TERRIBLE DOUBLE MURDER AT PESTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7341, 30 May 1885, Page 2 (Supplement)

TERRIBLE DOUBLE MURDER AT PESTH.

A profound sensation has been caused at Vienna and at Buda-Pesth, by a ghastly double murder perpetrated in the hitter town in broad daylight. The victims were a woman of loose character and her godchild, a little girl eight years of age. The street where the crime occurred is the most frequented thoroughfare of Pesth. The woman, Veronka Pesek, rented two wellfurnished rooms on the second floor of a respectable homie belonging to a dentist. A fortnight ago she had invited the child to stay with her, and it had done so ever since. On the afternoon of the murder, Pesek sent her maid-servant out to make some purchases, and when she returned, an hour later, she found the apartment had been broken into and the two inmates foully put to death. The woman Pesek was lying on the floor of her bed-room with her throat cut, and two fearful gashes in her abdomen and breast. The child was in the next room, also with its throat cut from ear to ear. A sum of £4 several rings, and. a watch-chain had disappeared. The murderers had washed the blood off their hands in the washingbasin, leaving large blood-staine on the towel. After some search on the part of the police the author of the hideous double murder was arrested, and has made a full confession. He is » Slavonian named Balentits, formerly a Post-office clerk, but having inherited a few thousand florins some months ago, he had lately been leading a dissolute life and drinking hard. On the previous day angry words were exchanged between him and the murdered woman. They quarrelled over money matters, and on leaving her house that day Balentits vowed he would have revenge. Before returning to the woman's lodgings the following day, he went to pray on a friend's grave, and then, armed with a razor and a poignard, he proceeded on his criminal expedition. The following is the substance of his statement to the investigating magistrate :—As 1 entered the room where Vera was dressing, I immediately locked the door. i did not utter a word. Vera was terrified when iihe saw the razor, and when I seized hold of her she struggled to get away. I held fast, however, and she struck mo a blow in the face. Thenjall became red before my eyes. Ido not know exactly what followed, but the next thing I remember was hearing Vera scream like a wild beast and seeing a jet of blood spurt from her throat. She managed to free herself, and rushed into the next room, whither I followed her. She made for the outer door ; but I had locked it. She then gave one more scream and fell to the ground, as I thought, dead. Afterwaids I looked about for my second victim, who had hidden herself, 1 found the child behind the stove, whence she stared at me with her large, terror-stricken eyes. As I went up to her she clasped her hands and implored me not to hurt her. I pulled her roughly out of her hiding-place, resolved to murder her, so that she might not betray me. When I laid hands on her she screamed so fearfully that for a moment I released my hold on her. She ran into the next room, and wanted to escape, but I caught her by her thick brown hair and slaughtered her as a butcher does a lamb. My next impression was I should make off, but I saw Vera still moving, so I cut her body open. I then 'felt happy and contented. I was conscious of having taken brutal vongence, but I fancied nobody would cast suipioion on me. I washed my hands, taking a towel from the cupboard to dry them. The child waa lying close by, and although life was extinct she had her eyes fixed on me. I took neither money nor jewellery. I am not a thief; I merely sought revenge. On going away I locked the door from the outside. I met several people as I went down stairs. I whistled a merry tune so as to pass by without exciting suspicion. I changed my clothes on reaching home, and went as usual to sup at the cafe, which I did with a good appetite. I threw the key of Vera's lodgings in the drain as I went home to bed. I could not get to sleep before morning.