, Ind. He did not succeed in readily finding a purchaser, -and later in the same month, having been married in the meantime, I -joined him there to aid him in his work. I had given Pitezel careful -instructions as to his conduct while away, but I found upon reaching -Fort Worth that he had not been governed by them. My first duty was -to remove him from the boarding place he had chosen to one in a more -respectable quarter, but the mischief had already been accomplished, -and he was known by that time throughout the town as a liberal, -free and easy drinking man, who, it was understood, had considerable -property. - -A party owning property adjoining that which we wished to sell had need -of a portion of ours, but would not buy, depending upon renting it -at a very small figure, as he had been doing heretofore. In order to -force him to buy I directed Pitezel to withdraw his offer, and remain -wholly away from him, quietly survey our lot, and proceed to excavate a -portion of it, having it understood that he was about to erect a large -building, covering all of the ground. Our neighbor was fully as crafty -as ourselves, and not until we had caused elaborate drawings to be -prepared by an architect, and some foundation laid encroaching upon the -portion he needed, did he conclude to buy, and at a figure about twice -what it was worth. With a portion of this money, the old encumbrance of -$1,700, that had existed against the property, was paid. Then having -had some tempting offers from prospective tenants, a larger loan was -made and the building later nearly completed. - -While the building was in progress there came to us a forlorn looking -object, begging for work, and out of charity we gave him some light -labor to do. He grew stronger as soon as he procured food. Later he -confided to me that he had recently been released from serving a -ten-year term in a Southern prison. - -I had at first called him “Mascot,” which name clung to him thereafter, -though I think his real name was Caldwell. - -Early in March Pitezel came to me one morning to say that the day -before while drunk he had been induced by some of the disreputable -associates he had formed at his former boarding place to marry a woman -of doubtful character, an adventuress some said, and that as soon as -he became sober had come to me. He threatened to shoot both the woman -and himself. I had him watched carefully for a few days, until I had -reasoned him out of this idea. A little later I sent him home to his -family in Chicago. He had in the meantime lived with this woman, and -they were known as Mr. and Mrs. Lyman. - -Upon reaching Chicago he did some work there, and in St. Louis where -he afterwards went. He finally met me about May 1st, at Denver, where -I had gone to prepare papers with which to secure a loan of $16,000 -upon this Fort Worth building. I needing his signature to the papers, -inasmuch as the property was (and still is) in his fictitious name, -Lyman, upon meeting him in Denver, I wished to proceed at once to -the Court House to have the necessary papers acknowledged, but he -told me he had, while away, devised a plan whereby he could not only -gain $10,000, but at the same time forever do away with any fear of -prosecution or trouble in consequence of his marriage in Fort Worth—a -matter which had perpetually worried him. - -I had times without number listened to his visionary schemes for -obtaining vast wealth upon a day’s notice, usually in connection with -some new patent, until such matters had become a joke between us. - -So I said to him, “Well, Col. Sellers, what is it now?” He replied -that it was one of my own inventions, and if I would go to the hotel -with him, he would tell me of it. He seemed so much in earnest that I, -although in a great hurry, went with him. - -His plan was this (I should say here that several years before, while -making a Southern lumber trip with him, he had taken up some of the -tedious hours of the journey in telling me of his wild gold-mining -experiences, and, in reciprocation, I had told him something of my -medical experience, including a part of the frustrated insurance -scheme): He wished to hire an office in one of the highest buildings -in Denver, having it understood that he was to use it as a wholesale -book agent’s office; that he should buy an awning to protect the room -from the sun, and while placing it in position upon the outside of the -window it should appear that he had fallen into the area way below, -wishing me to have shipped to him from Chicago, or elsewhere, a body -which he could use to aid in the fraud. - -I do not think we talked of the matter to exceed fifteen minutes. He -was accustomed to accept my judgment upon matters of importance without -much hesitancy. I proceeded to give him several reasons why his plan -was not a feasible one, principal among which was the fact that at the -present time insurance companies are too well equipped and too much -upon the alert not to detect this kind of fraud, nearly all of them -having a corps of private detectives. Among other reasons I gave him -was one he very well knew, that theretofore, when I had thought it wise -to indulge in business transactions that were not strictly legitimate, -I had always insisted upon two conditions being carried out:— - -_First_, that such proceedings should be outside the regular beaten -track followed by ordinary disreputable schemers, for in consequence -thereof those engaged in them were closely watched. _Second_, that all -such acts should stop short of anything that was punishable by either a -large fine or imprisonment. - -There was another reason I had for not entering into this fraud at -that time, if no others had existed, I did not tell him of it, namely, -that during the previous years he had been worth to me much more than -$10,000 per year, and I could not afford to have him place himself in -such a position as would necessarily be the case if this were carried -out where I could not further use him. His idea in regard to this had -been to go to South America and later have his family join him there. - -Having dismissed the matter, I went on with my real estate work, and as -soon as the papers were executed, returned to Fort Worth, Pitezel going -back to St. Louis to attend to some work there. - -Upon reaching Fort Worth, I found that some to whom money was owing -had filed mechanics’ and furnishers’ liens against the property, and -this so alarmed the party who was to have made the large loan that he -withdrew from his agreement, and this resulted in a large number of the -other creditors becoming alarmed, some two or three proposing to cause -my arrest for having obtained the material for the building under false -pretenses of payment. - -I had never been arrested, and I had the same horror of it that I would -of being shot. Especially terrible seemed the methods prevalent in the -South, where I had seen, from time to time, convicts chained together, -with hardly any clothing, and if I could believe the reports our -“Mascot” had given us, with less food and more inhuman treatment than -was accorded the slaves of that region forty years ago. - -I therefore raised what money I could, paying all of it, save $200, to -the poorer laborers who had worked for me, and immediately left the -city, intending to secure the loan in St. Louis or Chicago. - -From time to time, during my residence in Fort Worth, I had bought from -different parties six good horses, paying for them, it is true, for -the most part with notes guaranteed by Lyman as the owner of the real -estate there. I make no claim that these notes have been paid, but I -do claim that the transactions were lawful, that no mortgage or other -encumbrance existed against any of the horses, but they were, however, -subject to attachment by any parties whom I was owing, and to avoid -this I instructed “Mascot” to take them to Denison, Texas, and ship -them from there to St. Louis. - -Upon reaching Denison he shipped five of the horses, but failed to -accompany them himself, or to send $300 worth of other material, -including much of my clothing, one carriage, a watch I had loaned him, -and $80 cash given him to pay the freight upon the stock; nor did I -hear from him again until July, 1895, when, as an inmate of an Arkansas -prison, he was willing in exchange for his liberty to tell of matters -of which he could not have known even had they existed. - -After reaching St. Louis, I immediately tried to negotiate the loan I -had failed to secure in the South. Pitezel was feeling much annoyed at -my failure there, for he had expected a rather more liberal payment -therefrom than he had received during the few preceding months, owing -to the fact that while he had been in Texas it had been necessary, -in order to appear that he was the owner there, that he should carry -the bank account in his name, and before he had known it, during his -drunkenness, he had been robbed little by little of nearly $1,000. -Therefore, when I told him that we should be short of money for some -time longer, he again advocated the insurance scheme, saying that it -could be carried out in the Southern Lumber Co. - -He felt sure, and finally, against my better judgment, I told him -we would take a trip to the region he had spoken of, partly upon -lumber business and partly to look over the ground in connection with -the insurance work. He was as pleased as a child, and all his morose -feelings vanished at once. We first went down the Mississippi River to -visit a lumber tract that had been offered to me the year before upon -very easy terms, hoping to buy it, using some Chicago securities as -payment, and by selling at once to raise the money we so much needed -at Fort Worth. We found upon reaching our destination that this tract -had been sold. We then went East to the Tombigbee River in search of -another similar tract, and here Pitezel wished to have it appear that -while he was traveling upon horseback through the extensive swamps -he had met his death accidentally, or had been killed for what money -he was supposed to have carried. He was known in that locality under -his own name, having transacted a number of legitimate lumber deals -there the year before. After wandering with Pitezel for several days -through those swamps, being eaten by fleas and terrified by snakes, he -walking ahead, as he said, to drive them away, but, as I later found, -to escape their anger by passing out of their reach, leaving them for -me to contend with, I flatly refused to go farther with the scheme, -but told him instead that I would interest some of the planters in a -canning factory. - -With the machinery which I was able to furnish from Chicago I felt -sure that, before sixty days, we could realize $15,000 in cash and -lumber therefrom. He would not hear to it, however, and opposed me -more strongly than I had ever known him to do previously. He told me -that at that time he was liable to arrest in Kansas, in Terre Haute, -Ind., and Fort Worth, Texas, and that since his domestic trouble some -years before in Chicago he had cared less than ever, and he had been -determined ever since he left Texas, where he had drank more heavily -than before (which also worried him), that he would leave the country, -and now, if he could not do so, he would, upon my refusal to go on, go -through with his scheme alone. His words were, “I can furnish a body, -and, the way I feel now, I do not care how quickly I do it.” Seeing how -downhearted he was I complained no more, but talked with him of other -things, and finally told him that I would next day go to Mobile, and if -I could procure a suitable body there, would return with it. If not, -I should go direct from Mobile to St. Louis, where he must join me, -and, after doing some work there, we would go to Chicago and organize a -company among certain lumber firms we knew, and return South later and -make what money we could by exchanging this stock and machinery for the -canning factory into lumber and other products. I therefore left him, -as he supposed, to go to Mobile. This I did not do, and have never been -in that city in my life. I returned at once to St. Louis and, after a -little delay, wrote to Pitezel that it had been impossible to obtain -what I needed South and for him to join me at once. Nearly two weeks’ -delay occurred before he came. His wife had been receiving letters from -him that he was sick during this time. - -Later, after his death, I learned that upon receiving my letter that -I could not do any more in the insurance matter he had made an effort -to take his life at the hotel of Henry Rodgers, at Perkinsville, -Ala., and for days, as a result of this ineffectual attempt, he was -sick there, as he was later at the Gilmer House, at Columbus, Miss. As -soon as I reached St. Louis I found that all efforts towards securing -a loan there were useless, and being nearly out of money, owing to -my having paid out so much before leaving Fort Worth, I had to look -sharply about for some immediate source of revenue. I finally bought -and took possession of a drug store in that city, paying for it with -notes secured by a chattel mortgage and some other securities. Owing -to the negligence of the firm of whom I bought, this mortgage was not -recorded, and upon Pitezel reaching the city I sold to him all my -right, title and interest (this being the wording of the bill of sale) -in the store, which he immediately mortgaged for a considerable sum. - -For this transaction I was arrested and confined in the St. Louis -jail for several days until, although I perhaps could, by a legal -fight, have shown that I had a right to sell the store under these -circumstances, it became clear to me that it was safer to settle the -matter, which was done. - -My arrest occurred on a Saturday evening, and from then until Monday -morning I was confined in the receiving portion of the jail, below the -level of the street, and these few hours of my first imprisonment were -far more trying to me than my subsequent experiences of like nature -have been. - -Here, all through that long, hot Sunday, all classes of prisoners, both -male and female, were brought together, and allowed to indulge in the -most filthy and obscene talk. - -And at the open windows, opening directly upon the sidewalk, all day -and far into the night, a crowd was standing, more than half of whom -were tiny children, eagerly drinking in each word that was said. The -next morning I had handcuffs placed upon my wrists, and was taken -into Court and later into the jail proper, where better discipline -was enforced. Here I was consigned to a very small iron cage (I know -no better name for it), one of about three hundred, ranged tier above -tier around a large area in which all, or nearly all, the prisoners -are allowed to exercise together during certain hours of the day. Here -were to be seen many noted criminals, who were soon pointed out to -me as “This is so and so, who is to be hung upon such a date.” (About -thirty murderers, one of whom was the prison barber, who if you paid -him ten cents, would shave you with a very dull razor, while if you -paid him more he would use a sharp one; and as I sat in his chair, I -could not help thinking that which ever one he used was plenty sharp -enough for him to commit one more murder with, if he chose, and I -therefore directed him to use his sharpest razor at a price above his -own figure, very much as I would have held out a tempting piece of meat -to a vicious dog which I feared was about to bite me.) - -Or, “That is the notorious forger or confidence man,” as the case might -be. Among others was one, a noted train robber then serving an eighteen -years’ sentence, and who a short time previously had become more -notorious by a nearly successful attempt at escape from the prison. He -is a young man, whom, to meet upon the street, one would suppose to be -a bright mechanic or a farmer. He is very intelligent, and I took much -interest in talking with him. He told me of the case that had resulted -in his arrest; of his subsequent trial, and remarked that Blank & Blank -in St. Louis were his attorneys; to which I replied that but for the -fact of the senior members of the firm being absent on a vacation they -would have been my attorneys as well, I having first sent for them, and -finding this to be the case had employed Judge Harvey instead. - -He afterwards asked me if, upon leaving the prison, I could not -contribute $300, which, together with some other money he could obtain, -would give him his liberty by bribing one of the keepers, making a -claim that he had successfully done so before. My answer was, that at -the present time I had less ready money than had been the case for -years previously, owing to my having invested so much in the South. I -told him if I could arrange to aid him later I would do so, but I made -no engagement with him to furnish me with an attorney for the insurance -work as has been claimed, for I was already acquainted with the firm. - -The balance of my short stay in this prison was taken up by my reading -“Les Misérables,” a peculiarly interesting volume to me under the -circumstances, and I judge it was to all prisoners who cared for -reading, as was evidenced by the condition of the book itself, -which I obtained from the prison library. I was also entertained by -watching a huge negro being prepared to meet his death by hanging, -by having alternately administered to him spiritual consolation from -his confessors, large quantities of cigars to smoke, food to eat and -liquor or beer to drink. A so-called death watch was kept also, but -not so stringent but that he was allowed to go alone to the front of -the compartments occupied by his favorite companions, and talk at some -length with them. - -Next morning, upon looking from my latticed window across into the -court yard, I saw him meet his death upon the gallows in the presence -of a large and morbidly curious crowd of people. If I had been in need -of any warning to deter me from almost immediately placing myself in a -similar position, I know of no stronger one that I could have received -than to witness this man’s death struggles, to see the crowd making -light of it, and almost before he was dead quarreling to possess small -portions of the rope which sent his soul hence, and, I think, of his -clothes. Gruesome relics they were, indeed. - -Upon the day I was liberated from this place of confinement, I visited -first my own attorney and later Blank & Blank, in the same street, at -which time the following conversation took place. Entering the office, -and having explained who I was, I said:— - -“I have called on you to perhaps make some arrangements that will aid -in securing the liberty of your client,” to which one of the firm to -whom I spoke, replied, “I guess you have made a mistake in the office; -I know nothing in regard to the matter.” I said, “I am sure I have made -no mistake in the office, and furthermore, have seen either you or your -brother talking to him at the prison. However, my visit to you was to -aid your client, and of no immediate value to me, and I have no desire -to force the recognition of your client upon you, and will therefore -bid you good day.” Upon my withdrawing to the door, he followed me, and -said, “Wait a moment; I will go down to the prison and see what my -client means; you come here again, shortly.” - -I replied that I should be in Judge Harvey’s office, and upon his -return he could call there if he wished to talk further with me. -I would then accompany him to his office. He did call for me, and -upon reaching his private office was willing and ready to talk. Our -conversation resulted in my placing in his hands for collection nearly -$500 worth of good accounts, authorizing him to apply $300 of the -proceeds to the robber’s use. I also gave him my Chicago address, in -case he wished to write me. - -As I was leaving his office he said, “My client wished me to ask you, -if he succeeds in gaining his liberty, if you will aid him in a certain -piece of bank work he wishes to do.” I replied that it was wholly out -of my line, and I should be of no more service to him in such work than -a dead man; moreover, my recent imprisonment had shown me the necessity -of being even more careful to avoid laying myself liable to arrest in -the future, but that I would furnish the chloroform and nitroglycerine -he needed upon my arrival in Chicago, and have it placed in a safe -place with a suit of clothes and other articles we had planned during -our interview, and possibly might aid him later in disposing of certain -bonds and stocks he expected to gain possession of; but that there -would be ample time to plan for that after he had gained his liberty, -for which I would watch the papers closely. - -Upon this I left his office, and started for Chicago the same evening, -where I had previously sent Pitezel to commence arrangements among the -lumber men whom he knew for the formation of the stock company before -mentioned. I reached Chicago August 1, 1894, and upon calling upon my -attorney there and also my agent, both assured me that it was dangerous -for me to stay in Chicago, as there were then Fort Worth parties there -looking for me, and forming an alliance with some persons whom I was -owing to cause my arrest, and thereby force me to procure the money due -them. - -My attorney instructed me to go elsewhere if I thought sufficient money -could be made to satisfy these debts and organize my company, and upon -my asking him where I should go, he told me that either New York or -New Jersey were favorable States in which to organize companies to do -business elsewhere. Having other business in New York I decided to go -there, though under a different name, lest the granting of a charter -to a company of which I was an officer should, by being published, be -noticed by the Fort Worth parties. - -I suggested to Pitezel that he should finish some patents, one of -which I wished to use in this company, and it was later decided that -he should go with me to New York to act as one of the incorporators -and to work upon his patents in some small shop he was to hire for -the purpose. Before leaving Chicago he reminded me that his insurance -premium would be due before our return, and wished me to