New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-11
Rouses Anna Aumuller's
Slayer to His Only
Show of Feeling,
CHUM TELLS OF
GIRLS COURTSHIP
Story of Priests Refusal to Marry
Proves Damaging to In
sanity Defence.

The stolid face and staring eyes Of the
Rev Hans Schmidt lost their hNity yes
terGay afternoon when Anna Hlrt IrleHo
of his slain sweetheart, Anna Aumulier'
took the stand and in impassioned tones
told her story Of the relations between
the priest and the girl he killed.
The accused priest shifted uneasiy IN
his chair when Miss Hirt, who was Tor
merly a servant in the parish house OF
the Roman Catholic Church OF st. Bom-
face I'm East 42d street. was examined by
Assistant District Attorney James NJ.
Delehanty.
The dozen or more women who have
been in attendance at the trial since the
first talesrnan was called Monday morn
ing leaned forward to catch every word
of the testimony, and the men who
tI,ronged the court room craned their
necks. with mouths gaping and hands to
ears the better to hear.
What caused Schmidt more concern
than anything else in Miss Hirts STORY
was her Identification Of the linen sun
Anna Aumuller wore on August 80, Wheh
che left St Boniface's TO be married
she said. She was killed about three Gays
later While Mr. Delehanty was PICKING
garments from a trunk filled with MISS
Aunuller's belongings, found IN thc
Eighth avenue fat which Schmidt rented
after Staying her, a little dress ho'
quite finished, on which Miss AumuiIeI
worked in preparation of the advent Oh
her child. chung to blue skirt tha' "e
held aloft. For a moment the tiny gar
ment hung before the gaze OF all Inc"
st fell back into the trunk.
Schmidt twitched nervously in his chair'
md his fur coat. which he used for
Ian robe. fell to the floor. He stoopeu
and picked 1t UP. and wrapped II arouhu
him He then resumed his vacuons eA-
nression. Miss Hirt was called by the
state 10 substantiate its contention tha'
scbrid did not murder the girl because
of religious mania, which is TO be the
defence. but because he feared exposure
II he failed to keep his promise 10 i's'I''
her .,
w. NJ. X Olcott Schmidts counsel
brought out damaging testimony asdlhs'
his client when Miss Hirt- in answer 10
his questions. told how Miss AumolieT'
after every occasion that she had oeeh
ont with Schmidt during the last 1our
months of her life, complained that ne
refused to marry her.
Never once. Miss Hrt insisted, dld
Miss Aumuller speak of Father Schmiut
as her fance. always referring TO thelr
cIandsstine meetings In some such
,brasa as: Last night I was out with
the baron.
Some time in March Miss Aumuller
told her she and her fiance had OBJ
tanned marriage license. and displayed
a wedding ring. Miss Lena Braun
sister of the rector, and the house
keeper. noticed the ring, and asked MISS
Aumuller about il. She told MISS
Braun she bought 1t in 10-cent store
II was IN May that the girl began TO
COMPLAIN of Schmidts refusal 10 marry
her.
The exact nature Of the defence was
made plain when Miss Hrt said that on
one occasion Miss Aumuller said that
she and Schmidt mad attended NOV
Ing picture show and seen play IN
which a priest eloped with a woman
whom he later married. Then the TWO
started a new religion.
Anna said that when she married
Father Schmidt she and he would DO the
same thing" said the witness.
Didn't Schmidt say to Anna that he
would leave the presthood?' asked Mr..
Olcott.
once he said 10 her" the witness re-
piled. II don't know how ] ever got
through the seminar. Some day I'll
hang my cassock on a high hook.
Miss Hirt was followed on the stand by
her father with whom she is now living
at No 301 East S5th street, whose testi-
nony was Of little interest. James Ham
mil a pher employed by the Dis
trict Attorney, identified his transcript
of Schmidts confession made in Police
HEADQUARTERS 10 Assistant District Attor-
ney Deacon Murphy.
The first witness was Mary Bann,
girl of sixteen. who told Of finding In tn
Hudson River the upper part OF the torso
near her home, at Shadysde Her brother
Albert, eleven years old, was with her, and
both identified photograph OF the upper
portion of the torso, the pillow case with
the tag which led 20 the priests arrest
and the other wrappings Of the body, in
Guiding a nightgown, which was identified
10y Miss Hirt
Heinrich Schmidt. father of the prison
tr. and his sister Miss Elizabeth Schadler,
reached here on the Kaiser. Wilhelm III
Yesterday afternoon. They will testify, 1t
is said, that the priest showed signs OF
lrrafionaiity when quite Young.