Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-13
THE PELrZERS.
DEFENSE OF THE PRISONERS
From the New York Herald.

e. u.
The evidence In the trial of Leon and Armand
Peltzcr for the murder of NJ Bernays was fin
ished with dispositions by Leon's former EN-.
ptoyers In New York saying that they had such
faith In his innocence OF the crime that they
would gladly receive him back In their employ
THE INTERRoGAroRIEs
The evidence for the prosecution has closely
followed the lines OF the indictment The eyi.
dence for the defense has followed those Of the
| prisoners interrogatories. These interrcrato-
ries conclude the case. They are as follows:
Leon Peltzer. being examined by the court.
admitted that in 1873 he was in partnership with
his brother James at Antwerp and that he was.
alter trial. acquitted of fraudulent bankruptcy.
Out found guilty OF excessive personal eNpendi-
lure. Tie afterward was unfortunate i'm bust.
Ness al Manchester. and went in 1873 to Buenos
! Ayres. Where. in partnership with his
brother. he again failed in business He
was then connected with a certain nuuuasnoy.
ana ayows having fasified a check be-
cause be found himself in desperate poSition.
and also having done p,cuniary iniury 10 His
| brother Robert. He became then. under the
name of Frederic Albert. town traveller 10 Mr.
] Falkenber~. al New York In 1881 he left that
city-in debt 10 his employer because lac had
made the acquaintance OF Murray. the myste-
rlous ana undiscoyerabe Fnglishman men,
toned all through the Indictment who did
business IN cotton. and promised to help him by
sehding MN To Europe to organize n line of
transatlantic steamers He explained that the
laisehoods which he told TO his employer at
New York and his subsequent change OF name
were Owing 10 wish. in consequence of the
! prosecutions against him in Europe 10 conceal
| his departure for Europe. ON the Sh al Octo-
Der he received letter from Armand rcuroacb-
| Ing him with not renewing his correspendcnce
with their mother, and asking him TO give news
| that he was we'll 10y telegraphiny the words
| Robert Fulton
| IL PARIS.
| He left on the list Of November on board OF the
Arizona under the name of prelat. remained a
very short time In London. and went to raris
where he alighted AT the Hotel LAFAYETTE and
| assumed for diversion the name Louis Mario,
| because he had been intimate with a girl on
| board of the steamer. 0nshe 10th Of November
! ne went to lodge at the Hotel du Commerce
| hue Iraversicre. and assumed the name Of
! Henry Vaughan, because he had taken Mt New
YORK travellers portmantcau bearing the ini-
| tails Nv. and desired ta-ayoid suspicion ut
the hotel He had no evil intention in taking
These false names. He asked Armand to come
and see him in Paris. first on the l4th of Noyem.
Der and two or three times subsequently at
| the Hotel du Commerce. on the 2lst of No.
/ yember Murray paid him visit. He occupied
| fTst room on the third floor of the hotel
and then he took two rooms on the first floor
because he wished to receive Murray conyen.
ently and to talk seriously on affairs of business
10 the question why he took the name Nibert
when buying the pistols and Letebyre when buy
ing the Wigs he answered eyasivey He re-
fused one wig and took a black wig from the
! hairdresser Daumouche. because MURRAY dysed
him to do SO. The president however proved
that, according to Icons declarations. Murray
was then at Bordeaux. He then declared that
Daumouche had advised him. He owned bay-
ING bought the pistols at Paris. but not having
shown them to Armand. whom he saw last on
the 18th. He efaced the marks on the new
clothes which he had bought because they were
French and he was to represent an Englishman
| He arrived at Brussels on the 9th of November
He believed that a waiter at the Hotel Britain
nlque. where he took up his quarters who former
~ knew him at Antwerp. recognized him. This
decided him TO come back to Brussels on the
otn OF March to surrender himself to Justice.
IN BRUSSELS.
In answer to an observation of the pres,dene
he asserted that the non-exstence of Murray
could not be proved. His purpose i'm the iour-'
ney to Amsterdam and Hamburg was TO consult
lawyers respecting Murray's enterprise. He
bought the pisto, at the gunsmiths (Baker's) In
London to practise shooting before. going to q
distant country, and denied that he was already
a good shot and selected that pistol because ft
made but little noise He sent NJ Bernays n
check for 5O0f. because he thought him very
competent to advise him. He denies having
4
When NJ. Bernays. after entering the house
In the Rue de la Loi. said suddenly in
/ french. But must have seen you before"
| forgetting the part of Englishman which he
played, he answered in French, NO. you are
Mistaken" and turned away his head to conceal
his confusion. NJ. Bernays touched his hair:
whereupon, seeing his disguise useless he raised
his wig. 1T is you Leon" exclaimed NJ Ber-
nays. angrily. He tried to quiet NJ. Benays,
but the latter threatened to denounce him as q
bankrupt and forger N. Bernays then wanted
to leave the room, but he (Leon irrtated by
the insults OF the other. seized the pistol and
threatened him. NJ Bernays making an inyol-
untary movement the arm went Off He never
intended to attempt the life of NJ Bernays He ?
placed the body In an arm chair and wrote a.
letter to the coroner. NJ Bernays bled from the !
neck he saw no blood flow from the nose.
WHAT ARMAND SAYS.
Armand Peltzer being Intercepted, saysthat
he came back from Buenos Ayres to helm his
brothers. accused of fraudulent bankruptcy He
became friend of the Bernays In 1873 There
were then already troubles between husband
and wife. In 1877 a n,odus riu. .di was estab-
lished. and he endeavored to reconcile them. :
He did not go TWICE day to visit the Bernays
family, but dined once week with them. He
was very intimate with both husband and wife, /
but did not visit the wife clandestnely. He was
| one evening called to Madame Bernays. who had
a severe attack of nervousness but the girl
| Pfster was i'm the next room and the door open.
Madame supped with him In his rooms at Creuz-
mach, in the presence of child; at Antwerp
Madame went to his house only when his mother
was there and helped to arrange ii, but she
did not pay ANYTHING for him. He had never
thought OF marrying Madame. and was not
responsible for the words in his brother Rob-
erts letter, "EXpel from your mind the phan-
tom of that woman" On the 18th Of September
NJ. Bernays asked him to leave the house.
Madame Pecher told him of the scene between
NJ. Bernays and his wife in consequence OF the
talk of servant. Next day he received a COW.
ardly letter from NJ. Bernays, who refused him an
interview. The purpose of obtaining a divorce
was abandoned. as NJ. Bcrnays recognized that
| his suspicious were unfounded. His letters to
Madame gave her news Of the state Of health Of
| her sister. He always had great but honorable
affection for Madame, whom his daughter very
often visited-a proof of the innocence Of their
relations He left Paris On the 18TH and saw
Leon last on the 18th. Leon did not show him
any wigs or pistols. 1t was by his advice that
| the death of M. Bernays was made known. He
hoA AraAch nfc ivh mel hone