give him the -money to pay it before he went away, remarking that he still thought -I would be glad to fall back upon this plan of getting money after my -company had failed me. I told him that, owing to the stringency of our -money matters, I had allowed my own insurance to lapse and wished he -would do the same. He was not willing to do this, advancing, besides -the reason already given, that while it was safe for me to allow my -insurance to lapse, as I had other things with which to protect those -dependent upon me in case of my death, he had little or nothing. He -also knew that I had collected a considerable sum of money since -coming to Chicago, and could, if necessary, give him what was needed. -I finally settled the matter to his satisfaction in the following -manner: Upon the day his insurance expired I was to give him sufficient -money to take out a three months’ accident policy for $5,000; it was -supposed he at that time carried $1,000 of the same kind of insurance, -and I agreed to be personally responsible to his family to the extent -of $4,000 in case he died, this aggregating the sum of $10,000. He -was satisfied with this, it being agreed that at the end of three -months, when our money matters were in a more flourishing condition, -his regular insurance should be renewed. During our trip to New York, -in my talk with him, not having had much opportunity to plan and hold -genial conversation together since he left Fort Worth months before, -I noticed that he was not as pleasant as usual, was more inclined to -sit by himself and smoke and think and frown and worry. I spoke to him -of it, and asked him if he had encountered any new trouble at home, to -which he answered that he had not. - -We reached New York about August 5th, I think. I went to the Astor -House and he secured a boarding place near Thirty-third street. I at -once commenced to look about for some small space in a shop where he -could carry on his work. - -Up to this time, since I had sent Miss Williams the various sums -aggregating $1,500 from Texas, during the preceding winter, I had -received only two letters from her, both forwarded to me from New York -through a friend in Denver, who had acted as my agent in the matter. -About the time I left Fort Worth, I had written her asking that she -send me $600. I found this amount awaiting me at New York in Bank of -England notes, which I later converted into United States currency at -Drexel & Co., in Philadelphia and in New York. - -For the first few days of my stay in New York, I was busy visiting -several large machinery stores and in doing some other work pertaining -to my company’s business of years before. Upon the morning of the 9th -of August, Pitezel reminded me that his insurance expired that day, and -requested that I aid him in placing his temporary insurance. - -I had been waiting for him to make this announcement. He had a very -valuable, undeveloped patent, nearly finished, a machine for testing -eggs, which I wished to use at once. I therefore said to him, suppose -I pay you $500 cash for your share of the new patent (I by previous -contract already owned one-half of it), then you can use the money as -you choose, both for insurance and other matters. He answered that he -ought not to take less than a $1,000. I finally gave him $600 for it, -and upon his asking me which he should do, retain his old insurance -or take out the new, I at once advised him to retain the old, for two -reasons: _First_, it would help my old friend again. _Second_, if he -took the third insurance, long before the expiration of that time his -money would have been blown away, and I should feel obliged to give him -more. - -He then said, “I will go and telegraph to the company in Chicago, and -see if they will keep my insurance in force until the money can reach -them.” I said, wire them the money instead. This was apparently a new -idea to him, for after understanding it he not only wired them what was -due, but also a small amount to St. Louis to his wife. I, as usual, -cautioned him to be careful of the rest of the money, and make it last -as long as he could. Besides this I had done all I could to cheer him -up, and get him out of the morbid condition he had been in, and he -voluntarily promised that for the following thirty days he would not -drink liquor. - -He told me afterwards that so hard did he try to keep his promise after -I left him in New York that he went to the post-office there, and sent -by registered letter to B. F. Perry[1] in Philadelphia, nearly all the -money he had, so as to place himself beyond temptation for the first -hard days of his struggle. At this time I had come to Philadelphia -to meet my wife, to do some business with the Link Belt Engineering -Company, with some stationers and with the Pennsylvania Railroad, all -of whom were using a patent in which I was interested. Upon reaching -Philadelphia I found that this and other work would detain me some -time, and not knowing of Pitezel’s precaution already taken, and -fearing lest he should become drunk in New York, I wrote to him to come -here. This he did, and, deciding to make our headquarters here, I hired -some rooms for my wife and myself. - -He immediately commenced to look about for a part of a shop in which -to do his work. My wife was taken seriously ill about this time, and -continued so during the remainder of our stay in Philadelphia. I was -not able to be away from the house more than a few hours at a time, and -therefore did not see as much of Pitezel as I otherwise should. About -the middle of August he told me he had hired an entire house at 1316 -Callowhill street, it being but little more expensive than a shop. That -he had met another patent man who had promised to pay a part of the -rent, remarking at the same time that when I got ready to help him in -what he wished to do, he would buy out the other man’s business or move -elsewhere, and if I perfected my company and went South to unload it, -he, if he could make any money in his patent exchange, would have his -family come to Philadelphia for the winter, as under the name of Perry -he did not fear trouble. - -I did not have anything to do with the leasing of the house, nor was I -in it to exceed four times prior to the day before his death. - -Upon Saturday, September 1st, I called on him to execute some patent -papers to send to Washington, and at this time he certainly was doing -a good business. During the time I was there no less than twenty -customers called, some of them being agents he was supplying with -certain washing and cleaning compounds that he manufactured. He had -also surrounded himself with a great number of models of patents he -was trying to sell for other parties on commission. So busy was he, -that after waiting patiently for a long time, I told him I would go to -my house and would return next day to execute the work he wished to -do. Just before leaving he asked me to lend him $30 or $35, saying he -wished to use it to pay his rent that was then due and to place some -advertisements in the next day’s papers, explaining to me that all his -money was in two large bills, which he did not wish to change until -necessary, as, if once broken, he feared he would spend them faster. - -I laughingly said to him, “Ben, you are sure they are not spent -already?” He answered, “Oh, no! I have them placed away safely -upstairs; I can go up and get them if you want me to;” and then started -as if to do so. I gave him the money, saying that I did not require him -to verify his statement. - -That evening he came to my place of residence at about 8.30. I noticed -at once that he had been drinking, and spoke to him of it, though not -in anger, as it had always been my custom to wait until he became -sober before chiding him. He told me that he had received word that -one of his children was sick, and it might become necessary for him -to go home. I asked him which child it was, and also told him he had -better telegraph and instruct his wife to wire him if she thought it -was necessary for him to go. He then spoke of leaving his business, and -asked me what he should do about it if the man he was expecting to take -an interest with him did not come on at once. I told him I thought it -best for him to select the most trustworthy of his agents to leave in -the office for a few days, reminding him that I had to go to St. Louis -upon some legal business early in the week, and therefore could not aid -him. I then bade him good night, telling him I had to go to the market -near by before it should be closed. He said he would go with me. He -waited at the market while I made my purchases, and returned with me -almost without speaking. I then again said “good night.” - -He said, “Can’t you come out again? I want to see you.” I told him -as my wife was not well, I could not very well be absent longer, -attributing his unusual request to his having been drinking; I also -reminded him that I was to see him early the next day. He said in -reply, “Then come out a moment now, and I will go home.” I did so, and -he said, “You will have to let me have some money in case I have to go -to St. Louis.” I said, “that will hardly be necessary; use what you -have, and if the child dies or other unforeseen expense arises, I shall -be in St. Louis during the week, and can then see to it.” He replied, -“Well, I will have to tell you; I have not got any money save what -you gave me to-day, and I have used part of that for liquor instead -of paying my rent with it.” I said, “Ben, this makes over $1,600 you -have wasted in debauchery and drink within the last seven months while -your family have needed it. I am done. I told you in Fort Worth if it -occurred again I should settle our business affairs, and thereafter -you would have to care for yourself. I don’t want to talk with you -to-night, but to-morrow I will go to your house, and I want to settle -up not only the patent work, as we had intended, but all our other -affairs, and in the future if I can spare any money it will be given -to your family instead of to you, but I will go to see them upon my -arrival in St. Louis, and will, if the child is dangerously sick, send -you money to go home with.” - -He said they had no money then to live on. I said, “If I find this to -be so, I will give them some. It will not be the first time I have done -so, and far in excess of what would have come to them had you been -working elsewhere. For your own part, you will have to keep sober here -in Philadelphia in order to make a living, which I know you can do if -you try.” He was crying at the time. He then asked me if I would not -help him to carry out the insurance work, having it appear he had been -robbed there in the Callowhill street house. I replied, that inasmuch -as he was persisting in drinking, it would not be a month after it -was carried out before he told some one of it. He said, “You are in -earnest; you will not help me anymore; I can do nothing alone.” - -I replied, “I am in earnest, and will talk it all over with you -to-morrow, and plan as best we can for the family,” and again bade him -good night, and as he reluctantly started away I asked him to promise -me not to drink again that evening, and to go at once to his home and -to bed. - -He promised to do this after first going again to the telegraph office -to see if there were any messages for him. He then left me, and that -is the last time I ever saw him alive. - -I wish to say, however, that while I thought it wise and for his -advantage for him to suppose he had got to care for himself in the -future, I had no intention of abandoning him, if for no other reason -than that he was too valuable a man, even with his failings taken into -consideration, for me to dispense with. I should have gone through -a form of settlement with him next day, and upon my return from St. -Louis, if I found him sober, have gone on as before. - -The next morning I went to the Callowhill street house, reaching there -about 11 o’clock, entering with a key he had given me some weeks before -to use if I came there in his absence. I found no one in the front -portion of the house, and passed back into the kitchen; finding that -also deserted, I went to the stairway and called him by name; receiving -no answer, I went up the stairs so that I could look into the room -where he slept. - -He was not there, and I was much worried, thinking that, instead of -coming home as he had promised, he had gone about the city and perhaps -had been arrested. Upon returning to the kitchen, however, I noticed -that there were evidences of a fire having recently been built in the -stove, and, therefore, did not think more of the matter, concluding -that he had gone to the post-office or telegraph office. - -I then left the house, but before doing so I placed a chair in a narrow -passageway at the end of a counter, to denote to him, if he returned -before I did, that I had been there. I went to the Mercantile Library -and read the foreign papers for about an hour, went to a place on -Eleventh street where I had a box for my private mail, and then, buying -a Philadelphia Sunday paper, I returned to the Callowhill street house, -entering as before. - -The chair was as I had left it. I sat down for a few minutes to read, -then went into the kitchen and rekindled the fire, so that he could -prepare us a light lunch as soon as he returned, while I was making up -the necessary papers. - -The fire soon making the lower rooms uncomfortably warm, I went up -stairs and lay down upon his bed and resumed the reading of the -paper. While there I noticed an unusual odor and finally got up. Upon -going into the adjoining room I found perhaps two dozen small bottles -containing a certain cleaning fluid upon the mantel, some of which were -uncorked. This fluid contained some chloroform, ammonia and benzine -among other ingredients, all being of a volatile nature. - -[Illustration: HOLMES BURNING PITEZEL’S CLOTHING IN CALLOWHILL STREET -HOUSE.] - -I don’t know how long I stayed there, nor what time it was when I -finally thought it best to go home, and I then went down stairs to his -desk to write him a note. There among the paper I found a note written -in a cipher we sometimes used, which read, “Get letter in bottle in -cupboard,” or words to that effect. (This note being one that no one -could read without my aid, I carried it in the small watch pocket of my -pantaloons, until in Toronto, having a new suit of clothing made, from -which my tailor had omitted such a pocket, I placed the note in a tin -box of papers that later was taken by the authorities. The note is now, -or should be, in their hands.) - -I went to the kitchen cupboard, which was the only one I had noticed in -the house, and there I found a whiskey flask, within which I could see -some paper. - -To get at it I quickly broke the bottle, and upon opening the letter -I read, “I am going to kill myself, if I can do it. You will find me -up stairs. I am worth more dead than alive.” I did not wait to finish -the letter at that time, but went hurriedly up stairs. The only place -on the second floor I had not had occasion to visit that morning was a -small room under the stairway, and looking into it I found it empty. - -I then ran up this stairway to the third story, a portion of the house -I had never before been in. - -It consisted of two low, small rooms, each having one small window. -The door to one of these rooms was open. I instinctively turned to the -room that was closed. Thrusting open the door and stepping within, I -saw Pitezel lying upon the floor. I rushed to him, but before I had -remained longer than to remove a large towel that was wrapped around -his head, and not having time to find if he were alive, I was forced, -owing to the overpowering odor of chloroform, together with the shock -of coming upon him so suddenly and in such a condition, to leave the -room, falling upon my knees and crawling a portion of the way until I -finally reached the window in the adjoining room, which I opened, and -in a few minutes had recovered myself sufficiently to return to the -room where Pitezel lay, but again was forced to leave before I could -make a satisfactory examination. - -This time I had opened the window in this room as well, and presently -was able to ascertain that he was dead. I then went to the hallway and -sat down upon the stairs. I do not know how long I sat there, nor what -I thought in the meantime. I had not yet wholly recovered from the -effects of the chloroform, and was dazed. This was not due to having -come suddenly upon a dead body, for my medical experience of years -before had rendered me accustomed to disagreeable sights and scenes—but -the man had been to me far more than an ordinary employee; one whom, -although most of our tastes were dissimilar, I had always liked and had -had fewer disagreements with than would likely have been the case had -he been my own brother. And to come upon him thus had unmanned me. - -I know the thought never came to me while sitting there that it might -be dangerous for my own safety, the street door being then unlocked. -After a time I returned to the room and made a careful examination. - -He lay upon his back, his lower limbs fully extended, one arm folded -upon his chest, the other thrown out at his side. - -His head was slightly raised by means of a coarse colored blanket, -closely folded. He was fully dressed, except his coat and vest which -hung on a chair beside him. The pockets of his trousers were turned -inside out, and in the waistband was a letter within an envelope -addressed “C. A. P.”[2] - -If asked to express an absolutely true opinion as to how long he had -been dead, I should say not more than six hours. - -Upon the chair was a large gallon bottle laying upon its side, so -arranged that it would nearly empty itself, it being held in position -upon one side by a hammer and upon the other by a small block of wood; -from the bottle, and connected thereto by a perforated cork in which an -ordinary quill toothpick had been inserted, there trailed a long piece -of small rubber tubing, terminating at its free end in the towel I had -removed upon first entering the room. This tube was constricted midway -by a piece of cord tied about it, so that the flow of liquid would be -slow. - -Owing to the time that had elapsed after his death all the chloroform -that could escape from the bottle, in the position in which it lay, had -passed through the tube, filling his mouth and, as I later learned from -the Coroner’s physician, his stomach as well; this one fact alone being -sufficient to prove to any scientific person, or physician at least, -that any one having a medical training would not, if obliged to use -chloroform for such a purpose, carry it to such an extent if he wished -it to appear later that the man died as the result of inhaling the -vaporous fumes of chloroform and benzine, that had exploded in a bottle -held in the victim’s hands. - -The excess of the liquid had then run out upon the floor and on the -blanket underneath his head. The only other articles in the room -besides those already enumerated were some small pocket belongings, a -knife, memoranda book, match box, containing some of our patent stamps, -and perhaps twenty small coins; all these were placed on the chair -beside the bottle. Upon the window-sill was a small handful of tacks -with which he had fastened some newspapers upon the sash in lieu of a -curtain. - -By this time, owing to the excoriating effect of the chloroform his -face had become somewhat discolored, and I went to the rooms below and -procured a wet towel, and after covering the face with it I started -down the stairs fully intending to call in some of the neighbors. Then -came the thought that, instead of filling the house with a crowd of -curious people, it would be better to go direct to the Coroner. - -I know this thought was in my mind as I passed down the stairway, for -I distinctly remember wondering in what part of the city the Coroner’s -office was located, whether at the City Hall or elsewhere, and if it -would be open on Sunday. - -Reaching the kitchen I picked up the letter which, in my haste, I had -let fall before going up stairs in search of him. The substance of the -letter, beside that already given, was that he had tried to take his -life in Mississippi during the previous June, and now with his drinking -habit growing so much stronger day by day, he could not hope to make a -living without my aid. He wished me to so arrange his body in one of -two ways that it would appear that his death had been either accidental -or that he had been attacked by burglars and killed, giving the details -of how I was to carry out either course:— - -First, that his family should not at present know of his death;[3] -second, that the children should never know he had committed suicide -(this he also repeated in the letter left for his wife); that the -insurance money should be used to place the Fort Worth building in an -earning condition, and that I should exchange some Chicago property we -owned for some house in a city with good school advantages; that none -of the money should be so placed that relatives could borrow it away -from his wife. He spoke of our close connection for years, and that -he could depend upon my aiding him now and in the future, ending his -directions with the words:— - -“Do enough with me so there won’t be any slip-up on the insurance; I -shan’t feel it.” The letter was poorly written, and it took me some -minutes to decipher it, and upon finishing it, I sat down for a time -and re-read parts of it. This gave me time to consider my own position, -and as soon as it came into my mind, but before I had decided to carry -out his instructions, I went into the front office and locked the -street door. - -The thought that troubled me most at that time was, that under no -conditions, whether the insurance part was carried out or not, was I -the one to discover his dead body. I was here in Philadelphia under -an assumed name. A few years earlier I had stopped at some hotels and -met people under the name of Holmes. Some years before that I had done -business here under still another name, and at another time, earlier -yet, I had visited relatives here under my true name. - -And now at this time, to