The Evening Herald

Hudson's Headless Girl Mystery Solved;
Priest Confesses to the Heinous Crime

NEW YORK, Sept. 15.—The mystery surrounding the identity of the woman whose headless body was found, half buried in the sand on the bank of the Hudson River a few days ago, has been cleared by the confession made by Rev. Hans Schmidt of St. Joseph's church. He has confessed to the killing of the girl, who was Miss Anna Aumuller, aged 22.

The crime is one of the most gruesome in the history of New York police annals.

"I was commanded by St. Elizabeth, Hungary's patron saint, to offer a sacrifice," Schmidt told Rev. Luke Evers, pastor of the church. "I was told that it must be a bloody one, like Abraham's, so I killed Anna. I drank some of her blood to consummate the sacrifice."

Alienists are completely baffled by the character of Schmidt.

"I never saw such evidence of a double personality," said Coroner Feinberg today. "One moment his eyes are beatific; the next, they leer diabolically."

It was learned today that Schmidt had made a detailed confession to the authorities. He even marked with a pencil on a diagram just how he dismembered the body.

At first Schmidt said he confessed because he loved the girl. His letter to Father Evers said that he feared the consequence might bother him, and he then said that St. Elizabeth had commanded him to do so.

Father Evers is convinced, after questioning Schmidt with the authorities, that the credentials presented by Schmidt for obtaining permission to say mass, were forgeries.

"I am certain now that he is not a priest," said Father Evers.

(Continued on page 4)

SAYS HE MADE A BLOODY OFFERING AT SAINT'S ORDER

PRISONER HAS ALIENIST BAFFLED COMPLETELY

Priests Are of the Opinion That Schmidt's Credentials Are a Fraud.

Learned That Before Coming to America He Studied Medicine In Germany—Is Said to Possess Every Evidence of a Dual Personality

United Press Service

NEW YORK, Sept. 15.—The mystery surrounding the identity of the woman whose headless body was found, half buried in the sand on the bank of the Hudson River a few days ago, has been cleared by the confession made by Rev. Hans Schmidt of St. Joseph's church. He has confessed to the killing of the girl, who was Miss Anna Aumuller, aged 22.

The crime is one of the most gruesome in the history of New York police annals.

"I was commanded by St. Elizabeth, Hungary's patron saint, to offer a sacrifice," Schmidt told Rev. Luke Evers, pastor of the church. "I was told that it must be a bloody one, like Abraham's, so I killed Anna. I drank some of her blood to consummate the sacrifice."

Alienists are completely baffled by the character of Schmidt.

"I never saw such evidence of a double personality," said Coroner Feinberg today. "One moment his eyes are beatific; the next, they leer diabolically."

It was learned today that Schmidt had made a detailed confession to the authorities. He even marked with a pencil on a diagram just how he dismembered the body.

At first Schmidt said he confessed because he loved the girl. His letter to Father Evers said that he feared the consequence might bother him, and he then said that St. Elizabeth had commanded him to do so.

Father Evers is convinced, after questioning Schmidt with the authorities, that the credentials presented by Schmidt for obtaining permission to say mass, were forgeries.

"I am certain now that he is not a priest," said Father Evers.

HEADLESS GIRL MYSTERY IS SOLVED
(Continued from page 1)

cannot tell lucidly where he studied or was ordained. He admits, though, that prior to coming to this country he studied medicine for several years in Germany."

The authorities have wired the Berlin authorities to investigate the record of Schmidt in the old country.