Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-10-04
PRIEST HELD ON
MURDER CHARGE
Schmidt Becomes Frenzied
When Coroner's Jury
Finds Him Guilty
TEARS UP ROSARY
AND HURLS PIECES
Confessed Slayer Of Anna
Aumuller is Remanded
to Tombs for Trial

New York, Oct. 3-Hans Schmidt,
the priest who murdered Anna Aumul.
Ter. became frensied today at the
coroner's inquest into the death Of his
victim, rose from his seat, ripped
from his neck the rosary he had worn
ever since his incarceration, tore 1t
into many bits and hurled them at the
newspaper reporters sitting half q
dozen steps away. The jury found
him responsible for the girls death.
Schmidt's outburst OF temper occur
red in the presence Of jury Of mil
li0naires empanelled to conduct the in
quest. The verdict was quickly found.
It follows:
I'VE, the jury. believe that Anna
Aumuller came to her death on Sept.
g. 1913, at No. 6S Bradhurst avenue,
at the hands Of Hans Schmidt"
Schmidt was Immediately remand
ed to the Tombs without bail to await
the action of the grand jury.
Theodore P. Shcnts. president Of the
Interborough Rapid Transit Co., was
foreman of the jury. His fellow jurors
included Vincent Astor, B. J. Greenhut,
merchant; Mortimer Regnsberg, cigar
manufacturer, and e. s. Marston,
banker.
Becomes Frenzied.
During the examination OF witnesses
not trace OF emotion crossed
,Schmidt's, face, but Coroner Fein-
berg's charge seemed to lash the
sprisoner into q sudden tempest of
furry Jumping to his feet. his eyes
blazing and his lips moving. Schmidt
tdre the rosary from his neck with a
single sweep Of his arms and before
detective could stay him had snapped
it into many parts and hurled them
at the newspaper men.
The torso OF the victim viewed by
the Jury was identifed by Anna
Hiert. who roomed with the Aumuller
girl at the parish house Of ST. Boniface
church. Detectives, the physician who
made the autopsy, and Inspector Fau-
rot. to whom Schmidt confessed. testi-
fed. Faurot detailed in a hundred
words or less the substance Of the
confession.
Schmidt Not Witness.
"Do you wish to place your client
on the stand?' Coroner Feinberg next
asked counsel for Schmidt The an
swered was negative. and the coroner.
apparently expecting that Schmidt
would testify. asked If the priest had
nothing to say.
Nothing. whatever" replied the
lawyer.
d. The coroner's charge was brief. He
told the Jury that 1t could find that
Anna Aumuller came to her death at
the hands Of an unknown person or
that she was killed by person to be
named by the Jury.
"Hans Schmidt does not appear be-
fore YOU on trial for the murder"
he said "You are simply, to find a
verdict as 2 coroner's Jury
Within fifteen minutes from the
time the first witness had taken the
stand the Jury had withdrawn With
in ten minutes more 1t had returned
with its verdict
Thinks Schmidt Sane.
District Attorney Whitman express.
ed the positive conviction today that
Hans Schmidt is sane. Schmidt will
be placed on trial for the murder of
Anna Aumuller, whom he slew as she
slept. dismembered and sank In the
Hudson river on September 2. last
Mr.. Whitman's opinion, 1t is under
stood, is based on the conclusion Of
the four alienists who have examined
Schmidt In the Tombs at Mr.. Whit
mans behest. Their formal report will
be made soon.