be called as a witness before a Coroner’s -jury, would almost certainly cause me to be identified by some one; -and if under the name of Holmes, it was more than likely to be seen -in the papers by some Fort Worth people, and would probably result in -my arrest upon the charges there, and my arrest at this time I was -satisfied would mean death to my wife. - -Again, I had an engagement in St. Louis for the following Thursday -morning, to fail to keep which would result in the loss of a -considerable sum of money, and also prove a source of great annoyance -to my attorney, who was personally responsible for my appearance there. -Besides this, Pitezel was dead; nothing I could do here would aid him, -while in St. Louis I could be of the utmost benefit to his family, by -forestalling the announcement of his death reaching them through the -newspapers, by seeing them personally, and also caring for the child -that was sick, if need be. This portion of the matter was settled in -my mind at once, then came the question whether I should do anything -to aid in the deception of the insurance matter or simply remove the -letter he had written to his wife, lest it contain matters that should -not be made public and go away. One of his plans I did not entertain -for a moment, the one involving striking him upon the head severely -enough to crush his skull. Had my own life depended upon it, I could -not have forced myself to strike his dead body even had I been sure -there was no suicide clause in his insurance policy. I should have -preferred to have told his family at once of his death, contrary to his -wishes, in preference to doing anything to mislead the authorities, -involving, as it necessarily must, some mutilation of the body. - -I had never seen the policy, but from my friend the insurance agent’s -statement that it was similar to mine, I judged it contained such -a clause. Nor did I know whether or not the suicide clause was -inoperative in Pennsylvania as it is in many other States. (All these -things I most certainly should have found out previously if I had been -intending to immediately carry out the fraud.) After considerable -deliberation, I went to the room in the second story that he had -partially prepared, uncorked the small bottles I had previously found -there, and also found the pipe he had filled with tobacco, the top of -which was slightly burned as though he had just lighted it before his -accident occurred. - -[Illustration: CALLOWHILL ST. HOUSE WHERE B. F. PITEZEL’S BODY WAS -FOUND.] - -He did this part of the work previous to his death, knowing that I -did not smoke or knew little of filling pipes intelligently enough to -deceive any one. Having placed the room in the condition necessary -(breaking the large bottle, placing pipe upon the floor, etc.), I moved -his body as carefully as possible to this second-story room. I found -that the chloroform had given the side of the face and neck and part of -the chest quite the appearance of having been burned, and this made my -task the easier, although it seemed terrible enough in any event. - -At last I forced myself to burn the clothing upon one side of the body, -smothering the flames when they reached the flesh, and in this way -produced partially successful results; then hastily gathering together -several small articles that I wished to take away with me, I placed -the room somewhat in order, and after going again to the room where he -lay to see him, as I then supposed for the last time, I at once left -the house, disguising myself to some extent by wearing one of his -hats, for I had been fully alive to the necessity of care after I had -first had time to think of the matter. Among the things taken from the -house was a bottle of chloroform, which he had previously bought in -Philadelphia, and prepared to send to Chicago to be placed with the -clothing and other things for Hedgpeth’s use. - -In going out of the house I was careful to leave the door both unlocked -and open, in order to call attention to the condition of affairs within -as soon as possible. Upon reaching the more pure air of the street I -was seized with a feeling of nausea and dizziness, resulting probably -as an after-effect of the chloroform-laden air within. - -I knew my general appearance must have been that of an intoxicated -person. To become relieved of this feeling somewhat if possible, I -decided to walk a portion of the distance to my residence, and while -doing so decided that it was best, my wife being well enough, to leave -Philadelphia at once, thinking that Pitezel had no doubt spoken of me -to some of his newly-made friends, and perhaps told them where I lived. -I, therefore, went to the Broad Street Station and ascertained that -a train would leave in half an hour (so I know now that I left the -Callowhill street house, at about 3.45 o’clock, as the train referred -to was the regular 4.30 Western train); I found that another train left -for the West at 10.25 P. M.; and although my wife was not able to do -so, I took her as carefully as I could to this train and left at that -hour. - -I have often since that day tried to analyze the feelings which I had -at the time of Pitezel’s death. I felt it to be a terrible matter, and -certainly could not have deplored it more had he been a relative, but I -did not then, nor have I since felt the great horror concerning it that -I experienced at the time of Nannie Williams’ death in Chicago, which -was wholly unprovoked and for which I felt that I was the indirect -cause; while in this case, his death occurred as the result of his own -premeditation, in consequence of his having allowed himself to slowly -drift into pernicious habits for which he was more than any one else -to blame. Upon reaching Indianapolis, I was occupied until Wednesday -noon, September 5th, in arranging comfortable quarters for my wife, at -which time I started for St. Louis, reaching that city about 7 P. M., -having bought upon the train a St. Louis _Globe-Democrat_, giving in a -Philadelphia dispatch an account of the finding of Pitezel’s (Perry’s) -body in the Callowhill street house upon the previous day. - -After a short delay I went at once to Mrs. Pitezel’s place of -residence, about an hour’s ride from the centre of the city, hoping to -be in time to tell them of the matter myself. Upon reaching the house, -however, I found all in a state of commotion. - -The neighbors were there, a physician had been summoned, and it was -some time before I could obtain a suitable opportunity to talk with -Mrs. Pitezel. I found her in a very nervous and over-wrought condition, -and I thought it best to palliate her fears for a time, and, therefore, -said to her, “Perhaps Ben is not dead. There may be a mistake in the -person, as I saw him alive last week.” - -[Illustration: HOLMES’ “CASTLE” CHICAGO.] - -To which she answered, “Oh, no! I am sure it is he, for I have been -writing to him under that name and at that address.” Just at this -moment Dessie, the oldest daughter, called me to one side and said, -“Do you think papa is really dead?” I replied that I feared so, but -that her mother should not be told until we were certain of it. She -said, “I don’t think he is. Last spring, when I was sick and he was -leaving me, he told me that if I ever heard that he was dead not to -believe it, as some work he was going to do might require him to have -people think so for a time.” I asked her if he had told her mother of -this, and she said, “No; her father had told her not to tell any one.” -As soon as a favorable opportunity occurred, I said to Mrs. Pitezel, -“Did Ben ever say anything to you about not worrying if you heard of -his death?” She replied, “Yes;” and, after stopping a moment, added, -“If he has gone and done that without letting us know, leaving us to -worry ourselves to death, I could almost wish he was dead. Is it the -insurance matter?” “I guess it is,” I replied, in such a tone that she -would think that I knew it to be so. She then asked if he would get -the money all right, and I told her that it would be paid to her, if -anyone. She asked, “Where is Ben now?” I replied that it was his plan -to go South at once. She said, “Well, I do not want him writing to me; -all his letters for me must go to you; and the children need not know -but that he is really dead, for they would certainly tell of it; they -are young, and will soon get over the worry.” I asked if the insurance -policy was there in the house, and she said, “I do not know; I will -see; he ought to have given it to you if he was going through with it -so soon; it may be in Chicago among some things stored in a warehouse -there.” - -I did not allow her to look for it at that time, as she was too ill -yet from her shock to do so, but instructed her to look for it next -morning, and if well enough, to bring all the papers she had to my -attorney’s office. Some question then arose as to whether she could -find this office, and she remembered that at the time of my arrest -her husband had called there and had brought home one of their cards, -which she said was still among some of his papers, and with this she -could find her way.[4] At about 9 o’clock, the family being more -quiet at the time, I returned to the hotel for the night, and I feel -sure that Mrs. Pitezel at the time of this visit, which was the first -confidential talk I had ever had with her, had no previous knowledge of -an intention to perpetrate a fraud upon this company other than a vague -idea that under certain conditions and at a more remote time it might -have been carried out, which was the exact condition of affairs as they -had existed upon the day of Pitezel’s death. - -She is not a woman of extraordinary gifts, and any simulation on her -part at this time would not have deceived me. The next morning I -went to Judge Harvey’s office and found that owing to his absence my -case had been postponed. I left word there for Mrs. Pitezel, if she -called during the day, to wait for me, and I went to the offices of -another attorney and spoke of the insurance claim and told him if it -was promptly paid I could use some of that money. He said insurance -companies are slow and it will probably be some time before it is -settled. He asked how large an amount it was, and upon my stating it -was $10,000, he said, “You will need an attorney in fixing the papers; -can’t I do it for you?” I replied that I was about to consult Judge -Harvey. He said, “Let me have it; I have just settled a fire insurance -loss and had first-rate success, besides you are really my client, as -we sent you to Judge Harvey because my partner was away at the time.” -After returning to Judge Harvey’s office and not finding him there, I -saw him again and told him that the claim was a false one, that the -man was, in reality, not dead. He made a number of inquiries as to -the details of the fraud and finally said, “Well, if you have any one -to attend to it here it had better be me, for neither Judge Harvey -or my partner would dare to take hold of it. I do not belong to this -firm, although I have an office here with them. You will notice my -letter-heads appear with my own name alone; still I can avail myself -of their judgment in important cases, and on account of this supposed -death occurring under a fictitious name, you will find you need help.” - -I then explained that Mrs. Pitezel was to come into the city that -morning, if she was able, with the papers, and he remarked, “Well, -she must not know that I have any knowledge that the claim is not a -legitimate one.” - -It was then arranged that he should write some letters to the company’s -office in Chicago, to ascertain if Pitezel had, in reality, paid the -premium as he had stated, there being no receipts showing this had been -done, and also to write to the authorities in Philadelphia. - -I asked him in regard to his fee, and he stated that it would depend -upon how much work had to be done, but that being a young attorney he -would make it a reasonable sum. Later, in going out of the building, I -met Mrs. Pitezel and explained to her that this lawyer would take care -of the case for her, and that she should not have him know that she -was aware of his knowing the true state of the case. In other words, -she, while in his presence, was to appear and speak as though it were a -genuine loss. - -So, at this stage of the case, I knew Pitezel was dead; Mrs. Pitezel -and the attorney each supposed him to be alive, but, by a separate -agreement each had voluntarily made with me, both were to deceive each -other in this respect, making a most unique case of conspiracy, if -conspiracy it was. - -I was not present during all of the attorney’s first interview with -Mrs. Pitezel, but she authorized him to write the necessary letters, -and I told her that he had made satisfactory arrangements with me in -regard to his fee, which I would be responsible to him for. - -I then gave Mrs. Pitezel some money for her immediate wants and -left the city, intending to return again in ten days, at which time -my case was to be called in Court. Before going away I told the -attorney he could address me at Indianapolis at any time. About five -days thereafter I received a letter from him, stating that he had -received an answer to his letter of inquiry sent to the Philadelphia -authorities, in which they stated that the man referred to was only -known to them under the name of Perry, and would be buried as that -person unless some one identified him at once as Pitezel. He also -stated that Mrs. Pitezel instructed him to ask me to return to St. -Louis and aid her if I could do so. - -This I did at once, and upon meeting him he told me it would be -necessary for some one to go to Philadelphia at once, and wished me to -furnish the money for him and one of the family to make the trip. I -told him that until the first of the following month I could not well -do this, but suggested a person with whom Pitezel had formerly dealt -that I thought would advance the necessary sum, if it was agreed that -it should be returned to him with interest as soon as the insurance was -collected. The attorney later negotiated such a loan, receiving $300. - -At this time I saw Mrs. Pitezel, and she not being strong enough to -take the trip, it was decided that the daughter, Alice, should go. -This choice of the children being principally due to arrangements -previously made by Pitezel, that if Miss Williams came to this country, -and returned to her old occupation as a teacher, that Alice should live -with her for a year to go to school. I had received a letter from Miss -Williams that she had decided to do this, and at the time of Pitezel’s -death had asked her to come to settle in Cincinnati, thinking thus she -would break away from her old life, making it safer for me to be also -where she could help in regard to some Texas papers, which I had found -must at any hazard, be duplicated. Therefore, a few days later, when -Alice left St. Louis, it was with the full understanding that she was -to stay East with Miss Williams, or go with her to Cincinnati, if all -located there. - -At the time I was about to leave, having made these arrangements, I -received a letter that had been forwarded to me from Chicago, asking -for my assistance in identifying Pitezel, it being known to the Chicago -office that he had been in my employ. To intelligently answer this -letter, I went to the attorney’s office, at which time I first closely -examined the insurance policy. I then wrote to the company as accurate -a description as I could give of him. - -At this time the attorney said, “Why don’t you go to Philadelphia, -also?” - -I replied that it would be an unnecessary expense, and I wished to go -to Cincinnati at that time to arrange for a house for the family. He -said, “I had better wait until the money was paid,” and I replied that -the family would have to have a house whether the money was paid or -not. Finally it was decided I should go to Philadelphia via Cincinnati, -which I did, writing to the company from the latter place that I had -business calling me toward Philadelphia, and I would call upon them in -a few days, and if possible aid them in identifying the body. Later -in the same day I met Alice _en route_. The next day, early in the -afternoon, I called upon the Insurance Company in Philadelphia. - -I was introduced, after a little delay, to Colonel Bosbyshell, one of -the officers. He talked with me for some time regarding the case, and -finally, having asked me a good many questions as to Pitezel’s general -appearance, said, “Well, I think that it is either a case of mistaken -identity or a fraud. The man found here, and who has been buried under -the name of B. F. Perry, was a man who weighed forty pounds more than -Mr. Pitezel, both according to your judgment and according to his -application for insurance; and moreover, this man had red hair while -Pitezel’s was black. An attorney and some of Mr. Pitezel’s relations -are expected here at any time, and I wish you could stay and aid us in -clearing up the matter.” - -He then left the office, and in a few minutes returned with some money, -which he tendered me, saying they would be glad to have me stay at -their expense. I replied that I would not take the money, but having -other work to attend to, I would call from day to day, and if I was put -to much expense or loss of time, I would ask them to pay me, otherwise -no charge would be made, explaining further that Pitezel was indebted -to me, and if the claim was a genuine one I would be willing to devote -some time to it in order that I could collect my money, which I had no -doubt his wife would pay. - -That afternoon I saw our attorney, he and Alice having arrived in the -interim. I told him of my interview, and he at once said, “We shan’t -collect a dollar. They have either substituted a body for the one you -used, or your choice was so poor it had not deceived them.” He was in -favor of abandoning the case and returning to St. Louis. - -[Illustration: ALICE PITEZEL.] - -Finally it was decided that he should see the company the next day, -but he insisted, as he said, for his own safety, that if we met at -the company’s office he should not have it appear he had ever seen -me before. The next day, about half an hour after I called at the -insurance office, the president of the company, who I had met the day -before, and our attorney entered the room where I was seated, and the -following conversation took place:— - -Mr. ——, the president, then introduced me to our attorney, saying:— - -“This is Mr. Holmes, of Chicago, who carries insurance in our company, -and who formerly was well acquainted with Mr. Pitezel.” - -Upon our shaking hands, he said, “I am glad to know you, sir.” - -After some general conversation, I said, “The officers of the company -inform me that you have certain letters and other papers in Mr. -Pitezel’s handwriting, and I think, if agreeable to you, I can identify -them if belonging to him.” - -Our attorney then turned to the president, saying, “Who is this man? -Before I show any papers or have anything more to do with one who is -apparently an outsider, I wish to know more about him.” - -The president then said in a conciliatory manner, “Oh! I think you can -depend upon Mr. Holmes acting independently and for the interest of all -in the case. He is a man formerly in business in Chicago, and for whom -Mr. Pitezel worked for a long time, and if any one is able to give an -accurate description of him, Mr. Holmes should be able to do so.” - -“My inquiry was a precautionary one,” said our attorney, “I am willing -under those circumstances that Mr. Holmes should examine the papers and -aid us if he can.” - -During that afternoon our attorney entered into an agreement in writing -with the company, stipulating, that in order to establish his claim, -certain marks of identification should be found upon the body, which -it had been arranged to have disinterred the next day. Among those -marks should appear a large wart, or mole, upon the back of the neck, -jet black hair, a cowlick upon the forehead, a peculiarly decayed -condition of the teeth, a bruised thumb nail and a scar upon one of -the lower extremities. - -That evening, quite late, our attorney came to me freshly terrified, -and again ready to abandon the case. He had met a man named Smith, who, -in conversation with him, had stated that while in Pitezel’s place of -business he had seen a man come in and hold some conversation with him, -who he had understood was a friend then living in the city. Smith had -stated that the friend had not come forward at the time of his death -and he thought it strange, and also remarked that if he ever saw the -man again he would know him. - -Mr. Smith was to be at the Coroner’s office next day, and was also to -be present at the time the body was viewed. I told him that from what -I remembered of the man Smith, I did not think he was a very close -observer or overburdened with general intelligence, and I would take -the chances of his recognizing me, rather than give up the case at -that stage of it. Next morning we all met at the Coroner’s office. My -judgment had been correct in regard to Smith. He noticed me only as he -would have done any stranger, and upon being introduced to him, and -being in his company and holding a general conversation with him, I met -with the same result. - -It was decided at the meeting at the Coroner’s office that later in the -day those interested should go to the cemetery where the body would be -exhumed for identification. This was done, there being in the party -the president and two others, representing the insurance company, a -physician and a Deputy Coroner representing the city; our attorney, -Alice Pitezel and myself, besides Mr. Smith before referred to. - -Upon reaching the cemetery we were told that the body had already been -placed in a small house and was ready to be seen. - -I felt, that there being two other physicians present, it was not -necessary for me to take part in the identification, unless called upon -to do so; and had, upon first arriving together with Mr. Perry, taken -the daughter to a distant quarter of the enclosure. The physician made -the examination of the body, which lay in a well-lighted room; and, -after taking abundant time for this