Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-09-18
Murdered Woman While She Slept
Cut Off Head, Arms and Legs
Dropped Them in the Hudson
MARRIED HER BY. CEREMONY
OF HIS OWN PERFORMING
Gayly Colored Pillow of Unusual Pattern Led
to the Solving of 12-Day Mystery and the
Arrest of Schmidt -Detectives Not
Thrown Off by Many Clues

New York, Sept 14.--With the ar
rest early to-day Of the Rev. Hans
Schmidt. assistant rector of st. Jo-
seph's Roman Catholic Church, charged
with the murder of Anna Aumuller,
domestic. the mystery surrounding the
finding - days ago of parts of the
dismcmbered bod@ of girl in the
Hudson river was solved. Schmidt,
according to the police reports of his
arrest, has confessed and at the time
of his arrest, attempted to commit sui
eide by cutting his throat with safe
ty razor blade.
II killed her because I loved her so
much" Schmidt is alleged to have
told his captors, but the police version
of the motive for the crime is that the
young woman was about to become a
mother. He had married her through
ceremony of his own performing,
without witnesses.
According to the police and the dis
trict attorneys office Schmidts con-
fession was full and absolute. In it
he is quoted as saying that he killed
his companion with butchers knife
and cut up the body with the knife
and saw. The deed was committed,
the police say while the woman slept
shortly aftcr midnight on September
2. in an apartment at 6S Bradhurst
avenue. where the priest had placed
her five days before.
When up. heart had ceased beating, ac-
cordinc to the alleged confession, Schmidt
carried the body from the bed to the
bathroom and placing it in the tub be-
i'm, t-1ia + 81, a n ting
it up With the keen knife and the saw
he cut Of" he head. arms and legs Still
fearful OF detection, he then cut the body
in two.
FIVE TIMES TO THE RIVER.
Five bundles wrapped in bed clothes
and ~aDcrs. were made of the six parts.
Five times schmidt left the apartment
house with bundle to cross the Hudson
rivrr - the Jersey shore. Five times he
lcon,d Over the stern of the ferryhoat in
mids-:,am and gently gave the river his
burd.r 4rnn he returned to his church
The stains of the girls blood still dis
colored the hathtub when detectives
searched the Bradhurst avenue depart
mont o-day Schmidt told the police he
ned taken the mattress, on which she
lay when dealt the death blow under
cove o.. darkness to a vacant lot nearby
and burned it,
Tho rolicc found in the apartment,
anon. other things, a marriage license is
sued ~ New York last February and
boarr- tie names of the priest and the
murdered woman. This license had been
used according to Schmdts confession,
when he went through a marriage cere-
mony with The girl. In this ceremony,
Schmidt was both priest and bridegroom.
There were no witnesses.
4 Sayly colored pillow of unusual
pattern led to Schmidts apprehension.
This pillow, stained with blood and soiled
with the fifth of the river, was wrapped
around a portion of the torso. The
detectives traced the pillow to its manu-
facturei" the manufacturer traced it to
the dealer the dealer traced 1t to
Schmidt. And the police. tracing Schmidt
and the girl, knew all about both of
them hours before they arrested him.
HE WAS EXPECTING ARREST.
Schmidt was arrested by Inspector
Faurot, in charge of the detective bureau.
The priest was dressed in full clerical
garb when the detective entered his rooms
in the parish house of his church at 4O5
West 10Th street The inspector pro-
duced a photograph of Miss Aumuller
and asked Schmidt If he knew the girl
The priest after q moment of hesitation
inquired if his visitor was police officer
His actions indicated that he was eX-
peCtng arrest. He then asked permission
to change his clothes and it was wher
he left the room that Inspector Fauro
declared the priest attempted to cut his
throat with a small safety razor blade.
Early to-day, according to parishioners
of tn church, Schmidt said to the Rev
Father lieU;mann, rector of St. Joseph's
Church, that he would hear no more con.
fessions, and when asked for his reason
said 81 have something of importance tc
ell you" The two then retired to the
study where Schmidt told his superior
all that had 'ranspired In the fat at 6
Bradhurst avenue where his alleged con.
fession TO the police says he murdered
the girl.
Father Huntmann conferred with hi,
other assistants and 1t was agreed that
the authorities should be notified. The
police, however, were even then or
schmidts trail, and his arrest followed
shortly.
MADE A SIGNED CONFESSION.
there, according to the police, he made
fun confession after which he wa,
taken before Coroner Fenberg who com
mitted him to the Tombs until the inquest
is held The confession. which the police
say Schmidt signed follows:
II met Anna Aumuller two Years ago
at the parish house of St Bonifac,
Church She was employed as a ser
want there. / was attracted by hel
beauty | became infatuated with her
loved her.
Il killed her because | loved her 81
much She was so beautiful, so good,
could not let her live without me.
II had made up my mind that she ant
could not live together, I was a prizes
and must remain with my church.
could not let her go away from me- So
opened the door of the Nat. / awakened
her ! told her | had come to fulnl my
threat Then drew the knife across he
throat
II cut the body into six pieces l mad
trips TO the Fort Lee FerS, each tim