MAN CONFESSES FIVE MURDERS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 66, 10 December 1937, Page 5

MAN CONFESSES FIVE MURDERS

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Killed Woman, Then Sent Ransom Demand SENSATIONAL ARREST

(Bj Telegraph

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(Received 10, 12.30 p.m.) PARIS, Dec. 9. Jean de Koven, an American danseuse, disappeared on August 9 from a Paris Hotel at which she was staying with her aunt. Her aunt received ransom demands for £100, and the girl's travellers ' cheques, with f orged endorsements, were cashed at various Paris banks. Her body has now been unearthed by the police under the front steps of a villa at Saint Cloud, where Eugene Weidmann, aged 25, confessed he had enticed and murdered her. It is alleged that he admitted three other murders — Roger Lehond, theatrical agent, a taxi-driver and Otto Frommer, a former friend of Weidmann, said he had buried Frommer in a cellar. The police later dug up Frommer in a cellar. The police later 'dug up Frommer 's body. An autopsy on Mdlle de Koven 's body revealed that she was murdered shortjy after her arrival and buried, ■ while it was days later that her aunt received the ransom demands. Weidmanns' arrest was sensational. He was an interpreter at the Paris Exhibiticn and was traced by means of a visiting-card founc on the body oi Raymond Le Sobre, house agent, one of his victims, who was found dead ia another villa at Saint Cloud. Two policemen last night entered Weidmann 's villa. Weidmann used a re"volver, bnt was overpowefed. Weidmann broice down after 13 hours' questioning, and confessed five murders, which he attributed to need of money, although the police sav that he obtained less than £215 as a result of the crime.