Evening gazette, Tuesday, May 26, 1896 · page 8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘ L = I lll’S HORROR
SA T J a
sun N0 Trace 01‘ Hermans, the Al-

leged Clergyman-llurderer.

THE GHARRED BONES FOUND.

Details of a Probable Murder Which Bids
Fair to Be One of the Mysteries of
the Century—The Disappear-
ance of Miss Clausen.

SALT LAKE CITY, May 26.-—The Scan-
dinavian church where the murders of
Henrietta Clausen and Annie Samuelson
took place has been visited by large num-
bers of curious persons ever since the her—
rible discovery was made known on Sat-
urday. ‘

No services Were held in the church

—Sunday. The human remains, together
with the garter buckle and belt buckle
which were found in the furnace have
been so identified that there is now no
doubt that they are those of Miss Clau-
sen. One of the razors and the butcher
knife also found in the furnace have been
positively identified by the Rev. Mr. Mork
as the property of the Rev. Francis Her.
mans, who is accused of the crime.

Miss Samuelson’s watch and a ring

ave been found in a pawnbroker’s shop,
Where they were pledged by Hermans just
bcfore he left for Kansas. The police here
have so far no further elew to the where-
abouts of Hermans.
The History of the Crimes.
The crime with which Rev. Francis

‘ Hermans stands accused, taken in connec-

tion with his holy office, almost passes
credibility. He is accused of having first
poisoned a girl named Henrietta Clausen.
then of having chopped up the body. of his
victim and piece by piece to have carried
the remains of the murdered girl from his
study in the Scandinavian church to the
furnace below, where he thought be de«
strayed all vestiges of his crime.

So revolting was the theory that sug-
gested itself to the detectives who were
called to the church, and so anxious have
they been to secure the apprehension of
Hermans. that the closest secrecy was in-
sisted upon. Disclosures have been made,
however, and now the whole story is
known. The investigation of the afiair
has given rise to the fear that, instead of
one murder, probably two have been com<
mitted.

The story runs back to Sept. 30 last,
when Henrietta Clausen is thought to
have been murdered and incinerated, and
it possesses features of grotesque horror.
The weather was very hot then, and all of
the afternoon Hermans must have toiled
up and down the stairs of the church car-
rying to its grave in the glowing furnace
the body of the murderedgirl. In spite of
the fierce heat of the furnace in the stuffy
little hole'in the ground under the church
and the warmth of the day without he is
believed to have labored on, insensible to
the odors of the burning flesh and intent
only on the ghastly task he had under-
taken.

He is known to have been acquainted
with the use of drugs, and he is believed
to have utilized this special knowledge to
destroy the blood traces in his room,

, where, it is suspected. his victim was

hacked to pieces with the knife and razors
found in the bottom of the furnace.

Henrietta Clausen was a servant in
Hermans’ employ and was about 30 years
of age. She had lived in some of the most
prominent households in Salt Lake and
came originally from near Copenhagen,
Denmark. She had no relatives in this
country.

The other girl for whose death Hermans
is new supposed to be responsible was An-
nie Samuelson. who had also lived in his
house. It was learned that subsequent to
her mysterious disappearnce on Jan. 29
last Hermans had pawned her jewelry,
and this fact has convinced the police that
he is a double murderer. The Samuelson
girl was 21 years old and of Swedish par-
entage.

Finding: the Charred Body.

The charred remains believed to be those
of Henrietta Clausen were found acci-
dentally in the furnace by persons resid-
ing on the premises, who reported the fact
to the chief of police. A further search
brought to light enough evidence to con
Vince the officers that foul play had been
practiced, and the ensuing investigation
led to what seemed incontrovertible proof.
More than this, if all accounts are true.
Hermans has buried three wives, one of
whom is said to have died in a manner
that gave rise to the suspicion that she
had been put out of the way.