purpose, came out of the building -and announced that all marks of identification were wanting. After -some further conversation, the president said to our attorney that they -were satisfied before they came there that such would be the case, and -a general movement was made preparatory to leaving the place. - -The attorney asked me what I thought should be done, and upon my -answering him, he told the president that he would like to have me -examine the body as well. I asked the doctor if he would object, and he -said “No,” but that I would not find it a pleasant task. - -I entered the building, and hardly had passed the door before I -was positive that the doctor had been mistaken in the color of the -hair. Upon a close examination, all the marks were easily found: the -wart upon the neck, equal in diameter to that of a lead pencil, and -projecting fully a quarter of an inch from the surface; the cowlick, -the bruised nail, the teeth decayed exactly as had been described; and -lastly, the scar an inch and a half in length upon the foot. - -I could do no less than call the doctor in, and one by one he -grudgingly admitted their presence; and that there should be no -further question as to the identity of the man, I asked him to remove -the wart for microscopical examination, some of the hair, the nail -and the scar. He said he had no implement with him that he cared to -use for this purpose. I had only a very small lancet, but I removed -the necessary portions, and later turned them over to the Coroner’s -representative. - -I then endeavored to have a decision reached at once in order to save -the necessity of the daughter seeing the body, feeling it to be cruel -to have her do so, and if possible to prevent it. The president would -not agree to this, but it was finally arranged that she should see only -the teeth. All other portions of the body were therefore excluded from -view, and I led the child into the building. - -It was a terribly hard thing that I had to do, for she was but a -delicate child of perhaps fourteen or fifteen years, yet she was -courageous and very willing to do what she could. - -Upon reaching the body she said, “Yes, those are papa’s teeth, I am -sure of it.” I at once led her away, but I found the impression left -upon her tender mind would remain as long as she lived, and have always -felt it to have been a wholly unnecessary requirement upon the part of -the company. - -Without regard to what the reasons were, the doctor’s report was -destined to cost me dearly, as will later be seen in this history. This -ended the examination at the grave-yard, and we all returned to the -city. - -Even at that time the officers of the company would not express -themselves as willing to allow the claim, but later in the day they -reluctantly admitted that they were satisfied with the identification. -Upon reaching the Coroner’s office again, the Coroner very kindly -offered to take my testimony the next morning, which was Sunday, in -order that I could leave the city without further loss of time. After -making this arrangement, I went to the insurance company’s office -where I was reweighed, remeasured and in other ways readjusted my own -insurance, and later went to an undertaker’s office, and made every -arrangement to have the body properly buried in a good locality, well -satisfied to be able to perform this final act for my friend. - -The next day at 4.30 P. M., having previously gone to the Coroner’s -office, I left Philadelphia, taking Alice Pitezel with me. I had not -heard from Miss Williams as I felt sure I should do, informing me of -her expected arrival in New York, and thus not hearing, I addressed her -there, asking both she and Hatch to come to Cincinnati as soon as they -conveniently could, stating my reasons for asking them to do so. - -Alice did not like to return to St. Louis on account of having told -every one she knew before leaving that she was going away for the -winter, although she would have been very glad to have seen her mother; -and upon reaching Indianapolis I told her she could choose between -returning to St. Louis or remaining there for the few intervening days -while I went to St. Louis and returned with some of the rest of the -family upon our way to Cincinnati, it having previously been arranged -with Mrs. Pitezel that this move should be made at once to save -commencing another month in St. Louis, where she was paying rent. - -Alice having decided to remain in Indianapolis, I took her to Stubbin’s -Hotel and left her there in charge of those whom I had become -acquainted with during my previous stay in that city. The next day I -received a telegram from the attorney, stating that the company had -paid him the insurance, after deducting several hundred dollars for -expenses, which, I think, was wholly unjust towards Mrs. Pitezel, the -whole amount, if any, being due her. - -I then returned to St. Louis, where, owing to my absence, my own -case had again been postponed, and I therefore decided to return to -Cincinnati. - -Taking the two children, Nellie and Howard, I started for that city -via Indianapolis, telegraphing to the hotel to have some one accompany -Alice to the train in the morning to join us. This was done, and at -about 8 A. M. we reached the Cincinnati station where Hatch met us. It -was the first I had seen of him since early in December of the previous -year. - -Miss Williams had remained in New York, being unwilling to go to -Cincinnati where she had previously played, and therefore was known to -some people. - -Being in haste to commence my work among the real estate men, I gave -the children into Hatch’s charge, and he took them to a small hotel -near the station. But not liking the surroundings, I returned to -the Hotel Bristol. I spent a very busy day, but was not successful -in finding property to exchange for Chicago property, and at last I -thought it safer to rent a house for a time, and then, by advertising -my property, find something more suitable for the children’s wants. I -therefore hired a house, paying one month’s rent and six months’ water -tax. I also made arrangements for its being comfortably furnished. - -Miss Williams not having come, I looked around for some trustworthy -person to care for the children until their mother could reach them. -Mrs. Pitezel having a desire to visit her parents before going -elsewhere, did so. - -Not finding such a person as I wished, and not liking to leave the -children without proper attention, I decided to take them with me to -Indianapolis, where I expected to be engaged in some real estate work -for the following two weeks. This I did, Hatch accompanying us, and -then going on to Chicago from whence he returned in a few days. - -We reached Indianapolis about October 1st; the children stayed one -day at English’s Hotel, and then I engaged permanent board for them -at the Circle House, my wife and myself being at another hotel near -by, so that I could visit the children each day and know they were -properly cared for. This form of life was new to the children, and -they thoroughly enjoyed it, going about the city either by themselves, -Hatch’s or my own company. - -I shortly afterwards returned to St. Louis, and, upon entering the -attorney’s office, he said, “Well, I am glad you have come; my partner -had been wishing that you would return.” I said, “Why?” He replied, -“Because he wants to get this matter settled up and get our fee out of -it. You know how close work it was to get the company to believe the -claim was straight, and something may occur to make them change their -minds. But, I said, “Why has he to be considered, even in that event?” -He replied, “Because, in a case as big as this, he will have to be -considered; besides, if it had not been for his letter of introduction -to Superintendent Linden in Philadelphia, the money would not have been -paid.” I then told him that I had not yet seen Mrs. Pitezel, but we -would arrange the settlement when I did so, and I would have her come -in and sign the necessary papers later. “Well,” said he, “what do you -think we should receive?” I said, “I have no idea; you must set your -price, not I.” - -He then said, “Well, usually in these insurance cases the attorneys get -fifty per cent. of the claim. I have asked three disinterested lawyers -about it, and they say I ought to have that much, they not knowing it -as a fraudulent claim, which makes it all the worse.” - -My answer was, “Well, if it comes to taking $5,000, which, from your -own statement to me, is more money than you ever before earned in your -life, you will have the opportunity to keep the balance as well.” -After some further conversation, he offered to choose an attorney if I -would choose one, and leave the fee to their decision, and with this -understanding I went away to return the next morning. When I returned -he met me with the announcement that his partner would not agree to his -proposition. I then said, “I wish to see him if he is the principal.” -At that time I had never been introduced to him. He left his office in -a few minutes and returned and conducted me into his partner’s private -office. He was seated at his desk, apparently much too busy to leave -his work for so small a matter as the settlement of a $5,000 fee. - -Finally he turned upon me and, in an over-bearing, bull-dozing manner, -said, “What is all this trouble about? Don’t you expect to pay your -attorney after you have hired him?” I was angry at his insolent manner, -and at once told him that I would have no words with him. If they -wished to receive $500 for their services (reminding him that had it -not been for my presence in Philadelphia they would not have collected -the claim, as he had shown so very little tact in treating with the -company—so much so that they had been twice upon the point of ordering -him from their offices) then that amount could be deducted, but no -more. - -He then said, “I will allow no man to come into my office and dictate -to me in regard to a fee after the work has been done for him, and as -for $500 it is an insult to offer it.” I then reminded him that I was -not making it as an offer to him, one of the most prominent lawyers of -St. Louis, but to his partner, a recent law graduate, to whom a $500 -fee would be a large one, inasmuch as his expenses upon the trip had -been elaborately provided for. - -He said, “Well, we will take $3,000 for this work and nothing less.” I -replied, “It cannot be paid.” - -He said, “Then there is no further use for us to discuss the matter.” -Turning to his partner, he then said, “Go to the bank and get a New -York draft for what you have left; I am going to return the money.” I -said, “Very well, sir, nothing could be more to my advantage than this, -and upon Mrs. Pitezel receiving the money direct from the company I -shall tender to you your fee of $500.” - -He replied, “You will never have a chance to do this; when the money -is sent back I shall at the same time write a letter to my old friend, -Captain Linden of the Philadelphia Police Department, stating that -since my return we have found out that the claim is crooked and cannot -handle such money, and that we think it our duty to aid him by placing -him in immediate possession of all the facts pertaining to the matter; -moreover, you are wanted in Fort Worth, Texas, and I shall at once -cause your arrest before you can leave the city.” - -I replied, “You could only cause me trouble in regard to the insurance -matter at the cost of your partner’s disgrace.” He said, “It is not so; -it would be the word of our firm, which is well known throughout the -country, against your single statement, and you a man that has already -been under arrest once and will be again inside of an hour.” This so -angered me that I said, “You can send back the money, you can arrest -me, but you cannot intimidate or browbeat me. I will spend ten years in -the penitentiary before giving in to you now.” - -Upon this I left the office. Mrs. Pitezel was seated in the outer -room, having come in in the meantime. I asked her to come at once -to Judge Harvey’s office, and upon her hesitating to do so, when he -asked her to remain a moment, I told her to make no settlement that -involved a greater reduction than $500 from the amount the company had -paid. Upon my doing this I left the office, and waited a long time for -Mrs. Pitezel; and when she met me she was in tears and said that they -would not let her leave the office until she allowed them to deduct -$2,500 from the insurance money, and that she had also signed a long -typewritten agreement of some kind. She then had the remainder of the -money, about $6,000, with her, the lawyers having previously paid some -bills upon her giving them a written order to do so. - -Some days previous to this I had made arrangements that the amount of -money to be used at Fort Worth should be paid at a bank at St. Louis -in exchange for a note her husband had executed while there.[5] Mrs. -Pitezel went to the bank and lifted this note, and of the balance -gave me $225 for my expenses, as she supposed. As a matter of fact, -the $5,000 thus paid upon the note came to me, I having months before -had to satisfy the claim by the use of other property. That afternoon, -some time later, I left St. Louis, intending to return to Cincinnati -and complete the arrangements there for the home of the Pitezel family. -Before leaving St. Louis, however, I arranged that Mrs. Pitezel and -the two other children should go to Galva, Ill., upon their intended -visit to Mrs. Pitezel’s mother, and also made private arrangements -to be informed of any movements that should be made by the attorneys -detrimental to my interests. - -Upon my returning to Indianapolis I found that both the children were -apparently enjoying themselves. Hatch had received a letter from Miss -Williams (to whom he claimed he was married) asking that we both meet -her in Detroit. This meeting was delayed, as I had some more real -estate work to do in Indianapolis which had been neglected, owing to -the insurance work. While attending to this work I received word that -the attorneys were intending to make trouble for me, and almost at the -same time word came from Chicago that some Fort Worth detectives were -again there, and had heard of my being in Cincinnati, Indianapolis and -St. Louis. - -After consulting with Hatch, who was very much worried lest if I were -arrested it would implicate him as being with me, and perhaps Miss -Williams as well, we concluded that we should go away at once. Finally -I decided to abandon the Cincinnati house, and have the Pitezel family -locate elsewhere, as the attorneys knew of my former trips to that -city. I therefore wrote Mrs. Pitezel at Galva, advising her to change -her plans and go to Detroit. - -Up to this time, all that I had done for Mrs. Pitezel she had been -aware of, but I did not now think it prudent that she should know -of the probability of trouble arising from the insurance company. -I preferred having her locate in some large city at that time, and -explain to her afterwards about her husband’s death as he had requested -me to do, and also of the necessity of remaining quiet until I could -ascertain if any real danger existed. - -Quite early upon the morning of October 10th, I went to the children’s -hotel, and found them eating their breakfast. I told them we were going -away that day, and went with them to their rooms and instructed them -to divide their belongings into three separate packages, they having -previously been contained in a very old trunk, which was not in a -condition to be taken further. There was left in this trunk some old -clothing, among which was a suit of heavy clothes which had belonged to -Pitezel. - -I then asked the children whether they would go with me to Chicago, -and then to Detroit, or go with Hatch. Howard Pitezel chose to go -with Hatch, while the girls desired to go to Chicago, hoping, while -there, to have time to visit some of their former acquaintances. Having -some purchases to make before leaving, I therefore, after telling the -girls at what time to meet me at the station, left the hotel, having -instructed Howard not to leave until Hatch should come, in order that -he could direct him to come to the station before my train left. I met -Hatch and Howard later upon the street. This was the last time I ever -saw the boy Howard, at which time he was both well and contented. The -first few days after his leaving home he had been homesick. - -[Illustration: HOWARD PITEZEL.] - -While I was in the barber shop at the station upon this same morning, -I asked Hatch to go to the hotel and have the nearly empty trunk taken -to the station and have it checked to any destination he might choose, -there being nothing of value in it, and it not being desirable to have -it left at the hotel. Upon reaching Chicago, I took the two girls to a -hotel, as I had business in a distant part of the city. I stayed during -the one night I remained there at a new hotel upon the west side of -North Clark street, less than a block north of the Lincoln avenue car -junction.[6] - -Not deeming it prudent, owing to the late news I had heard at -Indianapolis, to go to my attorney’s office, I had both him and my -agent meet me elsewhere, and arranging my work as quickly as possible, -I left Chicago upon Friday, October 12th, going directly to Detroit, -taking the girls with me. During the latter part of this trip my wife -was upon the same train, she having left Indiana that morning in -response to a request from me to do so. - -Anticipating this, I had made arrangements with Hatch before leaving -Indianapolis to be at the Detroit Station to take charge of the -children. Upon our reaching Detroit I at once took my wife to a hotel -about one mile from the station, and as I was leaving the train I saw -Hatch helping the girls from the car in which they had traveled. About -a half hour later Hatch met me at the Western Union telegraph office in -response to a note I had given to Alice for him. - -It was very late at night, and I returned with him to the hotel, where -he had taken the girls, to see that they were all right, and while -going there he told me that he had been delayed twenty-four hours at -some junction between Indianapolis and Detroit, so that he had only -reached Detroit that afternoon, and Miss Williams not wishing by any -accident to meet my wife had gone to Buffalo to visit some theatrical -friends, taking Howard with her. I did not think strange of this, for -I knew Howard had known and liked Miss Williams the year before, when -she was in my office in Chicago. The next day I engaged permanent board -for both myself and wife, and also for the children, in two separate -portions of the city, as I expected to remain there for some time, and -enlisting Hatch’s services, we proceeded to look for a house that, if -possible, could be bought in exchange for Chicago property, and by so -doing save money. - -If this could not be accomplished, then a house that should be rented -for a few months, until such a trade could be made. A small house was -found so favorably located, with school advantages for the children, -that I thought it best to pay the small deposit required, five dollars, -to hold it for a few days. - -On Sunday morning Mrs. Pitezel came to Detroit, and I did not think it -wise to tell her positively that she was to settle there until I should -have heard again from both St. Louis and Chicago. During the interval, -I had her board at a hotel; nor did I think it wise to tell her the -other children were in the city, until I knew that no further move -was to be made, lest she not understanding the danger of arrest—if -such danger I should find still existing—she would be unwilling to go -elsewhere, unless she supposed the children and her husband, or both, -had already gone. - -I had brought with me a package of papers from Chicago, which I did not -care to carry in my own trunks, and it was arranged to conceal them -in the house lately rented in Detroit. I took them there in company -with Hatch, and proceeded to place them above the ceiling of the upper -story, when he suggested that in case of fire they would be lost, and -volunteered to prepare a place next day in the basement for their -safe-keeping. And this he did by first buying a new shovel, and then -making a small excavation in the earth, not using this shovel, as it -afterward appeared, but another found in the basement. - -Upon the morning of October 17th I received startling intelligence -from both St. Louis and Chicago, and, upon holding a consultation, it -was with reluctance that we decided to leave Detroit and go either to -Canada or Europe; for I felt that any move, without regard to expenses, -was better than to have Mrs. Pitezel arrested and myself as well. -This day was a very busy one. Before Mrs. Pitezel left St. Louis I -had bought a large trunk, which I loaned to her to carry part of her -personal effects to her new house. When it was decided to make a move -into other lands, I arranged with Hatch that, while I was busy about -other matters, he should take the trunk to his room and repack it, -and exclude a multitude of worthless articles, after having told Mrs. -Pitezel that this was to be done. - -It also became necessary to go to a city called Ypsilanti upon that -same day to get a package of valuable papers I had ordered forwarded to -me there, and, being so busy about other matters, I requested Hatch to -make the trip for me. He hesitated considerably about doing it, saying -he must see to repacking this trunk. I told him that I could better -take the time to do this than to go to Ypsilanti. He replied that I -could not well take it to his room, as I was not known to the people of -whom he rented. I told him I would arrange it otherwise, and he then -started for Ypsilanti. - -At about one o’clock I found an expressman, and accompanying him to -a feed store near by bought a flour barrel with the address of a -party in Hartford, Conn., upon one end of it. We then drove to Mrs. -Pitezel’s hotel and had the trunk taken to the depot. There, upon the -platform, I took such worthless articles as Mrs. Pitezel had placed in -a separate part of the trunk and put them in the barrel, and leaving -the trunk at the depot had the expressman take