SENTENCED TO DEATH.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 215, 9 March 1912, Page 7

SENTENCED TO DEATH.

PECULIAR MELBOURNE CRIME. At the Criminal Court, Melbourne, ori Thursday, February 1,2 Joseph Victor •Pfeffer (32), a butcher's assistant, was charged with having, on December 12, at Albert Park, murdered Florence Victoria Whitley (23), a domestic servant, and sister-in-law of the accused. The Crown Prosecutor stated that the murdered girl had, for three or four years prior to the tragedy, been living in accused's house. During lunch hour on December 12 Pfeffer clambered over the back gate of Mrs. Kennett's house in Mill street, Albert Park, and made his way to the kitchen, where the maid and mistress were seated at the table together. Then the accused shot the girl. Evidence in support of the Crown case was given by a number of witnesses, and accused made a statement fraftl the dock. He said: "From when I woke 'up on the morning of the murder until I saw the police I remember nothing of what happened. I have a brother here in Court. He has wandered' out of his mind and has roamed about the country in that condition for three weeks before, being arrested at Geelong. "I had an accident before I went to the war, and was laid up in the hospital for a fortnight. While in South Africa ' I had several bullet wounds and was Hurt inwardly through the fall of a horse. Another time, when taken prisoner, I was hit on the head with the butt end of a rifle, and have since suffered from headaches off and on, and I really think there are times when I don't know what I am doing."

"There was insanity on my father's side and on my mother's. One of my reJatives hanged himself,another shot himself, and my brother has been in a lunatic asylum for some years. Ido not remember anything at "all about the murder."

After rather more than an hour's retirement the jury returned with a verdict of guilty, adding a rider- expressing regret that in view of the character of the defence no evidence had been brought forward to establish the question of accused's sanity. Mr. Woinarski said the Crown was in a position to rebut any evidence of that kind that might have been brought forward.

His Honor said he would take a note of the jury's rider. He then passed sentence of death upon accused.