Hide Article Text (OCR)
SCENE or BLOODwas believed that he administered drugs to her which gradually poisoned her and caused her death. The third Mrs. Hermans was Miss M. E. Lotnmcn of ('rooks* ton. Minn., a sister of former Congressman Loinmen of Minnesota. Shortly aft-• ■r her death he came to Salt l*ake. Soon after he arrived here he turned his attentions to Miss Samuclson and iator toMiss Clausen.The Sam nelson giri was missed for two or three months before disclosures were made which led up to the discovery of bones in the furnace under the old church. A month or two later the Clausen girl disappeared from Sait Lake- and she wasnowhere to be found. Letters were received by the girls’ parents and friends which told them not to worry about them. It was apparent that the letters were written by Mermans and mailed from different places to cover up the crimes as long us possible. One of the giria was believed to be in Chicago‘and the other in Portland. Hermans made several trips to the northwest and one trip to Chicago to find the girls. He always brought hack some news from them and said that they were well and happy. ; **' % * aBones Are Discovered.II10 BE REMOVED Scandinavian Church, Where Girls Were Murdered, Will Be Taken Down.-II“Jim” Donaldson, Fight Pro moter, Is Trying to HaveMinister Arrested.JUDGE DIEHL WILL DECIDE \* RECALLS GRUESOME CRIMEMAY REFUSE BECAUSE OF COUN- \ TY ATTORNEY’S ATTITUDE.IS PLACE WHERE REV. FRANCIS HERMANS CREMATED VICTIMS.In cleaning out the furnace in May. 18%. bones were discovered; tlso razor blades and n bowl* knife blade. An examination of the bones left SCI doubt that they were those of human brings. An investigation was carried osi, and Miss I’lausen’s waist was found l.uried in one corner of the basement under some rubThe old Scandinavian Methodist Episcopal church, 158 Second EaHt street, thescene of the double nutrd* r of Henrf-cttn Clausi-n and Annie Samuclson. ul-legcd in ha\o bet'ii com mil led in May.1S%. by Rev. Francis Hermans, pastor.is to bo torn down within three weeks. On the site where the horror was committed la to lie erected an apartment house to cost several thousand dollars. The property was sold two months ago to Qeorge \v. Ebert for £*.5flo. At the time the deed was transferred It was agreed that the church could be used until the new Scandinavian church atRev. D. A. Brown, pastor of. the First Baptist church, is charged with perjury In a complaint sworn to yesterday by ••Jim Donaldson, promoter of the recent Curb*11lt;Tt 1 yland prize fight, and filed in Judge C. 13. Diehls court. Judge Diehl will decide today whether or not he will issue a V irrunt. based upon the complaint. for Dr. Brown's arrest.The complain! charge?* that on the aft-.■n«.Mn preceding the evening when Sheriff * *: F. Emery stopped the Corbett-IIy-lind fight. Dr. Rrop n «wnre falsely to a cosupli.nt charging Corbett and Hy-rbfPit Ibish. Other articles of clth‘ng werefctriiaiiafound it* the study of th** cnurvb. and als*» a pair of bloody trousers whichHermans wore in committing hi^ ghastly crimes. Two false te- th were also foundIn the furnace. which were identified as Miss Clfiustfli’s.The women’s offe rs were sold b Hermans to a second hand si *re, an.I they were later recovered and rd -ntif ed Both!1llt( ^ i Ohiit.rl 1 n 1 e Ig« •t!uoi sr Ia.t Ia 1ydnitoKrall(Ivit 1y*fie*— | ‘C . Id II- I d jirioditykisi-t,i-*er.i-Itntl!«Kr*0 rlt;1 fiih;itixiiti»frSr*tIfoiifaec*prXo1-•tPhoto by Harry Shlpler.OLD SCANDINAVIAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.land with actually having engaged in a prise fight, whereas at that time no attempt had been made to pull off th** fight. The complaint in question was sworn to as a precautionary measure; hut Donaldson and his attorney claim that In wearing that the m* n had fought, when they had not fought. Dr. Brown committed a crime.girls, it is said, had been intimate with i Hermans for som*- time, and he was engaged to Miss Samneb'-n. They often vla-il«h1 him at his stud. but nothing was thought Of it at tin* time.When they disappeared Ih the early part of 1896 many of the girls' friendswent to Hermans and asked about th* m. jHe said that they had gone away for a short