The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-13
THE Crank Tells Details
and Police Find Evidence
to Support Them.
ALSO SLEW A WOMAN
Prisoner Adds Confession
of Murder of Mrs. Asher
man of Philadelphia.
BODY OF BABY Is GONE
River Gives Up Only the
Steel Rail Pasquale Used
to Weight 1t Down.
BODY OF BABY Is GONE
snaninr peannton 70 Tnn Hrs.l.p

PII1LADELPHIA. Oct "Details OF the |
confession of Augusta Pasquale, "the !
Crank" to-day were made public by !
Major Lynn G.. Adams of the State po- |
lice. The confession revealed how the |
Crank" had murdered and robbed and |
finally had kidnapped the Coughlin |
baby in his checkered career of crime |
until he was apprehended in the kid
mapping case.
Pasquale revealed the fact that he
had smothered the CouShlin baby and
had thrown the body into the Schuylkill !
River at a spot about two miles from
the Coughlin home. 1t was the shrirl
cry of the infant, he said, sounding into
the still night air. that first attracted
the attention Of the criminal as he
walked by the Coughlin house, and led
to the later abduction Of thirteen
months old Blakely.
Continued search OF the river to which
the crank led the State policemen early
this morning failed to reveal the body
of the baby. A piece OF railroad steel
which the kidnapper said he had tied
10 the feet of the baby in order to make
the body sink was uncovered. however,
md IL led to the belief that the crank
vas at last telling the true story OF the
kidnapping.
The confession of the kidnapper, made
10 Major Adams last Sunday, was
shrouded with the utmost secrecy in
order to prevent the indignant residents
Of Norristown from lynching the kid
napper of the Coughlin baby. 1t was
in line with that theory that digging
party was sent to Egg Harbor, so that
attention would be distracted from the
actual spot where the crank said he
had thrown the body Of Blakely into the
river.
This morning Pasquale heavily
guarded, was taken TO the banks Of the
Schuylkill near the Coughlin home, and
there he pointed out the spot at which
hs said he had deposited the body of
the dead infant. He was quickly rushed
rack TO the Norristown jail. while an
expert diver was employed to recover
the baby's body from the waters of the
Schuyikill In addition. the confession
of Pasquale uncovered the fact that he
was the slayer of Mrs. Rose fisherman.
who was found murdered In her bed at
COS North Eighth street. on the morn
ing OF sune 1. A heavy piece OF slate
was used to dispatch the woman, who
swoke while Pasquale was intent on
robbing her. Pasauaie said that the
proceeds of that robbery were about
$500"
All Hope of Recovery Gone.
When the continued search OF the
river failed to reveal the body Of the
child. the theory was advanced that the
body Of the child had disintegrated and
would never be found. G. Townley
Lazelere, q friend OF the Couehlin fam
ny, and Capt. Samuel Gerhardt of the
State police, to-day went out to con-
suit with experts at the University OF
Pennsylvania on that supposition. There
they were told that the body OF thir-
teen-rnonths-old child probably would
disappear In the time that has elapsed
since the kidnapping OF the child on
June 2 and the present date.
I'VE never expect TO recover the body
Of Blakely Coughlin," said Major Lana
lere, following his conference with the
physicians at the university. II what
have been told IL true the body OF
f3lakely has disappeared long ago"
One further detail of the confession
was verified to-day when Capt. Samuel
Gerhardt OF the State police discovered
remains of fire the crank said le
had built to destroy the clothing In
which the child was wrapped when IL
was abducted. The charred ground on
which the fire was built was discovered
mt spot about fifty yards from tho
place where Pasquale said he hurled the
>aby, with an iron rail attached. into
the Schuylkill.
One of the strange condolences In con-
nection with the latest confession of
Pasquale was revealed when the police
said that they had arrested Pasquale
for the murder of Mrs. fisherman. but
lad been forced 20 release him when
twelve-year-old Bessie Ferdman, a
granddaughter of the murdered woman,
failed 10 identify him. The child had
slept with Mrs. fisherman on the night
she was murdered. and later was ar
rested in connection with the case,
finally being released.
The exact details of the confession
were made public by Major Adams at
Harrisburg to-day. following the trip OF
the crank" TO the spot where he had
said he M. disposed OF the body OF
the child. The baby, he maintained. was
accidentally smothered 70 death when
Pasquale became frightened at the
sound OF voices In the Coughlin home
following the disappearance OF the child.
He ran from the scene OF the crime.
pasuualc said. with the baby concealed
beneath HIS coat When he gained the
shelter OF nearby clump Of trees no
opened his coat he said only 20 find
the baby had died.
"Cfad "a IL over" says Father.
Capt. Gerhardt. In ordering the diver
TO cease his efforts TO recover the body.
said: "'The case Is now finished We
have obtained everything that is pos
sible, as the child's body has apparently
disappeared and melted into the waters
OF the Schuylkill"
George IL. Coughiin. father OF the
child. said that he was greatly relieved
20 know the real fate OF his child.
II am very much relieved now tina,
the tension is broken" he said. THE
suspense OF living the rest OF my life
without the sure knowledge OF the fate OF
my baby II settled. ! am glad that II Is
over"
pasauaie will be given a hearing mex,
week. according to Francis X. Rem.
ninger, the District Attorney In charge
of the case. Mr.. RenninRer said tina,
charges OF first degree murder az we'll as
kidnapping will be made against 'thc
crank" n found guilty Pasoualo faces
electrocutlon.
Tho real object OF pasquale IN COINS
20 %orristown was revealed by the au.
Aoritiee to-day. They said that he ia.