MURDERER'S RE-TRIAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIII, Issue 8790, 10 February 1914, Page 4

MURDERER'S RE-TRIAL.

ASS A SSIX' S EXTRAORDINARY CONDUCT.

i\K\V YORK, February 8.

In the jii-vn;tl of Huns Schmidt, charged wuh the murder of a young. woman named Anna Arnnaller, wliose dismembered body was found in the Hudson .River iti September last, the jury relumed a verdict of guilty. Sentence whs deferred. Schmidt admitted that the verdict was just and expressed a wish to "die. The jnry at the first trial disagreed. Throughout the hearing Schmidt behaved like a maniac. lie quarrelled with hi M iiiAvycrs, talked to the jurymen, insultingly, and gave evidence on his own henalf. declaring Ihat Cod had called iilni to conynit" the crime. The insanity coin mission which examined Sdnuidi. refused' to pronounce him in uric. ' " Schmidt is regarded ,by the New York police as one of the most remarkable criminal products of the present age. Whilst- iii Germany he was deeJared .m^ine, and w;v, suspended "from •■ the ministry became he attempted - fraud. In New York a .counterfeiters' den, operated by Schmidt and other, criminals, was recently discovered,' and the .detectives believe that accused'sinsanity is feigned. ..: -.^ When on .the .murder charge :> Schmklt''declared thai" he had ,gone-' through the""nKimage form with Miss 1 Aumaller," though he admitted that he him&e]f performed the ceremony, and . that there wero> no witnesses present. He slated he had been driven to coinin"it the murder because.he loved Miss Aumalleiy arid it was impossible to conceal- their relationship any longer. During the inquest Schmidt became enraged, and flung a eruttifix which he . wore around his neck at the newspaperreporters, present. The jury found Schmidt guilty of murder. Hundreds of fashionably dressed women attended the ■...■inquest, admission to which was permitted only to holders of tickets.