"Mamma-where are you?"
The mother struggled to reply but she was as one struck dumb. To her surprise her tongue refused for a moment to obey her will.
"Mamma!"
At length the mother spoke.
"Here child! Here!"
At the sound of her own voice she staggered backward in the dark-the spell was broken! Had she staggered forward instead of back her body would have been torn into a million fragments-for that mysterious package spoken of by the demon, Holmes, lay directly in her path. Had she jarred it, even slightly, it would have caused a terrific explosion, for the package contained a pound of nitro-glycerin!
Like one awakened from a trance Mrs. Pitezel struggled back up the stairs and emerged from the cellar panting like one who has just performed some violent exercise. Dessie regarded her with looks of amazement.
"What were you doing in the cellar, Mamma?" cried the child.
"Nothing 'my darling-nothing," cried the mother, seizing her daughter with a cry of joy. "Never speak of it again as long as you live.,"
"Why not, Mamma?"
"You will know some day, my precious," cried the mother straining Dessie to her. "But you are too young to understand what has happened. Tell me, my dear, do you know Mr. Holmes?"
"Why of course I do!" cried the child wondering at the question. "Why do you ask?"
"If that man ever again comes to our door don't admit him-slam the door shut in his face. Promise me that you will do that."
"I will!" cried Dessie warmly. "I don't like him anyway!"
And then breaking down completely under the terrible strain she had endured the mother bowed her head and wept tears of relief.
For once the red-handed demon was foiled!
And better far than this - Retribution was to soon let fall her heavy hand!
Mrs. Pitezel Further Persecuted
Between November 1st, and November 17th, Holmes went to Gilmanton, where his parents lived. It will not be necessary to detail all that took place on this visit. It is sufficient to say that his real wife was still living there. He told a romantic story that was readily believed and succeeded in being taken back on the old terms. Even while thus engaged he stole time enough to slip back to Miss Yokes, for whose ears he had the most plausible tales to explain his absence. Has the world ever known his equal?
While in Gilmanton, Holmes was shadowed by detectives who had at last succeeded in striking his trail. He had occasion to go to Boston on the 17th day of November and while there was arrested on the charge of stealing horses. The complaint had come all the way from Texas, where he had been employed at horse stealing some time before. Indeed he had long since committed nearly all the offenses in the criminal calendar. The wonder is that he had not been arrested long before!
And now came one of the most dastardly acts of his career.
Agents of the insurance company learned of his arrest and sent proper representatives to identify him. Among these was Inspector Perry, who had seen Holmes in the lead house at Potter's Field. As soon as the eye of Holmes met Perry's a scheme entered the head of the former to escape the indictment for horse stealing from Fort Worth. He did not relish being returned to Fort Worth, as horse thieves in Texas are most roughly handled. In fact it is very rarely that they escape a lynching. This murderer who had sent dozens to untimely graves according to his own statements, himself feared to face the Almighty.
That is the reason that, when he saw Mr. Perry, Holmes threw up his hands and said confidently. "I guess I am wanted in Philadelphia for the insurance swindle and not in Fort Worth."
He knew that he would get but a few years in the penitentiary for conspiring against the insurance company. Little did he know that he was suspected of having murdered B. F. Pitezel. Else he would not have been in such a hurry to surrender.
And now as to the wretched act already spoken of to carry out his cowardly dodge, he charged poor, suffering Mrs. Pitezel with being a co-conspirator, a member of the "gang!" Nothing more heartless was ever conceived in his murderous brain! He killed her husband and the defenseless children but for the mother he reserves a living torture!
To bear out the position he had taken, Holmes made a confession. He represented that he and Pitezel had defrauded the insurance company together and that the man supposed by the company to be the dead, was really on his way to South America and that the children were with him. On the same day that he made this confession Mrs. Pitezel was dragged to Boston by the stern arm that must apprehend every person charged with a crime. Mrs. Pitezel was in the hands of the law. With Dessie and her infant child she occupied a cell in the same station that held the murderer of her husband and the children. How horrible it seems!
On November 19th, 0. M. Hanscom, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Massachusetts and John Cornish, Superintendent of the Pinkerton Detective Agency, examined Mrs. Pitezel as follows:
"Where is your home, Mrs. Pitezel?" asked Mr. Hanscom.
"My home is in Galva, Illinois"
"Now this matter about the death of your husband and the identification of the body, the collection of the insurance, etc., when was the matter first brought to your attention?"
"I heard of it through the paper."
"You saw that a death had occurred?"
"Yes."
"The death of whom?"
"B. F. Perry."
"And did you understand that your husband was living in Philadelphia under the name of Perry?"
"Yes, sir."
"Did you know what street he had located on?"
"No. 1316, I think, Collohill Street."
"Before the time that you got this news from the press or in some other way, had you known anything about this scheme?"
