The Washington herald., 1910-02-10
CONFESSION A FAKE
Navy Department Will Pun
iSh Practical Joker.
BACK TO PORTSMOUTH BRIG
Naval Prisoner Who Connected the
story that He Murdered Girl in
Rochester Cemetery Will Lose
Good Behavior Allowance and May
BE Punished for DefraudinE Navy.

! James Hall. the naval prisoner at the
| Portsmouth, \. H., Navy Yard. who con-
| fessed to the murder of Anna Schumacher
at Rochester last August, attempted TO
play joke on the officers OF the Navy
| Department and the Rochester police. But
his little plot was foiled.
| His confession was faxed and he viii
| be sent beck 70 Portsmouth TO serve out
the remainder of his sentence, and he
may receive an additional sentence for
his frivolity.
Hall had been in the prison at Ports
mouth since last December, when he was
sentenced TO one years Imprisonment for
fraudulent enlistment Several weeks ago
he began to tire of the monotonous life
Of the prison and cOncocted a scheme
to regain his liberty
He confessed TO the murder Of Anna
Schumacher. who was killed in the Holy
Sepulcher Cemetery at Rochester last Au-
gust. His alleged confession was reported
10 the Navy Department and the Roches-
ter police We're notified.
Sent TO Rochester.
Extradition papers were prepared and
/ the Navy Department granted authority
I tc discharge him from custody and to
turn him over to the Rochester police,
who were TO arrest him as soon as he was
released from the naval prison. The ar
| rangements were carried out, and he was
turned over to detectives from Rochester
The officers of the Navy Department
| believed that his confession was spurious.
but they yielded to the request Of the
| Rochester police, who wanted 20 place
him on trial for murder. On the train
en- route from Portsmouth to Rochester
he began to boast of having fooled the
navy authorities. When he arrived at
Rochester he repudiated the alleged con-
fession, and gave the police information
which proved a complete alibi
Hall expected 10 be released from Gus
tody as soon as his aIibi was proved, but
the district attorney of Rochester, whose
pride had been stung by the attempted
imposition, communicated with the Navy
Department and offered to return him TO
the prison.
Returns 10 the Brig.
While the Navy Department was not
anxious to get him back. the officers Of
the department decided it would be sub
versive of discipline to allow Hall to
escape his term Of confinement by the
ruse, and arrangements were at once
made for his return. Attorney General
Wickersham was asked if it wsuld be
legal to take him back. Mr. Wickersham
decided that his discharge from the naval
prison was obtained by a fraudulent con-
fession. and was therefore void in the
eyes OF the law. In Mr. Wickersham' s
opinion, he could legally be returned to
prison to serve his original term.
Hall will be sent back to Portsmouth
within the next several days at the ex-
pense Of the Rochester police. His va
cation will cost him his good behavior
allowance Of three months, which he
would have obtained had not he en-
deavOred to joke with the Navy Depart
ment. His term will not expire until
Dext December.
In addition, he may have to serve
additional time for his escapade. The
legal officers Of the department are con-
sidering the proposition Of trying him
again on the charge Of attempting to
defraud the navy, and punish him with
few additional months of Imprisonment.
to teach him due regard for the dignity
Of naval authority.