by John M. Woodward (Author)
In 1916, Father Hans Schmidt, once a trusted man of God, was strapped into the electric chair at Sing Sing Prison. His crime: the brutal murder and dismemberment of his secret lover, Anna Aumüller. From the shadows of his Bavarian childhood to the hidden corridors of New York's churches, Schmidt lived a double life where piety and perversion collided.
Blood in the Sanctuary: A True Biography of Father Hans Schmidt uncovers the chilling truth of a priest who forged his own marriage vows, betrayed his faith, and stained the altar with blood. This gripping biography explores his obsession with ritual, the sensational trial that captivated America, and the shocking downfall of a man who embodied both holiness and horror.