time, hut would be back. The let- Itors received from tlrr;*- to time from th* voutig women wi re h-oked upon with suspicion and It was suspected at th*- time ! that it was Hermaits work.Fourth East and Fifth South streets was completed.The new- church will be completed and dedicated within two weeks. In connection with i he church iw a parsonage, and Rev. Charles J. Heekner. the pastor, is now making preparations to move Into his new quarters. The new church lt;out several thousand dollars, being much larger and better furnished than theOld onlt;*- _iLegal Point Involved.The county attorney's office lias not sanctioned th* issuance of a warrant for Dr. Brown’s arrest, and that fact caused Judge Diehl to delay issuing the warrant. There Is a provision **f the t'tahstatutes which provides that no justi. * of the peace shall IsAur a warrant without the assent thereto of the county attorney.William Newton. Donaldson's attorney,who drew the complaint against Dr.Brown, contend* that Judge Diehl, being judge of the city court. Is not hound by the law which prescribes the duties of justices of tile peace, and that, when a complaint is filed ly a citizen. Judge Diehl has no choice but to issue the warrant regardless of the attitude of the county attorney, it is this point whichJudge Diehl will decide today.No Repairs Since Murder.ISSm- * the- murder was perpetrated within the wails of the old church not adonat'd to keep It lu re-arks of dilapidation have lt;* walls The paint has(cjttooir- itt the sun. Thewarped out of shape and place* The rusty nailsHermans Makes His Escape.cent has beer pair. The it crept over it-faded from * ^ woodwork h split In manyTh** night of May ft, 18%, when the I bones wer** found In the furnace, Hermans left Salt Lake and escaped the police From that turn* on offic**rs weretrailing him. but ho was never apprehended. Pictures wetie sent all over th** world, and several reports w*t»* re'f-ivedthf.t he had h*-*-n located. Considerablemoney was spent in investigating these r»*i*oris. but all trace of 11* rmtn.s faded.When the county commissioners refused to put up money to send officers to t’a»ta*ia. when* it was supposed Hcrmnns had been captured, money was furnished b the rpress. tun the prLnuner was notHermans. Somewhere he st;ll wandcn*.unless death lias overtaken turn, but should he ever be captured his punlish-ment. would la dealt t* him.But soon the old church will not incite memories of the crimes which stained Its holiness. The feeling of ghastly horror which has lingered long in the mindsi ■ill4 *»r-l-havf dmpiiwl out lt;»f i to* corBice, and ’tinboanb* havp nvtsic*! out of pliThew crpviw^ bavo filled tip with \thi!*fiarrow?, rcw»f arwl !*Hfr\also show the4 of weather. Thedwelling how attached to th*- church in the rear of the notyiciai«r-ttr-k^pf nj» .ntifoccupy thesei hrlt; o fifnilicft nowtwo or rmms.Bones Are Discovered.riyi-Donaldson May Be Prosecuted.The congFgnt'nn this church for th*»n unwholesome FpIIOk. Th* _ been anxious tn leave Its roof and d*. stroy It. The old church has been haunted house to th** older members oflp;worship*ten yearsv! in withh;i vr*There »« a lively possibility that Donaldson himself may be prosecuted yet on th* complaint which Dr. Brown sworeout against him tin day of the fight.That complaint charged Donaldson with attempting to promote a prize fight; and. while he wa-s subsequently allowed to draw his bail money, the case itself wasnot dismissed, but is still pending beforeJudge Diehl. Hitherto it had not been the Intention to press it: but Donaldson’s activity in trying to prosecute Dr. Brown may result in its being pressed.Neither Donaldson nor his attorney consulted the county attorney’s office before filing th** perjury complaint yesterday. Thursday Donaldson tried to induce Assistant County Attorney Willard Hanson to cause a warrant to issue for Dr. Brown on another charge of perjury. This charge was that Dr. Brown had sworn falsely when he accused Donaldson of perjury. This charge was that Dr. Brown had sworn falsely when he accused Donaldson of attempting to promote a prizefight, Donaldson claimed that what he was trying to promote was a “boating exhibition.” Mr. Hanson refused to