The Dead Convicts March, 1881

Additional information gained of horrible crimes

The Coroner’s Jury Find that Pfeifer Murdered His Companion and Committed Suicide—the end of a Life of Wickedness.

Coroner Janney’s investigation yesterday into the circumstances of the double tragedy that occurred in the Eastern Penitentiary of Tuesday night failed to throw much additional light on the motive of Frank Pfeifer for killing his fellow convict, John McBride, and then committing suicide. Edward Townsend, Warden of the Penitentiary, was the first witness examined, and testified that early on Wednesday morning one of the officers notified him that two convicts had been found dead in their cell and upon visiting the scene of the tragedy he discovered one man lying on the floor and the other suspended by the neck from a gas bracket.

When Pfeifer was admitted to the institution on the 18th of February last he simulated insanity, but this being of such frequent occurrence little attention was paid to it. A subsequent examination of the convict by the medical examiner bore out the supposition of simulation. Pfeifer seemed to be afflicted with melancholy when admitted, and he said that he had served three terms of imprisonment in Sing Sing Prison. He was put in a cell with McBride and they always appeared to be on friendly terms.

Finding the Bodies.
Thomas McGuigan, the overseer, who first discovered the dead bodies, was next called. He stated that on Tuesday he asked Pfeifer how he was getting along, as he had previously complained of feeling unwell. “Very well,” was the reply and the witness heard him make a similar reply to McBride. The witness then detailed the finding of the bodies on Wednesday morning.

Thomas Harney, another overseer, who went on duty at 6 o’clock Tuesday evening and remained until midnight, and William H. Johnson, also overseer, who came on duty at midnight, testified that they had heard no noise during the night in the cell occupied by the men.

Edward Swazer, residing at No. 2219, Oxford Street, testified to having been present at the trial of Pfeifer in Wilkes-Barre, this state and heard testimony offered to the effect that the prisoner had made an attempt to take his life by hanging himself in his cell. Witness noticed that Pfeifer acted strangely during the trial, and on one occasion asked for permission to go out of the court room for a few minutes. When asked for what purpose he replied, “Why, I want to commit suicide. I am tired of living.” The request being refused, the prisoner took a vial from his pocket and attempted to swallow the contents, which consisted of small particles of glass, but was prevented by one of he court officers.

A terrible confession.
Deputy Coroner Powers, who visited the cell in which the tragedy occurred, testified to having found a large knife, used in the manufacture of tobacco, lying in a box, and gave it as his opinion that Pfeifer cut McBride on the wrist with the knife and then strangled him. A convict in an adjoining cell informed the Deputy Coroner that he had heard an unusual noise during the night in the cell occupied by Pfeifer and McBride.

Witness found in the cell a small card on which was written the following:
“To Captain Washburn, Twentieth-ward Station-house, Thirty-Seventh Street between Ninth and Tenth Avenues, New York City.”

On a table were two slates, one of which contained the following:
“Stroudsburg, Pa.—Miss Elna Bittenbender, Jackson Township—Last fall me and my cousin George Kraft. I am—“
Witness here explained that he had been informed the Miss Elna Bittenbender referred to had been feloniously assaulted and murdered near her house last fall, it being supposed at the time that the killing had been done by tramps. A cousin of the woman was subsequently arrested and tried for the crime, but was acquitted.

The second slate contained the following:
“I also kill that girl in Jackson County, Cousin George Kraft last fall was arrested his brother. They call me the devil and a wich, so if you all knew all the people I have kill, you would be astonished. So in New York they and you will find out all about me. I am sorry for me owen Family for I know they use them ruf on my account. They could not help for what work I did {sic}.”
On the reverse side of the slate was written “You can tell Judge Rice (the Judge who sentenced him at Wilkes-Barre) not to send down here any crazy man.”

The Cause of Death.
Dr. J. G. Lee, the coroner’s physician, testified to having made a post-mortem examination of the bodies, which he found lying on the floor in a cell. He noticed that the furniture in the apartment was in great disorder.

The face of McBride was covered with blood, which had trickled from his nostrils, and on his forehead, above the left eye, were three bruises. The palm and back of the right hand were stained with blood, and there was also some blood on the back of the right foot. Around his neck was a tightly tied pair of drawers which had belonged to Pfeifer, as they had stamped on them his number. Corresponding to the bruise on his forehead there was an irregular fracture involving the frontal, parietal, temporal and sphenoid bones, the right orbital plate of the frontal bone was also fractured.

Pfeifer was found hanging by a piece of twine, which formed three coils around the neck, and his feet were bound together with twine. There were several spots of blood on his hands, and over the right one was drawn a sock, which was stained with blood. One the right wrist was an incised wound two inches in length. There were spots of blood on the floor of the cell. In the opinion of Dr. Lee death in both instances had been caused by suffocation.

The case was then given to the jury, who rendered a verdict that McBride came to his death by suffocation at the hands of Pfeifer and that he latter came to his death from suffocation at his own hands.

McBride’s body was yesterday taken charge of and buried by his wife, with whom he has not lived for over fifteen years. Unless Pfeifer’s body is claimed by today it will be buried in Potter’s Field.

Source: Charlie Crowell. Capital Punishment Scrapbook, Philadelphia Newspaper Article, about March, 1881.