Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1896-05-30

Salt Lake City, May 23,-In all hui
man probability, Salt Lake city has been
the scene of butchery that stands al
most without parallel in the annals of
crime, and one seeking for companion
piece to the gruesome horror will seek
In vain.
1t bears some resemblance to the
murders committed by Durrant, be-
cause In this case, too, the sanctuary of
God was the scene of the crime and the
victim was a woman, but the Salt Lake
iend outdid Durrant, because after mu-
tilating the body, NV deliberately pro-
ceeded to cremate it.
The scene of the tragedy was the
First Scandinavian Methodist church, at
No. IsS Second East. This house Of
worship is across the street from the
Presbyterian church and diagonally
through the block from the police sta
ton. Rev. Francis Hermann is the
pastor, although an assistant from Provo
is in charge during his absence in the
east Rev. Hermann is very well known
in this city, especially among the Scan
dinavians, by whom he is considered a
man of God. Last year the minister's
wife died, and shortly before he went
east, In September, 1895, to attend a
church conference, Miss Clawson, an
attractive young woman, perhaps IS
years of age, stopped at the church
building, which is large and in the
wings accommodated several families,
and looked after the pastors apart
ments.
Mr.. Hermann returned from the con
ference late in September, the day being
Thursday, and Miss Clawson remained
as usual until the following Sunday
morning, when she remarked to Mrs. II.
Fl. Peterson, who resides in apartments
on the north side Of the church, that
she was going to call on Mrs. Hanson, a
friend residing on Center street. She
added that she would be back in the
evening to attend services and would
probably leave the following day, Mon
day, to visit girl friend In the country
for three days when she would return
That was the last ever seen of her.
While the young woman had no par.
ents, in this country at least, for She
was a Scandinavian, she had many
friends, and her absence was soon not.
ed Then inquiries were made, but nc
one could give any information as to
the girls whereabouts until at last, II is
said, Mr.. Hermann stated that letter
had been received from Helena stating
that. she was in q house Of ill-fane
there.
Something occurred about the time
the girl disappeared that is now wildly
recalled by the people living in The
church building
In all probability it was Sunday, Sep.
TENDER zo, that Miss Clawson went out
to make her call. On the day following
Mr.. Hermann told the janitor of the
place, a man named Johnson to clean
out the big heating furnace in the base
ment and prepare it for a fire Mr.. Her
man said he wanted TO try the pipes.
Janitor Johnson cleaned out the fur.
mace and carried six buckets of coal into
the basement and was preparing TO
build a fire when the pastor said he
wished to attend to that hi nself and
told the janitor to retire. This was just
after the noon hour, and soon the fur
mace was going at full blast.
A young man who works nights was
sleeping in the roums occupied by his
family and the heat shortly became so
intense, and such edors were given out
that he became unconscious and had to
be splashed with water before he re
vived His parents went down to the
basement to demonstrate, but Mr.. Her.
mann kept his fire going merriIy until
nearly or quite O'clock During all
this time he remained alone In the base
ment
THE DISCOVERY.
After time the fire incident was for
gotten and recently Mr.. Hermann went
east to attend difference and solicit
funds for his church. During his alb
sence he called on gentleman from
Provo to take charge of the tchurch and
he is still there. Now.it happens the
acting pastor was friend of Miss Claw.
son, or at least he took an active interest
in her welfare, and from all that can be
gathered, was not quite satisfied with
the mysterious manner in which she
disappeared. What led him to do il, no
one kno VS., but a few days ago he went
down into the mouldy basement which
has for SO long served only as a rem,
devious for cats. Once there, he looked
into the furnace, and to his surprise,
found in the ash receiver, under the
CRATE, two razors, butte her knife, gar
ter buckle. belt buckle and number
of human bones, al, of course, badly
charred.
Further investigation was made, and
1t was found that the door to the fur
mace was smeared with blood, with rea-
son to believe that the buckles were
iEem APPAREL worn by Miss Clauson.
sticers were called in and emily