It has developed also that Hermans was
a medical student, and in his rooms was
found enough poison to kill all the inhab-
itants of Salt Lake City. The theory is
that his medical knowledge enabled him
to kill anddispose of his victim or vic-
tims, cut up the bodies and remove all
traces of crime. . '

The Clausen girl kept house for Her-
mans after the death of his last wife, and
it was known to her friends that she ex-
pected to mrry the minister. The Sam-
uelson girl likewise told her intimates
that she was to marry Hormone and made
other more damaging confessions.

Hermans left here temporarily last N o-
vember. He returned in February of this
year and then went away again, return-
ing for the last time about May 1 and re-
maining until May 6, when he again took
his departure and is now believed to be
on a missionary tour, although all efforts
to locate him have been fruitless. .

Rev. Francis Hermans was born in Eng-
land, of Scandinavian parentage, and
came to the United States several years
ago. He actedtemporarily as pastor of a
church in South Minneapolis, being after-
ward regularly assigned to the pastorate
of the West Superior Scandinavian Meth-
odist church. In both places he bore an
excellent reputation, so that when he came
to Utah he brought with him the best of
testimonials as to his moral Worth-and to
his ability as a pastor. In his new field of
labor be justified the expectations formed
of him and was soon elected secretary of
'the Utah conference. He was also made
treasurer of the Women’s Home Mission-
ary society.

He is described as a man of from 40 to
45 years of age. His hair is sandy, as is
the sweeping mustache heafiects. Though
inclined to be a trifle stout, he is very ac-
tive. and his agility is heightened by his
keen, restless gray eyes. As stated, he has
been married three times. ‘

His first wife, to whom he was married
in 'England, died in that country. The
second wife, an American girl of Sean-
dinavian parentage, died shortly after her
marriage at Williston, Minn., having
been insane prior to her death. Her death
was mysterious, and an inquest was held,
but nothing came of it.

The third Mrs. Hermans was Miss M.
E. Lommen of Crookston, a sister of Con-
gressman Lommen. Herman's married

. Advertise in the Gamma.

'of their original form.

"mans

 

 

Miss Lcmmen in South Minneapolis about

three years ago. It was early in April last

that. she died. - ,
Hermans’ Many Positions.

Hermans has traveled very widely. He
has been in nearly all the European coun-
tries and has visited every part of this
continent. For several years he was em;
ployed on mail steamers running between
England and India. He had also spent a
season in China. and on one occasion
promised to take Miss Samuelson, then
reported to be his fiancee, there on a bri-
dal tour. He was also at one time in
charge, as a minister, at a sailors’ home
at Havre, France. ,

Henrietta Clausen had been employed
in the pastor’s household both before and
after‘the death of his third wife. She was
last seen by a Mrs. Hansen, who bade her
good night at the church steps on the
evening of Sept. 22, 1895. Later Hermans
told the Hansens a strange story of the
girl’s disappearance.

Miss Clausen was to have visited Mrs.
Hansen on the following Tuesday, but in
her place Hermaus came, and with many
expressions of regret told a story that
shocked his hearers. He saidthat on Sun-
day evening, after the departure of the
Hansens, because of certain indiscretions
he had to reprimand her. His reprimand,
he said, caused the girl to burst into tears.
and she declared her intention to at once
go away.

He urged her to go to her room, but she
refused and went out into the night. From

that time he never again saw her, so he .

told the Hansens, and they believed him.
Miss Clausen’s trunk remained in his
house, but subsequently it was removed.
Hermans said an expressman came to him
one day with a note from Miss Clausen.
asking for her trunk, and added that he
took the only course possible and sent the
trunk. When asked for the receipt, he
was unable to produce this, but his story
was again accepted with faith.

Hermans evidently desired to prove his
innocence of complicity in her disappear-.
ance, and taking advantage of a trip to
Helena in February he wrote a letter to a
friend in this city, telling of his remark-
able discovery of the girl in that city.
The letter, it is said, was torn up as soon
as it was read.

In it, however, Hermans related a story
of how while walking along the streets of
Helena he overtook a gayly dressed wom-
an, and much to his astonishment recog-
nized the familiar lineaments of Henrietta
Clausen. But she tossed her head and
went away. Afterward he strayed into
Chicago Joe’s Variety theater the same
night and a second time behold the girl.
He then tried to speak to her, but she
avoided him.

