Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1913-09-17
PRIEST CONFEssEs BUTCHERY.
The Mystery Surrounding Body
Found in Hudson Is Cleared,

New York, Sept. 14.-With the ar
rest early to-day Of Rev. Hans
Schmidt, assistant rector Of st. Jo-
seph's Roman Catholic church, charg-
ed with the murder Of Anna Aumul-
Ter, a domestic, the story surround
ing the finding of parts Of the dis
membered body OF a girl in the Hud-
son river was solved. Schmidt, ac-
cordng to the police reports, con-
fessed, and at the time Of his arrest
attempted to commit suicide by cut
ting his throat with a safety razor
blade
81 killed her because | loved her
so much" Schmidt is alleged to have
told his capt0rs, but the police YER
sion of the motive for the crime is
that the young woman was about to
become mother. He had married
her through ceremony Of his own
performing, without witnesses.
According to the police and the
district attorneys office. Schmidt's s
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, shortly after
apartment on Broadhurst avenue.
where the priest had placed her five
days before.
Body Cut to Pieces.
When her heart had ceased beat
in, according to the alleged confess
sion, Schmidt carried the body from
the bed to the bath room, and plac-
ing 1t in the tub began Immediately
his CORY task of cutting it up. With
the keen knife and the saw he cut
off the head, arms and legs. Still
afraid Of detection he then cut the
body in two.
Five bundles, wrapped in bed
clothes and papers. were made Of the
six parts. Five times Schmidt left
the apartment house with a bundle
to cross the Hudson river to the Jer-
sey shore. Five times he leaned over
the stern of. the ferryboat in mid
stream and gently gave the river his
burden. Then he returned to his
church.
The stains of the girls blood dis
colored the bath tub when detectives
searched the apartment to-day.
Schmidt told the police he had taken
the mattress on which she lay when
or 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, bearing the names of the
priest and the murdered woman. Ac-
cording to Schmidt's confession he
went through a marriage ceremony
with the girl. In this ceremony
Schmidt was both priest and bride
groom; there we're no witnesses.
Pillow Slip the Clue.
gayly colored pillow slip Of unu
sual pattern led to Schm.1t's appre-
hension. This pillow, stained with
blood and soiled with the filth of the
river, was wrapped around a portion
OF the torso. The detectives carried
the pillow slip to its manufacturer.
The manufacturer traced it to the
dealer, and he to Schmidt. And the
police, tracing Schmidt and the girl,
knew all about both Of them hours
before they arrested him. Schmidt
was arrested by Inspector Faurot, in
charge Of the detective bureau. The
priest was dressed in full clerical
garb when the detectives entered his
rooms in the parish house Of his
church, in West 125th street. The
inspector produced a photograph Of
Miss Aumuller and asked Schmidt If
he knew the girl.
Ihe priest, after moment of hes
itation, inquired whether his visitors
were police officers. His actions in
dicated that he was expecting arrest.
He then asked permission to change
his clothes, and It was when he left
the room Inspector Faurot declared
that he attempted to cut his throat
with a safety razor blade.
C0incident.
Louisville, KY, Sept. 14.-Rev.
Hans Schmidt, who was arrested i'm
New York for the murder Of Anna
Aumuller, was in Louisville from
August, 1909, until March, 1910. He
was not connected officially with any
church here, but was visitor at the
home of Rev. Henry B. Westermann,
pastor Of the Church of the Immacu-
late Conception, where he was re-
ceived at the request of the late
Bishop William McCloskey, of the
diocese of Louisville.
According to Father Westermann,
his visitor kept his own counsel and
his own company, having little to do
with others in the house or, so far as
he knew, with outsiders. He per-
sonally cared for his own room, deny
ing to admit a servant. He held the
degree OF doctor of philosophy from
the University Of Munich and spent
much of 'his time in the study of
science.
During the period OF Schmidt's
brief stay in Louisville this city was
startled by the murder Of S-year-old
Alma Kellner, whose mutilated body
was found in quick lime in the base
ment OF st. Johns Catholic church,
nearly five months after her myste.
rious disappearance, on December 8,
1909. Because the manner In which