the barrel to either -the United States or American Express Company’s office, and ship it -to Hartford, Conn. At about 2 P. M. I went to a livery stable on —— -street, and hiring a horse and buggy drove to the house that had been -rented and took the two girls with me for a drive. I entered the house -and procured the papers I had previously left there. I also left a note -instructing Hatch to the effect that if he came there from Ypsilanti -with the other papers, not to bury them. I then drove to Hatch’s room -and left a small note, and this accounts for the note being later found -in the house where I directed the authorities to search. - -Earlier in the same day Hatch and I visited several large stores, and -at one obtained a $500 and two $200 bills, which, together with other -small bills, making in all $1,000, which sum he took to Miss Williams -to pay upon what was due her on the Fort Worth transaction. Before -leaving Detroit, Hatch brought to the depot the new shovel wrapped in a -paper, and wished to put it in the trunk, but upon my remarking that it -seemed more useless than things I had just taken out to make more room, -he said he had paid for it and did not care to throw it away. - -The next morning my wife and I left Detroit for Toronto at 10 o’clock. -Mrs. Pitezel and the two children started two hours later. The next -morning Hatch took the two girls, Alice and Nellie, to the train and -they made the journey to the same city alone twenty-four hours later, -and over the same road I had come, while Hatch came to Toronto by the -way of Buffalo, where he stopped to see Miss Williams. - -I reached Toronto early Thursday evening, October 18th, and went at -once to the Walker House. After taking dinner, I went to the station -and met Mrs. Pitezel, taking her to a hotel near by, and returned to -the Walker House for the night. Next morning we breakfasted at about -8.30. I visited Mrs. Pitezel at her hotel about a half hour, and then -with my wife visited several fur stores, purchasing a fur cape and -returned with her to the Walker House for the mid-day meal. Immediately -thereafter we went for a long country drive, and did not return until -about 6 P. M. I ate dinner and then, as upon the preceding evening, -went to the station. This time I met the two girls, Alice and Nellie, -with whom Hatch had started from Detroit that morning, as stated. - -[Illustration: NELLIE PITEZEL] - -Upon their arrival I placed them in an omnibus running to the Albion -Hotel, in care of the runner for that house, and returning to the -Walker House had hardly time to prepare for the theatre, which I -attended that evening with my wife. The next morning, after eating -a late breakfast,[7] my first occupation upon this day was to go to -the Hotel Albion and visit the children. I found them in their room, -greatly interested in watching the immense open market across the -street. I remained with them until almost, if not quite, 10 A. M. I -then went to the post-office, making a few calls at some haberdashers -on the way. I reached the post-office not later than 10.30, when I met -Hatch, in accordance with an arrangement made before leaving Detroit. -He had visited Miss Williams at Buffalo, upon the trip to Toronto; and, -in answer to my inquiry, stated that the boy Howard was well, and that -he had wanted to come to Toronto with him, but he had thought it best -for him to wait and accompany Miss Williams if she came. - -He then left me, as he stated, to find for himself a private room, -agreeing to meet me at the same place at 2 P. M. - -Now, in this short time between 10.30 A. M. and 2 P. M., it appears -from the testimony recently taken in Toronto at an inquest, that a -visit was made to a real estate agent then in a distant part of the -city; a call was made upon the owner of the house at Vincent street -of sufficient length to arrange for renting the property, and to -enter into a detailed description of the family supposed to be the -future tenants, and become well acquainted with the owner; then to -take possession of the house, to call upon a neighbor and make -their acquaintance as well, and, presumably, to eat a lunch at some -restaurant, and buy a small amount of furniture for the house just -hired. Add to this the almost certain probability that the lessee had -visited other houses as well, it being hardly possible that he could -have found a house at once so well adapted to the purpose as this seems -to have been, and there is little time left for other work before 2 P. -M. of the same day. - -My movements during these same hours were as follows: Leaving Hatch at -the post-office, I went to Mrs. Pitezel’s hotel, fully one mile away, -stopping upon my way at the telegraph office for fully fifteen minutes, -while a search was instituted in a different part of the building -for undelivered telegrams. After making a short call at the hotel, I -returned to the Walker House, went again to the fur store where our -purchase of the day previous had been made (one of two stores located -very near each other about two blocks west of the post-office and north -of K street). Here fully one-half hour was taken up in the work done -there, which included the purchase of two storm garments. We then went -to King street, made several calls at furnishing stores and one large -dry goods store, and then, after spending some time in selecting a good -pocket compass, returned to the Walker House for lunch; to do which, -and to write two letters, certainly occupied fully an hour, probably -more. - -I then went again to the Albion Hotel, stopping to buy the children -some fruit and toys upon the way. At the appointed hour, I went to -meet Hatch at the post-office. He was late in keeping his appointment, -and I made several purchases in that neighborhood, and I think at this -time selected the material and was measured for a suit of clothes at a -custom tailor shop, upon the west side of Young street, near junction -of the street leading to the post-office. - -Upon meeting Hatch, I told him I was to be absent from the city on -Sunday, and asked if he could see to the children while I was away, -and if they wished to go for a street car ride, he would accompany -them. This he agreed to do, and after making some further plans with -him for the following week, I went to the Hotel Albion again and told -the children of the arrangement made for their ride, then went to the -furnishing store on King street kept by a man named Dickson, I think. - -When I found the grade of goods I had been in search of, and after -purchasing some, I returned to the Walker House with hardly time left -to be shaved and go to Mrs. Pitezel’s hotel, to let her know I was to -be out of the city the next day, and to catch the 4 or 4.30 train for -Niagara Falls. - -At this time my wife’s trunk and the large trunk from Detroit, were -both at the Toronto Depot, and I asked that they be checked to Niagara. -I remarked to the baggage agent that I had no need to take the large -one, save to avoid storage. He asked how long I desired to leave it -there, and I replied that was uncertain, but perhaps a week. He asked -for a half dollar and said that there are no further charges if it -was taken away in a week’s time. The trunk never left the Toronto -Depot during my stay there. Sunday, October 21st, was passed by us at -the Falls, returning to Toronto by the way of Hamilton in the early -evening, at which time I went to the Palmer House. - -During Monday I was busy about the city, returning to my hotel -often during the day. Part of the time I was with Hatch searching -for a suitable location in which he and Miss Williams could open a -respectable massage establishment, if they all settled there, which was -the real object of the Toronto trip, as I have reason to believe. - -During the day he asked me if I would not spend Tuesday night with him -in and about the city. I gave him to understand that I might do so. -Tuesday morning we met, as had become our custom, at the post-office -between 10 and 11 o’clock. - -I received additional and disquieting messages from the West, and by -noon-time we had made up our minds that the conditions favorable to the -business we had hoped to find did not exist in Toronto, and had decided -to go to England instead. Hatch particularly favored this plan, as they -had had a prosperous business there during the foregoing year, and he -at once wrote Miss Williams to that effect, and for her to meet the -two girls at Niagara at as early a day as possible, which she was to -appoint by letter. - -She was to take the three children to London, while Mrs. Pitezel took -the others there a little later on, or as soon as we could become -settled again. - -When Hatch again urged me to stay with him during the night, I finally -told him that since my terrible experience of the year before, which -the indirect results of my loose living had been Nannie Williams’ -death, and more particularly since my marriage, I had endeavored to -live a clean life, and thought best not to deviate in this instance. -I returned to the Palmer House not later than 4.30 P. M. Later, in -thinking the matter over, I thought, inasmuch as he had helped me so -much during the preceding weeks, it seemed like ill-treatment towards -him, and decided that if he brought the matter up next day I would -spend a part of the evening with him. - -Acting upon this decision, I told my wife next morning, Wednesday, that -I might not return until late, but later in the day I reconsidered my -former plan and returned to the Palmer House at about 2.30 P. M., and -my wife being absent and the room locked at the time, I threw some -flowers I had just bought into the room through the open transom, my -wife finding them upon her return a short time later. - -During the day I had been buying a quantity of small articles to -send to my relatives in New Hampshire, and had gotten them together -temporarily at the furnishing store previously mentioned. At noon-time -I had eaten lunch with the children and in the afternoon Hatch had -taken them for a drive. In the evening I accompanied my wife to the -theatre, enjoying myself far more than the case would be had I been -going about the city together with Hatch and a guilty conscience. - -On Thursday, October 24th, the day when it is reasonable to suppose the -two girls were killed, I was busy about the city during the forenoon. -The girls came to the post-office at about 10.30, and either went with -Hatch for a drive or a streetcar ride, they having been in Hatch’s care -more than with me while in Toronto, for the reason that their hotel -was so distant it encroached upon my time to ride to visit both them -and Mrs. Pitezel and do what work I wished. That morning we heard -that Miss Williams would meet the girls at Niagara upon the arrival of -the afternoon train. They ate lunch with me between 1 and 2 o’clock, -Hatch being elsewhere at the time. The girls returned to their hotel -afterwards for a few minutes to change part of their attire for some -that was warmer, which I had bought for them in anticipation of their -sea voyage. Later they joined me again and I bought them a number of -presents. I also bought Miss Williams a small brooch, which I gave to -Alice, together with a note, which she was to deliver personally to -Miss Williams. - -My object in sending it in this way was that Hatch knew of our former -relations, and I had avoided sending by him as he then claimed she was -his wife. About half an hour before train time, which I think was 4.30 -P. M., we were upon Young street. I sent the girls to a restaurant or -bakery near by to get some lunch prepared to take with them upon the -train, instructing them to then come to a large store which I pointed -out to them, where I would await their arrival. I then entered this -store and bought some small articles for the children, having in my -hands at the time some underwear I had previously purchased to send to -Howard, the boy, when I heard a familiar voice, and turning, saw Mrs. -Pitezel and the other two children. - -I quote from her recent statement, made in Toronto, as to what took -place between us then, and state that it could only have been on this -day, for while there I asked her if she could get ready to leave -Toronto that evening:— - -“I am convinced that my two children were right here in Toronto while I -was here,” said Mrs. Pitezel. “One day while I was shopping in a large -store here, I suddenly saw Holmes. He said you wait here a little while -until I return. I believe my children were right there in that store at -the time, and Holmes took them out some other way so I should not see -them.” - -As a matter of fact, they were at the bakery before spoken of, -and I can only wish now that they had been with me, and met their -mother, though at the time I should have considered it an unfortunate -circumstance for the same reasons that obtained in Detroit. - -I at once left the store and took the children to the depot, where -Hatch met me with some bundles of goods he had bought. I took the -children to the ladies’ waiting room and giving Alice $400, directed -her to go into the private waiting room and fasten it securely within -her dress, and later give it to Miss Williams. I also gave each of the -girls a small amount of spending money. I wrote a telegram, directing -it to myself at the hotel opposite the Palmer House, for Alice to send -me early next morning from Niagara, if anything happened to prevent -Miss Williams meeting them as had been agreed upon. - -I also gave them explicit directions as to where to stay, and told them -that I would surely go to them at once if any trouble arose. I then -asked if they were afraid to go alone. Alice answered, “Oh, no; I wish -you or Mr. Hatch were going along, though.” The train came so quickly -that I had little time to bid them good-bye, and therefore got upon -the train and accompanied them perhaps a mile to a station where the -train slowed up; Hatch going still farther, at his suggestion, to see -that the conductor took their tickets and agreed to transfer them at -Hamilton to the right train. - -I sat in the seat with Nellie during this time, Alice being in the seat -in front. They spoke of their prospective voyage, gave me messages for -their mother and the baby, and asked how long it would be before we all -came to London. I told them to help Miss Williams all they could, and -especially cautioned Nellie about quarreling with Howard, which she was -apt to do when they were together, finally telling them that upon my -arrival there the three who had not quarreled would receive a present -of considerable value. - -My opportunity to leave the train having now arrived, I hastily bade -them good-bye, and started to leave the car. Little Nellie followed -me to the door, and said, “Don’t forget about baby,” and reaching -up kissed me good-bye, and ran back to the seat again. With all -truthfulness, I most earnestly state that under the circumstances, and -at this time, about 4.30 P. M., Thursday, October 25th, I last saw -these children. - -I immediately returned to the Palmer House, telling my wife we should -leave the city next morning, and said to her that if she had any more -purchases to make, she should attend to it at once, as certain of the -stores closed early. For the next hour I was busy collecting my various -purchases about the city, and taking them to the depot to place in the -large trunk, and at not later than 6.30 Hatch was again at the depot, -and stated that the conductor had taken the children in charge before -he left the train. He then left me, agreeing to meet me early next -morning at the hotel to learn if the children arrived all right. I then -returned at once to the Palmer House and ate dinner. - -Without delay I went to Mrs. Pitezel’s hotel, and assisted her in -packing her trunk and having it taken to the train before 8 o’clock, -the larger trunk going upon the same train; but Mrs. Pitezel and Dessie -remarked to me later that they saw that trunk upon their arrival at -Prescott early next morning, and a day later the Custom’s officer at -Ogdensburg, during his inspection, came across the shovel Hatch had -insisted in placing in it at Detroit, remarking that he did not know -but that it was dutiable on account of being new. - -If this trunk had been at the Vincent street house there would have -been no necessity of one’s going to the neighbors to borrow a spade -with which to conceal the evidence of the terrible crime committed -there. I returned to the Palmer House before Mrs. Pitezel had -started—not later than 8.15 P. M.—and during the evening aided my wife -in her preparations for the next day’s journey; and only left the -hotel before taking the train next morning at 8 o’clock, for about two -minutes, to step across the street and ascertain if the girls had met -Miss Williams, as was reasonable to suppose as no telegram was there. -Hatch was waiting for me at the hotel, and said he should wait one or -two days in Toronto to get his mail and to buy some dutiable goods to -take across the border. - -I did no smuggling while upon this trip, nor was I even absent from my -hotel any evening or night, save when accompanied by my wife to some -place of amusement; nor did I ever leave my hotel before 8.30 A. M., -save upon this last morning. - -Thus it will be seen that this is not an unimportant statement, for -according to a witness named Rodgers, if his testimony at the inquest -at Toronto is correctly reported, he saw the two children at 1 P. M., -Thursday, and that early next morning a spade that had been previously -borrowed had been returned to him. - -In an informal talk upon this subject, Mr. Rodgers has several times -stated that this occurred quite early before working hours. - -The hackneyed expression that “a spade is a spade” may be true, but I -feel that it but poorly expresses the full value and significance of -this particular article. Again, Mr. Rodgers states that “Some time—in -one published account some days later—the keys were left with me; -I fully believe that the children met their death and were buried -during the night, Thursday, October 25th; the spade returned before 8 -o’clock—for Hatch was at that time at the hotel—that during the day -their clothes were slowly burned”—and this, while I was journeying -towards Prescott, Canada, a railroad trip of about eight hours, and -where I registered at the Imperial Hotel not later than 4.30 P. M. that -day. - -It may be asked how at this late date I can fully remember what -occurred upon one certain Saturday, nearly a year previous to the -writing of these pages, to distinguish it from the preceding day or any -other day that is less important? Upon first hearing of the children’s -death, I was no more in a position to be positive in regard to this -particular day than any other, until after thinking of the matter for -hours and days together, as I believe only a man can force himself to -think when he feels that perhaps his life depends upon such exertion, I -arranged the facts in my mind in something like the following order:— - -Being first sure, from some written memoranda, that I arrived in -Toronto upon Thursday, October 18th, upon the next day, which was -Friday, I was sure that no purchases had been made, save the fur -garment referred to, because this took up the entire morning, and -our ride occurred the same day, which fact was firmly impressed upon -my mind by remembering that the livery conveyance came to the Walker -House. This could not have occurred on any other day, as next afternoon -we were going to Niagara, and at all later dates we were at the Palmer -House. I also remember that the second purchases at the fur store, -that of the storm coats, were made upon the day following our previous -purchase; this being further strengthened and impressed upon my mind by -remembering that upon my return from Niagara the day following these -purchases, a delay had occurred of several hours at Hamilton. The -weather being such as to require it, I went to the baggage car, and -after considerable conversation with the baggage man, was allowed to -open our trunk for this garment. - -This date brought to my mind that the compass had been used while at -Niagara, showing that that, too, was bought upon the day previous. This -in its turn made me think that the purchase of the compass had occurred -while passing from one furnishing store to another, looking for the -special grade of underwear I wished, and which was bought later in the -day, showing me clearly that at least a dozen other calls had been made -at different other establishments for a like purpose, and which must of -necessity have occurred prior to the purchase which ended my search. - -My suit of clothes was promised to be delivered to me upon the -following Tuesday, if possible, and upon Wednesday at the latest, and -I was required to call once in the meantime to have them fitted. If -instead of Saturday I had been measured Monday, and told to call the -next day to be fitted, they could not have been promised to me upon -Tuesday, and so on in regard to the other visits made after this day, -until I became so thoroughly convinced that I have not yet verified -them by tracing the several stores, not knowing their names; but I -fully believe that the order books and delivery slips of at least three -responsible establishments will show that I must have been transacting -business in their stores at the very hours when it had been sworn I was -in remote parts of the city paying friendly visits to the owner and -neighbor of the Vincent street house. - -From there the remainder of my journey was by private conveyance, -hired for that purpose, and through a blinding snow storm. My pen -cannot adequately portray the meeting with my aged parents, nor, were -it possible, would I allow it to do so for publication. Suffice it to -say that I came to them as one from the dead, they for years having -considered me as such, until I had written them a few days before. - -That after embracing them, as I looked into their dear faces once more, -my eyes grew dim with the tears kindly sent to shut out for the moment -the signs of added years I knew my uncalled-for silence of the past -seven years had done much to unnecessarily increase. - -For the next two days I tried to feel that