Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-07-30
A DENTIST ALSO IN THE TOLLS.
All of the Principals Make Comics,
sion TO Police of Their Crime
And Shame.
DEED COMMITTED 8 WEEKS AGO.
A Case Of Murder Will 0gt--Every
Effort Made to Protect Grim.
inas but 10 Vain.

A criminal operation, followed by the
cremation OF an infant in furnace In
the Auditorium roomnghouse on Third
South between East Temple and State
streets, are the serious charges pre-
ferred against A. W. Johnson. dem
fist, 2S years Of age. whose office has
been in the Atlas block and A, j. Gem
mill, 20 years Of age, son OF Alex
Gemmin, formerly Salt Lake saloon
Keeper.
Committing an abortion. or murder in
the first degree-which?
one Of the two charges will be lodged
against the young men. The matter is
now being considered by the county
attorney. His decision will answer the
serious question.
The young men are now in the City
jail where they were placed yester-
day afternoon between and G o'clock
by Detectives Chase and shannon.
MOTHER OF THE BABE.
Mary Baer, between II and is years.
mother Of the dead child. is now at
DR. Lewis's private hospital on east
First South street. under the care OF q
physician and trained nurse. She is in
serious condition.
The young men. and the girl, have
made complete confession Of their
part IN the atrocious crime. but despite
this fact the police have not worked TO
completion all the details Of the shock
ing case.
Detectives have been employed on the
case since the Sth of July-three weeks
ago. on that date the crime was COM
mitted An abortion was performed on
the Baer girl by Dentist Johnson, on
behalf Of the. girl, and at the earnest
solicitation OF young Gemmill, father
of the child. and the man directly re-
sponsible for the girls condition
THE ARRESTS MADE.
Gemmin was arrested shortly before
o'clock yesterday afternoon by Detec-
tive Chase and Shannon. DR.. Johnson
the dentist who performed the criminal
oporation. was arrested at his office In
the Atlas block by the same officers,
few minutes before o'clock.
For the purpose Of preventing the
newspaper men from learning anything
about the case. no charges were en-
tered on the register Of arrests opposite
the names Of the prisoners, and the col
umn OF charge" stil remains blank.
SO carefully were the police TO guard
the matter with profound secrecy that
NOT hnlf dozen members OF the force
were acquainted with the case.
FACTS IN THE CASE
AS nearly as can be learned the iaets
IN the case are these For some time
Young Gemmnl has been keeping COM
many with Mary Baer, who has been
residing with her parents at SOI north'
Seventh West 1t was understood pc
tween them, that when circumstances
uore favorable. they would be married
when the young man found that inc
Girl was In a delicate condition. ne De-
came desperate and they both resolved
10 hide their shame by criminal oper-
alton Young Gemmill consulted sew
eral well known Salt Lake physicians
IN the hope OF securing their services
but when made acquainted with the
facts. the physicians fatty refused 10
do ANYTHING for Gemmill or the girl
The latter then appealed to several OF
her women friends and they tried 10
secure the help OF physicians, but WITH
ont success. Finally, young Gemmln
took the girl to Johnsons office ana
both appealed to him for help
SAYS GIRL PLEADED HARD
Johnson declares that he consented to
help the girl for her sake and because
Of her pleading, and not because Gem
mill asked him TO perform the opera
ton.
But the facts are, that on the sth OK
July. the three met IN room at the
Auditorium roominghouse on Thlrd
south, between East Temple and state
streets, and there johnson performed
the abortion. The infant was within
one month OF birth and the operation
was not successful. It's head was so
crushed and mangled by the vicious
nae Of instruments that II died soon
after.
COVERING THEIR CRIME.
The guilty persons were then con-
fronted with the problem OF destroying
the body and covering up all traces of
their crime.
one OF them made the horrible sus-
gestIon OF burning the body IN the
roominghouse furnace, Who made the
suggestion the police do not know, but
It was carried out, and the infants re-
mains were cremated in the furnace.