Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-22
Police SkepticaI of "Confes-
sion" to the Murder of
Anna Schumacher.
STRANGLED IN CEMETERY
AT ROCHESTER IN 1909
Description Of Alleged Victim
Faulty-Attempts Suicide in
Cell at Philadelphia.

Philadelphia police officials were not pre-
pared today TO say that Jacob Wolfsohn.
who says that he killed Anna Catharine
Schumacher In a cemetery at Rochester,
\. 4. four years ago. is telling the
truth. Capt. Cameron, head of the de-
tective bureau, said the story the prisoner
told seemed to him to bear out details
Of the crime as known here, but the
doubts thrown around Wolfsohn's tale
by the Rochester authorities has caused
the detectives here to withhold any opin-
ion as to his guilt. Wolfsohn, accused
OF larceny and forcible entry, faces a
prison term here If the charges are sus-
tanned
Searching about fer reason for Wolf
sohn to say he killed the girl, the police
believe that the only motive he could
have for the alleged confession II his
own story proves untrue is that he might
escape prison sentence here if taken to
New York state and there cleared of a
murder charge.
today from Rochester to investigate
Wolfsohn's story.
Prisoner Closely Guarded.
Close guard is being kept over the
prisoner since his alleged attempt at sui
eide last night
After his arrest here on the charge Of
larceny and forcible entry, Wolfsohn was
locked up at police headquarters in city
hall. Guards noticed that he constantly
paced his cell and seemed to have some
thing on his mind, but when questioned
refused to talk. Finally the strain be-
came too great, according to the detect
ives, and the prisoner asked for pencil
IN fha hox
addressed to the district attorney con-
tanning the simple statement that he had
Killed girl In cemetery at Rochester
and that her name was Schumacher
Relieved Of this weight upon his mind.
according TO the detectives, Wolfsehn ap-
peared less nervous. but when questioned
further in the presence of Capt Cameron
and two other detectives he collapsed
Later he recovered sufficiently to give ac-
cording to the detectives, details of his
self-confessed crime.
Flirted in a Cemetery.
His alleged confession, as repeated by
the detectives, was substantially az fol-
lows:
"Wolfsohn after saying that he had
worked In a suburb of Rochester. said
to be Barnard, declared that he had 10
pass the cemetery on his way home each
day, and that several times he saw the
girl at grave. laying flowers upon It,
iarted with her and she smiled
back at me" Wolfsohn confessed, accord
ing to the detectives. '.The next dav |
saw her bending over her fathers grave
and went up and spoke to her She did
not try to run away from me, and We
agreed TO see each other there the next
Gay: She kept her appointment.
walked up to her and held her hand. |
tried to kiss her, but she resented this
+
by the arm and began choking her. She
screamed, but no one heard her and
then ] grabbed her around the throat
and strangled her. She then died"
Dragged Body to Woods.
Continuing his story as brought out by
questioning. according to the detectives,
Wolfsohn said:
then attacked her, and after that
dragged the bouy to the woods in the
cemetery | was 6oing to cover the body
WIN leaves. but found a grave diggers
space and dug hole large enough TO
place the body in it. l then covered ii
with dirt and leaves
No one knows how l suffered for do
ing this. / could keen n secret no
longer"
Wolfsohn was left alone for the re-
mainder Of the night. but the detectives.
not being entirely satisfied with his story
again questioned him. yesterday. The
detectives said that he stuck TO the story
SUBSTANTIALLY as first related, except that
ne relracted the statement that the girl
had iilrted with him. This he said, ac-
cordlng to capt. Cameron, was not true
irving further details about himself
Wolfsohn said that he had been a
farm hand in the Rochester suhurh
After the murder, he told the detec
tiveS, he went to New York where no
married Miss Ida Bermen
Divorced Him Last Nav.
His wife obtained divorce from
him last May. Wolfsohn said. and
shortly afterward he came to Phila-
delphia. In this city he worked in
@ large clothing manufacturing estab-
lishment, and while employed there
he was stricken with appendicitis, and
was treated In hospital at the ex-
pense or his employers. Wolfsohn ac-
cordinG to the authorities, later worked
as window cleaner for renovation
company. He was arrested on COM
plant of the manager of the company
for stealing. and when his room was
searched gold and silver articles were
found. He refused to tell where he
got them. but broke down and said he
took them from the homes of wealthy
people where he had been sent to clean
windows. In order to further inyesti-
to headquarters, where. the detectives
say, he first showed signs of hayins,
something on his mind
Appears Mentally Sound.
Capt Cameron notified the Rochester
authorities and received word that Sheriff
Hamil and District Attorney Barrett
would arrive here this morning from New
York state The startling story told BY
Wolfsohn, Capt. Camoren said, led him to
have two police surgeons examine the
prisoner. and they reported that the man
appeared TO be mentally sound.
Wolfsohn attempted to commit suicide
in his cell in the city hall, according to a
report from police headquarters. The
seIf-confessed murderer was discovered
tearing his clothing into strips by the
turnkey. and when the cell was searched
an improvised rope six feet long was dis
covered beneath his mattress. Handker-
chiefs and part OF his clothing had been
used to make the rope. He was then
dressed in heavy clothing and IS being
kept carefully guarded.
In reply To query sent here by the
Rochester police Wolfsohn admitted that
he had been arrested there in 1911 on q
charge of larceny and had been released
on paying a fine OF $50.
Rochester Police SkepticaI.