"No, they did not tell me anything about it," answered Mrs. Pitezel hesitatingly, fearing that an answer according to truth might insure her husband.
"Have you one of your daughters here with you?"
"Yes, sir."
”Is she the one that went to identify her father?"
"No, she is not the one."
"When did you last see your husband?"
"I saw him last the 9th day of July and I have not seen him since."
"The ninth day??"
"It was either the 8th or the 9th of July that he left home in the evening and I went down to the Union Depot, and that was the last."
"In St. Louis?"
''Yes.''
"Did he correspond with you after that?"
”Up to the time that I heard of his death he did, but have never heard from him since, only just what Mr. Holmes said that is all."
"Now what has Mr. Holmes said to you about the whereabouts of your husband since that time?"
"Well the only place I know of where he has been is Montreal and Toronto."
"How do you know that he was in Montreal?"
"I do not know for a certainty, I could not swear, only as I have heard it."
"From whom?"
"From Mr. Holmes."
“That he was in Toronto and Montreal?"
''Yes."
"Has he told you that you would meet him at any other place?"
"He said I might see him at Detroit or Toronto or Burlington, but I have never seen him."
"And failing to find him in Burlington, where did you expect then to see him?"
"Well I don't know, I gave up all hope of seeing him."
"He has kept you moving, hasn't he?"
''Yes. "
"I wish to ask you one question direct. Do you believe now that your husband is alive ?"
"Well there must be something in it. I am sure I could not swear to it for I don't know for a fact that he is alive. All I know is what you have been telling me, and what he has been letting me know and that is all."
"But he has kept you moving from point to point. I would like to have you tell me in your own way."
"Well I have been moving from one point to another. I have been just heartbroken that is all there is about it."
"Yes, I know, we are sorry for you. Can you tell me the points in the order of them, how you have been moving about since you left home ?"
"I went to my parents, from there to Chicago, from Chicago to Detroit and from there to Toronto, from there to Ogdensburg, from there to Burlington."
"And that is where you were yesterday?"
"'Yes, Burlington."
"Have you had confidence in Holmes 'all the way through that he would finally take you to your husband?"
"Why, I thought so."
"Has your confidence ever been shaken?"
"Well, sometimes I thought maybe he was fooling me or something."
"How many, of the children had you with you? Just had the little girl and the baby?"
"Yes."
"And the other three children were with whom so far as you know?"
"They were at Covington."
"With whom?"
"I don't know who they were with. I asked Holmes the name and he simply told me who they were with, said she was a widow, a nice woman."
"How long ago was it that you parted with these three children?"
"I have not seen Alice for two months and I have not seen the others for…"
"Alice went away first?"
"Yes, sir."
"She went to identify the body of her father?"
"Yes, sir."
"And you have not seen her since?"
"No."
"In who’s keeping was she, into whose charge did you give her at the time she went on to view the body?"
"Mr. Howe took her."
"Who is he?"
"He is the lawyer, the attorney."
"That was attorney for you?"
"Yes, sir."
"A St. Louis man?"
"Yes, sir."
"Do you know where his office is in St. Louis"'
"Yes, well he turned Alice over to Mr. Holmes then and he brought her on to Covington."
”Did you see her in Covington?"
"No, sir. I was not in Covington at all."
"Have you some friends in Covington?"
"No, sir. '"
"Have you not seen her since she went on to view the body ?"
"No, sir, I have not seen her since."
"Into whose custody did you place the other two?"
"He took the other two, that is Holmes took them from St. Louis to Covington where Alice was."
"You don't know whether they actually went to Covington or not?"
"No, I am just telling you."
"That it quite right. What was his reason for taking them. What reason did he give?"
"He said he would take them there and I could go home and make my parents a visit and not to be bothered with the children, because my parents were getting on in years and he would take the children and then I could go over there when I got through visiting." (Poor Mrs. Pitezel was longing to tell the real reason why Holmes took the children, namely, to throw the insurance company off the trail. The noble woman was still trying to shield the name of her poor misguided husband).
"He was going to take them to meet Alice?"
"Yes, sir."
"And said that they would all be stopping with some widow lady?"
"Yes."
"And did he give the name?"
"No, sir."
"Did he say anything about that they were going to Covington to meet their father ?"
"No, sir, he did not say that."
"Has he ever told since then that they were with the father ?"
"No, sir."
"Then you still believe them to be in Covington?"
"No, sir. He told me he took them to Toronto. That is all I know about it. I don't know where they are now for sure. All I know is that he said he would take them from Covington to Toronto."
"You understood from him that they are there?"
"Yes."
"With friends of his, or whom do you believe them to be with, your husband?"
"No, he said he would give them to some friend there. I don't know whether he has any friends there or not."
"We believe this man to be a very bad man and we want to get at the truth."
"Well that is as far as I know. I can't tell you anything more because I don't know."
"You did not understand then that these children were going to join their father?"
"No, sir."
