▁of ▁birth ▁unknown ), ▁also ▁known ▁as ▁The ▁W ag ga ▁Mur der er , ▁was ▁a ▁German - born ▁Australian ▁serial ▁k iller ▁who ▁murder ed ▁at ▁least ▁three ▁men ▁he ▁travel led ▁with ▁during ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 th - century . ▁Con v icted ▁of ▁killing ▁John ▁Young ▁Taylor ▁in ▁June e ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 0 , ▁Schmidt ▁was ▁subsequently ▁h anged ▁for ▁this ▁murder , ▁without ▁being ▁charged ▁with ▁the ▁others . ▁ ▁Ar rival ▁in ▁Australia ▁Little ▁is ▁known ▁about ▁Schmidt ' s ▁early ▁life , ▁including ▁his ▁year ▁of ▁birth . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁native ▁of ▁P ots dam , ▁and ▁first ▁arrived ▁in ▁Australia ' s ▁Queensland , ▁through ▁New ▁Zealand , ▁in ▁either ▁ 1 8 8 1 ▁or ▁ 1 8 8 2 . ▁He ▁passed ▁through ▁Victoria , ▁and ▁then ▁sur fac ed ▁in ▁Pe ak ▁Hill ▁and ▁Park es . ▁He ▁first ▁met ▁with ▁John ▁Taylor ▁in ▁Pe ak ▁Hill , ▁and ▁remained ▁his ▁acquaint ance ▁until ▁his ▁event ual ▁murder . ▁ ▁Mur ders ▁ ▁M urr umb idge e ▁River ▁victim ▁On ▁October ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 1 8 8 8 , ▁a ▁Mr . ▁R . ▁Wh itt aker ▁was ▁fish ing ▁in ▁the ▁M urr umb idge e ▁River , ▁when ▁he ▁ch anced ▁upon ▁the ▁head less , ▁n aked ▁body ▁of ▁a ▁man ▁stuff ed ▁into ▁a ▁log . ▁He ▁quickly ▁contact ed ▁authorities , ▁and ▁they ▁quickly ▁began ▁investig ating ▁the