Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-27
FATHER HELD FOR MURDER
Aston J, HOllmOtS Charged with Death Of
First Born.
YOUNG MAN PROTESTS INNOCENCE
Mother, Girl of Nineteen, e. Under
Court Surveillance During Period
of Her Recovery at
Florence,

Murder in the first degree, for the alleged
crime of killing his first-born.
That is the burden under which Antoine
]. Hollmotz. a groom OF one month. rests
His bride, recovering from her Illness. Is
under court surveillance.
County Attorney English filed the formal
charge yesterday afternoon. following the
verdict Of the coroner's jury at the inquest
In the morning. that the infant was suf-
located. The young father IL detained at
the county Jail and will have a preliminary
hearing this morning in county court.
The young man stoutly protests innocence
of crime, ninsisting death ives purely acci-
dental
The circumstances Of this case are most
remarkable as readers Of The Bee know.
Hollmotz. q years Of age, is agent OF the
Omaha railroad station at Florence. His
wife, 19 years OF age, became mother Sun
day night. The couple had been married
one month, so the father said at the cor
oner's inquest when pressed for an expla-
nation of his anxiety to dispose OF the
baby. The little one was in normal condi-
tion and gave bright promise, according TO
the testimony of DR.. Charles f. Rooney,
the attending physician, who was alarmed
to discover upon his return visit TO the
house Monday morning the babe had gone.
Inc yOuIb OlitIililld 70 NoAibiiNohSN
by the fact, as the doctor testified at the in
quest. that he and his wife did not welcome
the child and he asked the doctor for aid
in disposing Of it. He expressed the wish
the baby was dead" said the doctor.
! verdict of the Jury.
The verdict Of the jury was the child
met death by suffocation, and 1t was rec
| commended the parents be held for further
| investigation. The examination of wit
| nesses at the inquest was conducted by
County Attorney English.
! After the testimony OF Drs. Charles z.
Rooney and Arthur B. Adams and Marshal
]. w. Green had been introduced at the
| inquest Holmotz voluntarily took the wit
4 ness stand and laid he desired to make a
statement to the jury. He said the child
was laid on its mothers arm and that it
had died about midnight Sunday without
| any indication of its being smothered. He
! also said he put the child in the suit case
and carried It away after his wife had ex-
pressed annoyance at its presence, and he
! was innocent OF any intent or act in viola
ton of the law.
After tho verdict of the jury had been
read to Coroner Bradley Hollmotz was
| taken to the county jail by Marshal
Green. as It was deemed inadvisable TO re-
turn with him to Florence. The mother is
doing well and will be kept under surveil-
! lance until her recovery.
Parents Did Not Want IL.
DR.. Rooney testified at the inquest OF
the birth Of the infant and that 1t was
normal in every respect and would prob
ably have lived. He said the mother said
before it was born that she didn't want II
and the father had said he wished 1t was
dead. After its birth DIR. Rooney testified
the father had requested him to get rid
OF the child in some way and when the
doctor Indignantly refused. Hollmotz asked
him how he ((Hollmotz) could do ava.
with IL.
The findings at the autopsy were testified
TO by DIR. Rooney. who said the condition
of the lungs and heart clearly indicated
that death was caused from suffocation
After examining the heart and lungs OF
the witness stand, DIR. Adams also sale
sufrocation was the cause of death.