South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-09-15

a priest and must remain with my
church / could not let her go away
from ne. So I opened the door Of
the fat ] awakened her. l told her
I had come TO fulfill my threat. Then
I drew the knife across her throat.
II cut the body into six pieces.
made rips 10 the Fort Lee ferry. each
time with a part Of her precious body
In a bundle. When the ferry boat
reached the middle Of the stream 1
would throw a piece into the water
and when the boat reached the other
side Of the river / would return and
go back 20 the fiat
After 1 had disposed Of the body
I wanted TO destroy all evidence Of
the crime. I took the mattresses on
which I had slain her and carried il
TO a vacant Tot and there I burned IT,
Il am guilty; that is all l can say.
I must pay the penalty. There Is
nothing else for me to do. But
loved Anna Aumuller.
she wanted me to marry her, and
I procured a marriage license. She
trusted me.
ct am a priest and ordained 10 per
form the marriage ceremony, so when
she insisted upon a ceremony I mar
ried myself 20 her. There was no
need Of anv other priest doing it, II
was Just as absolute as If 7 had called
in another person with authority to
perform a marriage ceremony. She
vas my wife.
Schmidt after being assigned 10 a
cell in the TOmbs. went to sleep.
Born i'm Germany
The priest. according TO his story,
was born in Aschafrenburg, Germany.
in 1881. He attended college and at
the age of Is enrolled in st. August
4vra N.,~.
%. 1904, was ordained. He held sew
eral charges in Germany and then
anne TO America because of poor
hCg lth. After remaining in New York
city short time he was assigned TO
church at Louisville, KY. In 1909,
he went TO Trenton, n. j.. and in Dec.
1910, he became assistant to Father
Braun, rector Of st. Boniface's church.
where he met the Aumuller girl.
In Nov, 1912, Schmidt left ST. Bon
iface TO become assistant rector Of St
Joseph's church, the assignment he
held at the time Of his arrest Sunday.
Little is known of the history of
Anna Aumuller before size took en-
plOyment in the st. BOniface parish
house the week before Christmas,
1910. According to a statement issued
by Father Braun Sunday night. she
left his parish house in the summer
of 1911, returning on Thanksgiving
day. 1912. and left the second time
Aug. 80, last. At this time she said
she was about TO be married and go
TO Ohio 10 live. Father Braun said
that he and his sister. who is his
housekeeper. had become attached to
the girl because she was very pleasant
and faithful worker.
Girl From Germany.
"AH know about her" he said
'is that she came to this country from
Germany about two and a half years
ago. 1 understand she was an or
phan and l have a dim recollection
that she may possibly have come to
us through an advertisement that I
placed in a newspaper for a girl.
While she had no credentials I en-
plOyed her"
Despite her statement TO another
maid employed in the rectory that she
was leaving to be married. Father
Braun said Sunday night that he was
forced TO discharge her two weeks
ago because her mode of living was
unsatisfactory"
While not denying that the Rev.
Hans Schmidt had been ordained and
had been permitted TO officiate at
| services in this city, an authoritative
statement issued Sunday after his ar
rest from the mead or the New Ork
diocese, characterized him as a wan
derer," and not a priest OF the dio-
cese and was not being so recognized
although he was assigned to assist
the rectors OF it's churches.
After his arrest and en- route 10 the
| Tombs, Schmidt was questioned by the
detectives. They asked him what he
had done with the mattress and he
told them. they said. Inspector
Faurot stopped the machine at the
vacant lot and the charred remains
Of the mattress were found. Then
Schmidt was asked where he bought
the knife and saw with which the
body Of Miss Aumuller was cut up. He
| indicated a shop as they passed it,.
The car was stopped and Schmidt
| pointed TO a knife with a ten-inch
blade in the window as practically
identical with the one he used. This
shop is not far from the Tombs.
Further up the street Schmidt. the
police say, pointed to two butchers
saws in a shop window
Il bought one of those" he said
| lacOnically.