The Washington herald., 1913-09-15


lcup Of coffee couldn't you"
After you have told US everything
about It" said Faurot, sickly.
"Pn do 1t. I'll take you right down to
the lot where I burned the mattress on
that bed.
He did. At 1Ath Street and Seventh
Avenue the struggling roof poles of big
tent mark the temporary haven Of the
levangelists committee which Is holding q
camp meeting in the vacant lot there.
1t was still half dark as Schmidt led the
detectives to a spot between two rocks,
where he pointed out the charred REM
nants Of a mattress bearing stains not
made by fire.
Several young men saw me bring 1t
here" said the priest. Il think they saw
me burn 1t. They did not say anything" Z"
From there they took him to headquar-
ters, where Coroner Feinberg conducted
another examination.
| Tells Life Story.
It was when Deacon Murphy. assistant
district attorney. confronted the prisoner
that his real ordeal began. There was no
mercy now.
This is the story OF the clerical who
killed:
81 came to this country in 1907. I had
been born and educated In Bavaria. My
father was Henry Schmidt, my mother
Gertrude Moliere. They are both living
and still In the old home town. At
| twelve years went to college at Mainz;
at eighteen, went to the seminary at
st. Augustine. ! was ordained Septem-
| ber %, 1901
| For six months was In charge of the
Church OF St Elizabeth at Darmstadt
Briefly. / had a pastorate at Bergel-on-
the-Mainz. 1 was Ill and went home.
when I first came here-a year
after that illness-I went to Louisville
and then TO Trenton. In December.
1910, came to New York-to st. Boni-
faces Church at Forty-seventh Street and
Second Avenue as assistant pastor"
The prisoner here paused in his narra-
tive, tense look, almost look OF sad
ness came over the hard features.
1T was there that l met Anna Aumul-
| ler She was a servant in the house.
We were attracted to each other. We
made frequent excursions together-at
night, that is. in the early mornings.
We went to places in New York.
II moved to the place at st Joseph's
on December l, 1872. After the services
l would meet Anna.
Girl Is Dismissed.
Then three weeks ago she was dis
missed from st. Boniface's. A woman
servant had discovered her trouble.
L engaged on AuBusl AhS h1hiC
apartment on Bradhurst Avenue in which
she made her home.
AT that time she thought we were
married. She was happy. l adored her.
She was innocent of all thought OF
wrong.
''She was about TO embroider the pillow
CO ses when a woman friend told her the
pattern was wrong and she changed the
pattern. The letter A on the pillow
he chose after
this woman friend criticised the first
one.
II became troubled. There seemed no
chance of safety il /. a priest, should
become a father.
''On the night-about midnight ii was
Of September !, ! went to the fiat and
got in without awakening Anna / had
bought the knife and the saw at store
across the street from the Tombs prison
on Center Street. ! killed her and car
ried her into the bathroom. had no
thought but getting rid Of the body. I
dismembered it.
For an hour, perhaps, l was at the
task. Early in the morning l began TO
make my trips to the river with portions
Of the body. / had wrapped them in tar
paper, pillow slips. &c, and tied them |
with twine. l droped them into the
river. |
They say they were dropped from a |
ferry boat or from the Jersey shore. |
They were dropped from this side of the
river
I made five trips with the packages |
First, | took the upper torso, then the
lower I carried after that the head, the |
arms, and the legs"
Find Marriage License.
The police searched Schmidt's. rooms in
the parish house and found marriage |
-
Hans Schmidt The address given was |
a number in East I59th Street and the |
police declare that il is fictitious. The |
license was Issued on February ~, 1913.
The information charging Schmidt with
the crime was made by Detective O'Neill, |
one OF the detectives who accompanied
Inspector Faurot when the arrest was
made. All through the reading of the
affidavit Schmidt sat unmoved until the
detective read that part in which he was
accused Of having cut up and removed
the body OF Anna Aumuller. Then he
WINGED. Throughout the proceedings be-
fore Coroner FcinberG, he sat in a daze.
His blond hair was dishevelled and his
blue eyes had a CLASSY appearance.
After the reading of the affidavit the
coroner asked him If he had anything to
say and he shook his head in the mega
tive.
Inc COTOntI dShGu A'O gOu NtS4lN ~ |
make a statement now?'
Schmidt shook his head. No" he said
in a whisper.
Takes Prisoners ''PediRrce.''
Harry Leisersohn, Coroner Feinberg's
then proceeded to take the
prisoners pedigree"
''Yiur name?" he inquired.
Hans Schmidt"
Where do you live?" II
No. 4O5 West l2Jth Street.
Your age?" II
'Thlrty-two."
"Occupation?'
81 am a priest"
Where were you born?'
"In Germany"
Single or married?"
Married"
Il commit you to the Tombs without
bail until the inquest is held"
The priest was taken to the Tombs
prison by Detectives Cassassa and Nc
Nenna.
As the party approached the prison
Cassassa inquired:
where did you purchase the knife and &
Jaw with which the murder was COM
ritted?"
In stores near the Tombs prison. was '
he reply according to Cassassa. The {
,riest pointed to a shop at 81 Center
street, conducted by Charles Langbein,
utler and grinder, in the window OF
which number Of butcher knives with
cn-inch blades were on exhibition. The
hop is directly opposite the Tombs
Prison.