South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-09-22
Mystery Surrounding Brutal
Rochester Crime of 1909
Believed CIeared-WaS Ar
rested fer Larceny.
SAYS Sc KILLED HER
when REFUSED KISS
Dragged Her Body to Cemetery
Woods Where He Dug Grave
and Buried Her-Married
Afterwards.

PHILADELPHIA. Sept. 22-The
identity of the perpetrator Of the
brutal murder Of Anna Catharine
Schumacher. in Holy Sepulchre ceme-
terry In Rochester. y. Y. on Aug. 7.
1909, was established here late Sat
urday night. Il is believed. when. ac-
cording 10 Capt. Cameron Of the Phil
adelphia detective bureau. Jacob
WOlfsohn. arrested for larceny, con-
fessed TO having committed the deed.
The murder was a sensational one
and despite the extraordinary efforts
Of the authorities no clew was ever
found 10 the identity Of the murderer.
After WolfsOhn's arrest, guards no.
ticed that he constantly paced his
cell. and seemed TO have something
on his mind Finally. according 20
the detectives. the prisoner asked for
pencil and paper and wrote a note
TO the district attorney containing the
simple statement that he had killed a
girl in a cemetery at Rochester and
that her name was Schumacher. IN
der questioning by Capt Cameron and
two other detectives ne collapsed.
Later he recovered sufficiently 70
make his alleged confession which as
repeated by the detectives is sub
stantially as follows
Wolfsohn said he passed the ceme-
terry every day on his way home. and
several times noticed the girl placing
flowers on a grave.
Tried To Kiss Her.
ct hirted with her and she smiled
back at me" Wolfsohn confessed, ac-
cording To the detectives. The next
day / saw her and spoke 10 her. We
agreed 10 see each other there the
next day She kept her appointment.
I tried 10 kiss her. but she resented
This and tried 10 run away. / grab
bed her and began choking her as
she screamed. but no one heard her,
and then / strangled her.
Il then attacked her and after that
dragged the body 10 the woods in
the cemetery. / found the grave
digger's spade and dug a hole large
enough 10 place the body in II.
NO one knows how ] suffered for
doing this / could kept il secret
no longer"
Wolfsohn was questioned again
Sunday and the detectives said that
he stuck TO the story substantially as
first related. except that he retracted
the statement that the girl had fiirted
with him.
Married Afterxard.
After the murder. ne told the de-
tectives. he went TO New York where
he married Miss Ida Bermen. She
obtain a divorce last May WOlfsohn
said, and shortly afterward he came
to Philadelphia. According 10 the
Wolfsohn was arrested on
complaint Of a manager Of a company
by which ne was employed as a win
dow cleaner on a charge or stealing.
Can't. Cameron notified the Rochested
and Sunday afternoon re-
ceived word that Sheriff HaIniil ana
Dist. Atty Barrett viii arrive here
Monday The startling story told BY
WoIfsohn. capt. Cameron said. led
him 10 have two police surgeons eT-
anime the prisoner and they reported
that the man appeared TO be mentally
sound.
WOlfsohn Sunday night attempted
to commit suicide IN his cell In the
city hall. according TO a report from
police headquarters. He was discov-
cred tearing his clothing into strips
by the turnkey and when his cell was
searched an improvised rope was dis
The prisoner has been
placed under close watch.