South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-09-15
Rev. Hans Schmidt COnfeSSeS
to Murder of Anna AumulIer.
Asserts He Committed the
Crime For Love of Girl.
USED KNIFE AND SAW
TO DISMEMBER HER
Performed Marriage Ceremony
and Also Acted as Groom
Put Body in Bathtub Where
He Hacked 1t Into Pieces.

NEW YORK, Sept. 15.-With the
arrest early Sunday of the Rev. Hans
Schmidt, assistant rector Of St Jo-
seph's Roman Catholic church, charg-
ed with the murder Of Anna Aumuller,
a domestic. the mystery surrounding
the finding II days ago Of the parts
OF the dismembered body OF a girl
in the Hudson river was solved.
Schmidt. according to the police re-
ports, has confessed. and at the time
OF his arrest attempted to commit
suicide by cutting his throat with
safety razor blade.
II killed her because / loved her
so much" Schmidt is alleged to have
told his captors. but the police YER
sion OF the motive for the crime is
that the young woman was about TO
become a mother. He had married
lher through a ceremony Of his own
performing, without witnesses.
Used Butcher Knife.
According to the police and the
district attorneys Office, Schmidt 5
confession was full and absolute. In
it he is quoted as saying that he
killed his companion with a butchers
knife and cut up the body with the
knife and saw. The deed was COM
mitted the police say, while the wom-
an slept shortly after midnight on
Sept. in an apartment in Bradhurst
av.. where the priest had placed her
FIVE days before.
Whom her heart had ceased beating,
according to the alleged confession,
Schmidt carried the body from the
bed TO the bath room, and placing 1t
in the tub. began Immediately his CORY
task Of cutting il up. With the keen
knife and the saw he cut or the
head, legs and arms. Still fearful of
detection, he then cut the body in two.
Five bundles, wrapped in bed
clothes and papers, we're made or the
six parts. Five times Schmidt left the
apartment house with a bundle TO
cross the Hudson river to the Jersey
shore. Five times he leaned over the
stern OF the ferry boat in mid-stream
and gently gave the river his burden.
Then he returned to his church.
The stains OF the girls blood still
discolored the bathtub when detec-
tives searched the Bradhurst av.
apartment Sunday. Schmidt told the
police he had taken the mattresses on
which she lay when dealt the death
blow under cover Of darkness. to a
vacant lot nearby and burned It.
In the apartment, among other
things, the police found a marriage
license issued in New York last Feb
ruary. and bearing the names Of the
priest and the murdered woman. This
license had not been used. Accord
10 Schmidt's confession he went
through a marriage ceremony with
the girl. In this ceremony Schmidt
was both priest and bridegroom; there
were no witnesses. a gaily colOred
pillow OF unusual pattern led to
Schmidt's apprehension. The pillow
stained with blood and soiled with
the dlth OF the river. was wrapped
around a portion of the torso. The
detectives traced the pillow 10 its
manufacturer; the manufacturer traced
il TO the dealer; the dealer traced il
TO Schmidt. And the police tracing
Schmidt and the girl, knew all about
them hours before they arrested him
Schmidt was arrested by Inspector
Faurot in charge Of the detective bu-
reau. The prest was dressed in full
clerical garb when the detective en-
tered his rooms in the parish house
of his church in d. 125th st. The in
spector had produced "a photograph
or Miss Aumuller and asked Schmidt
II he knew the girl.
Attempts Suicide.
The priest after q moment OF hes
itation. inquired II his visitors weTe
police officers. His actions indicated
that he was expecting arrest. He then
asked permission 20 change his clothes
and Il was when he left the room
that Inspector FaurOt declared he at
tempted TO cut his throat with a small
safety razor blade
Early Sunday. according TO parish
toner's OF the church, Schmidt said to
the Rev. Father Huntmann. rector of
St Joseph's church. that ne would
hear no more confessions and when
asked for his reason said:
'I have something of importance
10 tell YOU"
With his superior. Schmidt then re-
tired 10 the study where the latter
told all that had transpired in the
Bradburst av. fat where his alleged
confession 10 the police saws he muir
dered the girl Father Huntmanr
conferred with his other assistants
and IL was agreed that the authorities
should be notified. The police. how
ever. were even then on Schmidts
trail. and his arrest followed shortly.
Schmidt was taken TO the Tombs.
Coroner Feinberg committed him 10
the Tombs until the inquest is held.
The confession, which the police
say Schmidt signed. follows
Il met Anna Aumuller two years
ago az the parish house OF ST. Bon
face church. She was employed as a
servant there. / was attracted by her
beauty. I because infatuated with
her. I loved her
Why He Killed Her.
II killed her because I loved her
so much She was so beautiful so
good I could not let her live without
me.
i had made up my mind that she
and l could not live together. l was