I was a boy again, and when -I could go away by myself for a few minutes, I would wander from room -to room, taking up or passing my hands lovingly over each familiar -object, opening each cupboard and drawer with the same freedom I would -have used twenty years before. - -Here I found some letters written to my mother when I was a boy, -and later as a young man; then as a physician, giving her careful -directions regarding her health; then the letter written the day -before my supposed death, all bearing evidence of the many times she -had sorrowfully read them. There also I found toys that years before -had seemed so precious to me, and old garments carefully laid away, -principally those which I had worn, and which I felt sure mother had -purposely caused to be placed separately, thinking me dead, for if such -had been the case it would have been the first death in our family. - -And, moreover, I had always been looked upon by the others as “mother’s -boy.” When I went to the room where, times without number, I had been -given such faithful teachings, and prayed with so earnestly, and had I -been the earnest Christian my mother had then entreated me to become, I -could have prayed for guidance beside the same dear old chair in which -she had so often sat with me. I could not stay here, I felt it was too -sacred a place to be entered now, and with tears in my eyes, that come -again as I write, I reluctantly closed the door and went away. - -Later, I visited what had been my own room, finding it much as I had -left it twenty years before. Many of my old school books were here, -but my most precious though worthless possessions I had carefully -placed elsewhere; and now I took them, dust laden, from their places -of concealment. First, a complicated contrivance that when finished -was to have solved the problem of perpetual motion, then a piece of a -wind-mill so arranged as to make a noise when in operation sufficient -to scare the crows from the corn field; going further I came to some -small boxes containing almost everything from a tooth, the first I -remember of having extracted, to a small bunch of very tenderly-worded -notes and a picture of my little twelve-year-old sweetheart. These -experiences were repeated next day when I drove to the old farm my -grandfather had owned during his life-time. Here mother had lived as -a child, a girl, and a young woman, and accompanying me she no doubt -saw many things as dear to her. I, too, had lived here for a time, and -could not leave the place until I had found my “marks” denoting my -height at various times—the first of which was less than three feet. I -also explored the yards and barns. Here many changes had taken place; -even my initials that had been deeply cut in one of the large elm trees -that grow so slowly had become obliterated. This touched me deeply, -seeming so much in keeping with what had in reality occurred to the -name itself; and feeling that I must find one unchanging remembrance, -I went to a huge boulder upon a hill near by, having to cross the -brook with much difficulty that in earlier years had offered no -impediment to the progress of my unclad feet. - -Reaching the rock I raised my voice, uttering the same words I had used -as a child, and listened for the echoing answer. It did not come; it, -too, was dead, owing, no doubt, to the woods upon the surrounding hills -having disappeared meantime. Returning I found my brother had come in -answer to my request that he should visit me. He was accompanied by -several sturdy boys whom I had never seen, and in whose faces I could -see my brother and myself of years ago; but when, in conversation, they -spoke to and of their father as “Arthur,” his given name, I could but -wonder if he thought of what would have been our portion had we ever -addressed our parents in like manner. The day before I came away father -told me of what disposition he had made, when he thought me dead, of -the portion of his property that would have belonged to me if I had -lived, and told me that he would rearrange it. This I begged him not -to do, and a good occasion having thus been brought about, I had him -bring from his trunk of private papers the several promissory notes -that he had guaranteed for me years previous, and later had paid, and -after adding the interest, I insisted upon his taking the money so -represented. The next day, after a leave-taking nearly as pathetic and -hard to bear as my meeting had been, I left them. I have seen neither -of them since, nor do I ever expect to do so. Each prison mail delivery -I receive with trembling hands, expecting it to be an announcement of -their death, caused by this great sorrow and shame so cruelly forced -upon them. - -The morning following my return to Burlington I visited the post-office -and received my mail. It had been handed to me and I had stepped to -a small desk to open some of it when, glancing toward the delivery -window, I saw what seemed to me to be the entire office force staring -with all wonder at me. I knew instantly that I was in danger, and this -was made more sure to me by the manner in which they at once sought to -dispel this feeling by dispersing from the window. I at once resumed -my reading, for I felt that it would be hazardous to have them know -I was aware of their acts. As soon as I could do so safely I went to -Mrs. Pitezel’s house and told her I had been hastily called to Boston -and New York; that she should remain in Burlington until I should -return or send for her prior to her going to the children. At this -time (when I knew that momentarily there was a possibility of officers -coming to the house for me) she reminded me that the supply of coal -was nearly exhausted and, not wishing to go upon the street to order -more, I accompanied her to the basement and, after removing some of the -decayed boards from the floor of the coal bin, I shoveled together a -considerable quantity of coal that had accumulated there. It was this -circumstance that later, when she was suffering so acutely in Toronto, -she distorted into the statement that she believed I was then preparing -to take her life. The dispatches I had received in my Burlington -mail left no doubt in my mind that detectives were following my -movements, although I could not determine then how they had undermined -my apparently safe plans. Later I found that, by making absolutely -erroneous statements to the Post-Office Department at Washington, they -had been given the right to examine all of a certain line of mail -matter, thus accomplishing their purpose. - -Having made these arrangements with Mrs. Pitezel, I left Burlington -Tuesday morning, November 13th, and reached Boston the same evening at -the Adams House. The next day I secured some rooms in a quiet street -for my wife and myself, and proceeded at once to arrange for Mrs. -Pitezel’s departure for Europe. But that evening while writing some -letters at the Parker House, a careless shadower, in his earnestness -to learn their address, allowed me to know that I was being watched. -As in Burlington, I tried not to have it known that I had observed -it, but from that moment I knew I was in their hands. After leaving -the hotel and entering several crowded stores to ascertain the number -and vigilance of my followers, I adopted the only feasible plan I -considered was left open to me. I wrote Mrs. Pitezel a letter, asking -her to meet me upon a certain day at Lowell, Mass., intending to see -her and instruct her as to taking the trip alone. After throwing off -my followers, I sent this letter to Burlington by express, including -tickets and full directions for their journey. I then returned to my -rooms, intending to tell my wife of my threatened trouble and the -causes that had led up to it. I could not do it. - -We had been married less than a year, and during that time I had -endeavored to shield her from all annoying influences, and to cause her -such great unhappiness now, until I absolutely knew it was upon me, -was impossible. The next day I was continually shadowed, and finally -returned to my room, and while my wife was absent made a small opening -in the now famous trunk.[8] - -I then went to a relative, living in a suburb, intending to ask him -to aid me in making my escape, by means of the trunk, if absolutely -necessary. Here again my courage failed me, when I had visited him, -lest it should involve him in some difficulty, and I returned to my -room resolved to meet whatever was in store for me. - -Saturday P. M., November 17th, I left the house intending to send -two letters, if possible. I had proceeded hardly a block when I was -surrounded by four greatly excited men, two of whom said, “We want you, -you are under arrest, and it will be useless for you to try to escape, -as there are four of us.” I said, “I shall make no effort to escape.” -We were near the police headquarters, where I was at once taken into -Inspector Watts’ private office. I knew that no time would be lost in -sending to my room to search my belongings, and I therefore asked that -my wife be called to me, preferring to tell her myself of what was in -store for her. The request was granted, and in a few minutes she was -ushered into the room. - -Of this scene I also cannot write. No one was present save Inspector -Watts, and I can never forget or fail to appreciate his efforts to make -it as easy for her—for us both, for that matter—as was possible. Before -she had left me I told her what had brought about my arrest and also -my right name. Only true-hearted, loving wives, who have been made to -suffer in the same way, can know what the blow meant to her. They also -alone can understand her feelings expressed to me in a letter months -afterwards, from which, sacred though it is to me, I quote these words, -“Our idols once shattered, though cherishing the broken fragments as -best we may, can never be the same.” After she had returned to our -rooms I had a long conversation with Inspector Watts, a representative -of the Insurance Company and a Pinkerton detective. I found I had been -arrested upon the charge of stealing horses in Texas; that I was to -be held upon this charge until requisition and other papers could be -obtained from Pennsylvania in order to have me tried in that State -upon the charge of conspiring to defraud the Insurance Company in -Philadelphia. I at once waived the necessity of requisition papers, and -told them I was ready to go with them. - -I was then closely questioned regarding the whereabouts of the Pitezel -family, and knowing that Mrs. Pitezel would in a few days be in Lowell -with no one to plan and care for her, and fearing lest she should see -an account of my arrest and become alarmed thereby, I thought it best -to tell them where she was, asking them to meet her upon her arrival. -They thought it best to go to Burlington, and it was there arranged -that they should escort her to Boston, but it was agreed not to place -her under arrest. I told them that Pitezel and the other children were -in the South, not wishing to deviate from Mrs. Pitezel’s understanding -of his condition until I could see her. In my interview with Mr. Perry, -the company’s representative, it was agreed that in consideration of -my aiding them in clearing up the case, that I could depend upon the -company’s influence and aid in selecting a suitable location for a home -for my wife in Philadelphia. That my name, then only known to a few -persons, should be withheld, allowing me to appear before the public as -H. H. Holmes, thus shielding my relatives from disgrace. That I should, -upon reaching Philadelphia, see and talk with Mrs. Pitezel, and plan -for her future, and that my wife should visit me upon my arrival there. -No one of these promises was kept save to obtain a boarding place for -my wife, and that principally that they could use their best endeavors -to so prejudice her against me that she would not care to visit me. - -Upon the following Monday evening I started for Philadelphia in company -with Detective Crawford, being chained to him, in fact. Upon this trip -my wife came into the car in which I was traveling to visit me for a -few minutes, and while there saw Mrs. Pitezel and her two children for -the first time in her life—they being then in the same car. Nor had she -even known of the existence of such a family until my arrest in Boston. -She had known of Pitezel in Fort Worth as a man working for me by the -name of Lyman. - -Upon reaching Philadelphia I was placed in a darkened cell in the -City Hall, and here, figuratively speaking, the thumb-screws were -applied. I was not allowed to see or hear from my wife, save that -she was seriously ill. Mrs. Pitezel and the two children I knew were -in the same place of confinement, but only by hearing their voices -or the cries of the child, as I was not allowed to speak to them. -After a time I was taken to the photograph department and weighed and -measured, a process which has been too often described for publication -to be of interest, save to say that so scientifically is it done that -a person once placed under the ban in this way has little chance of -ever escaping recognition. Later my photograph was also taken with -what must have been a magical camera, judging from the thousand and -one different reproductions from time to time appearing in print. -Returning to my cell, Superintendent Linden visited me and advised me -to see no attorney, and wishing to retain his good-will, if possible, -I for a time gave heed to this. He also urged me strongly to tell him -Pitezel’s exact location. Upon Friday, October 23d, I was committed to -prison upon the conspiracy charge, but before I went I made a detailed -statement of our attorney’s connection with the case, for I had found -that he had been the cause of my trouble, and was then standing back, -as he had said he should do, relying upon his reputation as a member -of an influential firm of lawyers, to escape trouble himself. What -followed during the next weary months of my life I feel that I can best -express by copying from my prison diary, kept during this time, which -now lies before me. I give such portions as relate more particularly to -my case, stating first, however, that during all my life I had always -been active and had taken much out-of-door exercise, and that on this -account, together with worrying about my wife’s safety, and financial -affairs, it seemed for a time after my imprisonment commenced that I -should die from the effect thereof. - - -MOYAMENSING PRISON DIARY. - -Saturday Evening, November 24, 1894.—A week ago to-day I was placed -under arrest in Boston, and after a preliminary hearing was brought -here to Philadelphia, where I was confined at City Hall police -headquarters. Yester-*day P. M. I was placed in a crowded conveyance -filled with a filthy lot of humanity, and after what seemed to me an -endless drive reached the county prison, located at Tenth and Reed -streets, which is known as Moyamensing. I was assigned to a thoroughly -clean, whitewashed room, about 9 x 14 feet in size, lighted by one very -narrow grated window. The entrance to the room is closed by a small -latticed iron door, beyond which is still another solid door of wood, -which, when closed, excludes nearly all sound, and thus renders the -room practically a place of solitary confinement. A register furnishes -furnace heat, and one sixteen candle power electric burner gives light -during a part of the evening, it being turned off promptly at 9 P. M. -The superintendent of the prison came to my door for a few moments this -morning, and spoke to me of some of the prison rules and regulations. -My attorney, Mr. Shoemaker, also called on me, also assured me that -my wife should see me on Monday, and that she was no longer seriously -ill, to hear which makes my heavy load seem lighter. I have now had -three meals served to me since coming here, and can judge something of -what my food will be if I have to stay here any length of time. For -breakfast a plentiful supply of plain coffee and a quantity of coarse -white bread; at the noon hour a small pail well filled with soup, -thickened with barley and a few beans, and containing a large piece -of beef; at 5 P. M. I was agreeably surprised at receiving a liberal -quantity of cocoa, made, I judge, from cocoa shells—a most healthful -drink for one in such close confinement. This was accompanied by -another piece of bread, which completed the day’s rations. One thing -is certain, even if not a great variety, the quantity is sufficient, -and is cleanly cooked and served. - -Sunday, November 25, 1894.—A long, still day, doubly hard to bear, -inasmuch as since my marriage it has, owing to our long talks, reading -and driving, grown to be a day of delight to me. At 3 P. M. the outer -door to my room was opened about four inches in order to admit the -sound of the religious services held at that hour and lasting until 4 -o’clock, which consists principally of singing, some of which is quite -good. - -November 26, 1894.—My wife came to see me at 9.30 this morning. I had -not been allowed to see her since my arrival in Philadelphia, and -it required all the courage I could command to go to her under such -humiliating circumstances. Our meeting took place in the presence of -one of the prison officials. She has suffered, and though she tried -heroically to keep me from seeing it, it was of no avail; and in a few -minutes to again bid her good-bye and know she was going out into the -world with so heavy a load to bear, caused me more suffering than any -death struggles can ever do. Each day until I know she is safe from -harm and annoyance will be a living death to me. I am promised that -for the present she shall visit me two times a week, each week, not to -exceed fifteen minutes in duration. If she can bear the humiliation of -coming here it will be a Godsend to me, but I shall not urge her to do -so against her will. - -Tuesday, November 27, 1894.—My attorney called to see me to-day. He -only is allowed to visit my room and converse with me alone. Our time -was principally occupied in planning to furnish bail for Mrs. Pitezel, -who must be set at liberty at all hazards. I am threatened with arrest -upon the charge of murder, if I give bail myself, which is only another -form of saying that I must stay here until it is their pleasure to -call my case for trial; for if charged with murder, bail would not be -accepted. Had letters sent to Miss Williams. The other two children -are here in Philadelphia, and I am assured are well cared for. Was -agreeably surprised to-day to find that unsentenced prisoners are -allowed to receive eatables, at their own expense, from outside the -prison, and I shall make arrangements to have this brought about. I -also can have all newspapers and periodicals I wish. Money here in the -prison, aside from these uses, is absolutely without value. - -November 30, 1894.—My wife came, looking brighter and stronger. This -time a seat was given her outside my door, though a keeper was present -during the entire interview. I can see only too plainly what an effort -it is for her to come into this terrible place, for she sees more of -the prison in passing in and out than I do myself, and to one of her -sensitive nature it is a most trying experience. Was instructed to-day -that, after I have completed several important business letters I am -writing, I must restrict all of my correspondence to one letter a week. -All mail is inspected in the prison office. I think my weight is twenty -pounds less than at time of my arrest; but I am getting more used to my -unnatural surroundings and to my bed of straw, and am sleeping better. -The great humiliation of feeling that I am a prisoner is killing me far -more than any other discomforts I have to endure. I notice quite a -difference, however, between my wooden stool and a comfortable office -or rocking-chair, but still feel that I have much to be thankful for, -as thus far I have been allowed to wear my own clothing and to keep my -watch and other small belongings. The escape from wearing the convict -garb I greatly appreciate. - -December 3, 1894.—I have commenced to write a careful and truthful -account of all matters pertaining to my case, including the fact that -Pitezel is dead and that the children are with Miss Williams, and as -soon as I have completed it I shall ask my attorney to place it in the -hands of the authorities that they may verify what I have written. - -I feel that I could very easily have carried out the statements I made -relative to his being alive and the substitution of a body if there was -anything to be gained by it, but Mrs. Pitezel, at all events, should -know of it before the children return, lest the question arise as to -where he was, and give occasion for the prosecution to feel that other -motives than this had caused me to conceal the true state of affairs. - -December 25, 1894—Christmas. I shall receive no presents, and caused -only a few flowers to be sent to ——, as I feel that any reminder of a -year ago to-day would make it harder for her to bear. Nor will I trust -myself to write at length to-night. I did not have a dinner sent in -to-day. To-morrow will also be another sad anniversary, and a day hard -to bear. - -January 1, 1895.—The New Year. I have been busy nearly all day in -prison formulating a methodical plan for my daily life while in prison, -to which I shall hereafter rigidly adhere, for the terrible solitude of -these dark winter days will otherwise soon break me down. I shall rise -at 6.30, and after taking my usual sponge bath shall clean my room and -arrange it for the day. My meal hours shall be 7.30 A. M., 12, and 5 -and 9 P. M. I shall eat no more meat of any kind while I am so closely -confined. Until 10 A. M. all the time not otherwise disposed of shall -be devoted to exercise and reading the morning papers. From 10 to 12 -and 2 to 4, six days in the week, I shall confine myself to my old -medical works and other college studies, including stenography, French -and German, the balance of my day shall be taken up with reading the -periodicals and library books with which —— keeps me well supplied. I -shall retire at 9 P. M. and shall as soon as possible force myself into -the habit of sleeping throughout the entire night. Received a most kind -and tender letter from my wife, filled with encouraging words. But each -day seems to make it harder to bear. - -January 9th.