The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-09-15

church, where he met the Aumuller giri
In November, 1912, Schmidt left st
Boniface to become assistant pastor o
st. Joseph's church, the assignment HI
held at the time of his arrest
Anna Aumuller, as nearly as coult
be learned, was 2l years old Little j
known Of her history before she tool
employment in the st. Boniface parisf
house the week before Christmas, 1910
According to a statement issued by ia
tber Braun, she left his parish house II
the summer of 1911, returning OF
Thanksgiving day, 1912, and left th'
second time Aug. 80, last. At this tim.
she said she was about to be married
and go to Ohio to live. Father Braun
said that he and his sister, who is his
housekeeper, had become attached TO ths
girl because she was very pleasant AN.
a faithful worker.
"All / know about her. he said, us
that she came to this country from Ger,
many about two and half years ago
understand she was an orphan and
have dim recollection that she may
possibly have come to us through a
newspaper advertisement"
Despite her statement to another maid
employed in the rectory that she was
leaving to be married, Father Braun said
that he was forced to discharge her
two weeks ago because her mode OF
living was unsatisfactory
Gayly Colored Pillow the Clue.
A gayly colored pillow of unusual pat
tern led to Schmidts apprehension. This
pillow, stained with blood and soiled
with the filth of the river, was wrapped
around portion of the torso. The de-
tectives traced the pillow to its manu-
facturer; the manufacturer traced it to
the dealer; the dealer traced it to
Schmidt. And the police, tracing
Schmidt and the girl, knew all about
both of them hours before they arrested
him.
Schmidt was arrested by Inspector
Faurot, in charge of the detective bu-
reau. The priest was dressed in full
clerical garb when the detective entered
his rooms in the parish house of his
church at 405 West l25th street. The
inspector produced photograph of Miss
Aumuller and asked Schmidt if he knew
the girl.
The priest, after a moment of hesita-
tion, inquired if his visitor was a police
officer. His actions indicated that he
was expecting arrest. He then asked
permission to change his clothes and it
was when he left the room that Inspec-
tor Faurot declared the priest attempted
to cut his throat with small safety
razor blade.
Early yesterday, according to parish
toner's Of the church, Schmidt said to
Rev. Father Hrmtmann, rector of st. Jo-
seph's church. that he would hear no
more confessions, and when asked for
his reason said: II have something of
Importance to tell YOU The two then
retired to the study, where Schmidt told
has superior all that had transpired in
the fiat at 6s Bradhurst avenue, where
his alleged confession to the police says
he murdered the girl.
Father Huntmann conferred with his
3ther assistants and it was agreed that
the authorities should be notified. The
police. however, were even then on
sehmidt's trail, and his arrest followed
shortly.
The many clues presented by amateur
detectives and by the parents and friends
,f missing girls as to the possible iden-
Lity of the murdered young woman, aft
,r Ole recovery of parts of her body the
weak before last, did not lead the men
under Inspector Faurot astray, and
lever piece of detective work finally led
TO the clearing up of the mystery.
Inspector Faurot had assigned Detec-
tives James j. O'Neil, Frank Cassassa
md Richard McKenna to locate the
scene of the murder. They made house
10 house search in the vicinity of the
little second hand furniture store OF
George Sachs, 276s Eighth avenue, where
vas purchased the pillow slip in which
parts of the body were wrapped. In
his same locality the tar paper found
With parts of the torso was purchased,
I was learned.
Sachs records, after a careful going
,ver, revealed the pillow slip had been
tent to the Bradhurst avenue address.
IN Saturday the detectives learned that
he third floor rear apartment had been
'ented recently but that the occupants
rad not been seen for several days. An
Inspection of the fiat, the one in which
alleged confession says the
murder was committed, conviced the de-
ectives they had found the place where
he river victims body was dissected.
IN the floor were blood stains.
In the fiat were two trunks and a
atchel, the property of Miss Aumuller.
n the satchel, the detectives found let
ers that connected the murdered girl
With the rectory of St. Boniface church |
Armed with this information and de-
cription from the superintendent of the
Ipartment house of the man who had
-ented the fiat, the detectives inter |
Tiewed Father Braun, rector of st. Boni- |
ace.
From Father Braun. the detectives |
earned that Miss Aumuller left his en-
Hoy two weeks ago and that Father |
while an assistant rector there, |
ad shown unusual interest in the girl, |
Though his actions had not aroused the |
uspicions of his superior.
The detectives, piecing their threads |
+ evidence together, then delved into |
he life of Father Schmidt, and Satur-
ay night they laid their completed net |
i facts before Inspector Faurot, who |
ad directed the search from the begin
ing.
With the three detectives and his sec
etary, Inspector Faurot went over the
violence to be sure that nothing re-
NAMED unconsidered. and at an early
our yesterday morning they arrived at
he rectory of st. Josephs church. The
rrest of Schmidt followed a few mo-
lents later
While not denying that Rev. Hans