The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-07-18
nERMANs MURDERED WOMEN.
His Operations Were similar to
Those of Holmes,


Salt Lake, Utah. July 1.-THE arrest o.
Rev. Francis Hermans at Pembroke, ont,
is creating great interest here. lie il
wanted here to answer the charge OF muir
Idering Henrietta Clausen, in May. 1896.
liei mans was the spiritual head Of the
Scandinavian congregation in this city, ant
disappeared about the time the charred
bones Of the young women were found In a
furnace In the basement OF his church. The
authorities sent out general alarm
throughout this country and Europe. and
a constant and energetic search has since
been kept up for the preacher.
Several men were arrested on suspicion
in different parts of the United States
but none OF them proved 10 be Hermans
He had disappeared as completely as
though he had crawlod into the earth.
sun tho hunt was vigorously prosecuted.
photographs OF the missing man were sent
broadcast and 1t is TO this means that he
mas at last been apprehended. He had
been unradine about the little CANADIAN
town under the name of Hamilton Grown
Attorney Metcah OF Pembroke had received
n photograph OF him. His attontica was
NAV W luf slllhlIE ItttlDplhHtt III lHt
picture TO the man who had Tor sevc.al
months been living In the height orhood
and acting as preacher on his own re-
spOnsibility.
So convinced was he that they were one
and the same person that he at once caused
the arrest OF the preacher and notified the
chief OF police OF Salt Lake The chief
wired back to hold the prisoner until an
officer could reach Pembroke with a re-
unie inn for his
the man was remanded when brought be-
fore Judge Deacon, at Pembroke, yesterday,
until the 18th.
The murder OF which Hermans ia ac-
cused was n most atrocious one. II was
not unlike that which startled San Fran
cisco a few months previously. and for
which Theodore Durran11s soon TO be ex-
'cu'ed Both murders were committed In
and the victims in the Two
asses were girls. young, innocent and
Durrant had two TO his credit. 1Icrmans
S accused OF killing one, and Is suspected
II having hutchered another. Miss Clausen
vas the name OF his alleged victim. She
Vas member OF his flock. So was Miss
annie samuelson, and her mysterious dis
appearance simultaneously with that of
Hiss Clausen led the police to believe that
he. too. had fallen victim to the preach
RS knife. llermans, II Is claimed used |
ais office to abuse or deooy innocent young |
Tomon of his parish and destroy them. He |
iould employ a girl as domestic In his |
He would win her confidence By |
assuming interest in her saliva |
lon. Next he would have her make |
Profession OF faith. Then. say the Salt |
lake police. would quickly follow her com |
r0mise. ruin and death.
Miss Clausen was first servant 4, bi, |
Hermans. IL is said caused her |
cath and carved the body into ANAL ,deces |
nd placed them In a small furnace in the |
asement OF his church and under n hot |
re cremated them. The door OF the CRATE |
'as so small that IL Is believed he had 10 |
issect the head before he could force n
Trough.
IL was not for some time after the d.sap-
earance OF Miss Clausen that Hermans
1ok flight His accounts were found 10 |
o In a muddled state, and the trustees az
ne church ordered an Investigation. Final
' two newspaper reporters, while proving
bout the basement OF the church diseoy-
rod the charred b,nss OF the woman In the
rnace. A knife and racer were also found
! hsaD OF ashes The CHASTITY find cou-
ed with the disappearance Of Miss CIsu-
n aud the sudden flight OF the minister,
intcd TO Hermans as tho girls slayer 1t /
a, BELIEVED at the time that Miss Samuel
IN met her fate In like manner.