The Bamberg herald. (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, September 18, 1913, Page 7, Image 7
- PRIEST CONFESSES MURDER
MYSTERY VEILING BODY FOUND
IN HUDSON CLEARED.
Priest Says He Killed Her Because He
Loved Her So?Was Married to
Her Secretly.
0
* New York, Sept. 14.?With the
arrest early to-day of the Rev. Hans
Schmidt, assistant rector of St. Joseph's
Roman Catholic Church, charg
ed with the murder of Anna Aumuller,
a domestic, the story surrounding
the finding of parts of the diss
membered body of a girl in the Hudson
River was solved. Schmidt, according
to police reports, confessed,
and at the time of his arrest attempted
to commit suicide by cutting
4 his throat with a safety razor blade.
"I killed her because I loved her so
. much," Schmidt is alleged to have
9L told his captors, but the police verM
sion of the motive for the crime is
^^B^|that the young woman was about to
become a mother. He had married
her through a ceremony of his own,
jaEm performing without witnesses.
K/ According to the police and the
district attorney's office, Schmidt's
confession was full and absolute. In
it he is quoted as saying that he
killed his companion with a butcher
knife and cut up the body with the
knife and a saw. The deed was committed,
the police say, shortly after
rvii/}r>i<rV(+ nn Sontomhpr '2. in an
UllUUi^Ul. uu |?-V^vv?.vv. ? ,
apartment on Bradhurst avenue,
where the priest had placed her five
\ days before.
Body Cut to Pieces.
When her heart had ceased beating,
according to the alleged confession,
Schmidt carried the body from
the bed to the bath room, and
placing it in the tub began immediately
his gory task of cutting it up.
With the keen knife and the saw he
cut off the head, arms and legs. Still
* afraid of detection he then cut the
body in two.
Five bundles, wrapped in bed
clothes and papers, were made of the
six parts. Five times Schmidt left
the apartment house with a bundle
to cross the Hudson River to the
Jersey shore. Five times he leaned
over the stern of the ferryboat in
midstream and gently gave the river
his burden. Then he returned to
% his church.
The stains of the girl's blood discolored
the bath tub when detectives
searched the apartment to-day.
Schmidt told the police he had taken
the mattress on which she lay when
he dealt the death blow under cover
of darkness to a vacant lot nearby
>
and burned it.
In the apartment, among other
things, the police found a marriage
license issued in New York last February
and bearing the names of the
priest and the murdered woman. According
to Schmidt's confession he
went through a marriage ceremony
> * with the girl. In this ceremony
Schmidt was both priest and bridegroom;
there were no witnesses.
Pillow Slip the Clue.
? A gayly colored pillow slip of unusual
pattern led to Schmidt's apprehension.
This pillow, stained with
blood and spiled with the filth of the
river, was wrapped around a portion
of the torso. The detectives carried
the pillow slip to its manufacturers.
The manufacturer traced it to the
dealer, it to Schmidt. And the police,
tracing Schmidt, and the girl,
knew all about both of them hours
before they arrested him. Schmidt
was arrested by Inspector Faurot, in
* ~ -I X a. 1 mi. ^
enarge or me aeiecuve oureau. me
priest was dressed in full clerical
garb when the* detective entered his
rooms in the parish house of his
< church, in West 125th street. The
inspector produced a photograph of
Miss Aumuller and asked Schmidt if
he knew the girl.
The priest after a moment of hesitation
inquired whether his visitors
were police officers. His actions in8ep
dicated that he was expecting arrest.
Ha He then asked permission to change
his clothes and it was when he left
WW the room Inspector Faurot declared
v that he attempted to cut his throat
with a safety razor blade.
Early to-day, according to parishioners
of the church, Schmidt said to
the Rev. Father Huntmann, rector of
St. Joseph's Church, that he would
hear no more confessions and when
asked for his reason said:
Confessed His Deed.
"I have something of importance
to tell you." With his superior,
Schmidt then retired to the study,
where the latter told all that had
transpired in the Bradhurst avenue
flat, where, according to his alleged
confession, he murdered the girl.
Father Huntmann conferred with his
other assistants and it was agreed
that the authorities should be notified.
