Part 2, Acquiring Minnie Summary

Holmes now owned part of a legitimate company, had a mail-order sales company, and had opened his Silver Ash Institute for Alcoholism. He had tenants that paid rent in his building and owned two houses. He knew his time in Chicago would be ending soon. Creditors were knocking at his door and Mrs. Lawrence was only a moment away from blatantly accusing him of Emeline's murder. The families of Julia and Emeline sent private investigators to find their daughters. Holmes gave them no new information and from these visits, he knew he was not suspected of any wrongdoing.

His biggest problem in early 1893 was the need for a secretary. He knew the skills and personality needed for this job and sought out women just arriving in Chicago. He ran into a woman named Minnie R. Williams whom he had...