San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-05-26
HELLISH HERMANN.
REVEREND sEDUOER, ABORTI0NIsT
AND MURDERER.
He Was Minister in Good Standing and
Devil of the First Glass His
Grimes at Last Unearthed.

the attempted solution OF tne scan
dinaviau Methodist church mys-
terry, and one that has furnished
a very strong clew with reference
to the suspected fate of Miss Hen
rietta Clausen. When the charred
remains of a human body were
taken from the furnace at mid
night last Wednesday, the search
ers were baffied at not finding some
article of absolute Identification.
They were informed by the doctors
that 1t was strange that not one OF
the woman's teeth were not among
the relics OF the cremation. 1t was
known that Miss Clausen wore
false teeth. and the doctors said
they would be the last to yield to
the terrific heat. In order to ascer-
tain, if possible, II the missing
teeth could not be brought to light,
a most thorough examination OF
the furnace was made. Police OF.
fcials carefully searched the fur.
mace and found two teeth contain
ing metallic rivets. This is re-
garded by the police as being the
most positive evidence Of murder
that has yet been brought to light.
A vast amount of earth was also
removed in the basement of the
church, revealing number OF
bones. A certain spot Of apparent
ly "made earth" that bore evidence
of having been disturbed at a re-
cent date, was discovered in the
coal chute, being cellar stairway.
Into this the party dug, and not
more than II or IA inches below
the surface a woman's shoe was
found. The removal of another
shovel full of dirt brought forth
very damaging evidence in the
shape Of a pair OF overalls, which,
it is claimed by the tenants OF the
church, were worn by the pastor
while he was engaged at laboratory
and other work. The overalls
were bloodstained in almost every
part. The young man, whose room
was heated to such degree Of tenn
perature the day the minister built
| the big fire in the furnace, declares
Hermann had them on when the
latter was met by him at the base
ment stairway with a gunny sack
under his arm. He also wore a
Jumper of like material. The fur
mace ashes, on being sifted, were
found to contain the requisite OF
steel button for sucL an article Of
apparel, and the strong point is
that they correspond exactly with
those on the blood saturated over
alls.
In the afternoon the detectives
found in a second hand store Miss
Clausen's trunk, which the pastor
claimed to have shipped to her by
an unknown expressman some
weeks after her disappearance. The
trunk contained the wearing ap-
parel Of the missing girl. Among
the articles Of clothing was the
dress in which Miss Clusen had
the photograph taken now in the
possession of the police. In addi-
ton it now appears that Hermann
sold the trunk and clothing him.
self and that he disposed Of the
girls jewelry at the same time.
The date of this transaction was
Dec. IL, last. Zone by one the points
OF evidence accumulated. Capt.
Donovan and Detective Janivre In.
teryiewed the secondhand dealer
who bought Miss Clausen's clothes
from the preacher. This person
was Mrs. l.. Engleman. She says
she went to the pastors study two
or three times to look at the trunk
and it's contents which comprised
| three or four dresses, underwear
and night robes. This discovery
completely disproves Hermann's
story of having sent the trunk to
Miss Clausen when requested.
Miss Annie Samuelson disap-
peared Jan. % or 30 last. Itseems
to have been demonstrated beyond
any question OF doubt that Her.
mann had been criminally init"
mate with her, and that he had
committed an abortion on her
early in the month stated.
On Jan. 80 John Hanson, the ex-
Methodist minister, declared he
met Hermann in the church at a
very early hour. The pastor
seemed mentally disturbed and
perspired freely. Hanson thought
it strange that he should be stir
ring go early and that he should
be so troubled, and questioned him
concerning it. He explained IL
nv saving that he had been to 9