would be glad to go to Philadelphia for pur poses of identification, provided his expenses were paid. On September 21 a most interesting inter view took place in the office of Mr. Fouse, president of the company. Howe had ar rived and was talking with Fouse when the latter was informed that Holmes, the friend of the deceased, was in the building. He was immediately summoned and intro duced to Howe, whom he met apparently as a stranger, although they had traveled to gether from Ohio to the city of Washington. Little Alice Pitezel, a child of some fourteen years, shy, reticent, and somewhat stupid, accompanied Howe for the purpose of iden tifying her father's remains, as Mrs. Pitezel was ill at the time. The next day the body was exhumed at the Potter's Field, and although badly de composed, was recognized both by Holmes and Alice. On September 24 the company paid to Howe the amount of the policy, less the expense to which it had been put, and the conspirators no doubt regarded the inci dent as closed, except in so far as a division of the spoil was concerned. And now observe a somewhat interesting turn of events. Like the convenient phrase, "murder as a fine art," that of "honor among thieves" may generally be taken as without foundation of fact. Mrs. Pitezel, while scarcely innocent of complicity in the fraud, must be looked upon somewhat leniently. Both she and her husband had for a long time been completely under the domination of Holmes, whose crafty brain had con ceived the entire plot. The latter's intention was, of course, to possess himself of as large a portion of the insurance money as might be possible, and in order to earn- out his pur pose, he determined upon the cold-blooded murder of the remaining members of the family. Besides Mrs. Pitezel and Alice, it consisted of four children, Dessa, the eldest, Howard, Nellie and the baby. Howe handed over Alice Pitezel to Holmes, who
took her to Indianapolis. Leaving her there, he went on to St. Louis, and met Mrs. Pite zel and Howe. The interview which took place at the office of McDonald & Howe, as revealed by Holmes in one of his numerous "confessions" must have been highly edify ing, even if we make due allowance for his habit of telling the most extraordinary lies. The attorneys' original demand was for three thousand dollars, to which Holmes refused to accede. Then, in the language of the confession: "McDonald immediately asked, ' Well, what are you going to do about that?' Deponent ' said he would not consent to a 53.000 fee, ' 1 will go to State's Prison before I will be browbeaten out of that amount of money.' ' Well.' said McDonald, ' you'll go there. I am going to send the money back and tell them we have just found out it is a crooked case.' Deponent ' thereupon said, « All right, you can send the money back. I think the company is well enough satisfied with the death and they will not change. I shall go on there and run my chances, and if I get into State's Prison all right. The difference is enough for me to take •chances on.1 That the said McDonald then said, ' Jeptha, you go out and get a New York draft for that money.' That the said Howe thereupon left the office, and Deponent ' followed him into the hall way and there said to Howe ' Wait, I have some thing to say to you.' That Deponent » and Howe stood by the elevator, and Deponent ' said ' You remember those two nights you were in my room, you know you had a lunch there and remember where you sat.' Said Howe ' Yes, what about it?" Deponent1 then asked Howe if he knew what an Edison phonograph was and stated that there was a phonograph in the bureau drawer and that he had a record of every word which the said Howe had spoken. ' Well,' said Howe, ' you have taken a damned mean advantage of me.' That the said Howe and Deponent ' thereupon returned to the office and nothing more was said about purchasing a draft .... that a settlement was finally agreed upon, and that the said Jeptha D. Howe retained the sum of $2.500 as his share of the profits (sic) of the transaction."
Now, Holmes estate at pose of
some time before, Pitezel and had been interested in certain real Fort Worth, Texas, and for the pur obtaining a loan, the former had
1 Holmes.
