New-York tribune., 1921-09-12
Boy Confesses
To Murder of
2 Auto Agents
Ten Hours Questioning
Brings Story of Killing
of Chicagoans and the
Hiding of Their Bodies
Makes Second Statement
Involves Others When His
Tale of Choking Victims
to Death Is Discredited

SpeCldt D1SputCH 10 L Ec ITfONn6
CHICAGO, Sept. 11.--Harvey Willard
Church, boy brakeman of Adams, Wis,
confessed to-day to Chief Investigator
Ben Newmark, of the States Attorneys
Office, that he alone had murdered Ber-
nard J. Daugherty and Carl w. Aus
mus, statesmen for the Packard Motor
Company, Of Chicago, whose mutilated
bodies were found last week.
Church later made a second confess
sion to Chief Investigator Newmark,
| involving several other persons, whose
names were not made public.
States Attorney Robert E. Grove an
lnounced that steps would be taken Mon
day to bring Church to an immediate
trial. He will be booked tomorrow on
charges Of murder.
Church's first confession was wit
messed by two prominent physicians
and business man. This was done
that there might be no pleas later that
the confession was obtained by force,
and to dispose likewise of a possible
insanity plea.
In his first confession Church said
that the crimes were committed on the
spur OF the moment. He had no con-
federates. His motive was to gain pos
session Of $5,400 auto, ostensibly pur-
chased by him from tho Packard Com
pany and which was in process Of de-
livery. Lack Of the money to paw for
the car was the primary cause Of the
murders, Church said.
Parents Not Told
| The boys parents, who since their AZ
rival here have been secluded in an
Office In the Criminal Court Building,
have not been told Of their sons self
admitted guilt. The officers believe the
shock will be too great il the news ia
broken to them directly.
Church, driving the twin six, the car
for which he murdered Daugherty and
Ausmus, arrived in Chicago shortly
after 3 o'clock this morning. At day
break the police took Church to his
home, the scene of the crimes. They
showed him the bloodstained baseball
bat that had been found there, and the
grave in the garage where Ausmus's g
body had been found. Finally, after
morgue to view the bodies, Church con-
fessed. He said in part:
"A mani don't know who he was
called me up on the telephone ten davs
j ago. He told me he'd kill nv father
and mother and myself if I didn't get
him big car. I went to the Packard
Company. I bought the car. Daugh-
/ erty came to the house. walked
down to the basement, figuring how I'd
. get the car away from him. He fol-
lowed me. The idea came into my
of the moment.
~ got my guns from out drawer.
held him up, handcuffed him, took
| him to the coal bin and tied a rope
tight around his neck.
"He strangled, made funny noise
hit him with the baseball bat and
hammer and he was quiet.
81 met Ausmus coming down the
! stairs. l held him up the same as I
did Daugherty, handcuffed him, too,
and hit him. He was coward.
| 81 felt the hearts of both-both men
were dead. Then I went out and took
to Indiana Harbor and came back.
s'I took Ausmus's body to the garage
and dug grave and put him in it.
! Then l ran my old car over the spot
| Then l went in to supper. At o'clock
the next morning 1 took Daugherty IS
body and threw it in the river. then
| went to Adams
Discredits First Confession
Coroner Peter NJ. Hoffman was not
satisfied with the first confession. He
immediately insisted that Church had
accomplices.
The confession is a tissue of lies. .
declared the Coroner. at would be
physically impossible for him to have
killed these two men in the manner he
described. Dsugherty's throat was
tcsntinaed N psss team