The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1913-09-24
In Which To Die For At
rOCiOus Murder.
REPEATS HIS HORRIBLE TALE
OF Crime Slayer Priest Says
He Would Take Wend'
ling'S Place.
IN FRENZY. HE DEFIEs DEATH

New York. Sept. 2O.-For the
first time since his arrest, Hans
Schmidt, the priest who killed Anna
Aumuller and dismembered her
body, spoke to newspaper men in
the Tombs this afternoon and told
his own story of the tragedy. In
melodramatic tone Schmidt shouted
that he wanted to go to the electric
chair as soon as possible. He said
there had been too much delay.
The priest repeated that st. Eliz-
abeth had told him to kill the girl
that she had counseled him to make
counterfeit money so as to help the
poor of the United States and Ger
many and that feeling that he had
obeyed her order, he was willing to
die without flinching.
Facing the reporters and endeav-
oring to answer a volley of cues
lions at once, Schmidt said:
why do you newspaper men and
the District Attorney question me
so much? Why don't you be quick
and put me in the chair? The Dis
trict Attorney wants me to go to the
chair, and | want to go to the chair,
so why all this delay?
IL am sorry for any man who
thinks life in this world is worth
living.
Il have faced death many times,
and l wiIltfaoe death in the electric
chair without moving a muscle. Ev-
erything is known. then why all
these formalities and this red tape?"
One reporter flashed question
regarding charges that he was i'm
plicated in the murder of Alma Kell-
ner, the child whose body was
found in the basement of st. Johns
Church in Louisville and for whose
death the janitor of the church is
now serving life term.
81 would be only too pleased II
could convince the authorities In
Louisville that | killed that little
child" answered Schmidt. 1T
might help the poor fellow in pris-
on, but you see nobody would be-
lieve me.
murders, one is not believed. When
one denies being guilty of murder.
one Is accused. | did not kill the
child in Louisville. | did not kill
other persons. To say did so
would be patiently false and only
laughable.
But would really take the
blame for the murder in Louisville
if 1 thought | could aid that poor
man shut up for life"
Schmidt afterward expressed ideas
on the taking of human life that
filled in with the theory of Inspec-
tor .Faurot. in charge of the murder
investigation. that the renegade
priest might have been planning
series of homicides. He declared
himself a believer in euthanasia,
and that he would be doing right
In taking the lives OF the crippled
and of persons undergoing mental
or physical suffering. detectives who
talked with him this afternoon re-
ported.
II believe | would be carrying out
Gods will" Schmidt said. "if put
out of this world all such people.
would end their lives without their
suffering any pain" s
Faurot's suspicious OF Schmidt's
possible homicide plan were =
strengthened by the discovery among ,
Schmidt's effect of hook of physi- +,
clans death certificates and other
blanks necessary In disposing of the :,
dead. Schmidt declared that these q
were only for use In the case of
Anna Aumuller.F
He had stolen the certificates !
from reputahle physician uptown. I
he told the detectives, because he q
had intended 10 kin the girl in y
way that would make II appear, she
had died a natural death. But af- G
forwards he had decided to cut her :
throat and dispose OF her body as I
best he could.
"schmidt's papers. have given us i
fifty clews." said Faurot to-day,
''any one OF which is liable to- trrn