The Washington times., 1937-08-18
WOMAN FACES
COURT IN MASS
MURDER PROBE
Mrs. Hahn Files Plea
Of Not Guilty

CINCINNATI, Ohio, Aug. 1S
Q.N.S0-Mrs. Anna Marie Hahn,
31-year-old blonde charged with
the poison slayingS Of two elderly
men, pleaded not guilty today be-
fore a crowded and sweltering
court throng that had waited since
dawn to see the alleged modern
borgia." Police are investigating
deaths Of II men known to her.
In the court room, Mrs. Hahn
clasped her son, Oscar, IL, in fond
embrace in their first meeting
since the woman was jailed.
NOT GUILTY PLEA
Formal pleas Of not guilty to
indictments charging Mrs. Hahn
with the fatal poisoning Of Jacob
Wagner, IS, on June 3 and George
Gsellman, 81, on July 6 were en-
tered by her attorneys.
Later Judge Bell granted per
mission to file q demurrer to the
indictments and other motions
including one for . change Of
venue, which the defense an
nounced it would seek.
Next Friday at 8 a. m. was set
for hearing Of all defense motions.
Prosecutors said, however, they
were ready for trial on both indict-
ments and would press the Gsell-
man murder charge first.
DOUBLY INDICTED
Officially Anna Hahn has been
doubly indicted by. a grand jury
for the fatal poisoning Of two Of
the II known elderly German men
she claims to have 'befriended" in
her self-Styled role Of "Angel Of
Mercy"
"I'm in trouble because I
tried to be nice to old German
men. like old German men,"
was all she would say.
This comedies with the views
of Prosecutor Rudley Miller Out
cault and Acting Detective Chief
Patrick Hayes, but it doesn't 60
far enough. They want to know
why a brief acquaintance with the
"Angel Of Mercy" was like q kiss
Of death to every one Of those
II old German men, all Of whom
expired suddenly, several violently,
at least three or four by poisoning.
And in almost every instance,
police say, Mrs. Hahn benefited
financially or at least tried boldly
to so benefit by their deaths.
OFFICIALS AMAZED
Authorities are frankly amazed
at what they have unearthed al
ready in their inquiry into the
fate Of two mice old German
men," George Gsellman, 81, and
Jacob Wagner, 7S, for whose
murders Anna stands indicted.
Wagner, affluent old German
Of high repute, died last June 8.
There was a suicide" note, writ
ten in English. Police said old
Jacob couldn't write English. The
death certificate read influenza
and heart disease" A bottle that
had contained poison was found.
Mrs. Hahn arranged with an
undertaken for Wagner'S burial.
On the day he died, it was dis
covered. Mrs. Hahn had signed
her name to q check for $1,000
and tried to get the cash from
his bank account.
Police also found Anna had
tried to file Wagner will" dated
January 5, leaving his estate to
her. But Anna had not yet met
Wagner on that date. Later
Wagner's body was exhumed, and
q chemical analysis revealed
poison.
SMART GIRL"
Just a month after Wagner's
death, Gsellman, was taken
fatally i'll, but not until he had
confided to friends:
1--WE got a new girl. She's
fine-but she made me sign
over my money. Smart, eh?"
Police eXhumed Gsellman's
body and discovered he had died
from croton oil poisoning. SINH
lar poison had been found in q
bottle in the Hahn home and
another in the locker of Anna's
current husband, Philip Hahn, in
the telegraph office where he is
employed.