When the second girl, Annie Samuel-
son, disappeared, her trunk, it appears,
was also left in Hermans’ study, and
many of the girl’s belongings have been
identified by friends. A watch and a ring
belonging to the Samuelson girl have been
found in a pawnshop, Hermans having
sent the pawn ticket to the presiding elder
of this conference after his departure.

The furnace in the basement of the
church was searched. The first thing to
receive attention was the fire box. Tho
door where fuel goes in is so small that an
attempt to rake out the contents was
abandoned, and it was resolved to dump
the grate. This was done, and, with a
crunching rattle, the contents of the fire
box fell into the ash receptacle at the bot-
tom of the furnace.

A Ghastly Find.

The door to this, which also acts as the
draft, was closed, and . when the chief
stepped down to open it he was horrified
to observe a long streak of dark red stand-
ing out through the rust on the cast iron
door. The streak ran from top to bottom
of the door, and was slightly bespattered
as if the fluid that made it had trickled
down from the fire box door above. A
hasty examination satisfied the chief that
it was blood, and the conclusion was veri-
fied by medical tests afterward.

A hatful of bones, ash covered knives
and razors were next drawn forth, and
with these ghastly trophies the searchers
withdrew, leaving the task of completing
the search until daylight. On returning
to police headquarters Dr. Richards made
a hasty examination of the fragments of
bones and electrified his hearers by ex-
claiming: “Gentlemen, there is no mis-
take about it. These are human bones."
All were sworn to secrecy, and the matter
was dropped for that night.‘

Next day Dr. Richards submitted the
bones found the night before to Dr. Mea-

cham, Dr. Wilcox and two other physi-'

cians, all of whom pronounced them parts
of a human skeleton. The pieces were
small, but large enough for the scientific
eye to identify. There was one piece of
the collar bone in particular which left no
doubt of the character of the remains.
Another home easily recognized was part
of the knee socket. ’

All of the bones were burned to a white
ash and crumbled to pieces if rudely
handled. Besides the two razor blades
and a bowie knife blade, other pieces of
iron, tin and other metallic substances
were found in theashes, some melted out
of shape and others retaining more or less
These will be
cleaned to ascertain their nature.

Miss Clauscn’s Career.

OMAHA, May 26.——Miss Henrietta Clau-
sen, the young woman supposed to have
been murdered by the Rev. Francis Her-
in the Scandinavian Methodist
church of Salt Lake City, lived in Omaha
four years prior to going to that city and
still has a host, of friends here who have
been anxiously waiting for several months
for letters from her. Not until yesterday
was any intimation received that she had
met a violent death.

Thomas Erickson, a shoemaker, remem-
bered her Well as an active worker in the
Danish-Norwegian Methodist church at
Twenty-sixth and Franklin streets, this
city, and Miss Tillie Anderson, also living
here, was an intimate friend of the dead
girl and knew her both here and in Salt
Lake City.

Miss Clausen, then 20 years of age,
came here from Denmark about nine years
ago, and having no relatives in this coun-
try lived with a family of the name of
Johnson in the western part of the city.
The young woman began suffering from
ill health and at the solicitation of Miss
Anderson, who had gone to Salt Lake
City, followed her there. Later Miss An-
derson returned, but Miss Claus‘en re-
mained. A close friendship between Miss
Clausen and her Omaha friends was kept
up by correspondence for the past three
years. After the Rev. Francis Hermans
and his wife moved to Salt Lake City her
letters frequently contained allusions to
their aid and friendship to her and their
church Work in common.

The Minister Not In Kansas City.
KANSAS CITY, May 26.——No trace has
been found here of the Rev. Francis Her-
mans. the Salt Lake City clergyman, who
is suspected of the murder of two girls in
that city. He is said to have started for
this city, but nothing is known hereof
his whereabouts in either police or church

circles. ' ' '

Advertisein theaaznm. ,V ,1 !

