The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1929-01-07
) FACE TRIAL
AS WITCH
SLAYERS

Continued from First Page)
Hess ana Curry has taken the
spotlight the people are mum on
the subject Of black magic, yet 1t
is no secret that in many homes
those witchbooks called the Him
melsbrief" Tor heavenly letter. and
the Long Lost Friend" are kept
in the family library with the
Bible, and read with just as much
consistency.
Judge Ray p. Sherwood, who will
preside at the trial, said he would
take all necessary precautions to
see that order is maintained and
to overrun the courtroom. The
doors will be locked after all seats
are taken. No telegraph instru-
ments or photogra piers will be al.
low,d, although the press will be
represented. ..
1t was Indicated today that Bly,.
myers defense will be insanity. At
one time he was in the State hos
pital for the insane at Harrisburg.
No inkling Of the defense Of the
other two defe 'dants was given.
The story Of the murder as Hess,
the 1S-year-old youth, told it to
the police, was that he, Blymyer
and Curry went to Rehmeyer s
door about . p. m. on the Tuesday
night before Thanksgiving and
knocked.
Rehymer came to a window and
Blymyer told him he came for the
book, my Lost Friend" BIymyer
has been credited with being n
practitioner OF witchcraft.
when Rehmeyer opened the
door, Blymyer seized him." said
Hess. "Blymyer hit him with a
piece OF wood and shouted for me
to help. He gave me a piece OF
wood and 1 hit him twice. Curry
took a halter that was on a couch
and tied Rehmeyer's legs so we
could get him down and cut his
hair.
He struggled. Blymyer floored
him with chair. We tore his shirt
off and Curry tied a rope around
his neck. After the rope was pulled
tight he ceased to breath. I guess
he was dead"
And then they set fire to the
body and fled into the night.
Not Yet Indicted
One of the unusual features of the
case is that neither Blymyer, Hess
nor Curry have been indicted on the
charge Of murder. The indictment
Of the trio is expected to be the first
order Of business today. After the
defendants are arraigned and enter
their pleas, Herbert 3. Cohen. attor.
ney for Blymyer, will make a motion
for a severance OF their trials.
The granting of such q motion is
mandatory.
District Attorney Amos w. Herr.
mann, who will prosecute the case,
will elect to try Blymyer first, it is
understood. and his case prOba bly,
will proceed at once. The trial OF
the other two will be at the discre'
ton of the court.
It was reported today that the dis
trict attorney may seek to discredit
the witchcraft theory by injecting
robbery as the main motive for the
killing. Such action might have the
effect of causing the court to rule
out any testimony regarding book
known as "The Lost Friend" the so.
called bible Of the witchcraft cult.
Publicity that has come to the city
of York, as a result of the witch.
craft angle to the murder, has
nettled number of local business
men.
There is no little sentiment that it
would be ? good thing for this city
if the case was quickly disposed of
and as little said of witchcraft as
possible. The influx Of newspaper
men from New York, Philadelphia,
Harrisburg and other cities is not
being hailed with delight.