The policemen, however, were
then even on Schmidt's trail, and his
arrest followed shortly.
Schmidt was taken to the Tombs.
The confession which the police say
Schmidt signed follows:
"I met Anna Aumuller two years
ago at the Parish House at St. Boniface
Church. She was employed as
PREFERED DEATH TO TRIAL.
Alleged Embezzler Eludes Officers
and Commits Suicide.
Somerset. Pa. September 11.?
Eluding the deputy sheriffs, who
were guarding him at the home of a
relative here today, Henry F. Barron,
former cashier of the Farmers'
National Bank, of Somerset, secured
a rifle and killed himself. Barron
was under indictment for embezzlement
and was to have appeared in
fVIminnl , r>f f li mftvninor tr\ on _
I iillillCH WU1 I LiilO A-U V* VV
swer the charge.
Victor for Sumter "Drys."
Columbia, Sept. 10.?Following a
long executive session to-night, the
State board of canvassers announced
that the election held in Sumter
County on the dispensary question
had been thrown out on the general
ground that the ballots used were not
of the legal size. The board in effect
declared that no legal election on the
issue had ever been held.
It was announced that the ruling of
the Lexington County board of canvassers,
in favor of the dispensary,
had been sustained.
a servant girl there. I was attracted
by her beauty. I became infatuated
with her. I loved her.
"I killed her because I loved her
so much. She was so beautiful, so
good, I could not let her live without
me.
"I had made up my mind that she
and I could not live together. I was
a priest and must remain with my
church. I could not let her go away
from me. So I opened the door of the
flat I awakened her. I told her I had
come to fulfill my threat. Then I
drew the knife across her throat.
Dropped Parts in Hudson.
"I cut the body into six parts. I
made trips to the Fort Lee Ferry,
each time with a part of her precious
body in a bundle. When the ferry
boat reached the middle of the
stream I would throw a piece into
the water and when the boat reached
the other side of the river I would return
and go back to the flat.
"After I had disposed of the body
I wanted to destroy all evidence of
the crime. I took the mattress on
which I had slain her and carried it
to a vacant lot and there I burned it.
"I am guilty; that is all I can say.
I must pay the penalty. There is
nothing else for me to do. But I loved
Anna Aumuller.
"She wanted me to marry her and
I procured a manage license. She
trusted me.
"I am a priest and ordained to perform
the marriage ceremony, so when
she insisted upon a ceremony I married
myself to her. There was no
need of any other priest doing it. It
was just as absolute as if I, had called
in another person with authority to
nerform a marriaee ceremony. She
was my wife."
Slept in His Cell.
Schmidt, after being assigned to a
cell in the Tombs, went to sleep. The
I-riest, according to his story, was
born in Germany in 1881. He attended
college and at the age of 18 enrolled
in St. Augustine's Seminary in
Maine, and on December 23, 1904,
was ordained. He held several
charges in Germany and then came
to America because of poor health.
After remaining in New York city a
short time he was assigned to a
church at Louisville, Ky.
In 1909 he went to Trenton, X. J.,
and in December, 1910, he became
assistant to Father Braun, rector of
St. Boniface's Church, where he met
the Aumuller girl.
In November, 1912, Schmidt left
St. Boniface to become assistant rector
of St. Joseph's Church, the assignment
he held at the time of his
arrest to-day.
She was an Orphan.
Little is known of the history
of Anna Aumuller before she took
employment in the St. Boniface Parish
House the week before Christmas,
iyiu. According to a statement, issued
to-night by Father Braun she
left his parish house in the summer
of 1911, returning on Thanksgiving
Day, 1912, and left the second time,
August 30, last. At this time she
said she was about to be married and
go to Ohio to live. Father Braun
said that he and his sister, who is
his housekeeper, had become attached
to the girl because she was very
pleasant and a faithful worker.
"All I know about her," he said,
"is that she came to this country
from Germany about two and a half
years ago. I understand she was an
orphan and I have a dim reccollection
that she may possibly havecome
to us through an advertisement
| that I placed in a newspaper for a
girl. While she had no credentials,
I employed her."
Despite her statement to another
maid employed in the rectory that
she was leaving to be married. Father
Braun said to -night he was forced to
discharge her two weeks ago "because
her mode of living was unsatisfactory."
