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.
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.”