"Has he ever told you about dressing one of the girls in boys' clothing?"
"No, sir."
"There is a boy and two girls?"
"Whoever told you that?"
"We have been talking with him. We are not doing anything to undertake to make you feel bad, we are trying to get at the matter and sift it. He has kept you moving about the country from point to point and you look as though you had been through a good deal and we want to get all the light we can. We don't believe in this man very much. That is why we are asking you these questions."
"Do you know where the children are?"
"No that is one of the things we want to find out. We want to find them as much for your sake as well as for any other reason in the world. In fact we may say that all these questions that are being asked you now regarding these children are in your behalf. Holmes is locked up in this very building and we have been talking with him."
"I thought maybe I would see the children here."
"Holmes is locked up, you knew that, didn't you."
"I didn't know that until I came up here."
"He has not given you to understand that the children are with their father?"
"No."
"Is there anything else that you can think of that he has said about the whereabouts of the children?"
"That is all that I know about it."
"You have met him a number of times at these different points?"
"Yes."
"He has kept you moving on?"
“Yes. "
(By Mr. Cornish.) "Have you heard from Alice since she has been away?"
"I have not heard from her from Covington, since I was home."
"Have you received a letter from her from Covington ?"
"Yes, sir."
"Had she written it herself?"
"Yes, sir. She and Nellie had written it themselves."
"Did you keep the letter?"
"No I did not keep the letter."
"Do you remember what they said?"
"Well, they said they were well and the woman was real good to them, said she was an awful kind lady that they would like to see mamma and wanted to know how the baby was, if it could talk yet and how grandma and grandpa were and they hoped they would see mamma soon. I think that is about the extent of it."
"That was sent where, to Galva?"
" Yes."
"Did you receive any letters from them from any other point except Covington?'"
"No, I think not."
"Did you get any from them from Toronto?"
"No, sir.'
It is not necessary to give further extracts from the examination, sufficient has been given to make it plain that the law was seeking the Pitezel children - dead or alive.
To the credit of the authorities be it recorded that the case against Mrs. Pitezel was abandoned. It is seldom that the law takes account of circumstances in such cases but humanity triumphed in this instance.
The charge of conspiracy was pressed against Holmes though not yet was he held on the charge of murder.
A Sample Subterfuge
The most curious part of this strange story is now to be told.
Holmes was brought to trial in Philadelphia, on June 3rd, 1895. On the advice of his counsel he pleaded guilty, hoping by that means to get the lighter sentence held out to criminals as an inducement to confess. It is said that he was happy as a lark at the prospect of escaping with such light punishment. Apparently no one suspected him of having murdered B. F. Pitezel and the three children.
But in the courtroom was an agent of the Police Bureau of Philadelphia. The l
etters written by the murdered children to their mother - the letters interrupted by Holmes had been found in a tin box belonging to the murderer and in which he kept his most valuable papers. Following this clue, Holmes was for the first time brought in the light of a suspected murderer.
He was immediately sentenced after the trial for conspiracy, perhaps on account of the growing belief that he knew what had become of the Pitezel children. From the courtroom he was taken direct to the office of Messrs. Graham and Barlow, the district attorneys.
Mr. Graham seated himself before the convicted man and said:
"It is strongly suspected that you have not only murdered Pitezel but that you have killed the children. The best way to remove this suspicion is to produce the children at once. Now where are the children? Where can I find them? Tell me and I will use every means in my power to secure their early recovery. It is due to Mrs. Pitezel and to yourself that the children should be found. You were arrested in November last and you said the children were in South America. It is now May and we have heard nothing of them. We know your November statement to be untrue, because I am quite convinced that their father died on the second day of September last at No. 1316 Callowhill Street. You subsequently said that Pitezel was dead and that you gave the children to Miss Williams in Detroit, and you have furthermore given several variations from this last statement. I am almost persuaded that your word cannot be depended upon, yet I am not averse to giving you an opportunity to assist me in clearing the mystery which surrounds their disappearance and their present abode, and I now ask you to answer frankly and truthfully, where are the children?"
Into the mind of the murderer there must have shot some misgiving. But he betrayed not the slightest embarrassment as he replied.
"The last time I saw Howard was in Detroit, Michigan. There I gave him to Miss Williams, who took him to Buffalo, New York, from which point she proceeded to Niagara Falls. After the departure of Howard in Miss Williams' care, I took Alice and Nellie to Toronto, Canada, where they remained for several days. At Toronto I purchased railroad tickets for them for Niagara Falls, put them on the train and rode out of Toronto with them a few miles, so that they would be assured they were on the right train. Before their departure I prepared a telegram, which they should send me from the Falls, if they failed to meet Miss Williams and Howard, and I also carefully pinned in the dress of Alice, four hundred dollars in large bills, so Miss Williams would be in funds to defray their expenses.
Confessions of the Serial Killer H.H. Holmes (Illustrated) Page 26