The girl as near as could
be learned was 21 years old.
"LET THE PEOPLE SPOON."
Xo Special Danger in Kisses, Says
Physician.
Kissing as a "general proposition"
was approved today by Dr. J. F. Edwards,
head of the city bureau of infectious
diseases, as against the attack
against it by Dr. Young, Chicago's
health commissioner.
"Kissing is as old as the human
race," said Dr. Edwards. "What
harm in there in it? It is not the
puny creature that sits around and
finnnns T'cnnllv thp men and WO
men addicted to this love affection
are strong and healthy. The weaklings
do not have enough energy to
spoon.
"There is no special danger in kissing,
and as a general proposition it is
not dangerous. I believe that a majority
of the medical profession is of
the same opinion.
"Let the people spoon."?Pittsburgh
dispatch to New York Tribune
History in Stamps
Every one who has collected
stamps must have noticed the surprising
absence of sovereign's heads
from those of Turkey. This is
due to the fact that Mohammedans
consider a representation of the human
face or figure unlawful. Therefore
Turkish stamps carry the crescent,
which the Turks borrowed from
the Byzantines after the fall of Constantinople.
They also used a complicated,
arbitrary sign, supposed to
be the signature of the sultan.
Egyptian and Grecian stamps are
peculiarly expressive of the history
of the countries which they represent.
The pyramids, the mystic
Sphinx, tall palm trees outlined
nsrainst the nieht sky, a train of cam
els stopping to drink from the river
Nile, all carry us back to the very beginning
of history and remind us
that Egypt, the mother of civilization,
is still called by her ancient name
and is yet a growing power in the
world she has known so long.
Beautiful, artistic Greece, the
home of beauty, from which our
sculptors and architects draw their
finest inspirations, gives us pure classic
lines on her stamps, which show
the famous discus thrower, Hermes
of the winged feet, or a chariot race,
or a tall, slim vase, an antique mold.
The stamps of Persia show the
lion and the sun?the lion as a symbol
of power and the sun as an emblem
of the ancient fire worship of
the Persians.
Korea displays the plum blossom
on her stamps. It is the royal flower
of her last dynasty, a dynasty which
reigned for 500 years, until the hardy
little Japanese wrested it away.
The Mexican stamp bears the coat
of arms of the country, an eagle on a
cactus, holding a serpent in its talone.
This device is the outgrowth of
a legend that the first Aztec settlers
chose the site of their city from see
ing an eagle so engaged, and situated
at that* spot.?New York Evening
Post.
State Board Deadlocked.
Columbia, Sept. 11.?The State
board of canvassers, after a long and
rather heated meeting this morning,
deadlocked on the appeal from the
Williamrburg county dispensary
board and adjourned sine die without
breaking the deadlock. Under decisions
of the Supreme Court in such
cases the action of the Williamsburg
county board in declaring the advocates
of the establishment of the dispensary
had won the election stands
and the county will take its place in
the ranks of the "wets." It was said
here this morning that the prohibitionists
will appeal to the Supreme
Court.
After an all day session yesterday
the State board of canvassers went
into executive session last night and
decided to throw out the election in
Sumter, thus giving the prohibition
ists that county. They affirmed the
decision of the Lexington county
board in declaring the dispensary
winner there and then tied up hard
and fast, 3 to 3, on the appeal from
the action of the Williamsburg board
in declaring the dispensary victor
there. A recess was taken until
10.30 this morning and after more
speech-making and a somewhat heated
discussion the vote, 3 to 3, remained
unchanged and the matter was
left deadlock, being, however, a victory
for the dispensary forces. It is
understood that Secretary of State
McCown, State Treasurer Carter and
Attorney General Peeples voted to
approve the Williamsburg board in
declaring the dispensary victor, while
Comptroller General Jones, Adjutant
General .Moore and Chairman Stanley,
of the house committee on privileges
and elections, voted to reverse
the v. illiamsburg board and declare
the county "dry."
It is expected that the contests
from each of the three counties will
be taken to the Supreme Court on aptiaoI
fy%r\ rv> til a o ati Ar\ r\ f t Vt a Cf of a
i^cai lii/ui inc av/tiuu u l LIIC? oiaic
board.
