The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-09-15
PRIEST CONFESSES To
THE F|END|SH CRIME

waist line and the legs were severed
first at the thigh and then Just below
the knee. This work took time and
before It was completed Schmidt re
turned to his church and proceeded
with his duties as assistant priest.
When his work there was done he re-
turned to the Job Of dismembering the
body Of the young girl who had
trusted him; Tho was about to bear
him child and who at the time had
been party in marriage cere-
mony which Schmidt himself had
performed. A marriage license issued
last February was found In the fiat
which Schmidt had provided for the
girl.
It was after Schmidt had been TAX
en- to the tombs that Rev. Father
Luke J. Overs, the prison chaplain,
asked to see Schmidt In order to
question him PC to his, standing as a
priest. 1t was then, Father Divers
4 says. that Schmidt declared he lnur-
dered tho girl as blood sacrifice"
Father Evers questioned Schmidt
closely as to his right to act as a
priest. At the conclusion of his in.
terview he said he was confident
that numerous letters and other ere.
Identials presented to Mgr. Lavelle,
obtaining permission to say mass,
were forgeries. Schmidt told Father
Lvers that he was ordained at Mainz,
| in 1906, by Bishop Kierstein- Schmidt
has made three separate confessions.
None OF them conflict but each has
been more complete. His first state
ment was that he killed Miss Aumuel-
Ter because I loved her" Later he
said he killed her because he feared
his conscience would bother him, be-
ing father and priest at the same
time.
The police believe that is one OF
the motives behind the crime but
they are also investigating other
points in Schmidt's life. Schmidt said
| he rented the fiat for Miss Aumueller
when he learned she was about to be-
come a mother, to save her from ois-
grace. Then he killed her to save
ihis conscience and to meet the de-
mand he received for blood atone
ment for his sin. Schmidt has ad-
mitted that he studied medicine in
Germany for several months and the
police are endeavoring to learn
whether he engaged In illicit medical
practices at some time. They also
expect to determine whether he is an
limposter concerning his ordination as
I.e priest.
! It was stated at the district attor.
ney's Office today that any attempt to
put up a plea of insanity for Father
I Schmidt would be combatted. Assist
ant District Attorney Deacon Murphy
i who has had charge of the investiga
\ t,on declared that he was convinced
Schmidt was as sane as any one could
be. DR.. Mcclure, prison physician
was with Father Schmidt for some
time during the morning and will
make g report to the district attor.
i ney's Office as to his apparent mental
i condition. Arrangements were made
today for the transfer of the portions
of Miss Aumueller's body from the
Hoboken morgue. BY bringing the
I body to a New York morrue It will
4 not be necessary to take Schmidt to
Hoboken.
4 A man giving the name of Alphonse
/ J. Koeble an attorney of SO Broad,
way, also called at the tombs during
the morning and Schmidt asked that
he be sent to him Immediately. Koeble
said he was a friend of Father
Schmidt. Although he had not been
CONTINUED on page e.)