Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 13.pdf/559

 Rh

demonstrate how completely the abnormal is the rule among mankind in general. But we digress from the thread of the story, though in an analysis of the acts of such a criminal as Holmes, this may not be con sidered out of place. For Holmes was no vulgar murderer, possessed of the one thought of accomplish ing his crime, and taking but slight heed to the adoption of measures to secure himself from detection. His educational advantages —his medical and scientific attainments were by no means to be despised. Hence there is the greater reason for wonder at the com paratively clumsy manner in which the crime was perpetrated. The key-note of the instinctive criminal's character has been stated to be a moral insensibility so complete as to render him utterly incapable of appreciating all ethical differences—an obliquity of mental vision so great as to constitute almost, if not quite, an inability to distinguish between right and wrong—a colossal and ferocious egotism which regards the dictates of self as the decrees of a Deity and hesitates at nothing to satisfy desire. It is this characteristic that chiefly points out Holmes as a member of the class rather than one of the so-called habitual or professional criminals. Of his life prior to the commission of the quadruple crime, but little can be said, for it is practically unknown. In the "confession" made to a representative of the sensational press, Holmes furnished a number of details relative to the commission of some twentyseven murders (for which "confession," it is believed, he received $7,500)—but then Holmes was such an atrocious liar that his word was utterly unreliable and the afore said elaborate press statement was, to use his own expressive phrase, "written because they wanted sensation—and they got it." In brief, then, a scheme was concocted be tween Holmes and one Benjamin F. Pitezel, who for many years had been less confed erate than tool, by which insurance was to

be taken out upon the tatter's life, a substi tuted body used, and the amount collected. Pursuant to this plan, a policy was procured in 1893 from the Fidelity Mutual Life Asso ciation for ten thousand dollars, and Pitezel, under the name of B. F. Perry, leased the premises 1316 Callowhill street, Philadelphia, and engaged in the ostensible business of a dealer in patents. The premises consisted of a two-story and a half building, with single window store front. In the latter part of August, 1894, Eugene Smith, a carpenter, called upon Pitezel, or Perry, in regard to an invention for a sawsett which he had recently perfected. This interview led to several others, for Pitezel employed Smith to put up a rough counter. One day while working at this task, the latter saw a man enter the store, give a sign to Pitezel and walk to the stairway imme diately in the rear. Him he afterward iden tified as Holmes. Pitezel followed and the two remained for some time in conversation. On Monday, September 3, in the after noon, Smith again called, this time in regard to his invention. He found the outer door unlocked and the store vacant. In the belief that Pitezel would soon return, Smith waited for a short time, but without result. The next morning he again called, found the door still unlocked and the store in the same condition as he had left it the day before. A hat and pair of cuffs were hanging on a nail, and the place presented the appearance of having been left for a few moments only by a careless proprietor. Smith, after waiting a short time, called for "Perry" several times, and receiving no answer concluded to make an investigation. He ascended to the second story and found the front room vacant except for a cot. The turn of the stairs was such that on arriving at the landing, his back was toward the rear room. Looking into it, from where he stood in the hall, he beheld a body stretched upon the floor. Although the face was almost unrecognizable by rea