 

 

, , 2r EE Ev EE 1 m. a A que‘TEfl

/

CIRCLING THE GLOBE.

Two years ago King Menelek applied
for admission to the Postal union, but
Italy objected. . g _

In Liverpool the rental of the cor-
poration land in 1672 was £ 13, while in
1892 this same land was valued at at 12,-
500,000. . ,

Lavasseur estimates the population
of Asia. at 825,954,000; Europe, 357,379,-
000; Africa, 163,953,000; America, 121,-
713,000; Australia, 3,230,000.

Swedish and Norwegian servants
threaten to drive the British housemaid
from her place. They are _s_a.id to be
more efficient and-willing and are ready
to work for lower wages.

The largest and heaviest building
stone ever quarried in Britain was
taken from the Plankinton bed, near-3
Norwich, in February, 1889. It was in
one piece without crack or flaw, and
weighed over 35 tone. I

Bishop William Taylor, the famous
missionary to Africa, recently made
bars of laundry soap the currency of
the natives. It met with such favor as
handy change that the bishop’s son
now sends from three to five tons at a
shipment. J -

Col. Sir Richard Martin, of the Eu-
niskillen dragoons, who. captured Cet-
awayo after the fight at Uludi, has been
appointed commander of the police
forces in Bechama, Mashonland'hiata-
bele lands, and deputy high commis-
sioner for South Africa.

 

, P.-
’ l“.

The returns issued by the London
board of trade for March ShOW an in~
crease of £2,380,000 in imports and an
increase of £1,900,000 in exports dur‘
ing the month, as compared with March
last year.

THE WAYS OF NATURE. “

Female frogs have no voice; only the
males can sing. ,

A flea’s mouth is placed exactly be-
tween his fore legs.

There are more muscles in the‘tail of
a. rat than in a human hand.

To be perfectly proportioned it is
claimed thalt a man should weiglp 2'5
pounds to every foot of his height.

The horn of the rhinoceros does not
grow from the bone, but is a. mere ex-
croscence of the skin, like the hair and
nails. It can be separated from the
skin by the use of a sharp knife. '

The habit of turning around three or
four times before lying down has sur—
vived in the domestic (leg; from his sav-
age ancestry. It then served to break
down the grass and make a bed.

Kittens during the first nine days,
when their eyes are closed, are quite
deaf, as may be proved by clanging a
poker and shovel near their heads, and
when their eyes are open they are seen
to be blue. _; ,

ARMY AND NAVY.

The battle ship Massachusetts is ex-
pected to exceed contract requirements
as to speed.

England pays her private soldiers
314 times as much as Germany, with
31/2 times as much retired pay and pen-
sions. - -

During the most peaceful years the
world has 3,700,000 soldiers. The pay,
equipments, food and clothing of these
men cost nearly $2,500,000 a day.

Nearly every English flagship carries
eight and every cruiser four fully
qualified divers, whose duty it is to
repair any damage sustained by the
vessel below the water line, clearing
the propellers and recovering the an-
chors.

WHIRR OF THE WHEEL.

The bicycle is knocking out the
horse, even in the estimation of Indi-
ans. Little Black Bear, a Nez Perce
chief, a. few days ago, in Marion coun-
ty, 0re., traded 30 horses for a bicycle.

EVERYor KINI
HUMOR

FROM

rumpus
StRGFtLl

Speedilv cured by CUTICURA REsonvm,
greatest of humor cures, assisted externally
by warm baths with CUTICURA SOAP, and
gentle applications of CUTICURA (ointment),
the great skin care, when all else fails.

Sold throughout the world. Price, CUTIOVBA, 50.3.;
SOAP. 25s.; Eschvnln- 50c. and $1. Peri-xx Dnuo

um Cums. CORE, Sole l’rops., Boston, U. o. A.
a.“ How to Cure Every Humor,"mailed free.

 

 

 

 

 

‘ I‘M

 

 

 

Piano Lessons.-

MBS. GEORGE W. BRAD LE2, (daughter

of the lateWm. R. Nash.) Rives efilcent
and satisfactory instructions on the Piano at
her home No. 193 Main etreet.

