The Case of the Haunted Man

In last week’s Chronicle we saw how Frank Hulbert aka Frank Pepler appears to have gotten away with murdering 15-year-old Molly Justice in 1943.

He ended his life as a recluse, living in a converted bus. According to his obituary he died “peacefully,”  53 years later.

Which begets the question, did he suffer remorse? In other words, did Hulbert’s conscience trouble him in later years—or not?

We’ll never know.

But there are case histories of men who—so it’s surmised—were driven to the brink of despair and madness, even self destruction, by the inner demon of a guilty conscience. A century and a-half or so ago, Victoria City Police detective John George Taylor was convinced he was on the trail of just such a man.

It’s a fascinating story as you’ll see next week in the Chronicles.

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PHOTO: Pioneer Victoria was the last stop for many a man on the run... —Sun Life Insurance