Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-09-16
YORK
|SST|RRED
BY CRIME
RECITAL
Priest Tells How He Slew Girl,
Dismembered Body and Threw
Pieces Into Hudson River.

NEW YORK. Sept. I5.-Hans
Schmidt. aged 80, who officiated as
a priest at st Joseph's Catholic
church this city, is in Jail here to
day the self-confessed slayer or
beautiful Anna Aumuller, aged %.
whose torso was found in the Hudson
River. and whose murder was one
Of the most shocking in the criminal
history of New York city.
While Schmidt sits calmly in his
cell. announcing in a matter of fact
way that he is ready to pay the pen
atty for his crime the distinguished
members Of the Catholic clergy here,
piecing together Scbmidts rather dis
connected story Of his past. are max
/ ing efforts To lift the hidden pages
, Of Schmidt's early history in an effort
/ TO prove that not only is the man in
sane, but that he was thrown nt,r
jail in Europe as an imposter and
/ that he never was ordained as "a
/ priest
Through as clever a bit Of detective
work as the police department here
/ has ever experienced, suspicion final
ly directed itself upon Schmidt. The
officers could hardly credit their con-
clusions and were placed in a delicate
position as to how To approach the
priest. Finally, however, they went
! % nt. ~
summoned the priest from his room
where he was preparing to retire and
got him down to the reception room.
Photo Breaks Him Down.
Hardly had the priest stepped into
the room when Inspector Faurot, wav
ing the picture of the murdered girl
before the priests eyes, demanded:
Where is that girl?"
Schmidt gave one quick glace al
the picture staggered and almost fell
Then he said. Il killed her; l killed
her because | loved her. Then |
drank her blood"
Schmidt was ordered to dress and
accompany the officers to the station.
He wanted &c go alone to his room.
but the detectives insisted upon ac-
campaigning him. Schmidt asked per
mission then 70 go to the bathroom.
but ne was searched first and a razor
was found on his person.
What were YOU going to do with
that-kill YOURSELF" Schmidt was
asked
Yes" ne answered calmly; Il MADE
up my mind to kill myself if I ever
was arrested. But / never thought I
would be"
Schmidt after being taken to the
police station. made confession that
covered about 40 pages. He said that
he met Anna Aumuller about two
years before, when he was connected
with the St Boniface Church where
Miss Aumuiler was employed as
servant girl
81 became infatuated with her" de
clared Schmidt and decided to rent
fiat for her"
He rented "A tiny place al No. 6S
Rroadhurst avenue, paid months
i'lit III al am = JbLAE III q lew btlltIS
worth Of furniture and established tho
girl there.
His Story of Staying.
Schmidt's confession in concrete
form, follows;
Il met Anna Aumuller two years
ago at the parish house of ST. Boni-
face Church. She was employed as d
servant there. I was attracted to her
by her beauty. / became infatuated
with her. loved her.
Il killed her because [ loved her So
much She was SO beautiful I could
not let her live without me.
Il made up my mind that she ana I
could not live together. was priest
and must remain with my church. So
J opened the uoor of the nat. She was
asleep in the room. I awakened her
ana told her I had come to fulfill my
threat Then I slew her with a knife.
st Elizabeth, OF Hungary, my
patron saint had come TO me one
"