The Washington herald., 1921-09-12
'ALLECED SLAYER
CONFESSES AS HE
SEES VICTIMS BODY
Coroner Bran DIS Story
Told by Church as
Tissue of Lies

CHICAGO, Sept. 1l.-Following a
confession by Harvey willard
Church. boy brakeman. of Adams,
dered Bernard ]. Daugherty and
Carl A. Ausmus. Packard automo-
bile statesmen. In Church's home last
Thursday afternoon, the confession
was tonight branded by Coroner
Peter N. Hoffman as a tissue of
lies"
In his confession Church said that
he had held DauGherty up at the
roint- of a gun in the basement of
Church's home. that he had hand
cuffed him and tied a cord around
his neck that this cord had cut
through the flesh. He then ad-
Iuitted that ne had struck Daugh-
erty with a baseball bat. Ausmus,
Church said. came to the basement
in search Of Daugherty, that he
held Ausmus up in the same man
ner as Daugherty. tied his hands
behind his back and strangled him
to death.
SUSPECTS Otners involved.
"Church's statement is false on
the face OF it," Coroner Hoffman
declared. 1T would be physically
impossible for. him to have killed
these two men in the manner he
describes. DauGherty's throat was
slashed with a razor or sharp
knife, and his jaw was broken on
each side.
Ausmus was first strangled with
rope, then by a piece of cloth
showed down his throat
Church had confederates. I'm
going to start an investigation that
will clear this matter up. Church
is lying to save someone else"
Church's admission came after
nearly ten hours of constant uues-
tioning: and after he had been
brought face TO face with the body
Of Daugherty.
Investigator Newmark. Prosecu-
tor Wharton. Capt. Mullen. officers
and newSpapermen crowded into
. two automobiles. At high speed the
ears swept through the city to
Church's home.
Given GriIIInE Test.
Church staggered slightly as he
alishted from the car and went
NhTouSn tne garage door.
The Harroun car had been re-
turned to the spot in which il was
found on the first day of the search
The grave Of Ausnus. just below its
wheels, had been filled in again. To
this spot Church was led.
Kneel down therew Newmark
said. and Church sank slowly.
That's where you buried him.
No RI =In
leaned forward. peerinC beneath the
car. his eyes half closed.
You killed him. didn't you-and
dragged his body here and buried
him, We've got the body! Confess
you'll feel better if you do" And
question after question was volleyed
at him.
church. like a trapped animal,
swung his head from side to side.
Tears came to his eyes and rolled
slowly down his cheeks.
SfIH Denies lit.
"I-T-T-didn't do il! / didn't
do IT," he gasped. He turned his
head away as il in fear Of the spot
Look at il, Look at it, What
aare you afraid Off" Newmark
snapped What are you afraid
Of. you killed him. didn't you: You
put him IN there allVe-yOu stamped
his shoulders and head down and
broke his neck. didn't you? He's
dead now-he can't hurt you. Why
are you afraid TO look in there
now"
Church crumpled and lay fat on
the ground in great distress. The
officers then rushed him down to
the basement of his home. where
the alleged murders were COM
mitted. But the youth, as he was
shown the blood stains in the base
ment doEgedly denied the murder.
Church was then taken to the
Undertaking rooms and was hustled
through to the rear room where on
a slab was Daugherty's body.
Gnsps as He Sees Body.
They stripped the sheet from il
and pushed Church up in front of it.
You killed him, didn't your"
again the query.
OF a dying man came from his lips.
He straightenCd up; began to fall.
Grab him, Get him out of here"
Newmark shouted and this was
done
The party got back to the States
attorneys office at 1870 where
Church signed a 24-page confession.
Following his confession Church
dropped into a deep sleep. His aged
parents have not been told of their
sons self-admitted guilt.