The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-12
C0UGHLIN BABY WAS
SMOTHERED BY COAT
Pasquale Says Infant Died
Soon After Being Carried
From Home.
TELLS OF BURIAL PLACE
Mother of Kidnapped Child
Declares She Does Not Be-
lieve Confession
TELLS OF BURIAL PLACE
so.ctal pesOateh 10 Tnn Hrni.D.


PHrLADE1PH Oct. 11.--Blakeley
Coughlin is dead. and August Pas
ouale. the Italian who kidnapped him.
confessed to-day to Major Lynn G.
Adams. head of the state constabu-
larry at Norristown, that ne had
smothered the fifteen months old In
FAINT to death by buttoning him inside
his coat. The infant. according to the
confession, died soon after the ltaliah
had carried him down the ladder from
a second story window OF the Coughlln
home at Norristown on June 2.
II went into the room where the
baby was sleeping" Pasquale's con-
fessiou began, IT had got into the room
by means of ladder placed against
the house, / had to go out the same
way"
II put the baby under my coat and
started for the window. The child was
asleep when / took it up. but ne was
awakened and cried. ] stopped ana
listened There was no one else In the
room, but the door into the adjoining
room was open. I stood very still FOR
an instant. Then ! heard noise IN
the next room. Some one was moving.
had to hurry I knew some one was
coming into the room where / was, so l
buttoned my coat over the baby and
ran to the window l climbed out and
down the ladder. with the baby stu
under my coat was afraid. | knew
that some one was astir IN the house.
SO | did not wait for anything. but ran.
| did not stop until / was some distance
from the house and thought l was safe.
Then l unbuttoned my coat and
looked at the baby. The child was dead.
II had smothered"
That was not the end OF Pasquale's
important confession. He told where he
had hid the body. The childs last
resting place, however. remainE secret
with Major Adams. He will not tell
where the child is buried until what
remains OF the little body is found.
The hasty grave in which Pasquale
buried the baby's body probably Is
somewhere near Egg Harbor, n. J.,
where Pasquale was arrested. This in
ference is based on the fact that Capt.
Gearhart OF the State police, one OF
Major Adamss lieutenants in the
search. was sent to that neighborhood
early to-day
Mr. and Mrs. George II. Coushlin. par
ents of the stolen child, tried evcey
method they could 70 trace its where
abouts. Pasquale was appreended by
the State police in New Jersey August 2.
He was caught while negotiating Tor nd
ditional money from Coughllu, from
whom he had obtained $4,000.
81 do not believe Pasquale smothered
my baby" said Mrs. Coushlin to-day.
He has proved 10 be liar so many
times that I will not believe what he
says until the child or his body Is
| found"
"Ill bet a dollar TO a doughnut that
! the report of the confession of Pasquale
| ard OF his burial OF the baby's body is
| all camouflage." declared o. +. Len
| hardt. Justice OF the Peace of Norris
town. who gave him a preliminary hear
| ing in the Jail a month or more ago.
THE real news will come in a few days.
and I do not mean the hearing that the
| Crank will be given the latter part OF
| this week or early next week"
This Imminent news" idea comedies
with a statement credited TO Major
Adams that there will be more to tell
| IN a few days.
No one else knows anything about
! the Cranks confession. The jailer pro-
fcsses ignorance, as does District Attor-
ncy Renninger. Assistant District At
tcrney Hendricks says Trooper Gerhardt
said TO him, just before he went away
"I have something up my sleeve that /
will tell you about later"