The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-12-20

All Easspe Tntcrested-The story OF the
Crime- How the VIII or One brother was
Subjected 20 that OF the Other.

All Europe IL Just now excited over a
murtler.trial. For over week Leon and
Armand Peltzer have been on trial at Brus-
sells, charged with the murder Of William
Bernays. q noted lawyer OF Antwerp. The
circumstances surrounding the affair are rs
intricate a. the plot Of the most highly
wrought novel, and one phase OF them, the
subjectlon Of The will Of one brother to
that Of the other, constitutes curious
psychological study. The progress Of the
proceedings in the court has been noted
from time 70 time ia our Geographic COL
umns, but brief history OF the case will
prove interesting:
NJ. Bernays was successful lawyer, de-
voted TO bis profession, acute and judlcious
In settling disputes outside his own house.
hold, persevering and faborious In his
methods, mercenary In his disposition. His
wife was as flighty and sentimental as he
was hard and practical. He might be a
good LAWYER, but in the estimation OF his
Eighty, excitable, and imaginative wife,
he was cold. stupid, downright common
place husband. She fancied that he did
not appreciate her social graces and in
tellectual qualities, and he was at a loss TO
understand why she was dissatisfied with
him. A year after their marriage,
when, owing to frequent qnarrels,
they had agreed to live apart, al
though under the same roof. and to
remain on only the most cerenonious terms,
Armand Peltzer arrived from Buenos
Ayres. and engaged the lawyers services
IN behalf OF his brothers, Leon and James:
who were being prosecuted Tor fraudulent
bankruptcy. These services were so ei-
fectiye that the brothers were honorably
acquitted, and Leon Pellzer, saved from
disgrace, was enabled to seek his fortunes
IN the New World. Meanwhile Armand
PeltZer had become constant guest Mt the
Bornays mansion, having won the TREND
ship OF the husband and the love OF the
wife, and having succeeded on seve-
raj occasions IN restoring peace In
the household. He was an engineer
by profession, and man OF force
OF character, digniGed presence. and social
accomplishments. The ploddng, unso-
cial, prosaic lawyer was foil TO this ele-
CANT and sympathetic carpet-knight. I'M
mersed in business cares, unsuspiciots by
nature, and Indifferent TO the whims aud
ideals of his capricious wife, he did not
break off relations with the man whom he
looked upon as his best friend until the
governcss OF his child repeated 10 him the
gossip Of the household. He then forbade
Armand Peltzcr 10 enter his house, re-
fused to receive letters from him, and paid
no heed to challenge TO duel.
Leon Peltzer At this time was clerk,
earning a pittance In a New York house.
One day he received from his brother In
Antwerp mysterious proposition, which
he answered by sending a cable message
containing the words "Robert Fulton"
He sailed for Europe, and after remaining
IN England, France. and Belgium, under
various names and In gumerous dis
guises. hired suite Of rooms in Brus-
sells. Returning to London he wrote to
NJ. Bernays over the signature OF Henry
Vaughan, lnclosing retainer OF one hun
drcd dollars. and asking for confidential
consultation in these chambers. The law
yer, easily entrapped. was shot with one
of a choice assortment OF pistols purchased
in London and Paris. and apparently
tested by both brothers with special view
to noiselessness. The blinds had been
closed. the curtains drawn, and all other
precautions taken TO dcaden the sound OF
The plstol-shot. and the murder had been
committed without attracting any atten-
ton. Leon PeltZer effected his escape
from Belgium without exciting any sus-
picion that the name he Used was an as
sumed one. As FOR Armand Peltzer, he
bad taken pain, TO romoin at Antworp and
to provide himself with ample evidence OF
am dli6i. II revenge had been his sole mo-
tive, he would have sent his brother back
TO New York in one OF the many DISCUSSES
recently assumed and have allowed the
police to work up at their leisure the case
OF mysterious disappearance in Brussels.
But lis WAS jealousy which was eager to
obtain the prize after the hited rival had
been removed. Nadine Bernays must
find out without delay that she was a
widow and free to bestow her affections
upon himself. The death OF her husband
must be explained In such way rs to
silence gossip-mongers and TO divert sus-
picion from himself. Accordingly the &C.
commodating Leon was prevailed upon TO
write TO the authorities under his assumed
name end to acquaint them with the melan-
choly "accident,' which he did in these
words:
was "seized with horror when | read
the news respecting NJ. Bernays. Bernays
came TO see me at my house in Brussels,
No. l59 Rue de Ia Loi, by engagement.
While we were talking Bernays's eye fell
on pistol which i had been showing 10
him. | took it to put it back in its place,
when it went off and Bernays fell. |
thought him only wounded and left the
room in search Of bartshorn and water.
Alas. when ! returned the blood was
flowing from his wound; lie was dead :
killed by my hand. My first thought
was to rush for the Coroner, but in my
DESPAIR thought Of my position. In
l., -, in, ft
who would believe my tale? | yielded to
the terrible temptation and fed" On the
receipt of this letter the police went TO the
house, No. 159 Rue de Ia Loi, and burst
open the door,. In the cabinet at the end
OF the vestlbute the body OF NJ. Bernays
was found. Ii was stretched on couch,
and decomposition had already set in. On
la small table were map Of Africa, five re-
volyers and two boxes OF bullets. On the
map was q letter addressed TO the Coroner
signed as in the first case, "Naughan,"
telling how the dead man was killed.
Who Vaughan was no one knew.
| Twenty-Five thousand francs were offer
ed for his apprehension. Then the
papers published .fdc-similes of his auto
graph and handwriting, and this furnished
La cine. A tradesman OF Vervins declared
that the writing was that OF Leon Peltzer,
Belgisn subject, with whom he had trans
acted business. Leon was arrested in
Cologne on his way to Antwerp, and the
authorities spent five months In securing
| the evidence to make up the case against
him. In the course Of their Investigations
they discovered facts which pointed to Ar.
mand Peltzer, Nine. Bernays's lover, as the
instigator Of the crime, and he, too, was
arrested.
Their trial has not yet been concluded,
but their own mother has virtually con-
victed them by the exclamation: "Two
sous, two murderers! Armand has abused
LeOn's weakness, and all for that wo-
manu-