The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-05-10

Is not Often lIldI real llIe supplies the
peculiar sort of plot required in the
hairraising plays which have made the
Theatre Grand Guignol, of Paris, famous
the world over. Yet a divorce case just
tried in Stockholm, Sweden, presented
evidence that shows faithess wife and
her male accomplice to have figured in
scenes that could hardly be improved
upon at the Grand Guignol, where the es-
sential stage props collins and
shrouds, bottles OF vitriol and knives drip
ping with stage blood.
1t is unfortunately true that wives are
occasionally faithless in actual life, as
we'll as upon the stage. And the same
applies to husbands. Divorce court rec
ords reveal many ingenious ruses where
by wives and husbands have secured evil
dence OF the faithessness OF their we'd
ded partners; but this appears to be the
first instance of husband accomplishing
such feat by having himself pronounced
dead and placed in a coffin ready for
burial.
That is the feat that was successfully
performed by Karl Petersen well-to-do
citizen of the Swedish capital. Upon evil
dencc thus obtained the court granted
him a divorce from the handsome woman
to whom he had been married barely a
year.
Owing TO her beauty and many charm
ing accomplishments, Mrs. PeterSen's for
mer suitors and admirers were not alto
gether discouraged by the fact of her
marriage To one of the wcalthiest mer-
chants of Stockholm Several OF them be-
came frequent guests at the Petersen
home. One in PARTICULAR certain dash
ing young society man named Sven Egs-
trom-shortly became n recognized fam
lily friend Of the type that. in this country
and England. is called tame cat"
Several months ago Petersen became
suspicious that Egstrom was exceeding
utility man about the house. In fact he
more than half believed that the bond
between his charming bride and Egstrom
was of a nature that was rejecting upon
his own honor. Petersen vainly en-
deavored 10 prove or disprove his sus.
picions, and then resolved upon spinning
the strangest web in which an erring
wife ever was entangled.
He feiEned Illness and made that an
excuse to go to his country house for a
lew days rest away from the business
and social whirl OF the metropolis. He
was accompanied only by two or three
old and confidential servants
The day after his arrival in the coun-
try, Petersen took to his bed and quietly
summoned his confidential physician, to
whom he stated his suspicious and out
lined the details of his-plan' The ply
sician's eympathies were with the hus-
band.
For a beginning" said Petersen. 81
that am dying"
81 will do that. willingly" said the
physician. And | will manage TO make
you appear as dead as you are supposed
TO be, when the time comes. But can't
see my way clear to signing any death
certificate"
How long can you defer your official
report of my DEATH" inquired Petersen.
'Will forty-eight hours be long enough? ?"
ample said Petersen. 81 have rca.
n hni hat ,.-i+k
hours after YOU have pronounced me
dead my wfe's paroXysms Of grief will
have subsidized sufficiently to allow her to
give me all the evidence | need"
The physician sent the telegram in the
afternoon, and few hours later received
Mrs. Petersen's answer that she would
take the first train and reach her hus-
bands bedside on the next afternoon
Petersen's illness" had an alarming
change for the worse at midnight At
dawn the physician announced to the sor-
rowing servants that their master had
passed away. The butler alone was in the
conspiracy. for reasons that will become
obvious. But he was naturally melancholy
ana. therefore, needed 10 add merely
touch more of solernnity TO his features
Petersen being Of spare build and en-.
trely without color in face or hands, It
was simple matter for the physician TO
add the corpse-like chill and rightly tba,
would deceive any ordinary beholder He
hlHo uhueTJook the setting or q scene In
the library that would give the suspected
wife every opportunity TO betray herself
a handsome burial casket had been timed
10 arrive before noon. This was placed
on trestles in the library within a yard
or two OF desk, on which was a tele.
phone.
The physician took upon himself the
duties of undertaken Aided by the I'M
deceived butler. he prepared Petersen's
corpse-like body for burial and placed IL
in the caskct. The collins cover was in
two parts. The lower two.tbirds was
screwed down, the upper part being left