All kinds of ledgers and blank
books at Herald Book Store, cheap.
NOTICE OP TRUSTEES' SALE.
United States District Court, f<
the District of South Carolina?]
Bankruptcy.
In the matter of H. C. Copeland
Company, bankrupts.
By virtue of an order of Hon. A.
Hydrick, Jr., Referee in Bankruptc
issued in the above entitled case, tl
undersigned trustees will sell at pul
lie auction to the highest bidder ft
cash before the Court House doo
Bamberg, South Carolina, on the 6t
day of October, 1913, between eleve
and twelve o'clock, a. m., on said da
the following real estate, to-wit:
All that certain piece or lot <
land with the improvements thereo;
situate in the town of Ehrhard
County of Bamberg, State of Soul
Carolina, containing two acres, moi
or less, and bounded on the Nort
by lands of J. H. Roberts and tl
School property; East by Main <
Broadway Street; South by lands <
J. Frank Chassereau and J. D. Dai
nelly, and West by??, said lot bi
ing the same upon which the said I
C. Copeland now resides.
Also all that other certain piece c
lot of land with the improvemen
thereon situate in the town of Eh
hardt. County of Bamberg, State <
South Carolina, having a front c
Broadway Street of fifty (50) fee
and running back to a depth of tw
hundred and ten (210) feet, at
bounded on the North by lot of Mr
W. "S. Folk; East by Broadws
Street; South by lot of D. C. Cop<
land, and West by the Ehrhardt E
tate lands.
J. F. CARTER,
H. H. COPELAND,
Trustees of H. C. Copeland & Cc
bankrupts.
Bamberg, S. C., Sept. Sth., 1913
NOTICE OF TRUSTEES' SALE.
In The District Court of the Unite
i j* ii Tv. _ r n ..
males, ior uie juisirici ul duuiu v^ai<
lina?In Equity.
J. F. Carter, et al., Trustee
against D. C. Copeland, et al., D
fendants.
By virtue of a decretal order <
His Honor, Judge H. A. M. Smit
issued in the above entitled case, tl
undersigned trustees will sell at pu
lie auction to the highest bidder, u]
on terms hereinafter stated, in froi
of the Court House door at Bamber
South Carolina, on the 6th day of 0
tober, 1913, between eleven ar
twelve o'clock, a. m., on said day, tl
following described lands, to-wit:
All that certain tract or parcel <
land situate in the County of Bar
berg, State of South Carolina, co:
taining one hundred and sixty (16C
acres, more or less, and bounded i
follows: North by lands of M. j
Kinard; East by lands of G. F. Cop
land; South by lands of T. P. Riz<
and John E. Carter, and West 1
lands of D. C. Copeland.
Terms of sale: one-half cash, ba
ance payable in one year, with ii
terest from date of sale, payable ai
nually, secured by the bond ar
mortgage of the purchaser.
J. F. CARTER,
H. H. COPELAND,
Trustees of H. C. Copeland & Cc
bankrupts.
Bamberg, S. C., Sept. 8th., 1913.
Notice to Distillers and Liqu<
Dealers.
Bide and samples are hereby r
quested, in accordance with the di
pensary law now in force, for tt
J- A_ i * X-.'U ^ J 4.1
iouowing gooas 10 ue iumieueu u
State of South Carolina for the u?
of the county dispensary board <
Bamberg county, S. C. Liquors to 1
shipped in car load lots, except bee
freight prepaid to Bamberg, S. C., t
wit:
All kinds of corn, rye, gin, wine
brandies, both in bulk and bottled :
full one-half pints, pints, and quart
Beers in pints and quarts to 1
delivered at Bamberg, Denmar
Ehrhardt and Olar, S. C.
Also Dids on empty bottles, on
half pints, pints, and quarts, in di
pensary cases, corks and tin foil.
All goods shall be furnished
compliance with and subject to tl
terms and conditions of the dispe:
sary law of 1907, and bidders mu
observe the following rules:
1st. All bids must be sealed, ar
there shall be no signature or mai
upon the envelope indicating tl
name of the bidder.
