CHILD'S SIX MURDERS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 9017, 3 December 1907, Page 1

CHILD'S SIX MURDERS.

erliu, October IG. ' Six murders at the age of 18 is the remarkable record claimed by Ida Schnell, whoso case is at present being investigated at Munich. The girl had been in sorvico with a number of different families as nursemaid, and no suspicion seems to have arisen against her till after the sixth infant entrusted to her care had died a sudden aud mysterious death. Even then it was only after, the baby had been buried tiiat it appears to have struck anyone that there was something sinister in the circumstances that her nursing had been associated with mortality of so remarkable a character. It was finally decided 'to exhume the body of the last of her charges, the 14 days old son of a peasant proprietor near Ampermoching, near Munich. The corpse was taken from the coffin yesterday afternoon, and examination showed that death had been caused by perforation of the yet ] soft infantile skull with some sharp j instrument. Sclmell was at once arrested and closely questioned. At first she strenuously denied having caused the child's death, and protested that she had much too gentle a nature to harm the infant in any way. Under cross-examination, however, she broke down, and admitted that she had killed not only the baby whose bodv had been exhumed, but four others for whom she had been engaged as nurse. She confessed further that she had taken the lives of these infants by plunging a hair- j pin into the lower part of the back of the head till they ceased to cry. Asked as to her motive, the girl said that the crying of the infants aroused in her unconquerable revulsion, and excited her to such a. degree that she lost all control over herself, and would do anything to make them quiet. The parents of one of her victims reside in Munich, the others in small places in tho vicinity. Sclmell, who will be 14 next mouth is physically well developed for her age, but rather dull witted. Her father is dead, but she lias a step-father, who is a day labourer at Schleisshiem, to tho north of Munich. Her series of murders was only rendered possible by the. fact, which will be a revelation to many, that in Bavaria deatii certificates are frequently, and in country places always, granted by laymen. It is said that a doctor would at once have noticed tiio wounds caused by tho hairpin.