The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-04-19
MURDERER
CONDEMNED TO
De AT H
New Jersey Nurseryman Killed
Little Girl
CONVICTED IN SHORT TRIAL
Confession Made to Detective Was
Admltted--DetaIIs too Shocking
to Print

Freehold, N. j., April 19.-Frank Z.
Hei1emann, the young German nur-
seryman, from whom a detective tray
cling with him as a friend wormed a
confession of the murder of ten year
old Marie Smith in Asbury Park last
November, was found guilty of muir
der In the first degree yesterday af-
ternoon after the jury in Justice
Voorhees, part Of the supreme court
had deliberated for an hour and three
quarters. Justice Voorhees, pronounc-
ed sentence Immediately, setting the
week of May % for putting Heide-
mann to death by electricity in Tren-
ton prison.
The trial of the young German be-
gan Monday and lasted through only
four sessions of the court. Counsel
for the slayer sought to have his
crime defined as murder in the sec
ond degree, pleading that he was In.
sane, and that the murder had not
been premeditated. Justice Voorhees,
left the decision TO the Jury.
1t was Heidemann's own confession
which brought about his conviction.
Despite the efforts OF his counsel, the
document signed with Heidemann's
name, in which he admitted the kill.
ing, was placed in evidence. II was
very short, reading:
This is to certify that ], the under
signed, murdered Marie Smith at AS
bury Park, N. j., Nov. Crank e.
Heidemann.
The signed confession, however was
only substantiation of the testimony
given by Joseph Neumeister, the pri-
vate detective, who obtained an oral
confession, and later the signed admls
sion, from Heidemann.
Neumeister took the witness stand
as soon as the trial was resumed this
morning and Immediately launched
into a recital of his meeting with
Heidemann and of his life with him
in the weeks prior to Heidemann's
arrest on the Atlantic express at Red
Bank last March Is.
Neumeister told of his difficulty in
arranging meeting with Heidemann
which should not arouse the mans
suspicious and of how this was ac-
complished, as though by chance, in
restaurant in Third Avenue, Man
haitian. They lived together in Fiji
teenth street and Fourteenth Street.
Manhattan, and moved from there to
Yonkers, where they spent twenty
| flve days. Then they went to Phila-
delphia, and finally to Atlantic City,
where Heidemann to prove that he
was a desperate enough character to
suit even Neumeister, who posed as
a criminal himself, made the confess
sion OF murder. Two days later Neu-
meister persuaded the man to repeat
his statements in the presence OF
Walter SCHNEIDER and Joseph Spring.
berger, two men from Neumeisters
agency, and it was then that the brief
admission was signed.
subsequently, in the county jail
here, Heidemann elaborated on this
first confession and finally signed a
statement in which he told OF the
lcrime in detail. This confession was
made in the presence of Edward Tay
lor, Sheriff Hetrick and Mr.. SCHNEIDER
1t left no loophole for later evasion
as Heidemann had been warned thai
1t would be used against him. Muci
of the confession was unprintable. II
it, however. Heidemann told how The
Staying had been done by a hammer
which he had been using when he ac
costed the child in the road near thu
florists, where he was employed.
The case was given to the jury al
ter brief charge by Justice Voor
hees and Heidemann, when he aros,
to hear the verdict, had to grip tn,
table in front of him to keep from
falling.
In his cell Heidemann regane,
some of his usual composure, but a
he had made threats of suicide prio
|, to his trial and as the officials her
were in some doubt as to the tempe
of the townsfolk, many of whom ha,
J crowded the courtroom at the triai
Heidemann was hurried to Trentol
by automobile, there to be put Il
charge of the death guard.