2nd. All bids must be sent 1
express or registered letter to Ge
A. Jennings, treasurer, Bamberg,
C., on or before October 10, 1913.
3rd. The contract will be awar
ed to the lowest responsible bidde
the board reserving the right to r
ject any or all bids, or parts of bids
The board requires that on all bi<
submitted the age and proof of z
goods shall be stated, and all bii
shall be in gallons, one-half gallon
quarts, pints and one-half pints.
Bids will be opened at the office <
the county board, Bamberg, S. C., c
October 10, i913.
Also bids are. wanted at once f<
/\ f Knil/lintyc irt f Ati'no r\ f Per
1 cut I UUHUIIX50 1XA ?* V1
berg, Olar, Denmark, and Ehrhard
in which to conduct dispensaries.
J. M. GRIMES,
Chairman,
J. B. KEARSE,
W. H. FAUST,
Board of Control County Dispel
saries, Bamberg County, South Car
lina.
CITATION NOTICE.
The State of South CarolinaCounty
of Bamberg?By Geo. P. Ha
rnon. Esq., Judge of Probate.
Whereas, H. X. Bellinger hat
made suit to me to grant him lette:
of administration of the estate of an
effects of Mrs. Martha C. Bellinge
deceased:
These are therefore to cite an
admonish all and singular the kii
died and creditors of the said Marti'
C. Bellinger, deceased, that they 1
and appear before me in the Court <
Probate, to be held at Bamberg, c
Monday,, September 22nd. next, aft(
publication thereof, at 11 o'clock i
the forenoon, to show cause, if an
they have, why the said administr;
tion should not be granted.
rinrAn mv Vi onH o r? call +V?
Ul? CU UJULU.^1 111 J 11 CI 11IX C111 VI ccai V/ll
5th dav of September, A. D., 1913.
GEO. P. HARMON,
Judge of Probati
GET IN Tt
I F.vprvhnrl
y,
A wk* xfcy
s "THE GAME i
>n
We have just r<
| supply and if y<
" come quick as t
fast. Only 50c
-tions how to pi
d While attending school you
i Individu
Pit
I You can get a nice Collapsible
? 10c, also all kinds of!
(Herald Bo
ZT
I Blank Books a Specialty I
Bamberg, Soul
id *
C. G. AXDERSOX, JR., Pres.
Savannah, Ga.
Anderson Cott
- COTTON FACTORS AND COfl
)r 308 BAY STREET, EAST
CONSIQNME
e- Upland, Sea Island ar
fe GIVEN OUR PROMPT AND
We Respectfully Solicit a SI
Guaranteeing Enti
I SECOND HAND
1 AUTOMOBILES
e. For Sale, $ 125 up.. Let
s- m* know vour reauire
"""" / ^ M
in ments in used Autos
ie and I can get a machine to suit you.
st Prompt Attention to Repair Work
* Patrick's Garage, Bamberg, S.C.
ie
>n
ar The telephone goes hj
it" roads.
The telephone overcoi
cles of bad roads and ma
tt_ farmer and other rural resi<
o- ness in the city and witl
- roads are impassable.
Progressive farmers ar
r- roads and telephones. 1
th modern civilization are doi
"J toward eliminating the iso
r- You can have a telephone
a small cost. Send a posta
,a giving complete informatii
ip
* FARMERS' LINE I
:: SOUTHERN BELL TE1
AND TELEGRAPH C<
S . S. PRY OR STREET 1
SSJIIIPI2I5SSSSI5ISSSSihhh
%
IE GAME
lv Plavs
\
OF GAMES"
*
iceived a new
oil want a set
hey are going
with instrucay
the game. |
r child should hare an ;:J
al Cup
Aluminum Cop for Sc and J
School Supplies, at
ok Store
Hail Orders Filled Promptly |
:h Carolina
J. XrYOUMANS, Vice-Pres. .
Lessy, Ga.
r?ri i.rnnnanv
MM V V AAA V? A?b J
EMISSION MERCHANTS
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA
!NTS OF
id Florodora Cotton
CAREFUL ATTENTION
fiare of Your Patronage,
ire Satisfaction
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md in hand with good
mes many of the obsta.kes
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e insisting upon good
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ng more than all others
lation of country life,
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