The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-02-18
Meets Death Like Stole, Ask
ing Forgiveness.
Last Word Is Goodbye to.
"Dear Old Mother"
DEAD WITHIN A MINUTE
Spent Part of Night With Priest
in Prayer.
ElectrOeuted for Murder of
Anna AumueIIer.

OSSln1ng, FeO. 1S.-Strldlng
boldly ahead of his attendants,
but stopping abruptly on the
brink of death to express his last
good wishes to his mother, Hans
Schmidt, the unfrOcked New
York priest was shocked to
death in the electric chair at
Sing Sing at dawn today.
Seldom have more dramatic
scenes been witnessed in the ia
nous death chamber than that
presented as Schmidt stood be-
fore the chair, an ebony and sill
yer crucifix held before him, adj
dressing the witnesses of his eX-
ecution in a last farewell to his
mother.
Last Wishes.
please give my mother my last
good wishes. 1t is for her" were the
condemned mans last words. except
for the repetition of a prayer as the
deadly electrodes were adjusted
The dying statement of Schmidt.
made from directly in front of the
chair. was entirely unexpected. He
was going to his death for having
killed Anna Aumueller, cutting her
body to pieces and casting it into the
East river.
Denies Murder Charge.
Through his attorneys he had is
sued a statement last night denyins
that he had killed the AumuelIer girl
he.
effects of an illegal operation.
Scarcely had the seventeen wit
nesses seated themselves when Keep
er Fred Dorner stepped through the
little green door and strobe to where
Schmidt, crucifix in hand, jaw set.
walked beside his spiritual aid, Father
Cashin.
Mingled with Father Cashin's slow,
deep toned prayer were the loud cries
of Schmidt to the other condemned
men.
Goodbye. goodbye One and all,
goodbye" he called.
And goodbye especially to Wat
SON."
Watson is doomed to die next for
wife murder.
Scattered replies came from the
goodbye. Schmidt. goodbye"
Hurried to Death Chair.
Schmidt was calm and collected as
he walked to the chair shouting good
bye to twenty other condemned men
in the death house Father Cashin
the prison chaplain. the guards and
Keeper Dorney. who directed the exc
cution, were astounded at Schmidt
hurried movements and disregard for
the measured pace of the death
march, when he suddenly turned as
the rubber mat in front of the chair
was reached.
With the long ebony and silver
Schmidt swept aside the reachine
arms of waiting guards and rasped
sharply:
One minute, please, one minute
until 1 say my say.
The guards, at first mistakins
Schmidts action for a struggle
against seating himself for death
stepped back in surprise at the SOUND
of the condemned mans voice:
Ignoring them, Schmidt addressed
the men sitting on the witnes:
benches restless with expectancy.
He Forgives All.
Pardon me-" he said. 81 ask tn,
forgiveness of all whom 1 have of
Tended and of all who I have scandal
lied. forgive all who offended
against me-"
My Lord and my God. must -
interrupted Father Cashin in an ad
monishing tone, but Schmidt, repeat
ing the words hurriedly after th
priest, hastened on with his dying
statement:
MY last thought is for my mother,
rang his voice, sharp and clear agains
the silence of the little room.
please give my mother my las
good wishes. 1t is for her. l.
MY Lord and my Cod" again in
terrupted Father CaShin. Schmid
then began quietly repeating the pray
er, sat down at the conclusion an
died without uttering another sound.
Within a minutes he was dead. H
had spent the night up to midnigh
in praying and talking with Fathe
Cashin and slept from midnight to
(Contfnued \ Page S.