 

Ill] YOU KNOW
. Z )

That you can save money
by buying your Meats
and..FiSh at.

r. w. snows,
‘ 55 Main Street.

4

Everything First Class..

oPEN lsvsm

 

 

 

Mes ’

 

 

 

‘ ..:.»'-;‘.' V -..

HALF
PRKNfi
SALE.

 

quaI

w HALF—PRICE SALE! ,_ .; ,. f

IN OUR POPULAR

5‘! CLOAK ROOM. ,-,..:

I,
\

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 

 

This is the Opportunity that You
Should Embrace. ,

_ N ow that the hot weather is here the problem is
how to keep healthful. Our belief is that most
people are careless of how and when to dress. In
this very changeable climate some think that as - - "
soon as the first warm days comes that they must '4 '
drop their outside garments, put on a lawn dress I r/* ‘1
and keep it on until September. Hence so many * I I ‘ 4.
pulmonary diseases and rheumatism in this part I I ' '

 

 

_. . of the country. Now our advice is to always have «" ‘~ . ,a
a light-weight garment, either J3Cket 01‘ Cape, so that when you walk or ride out in the evening no matter how hot it is
in the day. there are evenings in June and July that you will need an outside garment to go to the shore or into the coun
try. As this spring has been unusually warm it has left a great many -

Jackets and CapeSA-I‘

We have a consignment that we will sell at 50c on the dollar;

$3.75 Ladies’ Black Cloth Jackets, $|,81 , $3 98 Ladies? all-wool Cape, half price, $2,130 (2‘,
$7.98 Ladies’ Black Diagonal Jackets, $3.98 $33.50 Ladies’ Black Cape, trimmed, half price, $|,15 "
$4.49 Ladies’ Covert Jackets, $2.25 $13-50 0161 Ladies" Black Cape, half P1203» $5.15 *
$9.50 Ladies’ Finest Broadcloth Capes, trimmed with $15.00 Ladies’ Gros Grain, all jet work, half price.$1 50
while pearl buttons, strapped and appliqued. $4.25 $6.50 Ladies’ Black Silk Capes for $3.25 I I ‘
$4.98 Ladies’ allwool Tan Cape, braid and trimmed $6.50 Ladies’ Black Velvets, half price. $3.25
with gilt buttons, $2.50. $1.98 Children’s Jackets, half price, 3mm Y
$10.98 Ladies’ all-wool Covert, trimmed with cloth, $3.50 « “ “ $1.15
buttons to match and strapped, $5.50 $2.25 “ 5‘ 3“:

.s\

x

on the manufacturer’s hands.

 

We Bought ' ' ' ' . .
25 Dozen - Lad leS Sh l rt waIStSm ‘
From an Albany manufacturer. They were not quite ood enou h to sell a on». s h ll — . L 'I
them separately on a counter and sell them at 50c eaclig. g J“ D we S a put ‘

 

We shall nol open our Store on; Decoration Day. Buy early in the week, their shall he
drives in every department. ._ V p , p. . V ,

 

 

l

A POINTERM.

\

Is your plate glass or safe insured? If not," call. on line and

 

I will write you a policy in the Mutual Plate Glass and Safe Insur- r ‘

ance Company. Glass will break and burglars use dynamite. , f,

' a see: of F '
You should be insured. A policy in the Reliance 01 Philadelphia 2,
Phoenix of Hartford; Scotland Union of Scotland; N ew Hampshire, 61
Manchester; Rochester German of Rochester; United States and Pacific
of New York; Security of New Hampshire or Granite State 01 Ports.

mouth will protect you against the fire fiend.

W. n..._ BYENGTQN. ‘

Real Estate and General Insurance,

ROOM 1, GAZETTE Rushmore “s

. p. p ‘1

a.

LOANS NEGOTIATED'A'ND INVESTMENTS MAcE. “-

—-—-—C0RRESP0NDENCE SONG-1713b-