The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-02-27
REVOLVING RECORD
OF A HUMAN TIGER
Knapp Tells of the Murder Of
Five Women.
81 COULD NOT HELP II"
Some Kind Of Desire to Kill Took Hold Of Me
and Could not Resist he Temp
tation," the Monster
Declares.
Declares.
(By the Associated Press.)

tBy the Associated Press
Hamilton, O., Feb. 26.-Ffve murders
the victims Of which were all women
and two of them his wives-such is the
revolving record of Albert Knapp, given
today in sworn confession given by the
murderer before Mayor Bosch. Knapp
according to the police, is a degenerate
of a pronounced type. The murder of
his third wife. Annie Goddard Knapp
which led to Knapp's arrest yesterday in
Indianapolis, was done, II don't know
why" to quote the prisoner.
Knapp's confession, which was sworn
to before Mayor Bosch, is as follows;
ION January q, 1894, / killed Emma
Littleman in lumber yard in Gest
street, Cincinnati On August
!, 1894, I killed May Eckert in Walnut
street, just opposite the Y. M. G. A.,
in Cincinnati. On August z 1894, | Killed
my wife, Jennie Connors Knapp under
the canal bridge in Liberty street, Gin
cinnati and threw her into the canal In
indianapolis in July, 1895, l killed Ida
Gerhard On December % 1902, / killed
my wife, Annie Knapp. at 339 South
Fourth street, in Hamilton and threw
her into the river at Lindenwald. This
is the truth.
ALBERT KNAPP"
81 make this statement by my own free
will and not by the request of any Off
Ger or any one else.
(Signed) ALBERT KNAPP.
The confession clears up the mystery
of at least one death-that of Jennie Con-
nors Knapp, Knapp's second wife. This
woman's body was found in the sluggish
waters of canal near Cincinnati Bruises
were discovered on the head but an in
vestigation led to no definite conclusion
concerning the manner of her death.
The most recent of the murders to
which Knapp has confessed--that of his
third wife. Annie Goddard Knapp, of
Hamilton, led to his arrest at the home
of his fourth bride in Indianapolis. An
uncle of the victim, hearing of Knapp's
marriage to a Miss Gamble in Indiana
polls a few days after the mysterious
disappearance of his niece, formerly An
ME Goddard started an investigations
The police were prepared for grue-
some story today, Knapp having admitted
his guilt of the Goddard murder last
night. but they were dumbfounded at the
revelations which the prisoner made when
put under oath today.
After his confession Knapp admitted
that he had repeatedly assaulted women.
He said:
II met the Littleman child in the lum-
Der yard and choked her to death when
she made an cutlery.
81 went into the room with the Eckert
girl, sat down with her. She cried and l
strangled her with towel and hurried
from the home.
II was mad at my wife, Jenne Connors
Knapp, when | killed her We were
walking along Liberty street. l sat her
down under the bridge and choked her to
death. deny that l poisoned her, never
told anyone l did. After she was dead |
threw the body into the canal.
Ida Gerhard killed, but my memory
is not clear as to what l did. I cannot
tell what made me kill these people. /
could not help it. Some kind of desire
to kill took hold of me and | could not
resist the temptation to kill l am sorry
for my crimes, but now / hope they will
be easy with me-"
After the confession formal charge of
murder in the first degree was filed
Attorney c. E. Tenney, of Cincinnati,
was allowed to see Knapp and told him
to make no further statement. Knapp
was surprised that his people had secured
a lawyer for him.
Knapp talks much of the Pearl Bryan
murder and is afraid of being lynched.
Knapp is now suspected of strangIng
three women az Evansville. Ind, and of
killing women elsewhere. He was in the
Cincinnati House of Refuge when II
years old and new records are being dis
covered almost hourly.
HORRIBLE WIFE MURDEB,