take seriously the request to arrest Dr. Brown on that charge, so. without consulting him. Messrs. Newton and Donaldson tiled their complaint yesterday on the other count.;ith** Bcandfhuvian church who wor»hipe*l ther*- before th** murder w:u* ci»mmitt**d.The si airs leading to the basement where the bodies **f the wo men were Incinerated lu the furnace squeak with nlil age. They arc the tame tairs which were blood-stained and where Hermans toiled up and down carrying pieces ofhis victims’ bodies from his room into the basement. Tha odot of burnt flesh pe\rns to come stiil from the stuffy hole In the romer of the basement where thehave vanished. Th** ba.**m*.m where Hermans’ victims found their grave in the furnace and their winding sheets in the flam* s will 1 destroyed with the church, and upon that site a beautiful apartment house will he built. That loathsome feeling will in the minds of th* congregation be supplemented in a new church which has been hoped for since the mur- Iof its congregation will• incom mi t t*-d. ---------- u.d* rs werefurnace whs located Th* rock founda-ion ha« crustod with moldy substances where IIrx*lt;3 stains were found when the police were Investigating the case. The furnace ha, not been in use for some time rust but ft is still packed away in the corner of the basement.Now that the new church !s about complet'd, the scene of the most pr**w-sozne murders in th** annals of the Salt Lake pollc*- will be destreved. Th* plans for the building of an apartment house on its site .ir* bHng drawn up.ALUMNI TO AID DISTRESSEDGraduates of University of Pennsylvania Will Loan Money to Em-barassed Members.The Alumni of th* University of Pennsylvania has started a movement to relieve the distress of graduates of the university who were niadlt;* destitute by the earthquake and fire in San Francisco.uited States District Attorney Joseph IJppmcn of Salt Lak* received a circular letter yesterday. In which the plan of the Alumni is outlined A committee will be appointed frr.rn Hie graduates at San Francisco that will have charge of the relief work. A fund will be raised to purchase supplies* and money will be loaned to attorneys, physicians and others with which to purchase new libraries and instruments. No Interest will be charged for the ttse of this money. Subscriptions Will be sent to c. R. \\\ Packard, treasurer. 517 Chestnut street, Philadelphia.Hermans Makes His Escape.The old church wu* completed in 1«S7 by Rev. T. A. H. Franklin. From its pulpit several pnxtors spoke lxfi»re Rev. Francis Hermans wji? assigned. He I came here from Minneapolis, where he j had charge or a Scandinavian church.I and lived in the parsonage about throe j or four years be*fore the murders were| committ*d-Hermnas was born in England of Scandinavian parentage. He bad married three times. His first wife died in England before he left there to come to the United States. His second wife, an American girl. lt;ii4(d. after a short married life, under suspicious circumstances. Shortly before her death she beeam* insane. An Inquest was held hut nothing came of it.Hermans was a medical student and itWhat Dr. Brown Says.“The Incident is closed so far as I am concerned,” said Dr. Brown last night. ••I have nothing to say. I bear Mr. Donaldson no ill will. but. If I am arrested, what I shall say w® be said in court.” Donaldson Is a Aborting man whostands close to the l^Hjlers of the ‘‘American” party. At one time it was brutted about that he was to be made a detective on the poll** force. Subsequently, however. he decided to remain a private citizen.The Ministerial association stopped the fight, and forced Donaldson and his associates to take It to Ogden, where It was successfully pulled off.No Cold Luncheon is quite complete without Mount's Pickles. All varieties at all Grocers.\
Newspaper Details
Salt Lake City Herald
Salt Lake City, Utah, US
Sat, May 12, 1906
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Joseph V.
USA 20 Oct 2018
Other Publications Near Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake Tribune
Salt Lake Daily Tribune
Salt Lake Daily Tribune and Utah Mining Gazette
Deseret News Salt Lake Telegram
Salt Lake Tribune Salt Lake Telegram
