The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-18
SCHMIDT IN HIS LAST
HOUR DENIES GUILT
Lawyer Issues Statement for
Condemned Man-Criti-
ciscs Prosecutors.
SOBS IN DEATH HOUSE

OssrSIxG. y. Y. Feb. i7--Oiving up
all hope OF escaping the electric chair.
to which he will 70 A. doybreak to-
morrow. Hans Schmidt. the unfrocked
priest who murdered Anna Aumuller
In New York city. in passing his last
hours praying and sobbing In Sing Sing
death house.
schmidt. abandoned by everybody
save the Rev. Father william Cashin.
the prison chaplain. siill protests hk
innocence Of murder.
AL preparations nave been made for
the execution OF Schmidt. The electric
chair has been tested by Executioner
Hubert and found IN working order.
-Four guards are watching over Schmidt
to see that he does not avoid execu-
ton BY suicide. His supper was laid
before him. but he waved 1t aside. lie
would not eat.
Alphonse G. Koelbie. attorney for
Hans Schmidt, who Is to die In the
electric chair this morning. issued the
following statement last night:
THE condemned man asked me. In
effect. TO say that he was fully recon-
ciled to die and willingly accepted death
ms r%ettibutlon Tor his frailties. but he
deeply resented the imputation that he
was diving the deserved death of a muir
49, 80 40
d,rer.
"'l will he put 10 death for lying and
not for murder said Hans Schmidt. for
poor Anna Aumuller died from the re-
suits OF a criminal operation. Had the
police not shown such n wonderful facil-
lily for believing everything | told them
and had they made any independent in
yestigatlon they would speedily have
shown that a criminal operation had
caused the girls death. Detective
casass.t ,,ied very hard to make me
admit that fact. But felt was
morally responsible for the girls death
and could NOT IN honor drag those to
ruin who took part IN the operation at
my solicitation.
Il. may he that shortly after the girls
death | was mentally defanged. but |
never have been insane. though ! admit
| may be abnormal. Some Thugs | an
credlted with having said ! do not re-
call a. coming from me. even thoush the
records show them. But II j. possible
my mental excitement was responsible.
hut never lost my senses long enough
To drag in the Others.
"l consider my death a miscarriage
of Justice. The machinery Of the Dis
tr.ct Attorneys office and the police is
verwhelmiugly against the most IN
nocent. My counsel could get no infor-
'tlilltl MUM TIC Ioll'' IiN'A tOiF w NV
unless with permission OF the District
Attorneys office, In selecting the jury
the District Attorney had tho full record
~. every man called. His re ord showed
how many times h. had convicted or had
acquitted or disagreed. 50 that office
could always pick ihos. who. oppose
would convict. And they cali that JUS
tice!
The Justice vino tired me praCti-
cally told tine jury to convict me 81
murder In the first degree. for n. said
that even IL believed ! was Inspired
~, God TO XII ma Numuller would
he guilty of murder II ! knew that I MS
violating the law OF the state Of New
York. | always maintained ! had N,n-
lated the law of the state of New York,
20 the lary couldn't help connecting me
~ charge bad faith on the part ~
nobody II Is only weakness of the ju-
d,cial system. Just as there is weakness
IN human nature Eut I happen to he
the victim this time and | hope and pray
that tim" Will prove every one Of ~!
contentious and that my judicial murder
will help 10 abolish executions 20" not
one-,hird OF tn" men who have been i'm
the death chamber with me, including
Becker, were guilty VI murder"