The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-05-30
MURDERED IN A CHURCH
A WOMAN KILLED AND BURNED
IN THE BASEMENT.
Salt Lake Police Find Evidence That
Points to IA Preacher as the
Guilty Person.

Salt Lake. May 25.-This has been an
eventful day in the attempted solution of
the Scandinavian Methodist church min
istry and one that has furnished a very
strong clue win reference to the suspected
fate of Miss Henrietta Clawson. When
the charred remains OF the human skele-
ton were taken from the furnace in the
basement on Wednesday last, the officers
were baffied at not finding some article of
absolute Identification. They were in
formed by the doctors that 1t was strange
that none of the woman's teeth were
among the relics or cremation. 1t was
known that Miss Clawson wore false
teeth and the doctors said that they would
be the last to yield to the terrific heat. In
order to ascertain If possible. If the miss
ing teeth could not be brought to light
a thorough examination OF the furnace
was made today.
The police officials carefully searched
the furnace and found two teeth contain
ing metallic rivets. This is regarded as
being the most positive evidence of muir
der that has yet been brought to light. A
vast amount of earth was also removed
In the basement of the church, revealing
a number of bones a womanS shoe and
a pair of overalls, which it is claimed by
the tenants of the church, were worn by
their pastor while he was engaged In the
laboratory and other work. The overalls
were blood-stained on almost every part
The young man whose room was heated
to such high degree of temperature the
day the minister built the big fire in the
furnace declares that Hermann had them
on when the latter was met by him on the
basement stairway with gunny sack
under his arm. He said he also wore a
jumper of like material at the same time
The furnace ashes, on being sifted, were
found to contain the requisite number OF
steel buttons for such an article OF APP
parel and the strong point is that they
correspond exactly with those on the
| blood-saturated overalls.
This afternoon the detectives found IN
a secondhand store Miss Clawsons trunk,
which the pastor claims to have sent to
| her by an unknown eXpressman some
| weeks after her disappearance. The trunk
contained the wearing apparel of the
missing girl. Among the articles of cloth
| ing was the dress in which Miss Clawson
had the photograph taken, now in the pos
| session of the police. In addition to this
1t now appears that Hermann sold the
trunk and clothing himself and that he
disposed of the girls guitar at the same
| time. The date OF this transaction was
| December II last, just two months and IL
days after the girl disappeared.
One by one the points of evidence ac-
cumulate. This afternoon Captain Dono-
terviewed the secondhand dealer who
bought Miss Clawson's clothes from the
| preacher. This person was Mrs. l.. Engle-
man. She says she went to the pastor s
| study two or three times at his solicitation
| to look at the trunk and it's contents,
which comprised four or five dresses, I'M
derwear and night robes. This discovery
| completely disproves Hermanns story Of
! having sent the trunk to Miss Clawson at
her request.
Miss Annie Samuelson disappeared
January 2S or 20 last. 1t seems to have
been demonstrated beyond any question
of doubt that Hermann had been GRIMM
ally intimate with her and that he had
committed an abortion on her early in the
month stated On the morning of Janu-
airy 20, John Hansen, the ex-Methodist
minister, declares that he met Hermann in
the church at very early hour. The pas
tor seemed mentally disturbed and he was
perspiring freely. Hansen thought it
strange that he would be stirring so early
and that he should be so troubled and
questioned him concerning It, He explain
ed by saying that he had been to a depot
with Miss Samuelson, who left for Ogden
on the Union Pacific train.
A strong effort will be made TO have
Governor Wells offer a reward for the
bringing of Hermann back to Salt Lake
Late tonight DR.. Hector Griswold den
fist, examined the teeth found in the fur
son was formerly in his employ as a do
nestle and he is strongly of the opinion
Inat the teeth are those of the missing girl
Omaha, May 25.-Miss Henrietta Claw
son, the young woman whose disappear
ance from Salt Lake has led to suspicious
against nv. Francis Hermann OF that
city, once lived in Omaha Tor four years
and yet has a host of friends here who re-
member her well as an active worker in
the Danish-Norwegian Methodist church
Miss Clawson, then 20 years old. came
from Denmark about nine years ago, hav.
ing no relatives in the country. The young
woman began suffering from i'll health
and at the solicitation of Miss Anderson
who had gone to Salt Lake City, followed
her there. When Miss Anderson returned
three years ago. Miss Clawson remained
After Rev. Francis Hermann and his wifi,
moved to Salt Lake City her letters fire.
ouently contained illusions to the murder
er, and during the latter part of last sum
mer the letters from Miss Clawson sud
denly ceased. without explanation. al
though several letters were directed {,
her. Then, as a last effort TO reacn Mis-
ClawsOn during the winter, Miss Anderson
! wrote to her another letter addressed il
care of Rev. Francis Hermann, but n,
. reply came.