1939-11-25 — Page 15

THE CHINA MAIL, NOVEMBER 25, 1939

TO-DAY'S STRANGE STORY OF REAL PEOPLE

CASE OF THE HOWLING DOG

BY GEORGE BARTON

North Jersey was up in arms bn November 9, 1910, when the body of pretty Marie Smith was found beneath the brush in a small stretch of wood- land not far from Asbury Park. Her skull had been crushed and there was evidence that she had been brutally attacked

on her way home from school. Raymond Schindler, the de- tective who took charge of the case, found that the local police had "Black" Diamond under suspicion. He was a man who did odd jobs in that part of the country and at dusk of that fate- ful day he had been seen emerging from the woods with dead leaves clinging to his clothing. His defense was that he had been drunk and had gone into the woods to sleep off his jag.

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"The 'Friend' Offers to Destroy The Evidence,

Schindler and repeated all he had heard. Schindler then hurried to the suspect's cell.

and decide how they should be an- swered. He said that if he were told In the meantime, Detective Schind- where to find the hammer with which ler found that there were just sixteen the murder had been committed he homes between Marie's school and her could go and see that it was destroy- tically, "the jig is up and you might "Heidemann," he exclaimed drama- house and that among these only ed.

as well come clean and confess that three men had been at home during As a result, Heidemann opened his you murdered Marie Smith." the period when the murder was sup- heart to his fellow German and told Heidemann posed to have been committed. One him many things.

was too stunned for When Neumeister words. He finally opened his mouth of these was Frank Heidemann, a left the cell of the accused man, he and in a whisper said: "I don't know gardener employed in the greenhouses went direct to the office of Detective what you are talking about." of Max Krushka, an Asbury Park florist. Heidemann knew Marie, and was one of the searching party that had gone into the woods to look for her.

Schindler resolved to try an experi- ment on Heidemann, and to be guid- ed by the result. This was the test of "the howling dog". The detective planted two of his men near the Krushka greenhouses, and early every morning had throw stones at the watch dog. The result was a series of mournful howls that sounded like death wails. This was continued for a week.

At the end of that time, Heidemann packed up his belongings and shook the dust of New Jersey from his feet. He was traced to a lodging house in New York city. It was discovered that he took his meals at a little Ger- man restaurant and that he lived a very lonely life. He was extremely nervous and there were dark rings under his eyes.

One night while the suspect was eating in the restaurant, a newcomer walked in and sat down at the same table. He pulled out a German newspaper, the New York Staats- Zeitung and seemed to be absorbed in its contents. Night after night, he repeated the performance. Finally, the expected happened. Heidemann, yearning to talk to some one, ac- costed the stranger. It was the be- ginning of an intimacy between the two Germans. They exchanged con- fidences and presently became room- mates.

Heidemann was happier than he had been for many weeks. He thought he knew the other man well, but there was one important, thing he did not know and that was that the real name of his "friend" was Joseph Neumeis- ter and that he was a detective plant- ed there in order to learn the truth about the murder of Marie Smith.

When

seemed ripe, the time special edition of the Staats-Zeitung was printed with a story on the first page saying that the police had found a hammer that might be connected with the murder of Marie Smith and were anxious to question one Frank Heidemann about it.

"Oh yes you do. And if you want

to know how I know I'll refer you to your roommate-the man who has been with you the last four weeks."

"What do you mean?".

"I mean that you have been sleep- ing and eating and living with a de- tective."

"I-I don't believe it," stammered the culprit.

"Well, maybe I can convince you," was the retort.

Thereupon, Schindler, item by item told of every move Heidemann had made, told of every word he had spoken from the day he was driven from New Jersey by the hideous cries of the howling dog. It was so com- plete, and so overhelming that Heide- mann broke down and admitted that he was beaten. He called for paper and, in the presence of witnesses, wrote these fateful words: "This is to certify that I, the undersigned mur- dered Marie Smith at Asbury Park, N. J., November 9th."

Heidemann was convicted of mur- der in the first degree and was sen- tenced to death. He sat in his call, stolid, sullen and silent waiting for

led to the death house he was asked the fateful day. Just before he was

if he had a last wish. Then and then only he broke silence to say that all he wished was to have a few minutes alone with the man whose ingenuity had caused him to confess. But he did not get his wish.

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That same night, Heidemann was taken into custody as a material wit- ness. Now Schindler, who had been gathering shreds of evidence here and there, was prepared for his final move. He had a special edition of an Asbury Park newspaper printed stating that Heidemann was to

be formally accused of the murder of Marie Smith and itemizing twelve points on which the police were work- ing.

It seemed the most natural thing in the world that Neumeister should call on the prisoner and show him a copy of the paper. Heidemann broke down and began to weep. He wanted to know what he should do. The detective, in the guise of a solici- tous friend, suggested that they go over the twelve points, one at a time,

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