—We have abandoned for the time being all hopes -of procuring Mrs. Pitezel her liberty. The insurance company, -misconstruing our motives, are determined to keep her under their -control. Efforts are being made to keep me from making satisfactory -settlements of my business matters, as well as trying to induce my wife -to abandon me. Came across these two lines in my reading to-day:— - - “I only know the sky has lost its blue, - The days are weary and the night is drear.” - -They so thoroughly described my own condition that I cannot refrain -from copying them to-night. - -January 25th.—Had a long, quiet talk with my wife at City Hall to-day, -where I had been taken to be interviewed by the authorities. I feel -better and stronger to-night than for many days. Caused advertisement -to be sent to Miss Williams, and also sent out a large number of -business letters, there being no restriction against doing so while -there. - -In February Mr. Shoemaker started West and South to settle up my -business matters for me; I expect him to be absent fully two weeks. -Owing to the interference of the insurance company, property that I -would have refused $50,000 for three months ago, some of which I would -not have sold at all, will have to be sacrificed, so that not more than -one-half that sum will be realized for it. - -March 1st.—Commenced to-day to arrange for my trial. Mr. S. P. Rotan is -to act with Mr. Shoemaker as associate counsel. Thus far I have devoted -but little time to this work, but shall now give my 10 to 12 study hour -to it each day. - -March 11th.—Read Trilby, and was much pleased with parts of it. My wife -also brought me some very nice flowers, speaking so strongly to me of -our former life that I have had to put them from my sight. - -March 23d.—The days are fast lengthening; the sun shone into my room -for a few minutes to-day for the first time since I came here. - -May 16th.—My birthday. Am 34 years old. I wonder if, as in former -years, mother will write me. Was at the City Hall and pleaded with the -Assistant District Attorney again that my present case be abandoned and -that I be at once tried upon the charge of killing Pitezel, as I feel -that I cannot too soon have this matter settled, inasmuch as they so -boldly accuse me of it. This they flatly refused to do, saying I only -wished to avoid serving a sentence upon the minor charge. Then the only -satisfaction I could obtain when I urged that the conspiracy charge be -tried at once in order that Mrs. Pitezel may be set at liberty was, -“Don’t you worry yourself about Mrs. Pitezel; we will care for her and -will also give you all you want to do before we are through with you.” -Have retained Mr. R. O. Moon as special counsel. - -May 21st.—My case was called in Court to-day, and I entered a formal -plea of “not guilty.” The trial was postponed until a later date. On -Monday, May 27th, my case was called for trial. I went to the City -Hall, where the Court was held, in the same kind of conveyance that -had brought me here over six months before, and was conducted by two -officers into the Court room, and placed in a small enclosure in the -centre of the room. After a little delay, the Court was called to -order, Judge Hare presiding. Little time was lost in securing a jury, -as those first called, almost without exception, appeared to be both -intelligent and honest. After administering the oaths, the District -Attorney arose and addressed the Court. Theretofore I had not looked -upon my case as serious, for after I had placed before the authorities -my written statement, some months earlier, stating that Pitezel was -actually dead, some of the prosecution and the insurance company had -openly stated that they believed it to be true, and knowing myself -that his death had actually occurred, it left little, save the charge -of conspiracy, to be disposed of; but when the prosecution drew into -the case matters altogether foreign to the conspiracy charges, I felt -that it could not help but influence the jury. The authorities had -also brought Mrs. Pitezel into Court, and had seated her in a prominent -portion of the room, and later, while giving his testimony, one of -the witnesses led the Court to understand that with a knife I had -proceeded, in a cold-blooded manner, to mutilate the body of Pitezel at -the time of examination for the purpose of identification. I saw that -the prosecution were determined to magnify and dilate each point that -could be turned in their favor. - -During the afternoon session I learned that a subpœna had been -issued requiring my wife to appear in Court, contrary to a distinct -arrangement that I had previously made with the insurance company that -she should not be used as a witness or annoyed in regard to the case, -and I felt that I would rather serve a longer term of imprisonment than -thus humiliate her. At the close of the Court for the day I learned -that the prosecution were prepared to place upon the witness stand -the doctors before referred to, who had seen the body at Callowhill -street, both of whom would swear the body found there could not have -been Pitezel, a matter I could not disprove, and that evening, after -considering all the proceedings of the day, I resolved to ask my -counsel to allow me to change my plea, relying upon them to show the -Court when I should, at a later date, be brought before the Judge to -be sentenced, that while there had existed an agreement to perpetrate -a fraud under certain circumstances, there was no active conspiracy at -the time when Pitezel’s death had occurred, and that the death being -genuine, the insurance company had not been defrauded. This, together -with the fact that I should save at least a week’s valuable time to -the Court by ending my trial as I did, I hoped would cause the Judge -to reduce my sentence to one-half the fullest extent, thus allowing me -to go to Texas in October, 1895, which would be in season to attend -to my business matters there before they would seriously suffer from -the delay. Before leaving the Court the Judge stated that I should be -allowed the six months I had already been in prison, which I could not -but appreciate, as it was wholly discretionary with him. Later during -the day I was called before the District Attorney, in his private -office, and there made a statement as to the probable whereabouts of -the children, telling them as truthfully as I knew all the facts I -could think of that would aid them in the search, and later gave them -the cipher I had formerly used in communicating with Miss Williams. I -then returned to my prison room at Moyamensing. - -Upon the 18th of June I was taken to the Court House as a witness in -the case against Howe; but a long continuance being taken, I was not -called upon to testify. Shortly thereafter one of my attorneys, after -careful preparation, went to London, and did considerable hard work -for me in endeavoring to locate the missing children by searching for -the old addresses given me by Hatch; and the assertion made by the -Assistant District Attorney that I had deceived my counsel and sent him -upon a search I knew to be useless, is simply one of many statements -he has made both to me and for publication that are painful evidence -of the want of discernment and good judgment one had a right to expect -from the occupant of so important a position. - -Later in June Detective Guyer called on me, and, in a long conversation -with him, I made a most honest endeavor to place him in possession -of all the facts I could think of that would be instrumental in -facilitating the proposed search, which I looked upon and welcomed as -one of corroboration of the same statements I had previously made, -feeling that upon his following my movements from place to place, and -finding that I had not misled him in any way, he would return more -free to believe other statements that were not so easily verified; and -I do not think I need to state to any intelligent reader that had I -known of the death and burial of the little ones in the Toronto cellar, -and wished to conceal the same, I should have avoided all mention of -other houses where furniture had been brought and, in one instance, -an excavation made, and I feel that if Mr. Guyer were called upon for -a truthful statement, he could not fail to say that but for my aid, -freely given him at this time, together with detailed statements and -drawings previously made relating to those places where I had forgotten -the exact location, his search would have been a failure, inasmuch as -he would have had no incentive to prosecute a similar investigation in -Toronto. - -On the morning of the 16th of July, my newspaper was delivered to me -at about 8.30 A. M., and I had hardly opened it before I saw in large -headlines the announcement of the finding of the children in Toronto. -For the moment it seemed so impossible, that I was inclined to think it -one of the frequent newspaper excitements that had attended the earlier -part of the case, but, in attempting to quickly gain some accurate -comprehension of what was stated in the article, I became convinced -that at least certain bodies had been found there, and upon comparing -the date when the house was hired I knew it to be the same as when the -children had been in Toronto; and thus being forced to realize the -awfulness of what had probably happened, I gave up trying to read the -article, and saw instead the two little faces as they had looked when I -hurriedly left them—felt the innocent child’s kiss so timidly given and -heard again their earnest words of farewell, and I realized that I had -received another burden to carry to my grave with me, equal, if not -worse, than the horrors of Nannie Williams’ death. - -I think at this time I should have lost my senses utterly had I not -been hurriedly called to prepare to be taken to the District Attorney’s -office. I went there securely handcuffed and accompanied by two -officers for further safety, and not until these extra precautions -were taken did I realize the new and terrible change that had occurred -affecting the entire aspect of my case. Upon reaching the City Hall the -Assistant District Attorney met me. I was in no condition to bear his -accusations, nor disposed to answer many of his questions. I felt it -right that he should know that I had already seen the morning papers, -and upon his demanding that I tell him where the body of the boy could -be found, I answered, that in the light of the Toronto development, -I had reason to think he would be found buried in or about the house -that had been hired in Detroit. He then accused me of killing him in -Detroit and destroying his body by burning it in a furnace that was in -the cellar. This I denied, and moreover felt sure and told him that the -body could not have been destroyed there in that way by any one else, -as I had been in the house upon two occasions and knew that if human -remains had been cremated there even at a considerably earlier date the -odor would have been noticeable. I did not see the District Attorney at -this interview and was very soon taken to the prison again. - -For the next forty-eight hours I reasoned and thought, studying -minutely each step of our journey from the time Hatch had joined us; -but what seemed utterly incomprehensible to me then, and even now, was -how any sane man would take such awful chances, even if he had no other -scruples to restrain him, yet I well knew it could have been no one -else that committed the crime, for in that event the non-arrival of -the children would have been known to us. I knew also that the small -sum of $400, that was given to the girls just previous to their death, -could have been no incentive for the commission of the act, and was -forced to look further for the motive. I could only think that it had -been done at Miss Williams’ suggestion and in furtherance of her threat -of the previous year, which, owing to friendliness at a later date, I -had believed wholly abandoned, probably also intending to give color -to a theory (if later for her safety such had to be advanced) that I, -and not she, had killed her sister, pointing to these disappearances -that had occurred at a time when I was known to have had the children -in my charge as corroborative of the same, though I felt sure that her -hellish wish for vengeance for the imagined desertion of the previous -year was much the more potent of the two motives. - -Finally I commenced at the time I had first asked them to come here, -and following carefully each step and conversation we had held, I -became certain that when Hatch had first met me in Cincinnati he could -have had no matured plans. Then going over our route I could see no -change until after reaching Indiana. He had gone away for a few days -to Chicago, as he then said, but, as I now believe, to Detroit, to -consult with Miss Williams, as it occurred directly after he had first -known I was liable to be arrested. He then commenced taking more -interest in the children, taking them about with him and buying them -presents. It was at this time, also, that he took a private room, -saying that inasmuch as I was liable to be watched, it was unsafe for -any of us to be at a hotel. It was then that he had his beard removed -from his chin[9] in the barber shop at the Indianapolis depot, each -act being a trifle in itself, yet taken together showed to me that -then was when the change had commenced. Following still further, I had -at first wished to go to Chicago alone, thinking it safer to do so -than to be accompanied by the children. I had asked him to take them -all to Detroit with him, to which he replied that if this was done it -would keep him from looking about for a house there for Mrs. Pitezel, -which we were anxious to obtain as quickly as possible; that he could -take the boy with him easily, for he could accompany him about the -city in his search. This, together with the girls’ desire to go to -Chicago, led me to carry out the arrangement in this way. Then came -our arrival in Detroit, two days later, when Hatch stated that the boy -had gone with Miss Williams to Buffalo, and that he had been delayed -twenty-four hours _en route_ to Detroit at some junction where a wreck -had occurred, thus accounting for his having made no search for a house. - -Then of another circumstance, which ordinarily I should not have -considered more than a coincidence. While in Cincinnati, Alice and -the boy had disputed as to which should wear an old watch that had -belonged to their father. Alice advancing her claim of superior -years, Howard, that he was the boy of the family, accompanied by the -remembrance that his father had promised it to him when he grew older. -I settled the matter by taking the watch in charge and buying each -of them a small nickel open-faced watch and chain. This left little -Nellie with a broken heart, and as soon as I noticed her trouble, I -told her that before our journey was ended I would also buy one for -her, or something else equally pleasing to her, if she preferred. The -day after our arrival in Detroit she came to me much elated, saying -Mr. Hatch had bought her a watch. Upon looking at it, it proved to be -of the same make and design as the one Alice had, and I now believe -it was the same watch I had given Howard some days before. Then in -Detroit occurred the buying of the spade and his insisting upon taking -it to Toronto, giving the weak excuse that he had paid for it and did -not wish to throw it away, when he could have sold it at a second-hand -store much easier than to have taken it so far to the depot to place it -in the trunk. Then, the letter from Miss Williams, asking that I pay -the $1,000 due upon the Fort Worth property then, instead of later, as -she wished to use a part of it; it seeming hardly probable, if this had -been the real reason of requiring the money at that time, that so much -trouble would have been taken in trying to convert the money I gave -into a $1,000 bill. - -The only other circumstance I could then think of was his almost -querulous objection to my buying a jacket in Detroit for one of the -girls, and later heavier clothing in Toronto, he saying that Miss -Williams could better understand their needs, and his efforts to borrow -$500 from me in Burlington, and also that Alice had told me in Toronto -that Mr. Hatch had given her a letter or a postal card to write for -him, as he had no writing materials at his room. I asked her what it -was about, and she answered, as near as I can remember, that it was to -a Mr. Cooke about a house that he did not need longer and about a sale -of furniture or that it had been sold. If I thought sufficiently of -the matter at the time, I supposed it referred to the Detroit house, -as this was the only one I had reason to think he had engaged, and I -think it will be later found that at Logansport or Peru, or some other -junction town in Indiana, a house was hired upon October 10th or 11th, -while I was in Chicago, and the body of the boy shipped from the hotel -in Indianapolis in accordance with the report that a large trunk was -that day shipped to an unknown destination, and the remains buried -similarly to the Toronto case, and that this was the true cause of his -delay in reaching Detroit. - -Some days later I told the authorities that such was my belief, giving -them my reasons for thinking so, and for my pains I was severely taken -to task for having previously stated that I thought he would be found -in or about the Detroit house. From this I have been characterized by -them as a supreme falsifier. - -With the one exception of the statements made at the time of my arrest, -and adhered to until I knew Mrs. Pitezel could be no longer saved from -worriment by so doing, I know of no material misstatements made, save -that the children were in England, which I most honestly believed to be -true. - -The next day I saw an account in the papers of my wife’s coming here in -answer to a telegram from the District Attorney’s office. This said to -me far more than was printed in the paper. I knew she must have been -intimidated to have come at this time and in answer to a summons from -them. My fears were confirmed a few days later when I learned from a -trusted source that such was the case, and that the threat had been -made that if she made any effort to see or communicate with me she -would be arrested and held as a witness. (It will here be remembered -that our prison interviews were invariably held in the presence of -a keeper.) And upon the other hand if she remained away from me and -aided them, all her expenses would be paid by the prosecution or the -insurance company. - -I knew that the latter would have no weight with her, but I feared that -the threats they made would cause her to worry until she became ill, -and I therefore felt justified in resorting to almost any means to see -her and try and quiet her fears. With this in view I wrote the District -Attorney that if I could have an interview with him, my wife being -present, I would endeavor to make it plain to him where they could -expect to find the remains of the boy. This interview was promptly -accorded me and, upon being taken into his private office, I met my -wife, and it needed but one glance to know what she had been and was -then suffering, which caused a feeling of almost uncontrollable anger -to take possession of me, both towards the authorities for unjustly -causing her hard lot to be made worse, and towards myself that for the -sake of business gains I had ever allowed myself to enter into the -petty transactions that had been the cause of all her troubles. My -first inquiry, as could naturally be expected, was as to her physical -condition and if she was in comfortable quarters and free from actual -restraint. I also told her that until the world at large ceased to look -upon me as a murderer I should not in the presence of others greet -her as was my usual custom. If at this time my wife shrank from me as -though in fear, as was given out from the District Attorney’s office -for publication, I, in my blindness, did not see it, and in the days -and nights that followed until I again heard of her welfare almost -my only source of comfort was the remembrance of the few kind words -she had said, and, what was even more to me, that she had worn both -her engagement and her wedding rings, and as many of the gifts I had -presented to her during our happier days as she could without exciting -undue notice, choosing those that would convey to me from their -associations the kind thoughts she knew she would have no opportunity -to say in words. - -This was particularly plain to me, inasmuch as it was wholly contrary -to her usual custom to appear thus attired at that early hour of the -day, and in so public a place, and until she tells me that such is -not the case I shall hold to the belief that she is yet loyal to me. -There were present at this meeting, beside the District Attorney, -Mr. Shoemaker and Supt. Linden, and for a part of the time Mr. Fouse -and the Assistant District Attorney. I endeavored to state to them, -in as few words as possible, the circumstances of Hatch’s delay of -twenty-four hours, and the letters sent from either Detroit or Toronto -about a house. They at once branded my statements concerning Hatch as -untrue, and said that he was a mythical person, asking me to name any -one who had ever seen him. In reply I said, “I do not consider that -you have any more grounds for doubting the fact that he was at these -places than to doubt that Mrs. Pitezel or these children were there, -because they did not happen to meet. However, you need not rely upon my -statements.” - -Last November or December Mr. Perry, a representative of the insurance -company, came to the prison, in company with another witness, to -question me about some other matters pertaining to the case, and while -there said to me, “Who was the man you met at the Burlington depot you -seemed so surprised to see, and immediately went to the telegraph -office and took up a message you had previously written?” - -I told him it was a man named Hatch, a friend of Miss Williams, who -was not connected