The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-09-24
PRIEST CONFESSES
owns Up TO The BUTCHERY OF
new YORK GIRL
BODY IS FOUND In RIVER

DOOB EV OOl1D sts Me LHh
Priest Had Been Married to Her Sc
cretly, Performing the Ceremony
Himself Pillow Case Clue Led to
His Arrest-Slayer Attempts Sui
eide When Arrested.
With the arrest in New York early
Sunday Of the Rev. Hans Schmidt,
assistant rector of st. Joseph's Ro-
man Catholic church, charged with
the murder Of Anna Aumuller, do
nestle, the mystery surrounding the
finding of parts of the dismembered
body of girl in the Hudson river
was solved. Schmidt, according to
the police reports, confessed, and at
the time Of his arrest attempted to
commit suicide by cutting his throat
with a safety razor blade.
Early Sunday, according to par
ishioners of the church, Schmidt said
to the Rev. Father Huntmann, rector
of st. Joseph's Church, that he would
hear no more confessions and when
asked for his reason said: "I have
something of Importance to tell you"
With his superior, Schmidt then re-
tired to the study where the latter
told all that had transpired in the
Bradhurst avenue fat, where, accord
ing to his alleged confession, he muir
dered the girl. Father Huntmann
conferred with his other assistants
and it was agreed that the authori-
ties should be notified. The police,
however, were even then on
Schmidt's trail, and his arrest fol-
lowed shortly.
Schmidt was taken to the Tombs.
The confession which the police say
Schmidt signed follows:
81 met Anna Aumuller two years
ago at the parish house at St. Boni-
face church. She was employed as a
servant there. T was attracted by her
beauty. I became infatuated with
her. I loved her. I killed her be-
cause I loved her so much. She was
so beautiful, so good, I could not let
her live without me.
"I had made up my mind that she
and could not live together. I was
a priest and must remain with my
church. I could not let her go away
from me. So I opened the door Of
the fat. awakened her. told her
I had come to fulfill my threat. Then
I drew the knife across her throat.
ri cut the body into six pieces. I
made trips to the Fort Lee ferry each
time with part of her precious body
in bundle. When the ferry boat
reached the middle Of the stream l
would throw a piece into the water
and when the boat reached the other
side Of the river I would return and
go back to the fat.
"After I had disposed Of the body I
wanted to destroy all evidence Of the
crime I took the mattress on which
I had slain her and carried it to
vacant lot and there burned it. I
am guilty. That is all I can say.
must pay the penalty. There is moth
ing else for me to do. But I loved
Anna Aumuller.
"She wanted me to marry her and
I procured a marriage license. She
trusted me. I am priest and or
dained to perform the marriage cere-
mony, so when she insisted upon a
ceremony I married myself to her.
| There was no need of any other priest
doing it. 1t was just as absolute as if
I had called in another person with
authority to perform the marriage
ceremony. She was my wife"
In Schmidt's apartment, among
other things, the police found mar
riage license issued in New York last
February and bearing the names OF
the priest and the murdered woman.
According to Schmidt's confession, he
went through a marriage ceremony
with the girl. In this ceremony
Schmidt was both priest and bride
groom; there were no witnesses.
A gaily colored pillow slip Of un-
usual pattern led to Schmidt's appre-
hension. This pillow, stained with
blood and soiled with the filth Of the
river, was wrapped around portion
Of the torso. The detectives traced
the pillow to its manufacturer; the
manufacturer traced it to the dealer;
the dealer traced it 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 bu-
reau. The priest was dressed in full
clerical garh when the detective en-
tered his rooms in the narish house
of his church in west One Hundred
and Twenty-ffth street. The lnspec-
tor produced a photograph of Miss
Aumuiler and asked Schmidt II he
knew the girl.
The priest. after moment OF hest
tation, inquired whether his visitors
were police officers.
His actions indicated that he was
expecting arrest. He then asked per-
mission to change his clothes and 1t
was when he left his clothes and it
was when he left the room, Inspector
Faurct declared. that he attempted to
cut his throat with safety razor
blade.
Fortune as Reward.
tho Rrow1pv