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- Newspaper Article - Thursday, May 26, 1881 Pulaski Democrat - Pulaski, New York - Arsenic in large quantities has been found in the stomach of William W. Holmes, late of Cicero. The people of that town are very much excited over the murder. An inquest is now being held.
Newspaper Article - Thursday, June 2, 1881 Pulaski Democrat - Pulaski, New York - The Holmes Murder - The grand jury which rose on Saturday found indictments against Mrs. Mary Holmes and George Roberts, of Bridgeport, the woman being charged with having brought about her husband's death by the use of poison, and Roberts with participation in the crime. These bills cover the poisoning of William M. Holmes in the town of Cicero. Roberts, who was not implicated in the coroner's jury, although shown to have been on the terms of him becoming intimacy with Mrs. Holmes, was arrested at midnight Friday, at his house at Bridgeport, by Deputy Sheriff Shrug, who had been informed of the probable action of the grand jury. Both persons were arraigned Saturday morning in the Court of Oyer and Terminer. Mrs. Holmes was accompanied by ex-District Attorney Goodelle, her counsel, and appeared very feeble. When called upon to stand for the purpose of being arraigned and pleading to the indictment, Mr. Goodelle requested that she be allowed to remain seated, as she was physically unable to stand. She pleaded not guilty, as did also Roberts, who was arraigned on an indictment, one count of which charges him with being an accessory before the fact, of Mary Holmes in murdering William Holmes. A second count charges Roberts with being a principal in having, with Mary Holmes, caused the death of William Holmes, by poison. Both she and Roberts secured the right to withdraw their pleas under the advice of counsel, for the reason that any motion to quash the indictment must be made before the final plea is put in, and there had been no opportunity for counsel to examine the indictment and see whether any motions of that character should be made. Goodelle & Nottingham have been retained as counsel for Mrs. Holmes, and Fuller, Brown & Garfield for Roberts. The indictment covers about sixteen pages of closely written legal cap, and is quite a formidable document. Both prisoners were transferred after arraignment to the penitentiary, Mrs. Holmes, being at once returned to her cot in the hospital. Roberts was taken in charge by Superintendent Spalding, who assigned him to cell No. 1 in the south wing. Neither Mrs. Holmes, nor her alleged paramour manifests any especial concern regarding the case, and by advice of counsel are reticent when questioned. -Syracuse Standard.
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- 1881