Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Friday 14 November 1924, page 11


IMBECILE MURDERED.

REMARKABLE CONFESSION.

How Crime was Committed.

SYDNEY Thursday. A remarkable statement given to Detective-sergeant Mat-thews by William Pfingst, aged 20 years, an inmate of the imbecile colony on Mil-son Island, Hawkesbury River, was read to day at the inquest on the death of Harold Vincent Besley, whose body was found in the river. Detective Matthews said that Pfingst, In a confession, said:

"I killed Besley, but it was McDonald that made mo do It. I lilt him on the head with a stiel,, and then I put him Into a liac and pushed bim into the riler. I saw Heslev silting on a rock near tlie wharf. I went and cot a stick, and, struck, him on the head with it. He fell, and rolled down the rock against the wharf, and his bead'hung oier the rock. I cot a potato-bag, and I shoved »lils head into it, and pulled, it oyer ins shoulders. I then got Ivyo pieces of ropo from under the bridt;e, and tied one piece round his body tyylce, and pulled It ticht with tyyn knoll. , I dragged him along the wharf, and pushed bim into the yvater The tide was high at'the time, and I saw him no down two or three times. He floated for about

GO -janis and then sank. I then yvent and had

tea. !

"Í tlioucht that by kllllnc- Kesley it would cause a big row, and I would cet away from the Island, and McDonald and 1 went round the Island to sec llesley and kill him. It would not haye mattered If anyone else waa there

instead of llesley. I suppose 1 yyould have killed them, too. He kicked once or twice while I was putting Jiim jn the bair. , I was drlycn to kill him. Tam sorry for vtliat I Jiave done."

The father of the murdered " mau said that Bealey waB nged 29 years. He had been mentally deficient since he yvas aged three years, ne had been at the imbecile colony for six years.

Evidence was given that there wore 138 mental patients on the island and 11 at-

tendants.

Dr. F. Tranton said that Pfingst belonged to a class of patient who behaved for years, and then was likely to do such a thing as this. There was no safeguard against such action. It was done without premeditation.

The coroner found that Beasley was mur- dered bv Pfingst, and he committed Pfingst for trial.