with my case in any important way. I also stated -in further answer to the District Attorney’s question that I felt -sure that the barber in the Indianapolis depot would remember his -coming there with me, it being so unusual an occurrence for me to be -accompanied by any one; that the proprietor or clerk of the small hotel -where he had taken the children upon their arrival in Detroit would -remember him, and probably the woman where they boarded during most of -their stay in that city, as he accompanied them to the train the day -following my departure for Toronto. That Mrs. Pitezel will remember -his calling at her house at Burlington, and upon her going to the door -he made some trivial excuse and went away, having expected to meet me -there. And that my wife will remember my leaving her upon the steamboat -landing at B. for a moment to step across to the depot to speak to him, -and upon two subsequent occasions while in that city of recognizing -him upon the street, she remarking upon my knowing any one there, and -parties who have lately testified that they knew of my visiting Miss -Williams in New York in 1888, and later in Denver, will know that it -was Hatch and not myself, as I never was in Denver until January, 1894, -and never saw Miss Williams prior to January, 1893. - -“Call him Hatch, Jones, or Smith, if you will, but you have known for -months that there was such a person at certain places during the trip -with whom I communicated, and with whom I was seen, and whose existence -you cannot now ignore.” - -I then tried to explain to them that for want of time alone, even if I -were the bloodthirsty villain they were inclined to make me appear, I -could not be guilty of the Toronto murders, and begged them to allow me -to go there before by any chance evidence that could now be obtained -should become unavailable to me. To this the District Attorney replied, -“I shall not do it; I shall try you here.” What more could be said? -If a man as broad-minded as I knew the District Attorney to be, both -from common report and from my own observation, would not consider so -important a statement, what could I expect from others having a less -thorough knowledge of the case? I was much disappointed, both at not -being allowed to go there, and at the harsh and unjust way he looked -upon the matter, and the feeling was increased a few minutes later when -I asked to be allowed to provide for my wife’s support while here, by -having him tell me that he did not consider it any part of my business -at the present time to either know of or care for her welfare; and some -weeks later by his refusing to allow my relatives and business agent -to visit me at the prison, and by a number of trivial matters like -withholding my newspaper and intercepting and keeping letters that, -after reading, he could see did not pertain to, and could not influence -my case in any way, saying that if I were given hardships enough and -kept long enough away from others, I would confess these crimes. -Feeling it was useless to prolong the interview, and noticing that my -wife was suffering intensely, I brought it to a close as quickly as -possible. I bade her good-bye and was again handcuffed and taken to -prison. - -During the previous days the part of the Toronto matters that had -seemed the most unaccountable to me was how Hatch could have returned -to the depot so soon after I had left both him and the children upon -the train, and what excuse he could have given to them to forego their -journey. This information my interview had supplied. In questioning me, -Superintendent Linden had said, “Who was that light young man standing -upon the corner of the street near the house where the children were -killed, that you spoke with at some length and then went away to hire -an expressman?” I hesitated in my answer to him, and finally told him -that I had not met any one there, but if he knew that such a meeting -had taken place it was of the most vital importance to my case. There -had instantly come into my mind when he had asked this question a -remembrance of two years previous, but owing to their scoffs at the -possibility of Hatch’s existence, I felt it wise to refrain from -speaking of it to him until I could hear from those by whom I could -prove the statement I would have liked to have made at the time. - -One day in the spring of ‘93, soon after Miss Williams’ trunks, -containing her theatrical costumes, had been brought to our rooms in -the block in Chicago, returning from the city one afternoon, I met -upon the stairway leading to my office a jauntily dressed young man, -whom, as I passed, I asked to cease smoking his cigarette within the -building, and a few minutes later was being saucily laughed at in my -office by Miss Williams. So clever had the deception been, both in -clothing and change in facial expression by aid of her color box, that -upon her wishing to do so, I allowed her to accompany me upon a trip to -Aurora, Ill., and later to St. Joseph, Mich., costumed in this manner. -That both of these trips, made under these circumstances, actually -occurred, I am able to prove by competent and disinterested persons, -and I feel sure that Miss Williams was in Toronto, probably meeting the -children at Hamilton, and returning with them, and keeping one with -her while the other was killed; and next day, while I must necessarily -have been hundreds of miles away, inasmuch as I registered at Prescott -at 4 P. M., she, if any one, met Hatch near this house, disguised in -this manner. On August 15th, Mr. Cops, a Fort Worth attorney, obtained -permission of the District Attorney to interview me, and, after -questioning me for a time, said he would like to tell me his theory of -how I had killed my Chicago victims, which was that while they were in -my office I had in some way induced them to step inside the vault and -then caused their death by suffocation. He said, “Why, Holmes, it is -the plainest case I ever heard of, even the footprints of one of them -are to be seen upon the door, where in their desperation they had tried -to make their escape.” - -I asked him when he believed the last of these deaths had occurred -there. He replied, “Probably in July, 1893. In fact, if you could -show me that Minnie Williams was alive after that date, I would be -much inclined to believe that she was alive now and that she killed -her sister, as you say, for, if alive, only that could have been a -sufficient motive to induce her to conceal her whereabouts for so -long from her Texas friends.” I said, “Will you grant me that I am -not guilty of taking life there since I left Chicago about January 1, -1894, for Texas.” He replied, “Yes, I think that would be safe from -the evidence I have gathered in Chicago.” I said, “In August, 1893, -a fire occurred in the building, causing the destruction of many -valuable letters and papers, and upon the building being repaired I -bought this vault, in October or November, 1893, from a safe and vault -company whose offices were one block west of La Salle street, between -Madison and Adams, in Chicago. The purchase was made in the name of the -Campbell-Yates Company, and in December, 1893, it was put in place and -plastered by a workman named Kriss. - -“A very few days thereafter I left Chicago and have never been in the -rooms since. There was never any other vault in the building, save one -upon the first floor that for years had been under the entire control -of tenants occupying the drug and jewelry store in which it is located. -I cannot give you the name or exact address of this company, but it -is plainly printed upon the door of the vault, and upon your return -to Chicago, if you care to do so, you can satisfy yourself of the -truthfulness of my statement regarding it.” He said, “Until I can do -this I cannot believe it to be true, but if I do find that such is the -case I shall be inclined to return to Fort Worth and abandon my case, -and upon the strength of what you have told me, I will say to you that -I have lately learned that there has been found at Fort Worth among -mail that was sent to you after you left that city, a London letter -from Miss Williams, but being so sure in my own mind that she died -nearly a year previous to that time, I have supposed it to be a clever -forgery sent there by you to mislead those who found it.” I told him -that Miss Williams had sent me three letters there which were forwarded -by Mr. John L. Judd, my Denver agent, 1609 Lawrence street, that city, -to whom he could write to or visit to corroborate my statement. That -two of these letters I had received and had supposed the other had been -sent to the Dead Letter Office and destroyed; that if he would take -the letter to Mr. —— and others in Fort Worth, who knew her writing, -they would at once tell him it was not a forgery. A few days later -I heard of the explosion and fire at the block in Chicago, and felt, -as has lately been the case whenever I hear of any loss of life, -strange disappearances or other misdemeanors not easily accounted for, -throughout the United States—anywhere in the world in fact—almost -thankful that the strong doors of my prison room make it impossible for -such acts to now be ascribed to me. - - - OTHER DISAPPEARANCES. - -A Miss Van Tassand to the best of my knowledge I never saw. Certain it -is that I hired no fruit store in Chicago, nor did I have a person of -that name in my employ at any time. - -A Mrs. Lee, said to have disappeared some time in 1893, I do not know -of ever having seen. - -Cora Quinlin is said by the newspapers to be alive. No insurance of any -kind was ever caused to be placed upon the life of this child by me nor -did I know that such had been placed by others. - -A Miss Cigrand was sent to me by the National Typewriter Exchange in -Chicago in May, 1892. She worked faithfully in my interests until -November, 1892, when, much against my wishes, she left my employ to -be married, as I understood at the time. Some days after going away -she returned for her mail, and at this time gave me one of her wedding -cards, and also two or three others for tenants in the building who -were not then in their rooms; and in response to inquiries lately made -I have learned that at least five persons in and about Lafayette, -Ind., received such cards, the post mark and her handwriting upon the -envelope in which they were enclosed showing that she must have sent -them herself after leaving my employ. While working for me she had -also acted as the secretary of the Campbell-Yates Co., a corporation -in which I was interested; and in 1893 certain papers relating to -the business of this company that had been overlooked required her -signature, and after considerable delay she came to the office in -November, which was about one year after she left my employ. She -accompanied me to lunch at Thompson’s restaurant, where I had eaten -regularly for years, and where during the previous year she had often -eaten with me. Here the man known as Henry, who for a long time has -been head usher in this establishment and knew us both well, remarked -to her, as he gave us our seats, “It is a long time since you were -here.” She replied, “About one year.” A few days later she met me -elsewhere in Chicago, at which time Arthur S. Kirk, a member of the -well-known soap manufacturers, Kirk & Co., and two employees were -present, and upon my recalling to Mr. Kirk’s memory certain business -transactions I had with him at about this time, he, as well as his -employees, will remember the circumstances, and be able to fix the -exact date and give an accurate description of Miss Cigrand. - -Before leaving Chicago, she expressed a desire to re-enter my employ, -stating that unless more kindly treated she should not longer live with -her husband, but should either return to office work or re-enter the -convent, where she had been educated, or some other similar institution. - -She also told me that she had written her people, but should not visit -them until she could give them financial aid, as she had been in the -habit of doing before her marriage, and I think she will let me know -her location and present name before I am made to suffer for her -disappearance. - -Miss Mary and Miss Kate Dunkee are both acknowledged by the -Philadelphia authorities to be alive. Charles Cole is also known to be -alive. - -The Redman family, the child or its abductress, I never saw, and know -nothing of the case save from the accounts published at the time. - -Robert Latimer, a former janitor, a Mr. Brummager, once in my employ as -a stenographer, also a Miss Mary Horacamp, from Hamilton, Canada, are -alive, as shown by letters recently received from friends or relatives -of each. - -Miss Anna Betz, formerly of Englewood, Ill., whose death I have been so -persistently charged with during the past year, the claims being made -that it had been caused by a criminal operation performed by me at the -instigation of ——, of Chicago, for which I received a release of the -sum of $2,500 that I owed him, I was but little acquainted with, and if -her death was occasioned in such a manner I certainly am not the cause -of it, and checks given upon my order by F. W. Devoe & Co., of New -York, will show when and how my indebtedness to Mr. —— was canceled. - -The same charge concerning a domestic named Lizzie is untrue, although -I have no means of verifying it save that it has been proven that she -was alive and in Chicago some months after I left that city, early in -1894. - - - PHOTOGRAPHIC IDENTIFICATIONS. - -In 1883 there were conducted within my knowledge a series of -experiments illustrative of the unreliability of photographic -identifications, and other similar experiments have often been made. -These consisted in calling upon ten students who had witnessed two -skillful sign writers executing some work upon a street window to -later identify them from photographs. An open album was first handed -to the student who was told to choose which one of two pictures before -him was the party in question, they all made a prompt decision as to -one or the other being the person they had seen, the fact being that -neither of the pictures were of these men. To another group of ten -that had also seen the painters under like circumstances was given -a frame containing forty photographs, they being instructed that the -picture of one of the men they had seen was among the number. Only one -chose the right picture, and none looked for or found more than one, -although without their knowledge pictures of both were plainly before -them in the group. The result of the entire number of experiments was -that over 95 per cent. failed in their efforts at identification. In -my own case by means of pictures, a man in Milwaukee is or was ready -to make oath that I was in that city, accompanied by the two children, -at a time when the Philadelphia authorities know we were elsewhere. A -woman in Chicago is equally positive that I was several days at her -boarding house with Miss Williams and the two children, at a time when -the authorities know I was in Cincinnati, Ohio. In the same manner -two Detroit parties are ready to swear that Miss Williams was in that -city, accompanied by a man answering my description of Hatch, at a time -when I know he was with me in Indianapolis. In all these instances, -and in the Toronto identifications, I believe that the parties have -been honest in the statements made, but it must be remembered that they -have been led to understand that no other decision was possible. A good -example of the methods employed was furnished some months ago when at -police headquarters here. I was taken before some twenty or thirty -people by a detective who, when near enough for them to hear, said, -“Mr. Holmes, these people are witnesses in the case for which you are -to be tried here, and I wish to see if they can identify you.” - - - MOTIVES. - -Had my early life and associations been such as to predispose me -towards such criminal proceedings, still the want of motive remains. -I can show that no motive did exist. Those who knew me personally can -see that it could not have been avarice, for whenever I possessed even -a small surplus of ready money, those whom I was owing or friends in -need of same could always receive the most or all I possessed. Any -ungovernable temper is excluded, for I do not possess it. Appetence -cannot be ascribed as a motive, age and other circumstances to a great -extent excluding same. The principal motive thus far ascribed, namely, -that I had first involved my alleged victims in, or made them parties -to, dishonest transactions can be excluded, from the fact that all such -transactions are matters of recent date, and almost without exception -they are found to have done nothing criminal. Either one of the -foregoing I should prefer having my supposed shortcomings attributed -to than the only remaining motive I can think of, namely, insanity, to -which, either hereditary or acquired, I can plead not guilty, and be -substantiated in so doing by a sufficient number of medical experts, -whose testimony cannot be lightly overlooked. - -Of the three more important cases, first that of the Williams sisters. -Nannie Williams was wholly without means. The following account will -show that had I given Hatch the $500 he wished to borrow of me in -Burlington, there would have been little due Nannie Williams; nothing -in fact, if I had included various small sums paid her from time to -time, of which no account was kept. It should also be borne in mind -that she still holds the title to the $10,000 Wilmette property, which, -on this account, is valueless to me. - - RECEIVED OF M. R. WILLIAMS. - - April, 1893, Cash, $2,500 - April, 1893, Real Estate, 7,000 - August, 1894, Cash, 600 - ————— $10,100 - - PAID M. R. WILLIAMS. - - May, 1893, Cash, $2,500 - July, 1893, Cash, 1,000 - December, 1893, Cash, 750 - January, 1894, Fort Worth - Incumbrance, 1,725 - February, 1894, Cash, 1,750 - October, 1894, Cash, 1,000 - October, 1894, Cash, 412 - ————— $9,137 - ————— - $963 - -Shown by cashed drafts and checks endorsed by M. Williams, and other -forms of evidence. - -In the case of Benj. F. Pitezel, the motive is said to have been the -money to be derived from his insurance, and more than this from his -Texas real-estate holdings. In regard to the former, I can only -reiterate that he was worth more to me each year he lived than the -amount he was insured for, and each year he was becoming more valuable -to me; therefore, why should I take his life? His real estate was not -of one dollar’s value to him, and could only be of value to me after he -had signed certain papers, the want of which I felt within thirty days -after his death. This is also true of his patents and other belongings. -The claim that I designed to kill the six other members of the Pitezel -family to avoid being held accountable for the small sum of $5,200, -seems too unlikely a motive to call for a denial, and, excluding this, -it will be hard to find another, when the care and attention I have -given them for years is considered. - -In conclusion, I wish to say that I am but a very ordinary man, even -below the average in physical strength and mental ability, and to have -planned and executed the stupendous amount of wrong-doing that has been -attributed to me would have been wholly beyond my power, and even had I -been able to have performed it, a still greater task would have been -the successful elaboration of a story at the time of my arrest that, if -untrue, would have provided for the many exigencies that at that time I -could not have known would have occurred later in the case; and I feel -justified in asking from the general public a suspension of judgment -as to my guilt or innocence, not while the various charges can be -proven against me, but while I can disprove them, a task which I feel -able to satisfactorily and expeditiously accomplish. And here I cannot -say finis—it is not the end—for besides doing this there is also the -work of bringing to justice those for whose wrong-doings I am to-day -suffering, and this not to prolong or save my own life, for since the -day I heard of the Toronto horror I have not cared to live; but that to -those who have looked up to and honored me in the past it shall not in -the future be said that I suffered the ignominious death of a murderer. - - - FOOTNOTES: - - [1] The name he had assumed for the purpose of aiding me to organize - our company. - - [2] Mrs. Pitezel’s initials. - - [3] Before going to Denver when he had felt so sure of carrying out - the plan, I afterwards learned that he had spoken to one of his - family about his sudden disappearance at any time not - necessitating them to worry. - - [4] At the time referred to a daily paper had stated that these - lawyers were to act as my attorneys, and upon Pitezel’s calling - upon them, they had given him this card, and also directed him to - the attorney they had recommended to me in the same street. - - [5] The claim so persistently advanced that this note was a forgery - is untrue; it was still in existence a short time ago, and if the - prosecution will produce it the signature can speak for itself. - - [6] In any instance, when not registering under my own name, my - handwriting will substantiate my statements. - - [7] At the risk of being tedious, I have entered into a minute - description of our stay while in Toronto, especially as it applies - to Saturday, the 19th, and Thursday, the 25th of October, as they - seem vital dates in the case. - - [8] The tacks used later to replace the portion removed were taken - from the carpet in the room, and have been compared with those - still there to make good my statement that here was where the - mutilation of the trunk occurred. - - [9] In answer to a recent question from the authorities, if, after - Hatch had thus changed his appearance, he looked like myself, I - answer, No, at least not to a sufficient extent to be mistaken for - me by one who knew us both. - - - Transcriber’s Notes: - - - Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). - - Blank pages have been removed. - - Obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOLMES' OWN STORY *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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