Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1892-09-17 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

SINGULAR MURDER TRIAL.  A sensational trial has just taken place in Lemberg, the capital of Galicia. One day in February the body of a well-dressed man was found in the recess of an extensive beech forest in the Province of Bukovina. From the papers found in his pockets it appeared that he was a landed proprietor, named Eugen Brodzky, belonging to Galicia. He was, in fact, soon identified as really the person in question. He had a pistol wound through the heart, and great was the astonishment of the public when it turned out that he had fallen in a regular duel. His antagonist, Dr. Alexander Medwej, it was discovered, had also come from Galicia, as also had the seconds and the doctors on both sides, who had departed from the duelling ground and returned home, leaving the body of the slain man to be discovered by chance passers-by.  Further investigations, telegraphs the Vienna correspondent of the Standard, disclose the fact that Dr. Medwejs had some time before eloped with M. Brodzky's wife, that the husband had traced them to an hotel at Pesth, and that he challenged the seducer, with the result above stated. In Austria such an act of seduction is criminal, as also is duelling between civilians. Dr. Medwej was accordingly arrested, and has now been arraigned under two criminal charges. He is a man of 42, married, and the father of two children. He was admitted into M. Brodzky's house as a physician and personal friend, their first acquaintance being brought about through the doctor's sister, a school friend of Madame Brodsky. 'lbis lady is described as a woman of great beauty, 23 years of age, and the daughter of very rich parents. She was married to M. Brodsky in 1.388. The only child she has had did not live very long, and from the moment of its death the mother began to conceive a growing hatred towards her husband. She smilingly confessed to the court that "she had begun to look out for someone else, no matter whom." She now and then returned to her parents, who did everything they could to bring about a reconciliation of the quarrelling couple. All these circumstances were well known to Dr. Medwej's sister, and, if we are to believe Madame Brodsky, it was this friend of hers who thrust her brother upon her. Dr. Medwej was introduced first as e Insulting physician, and was soon accepted as a friend of the house. Both he and his sister, it seems, had a special object in view. Madame Brodsky was rich. She would inherit a large fortune on the death of her parents, and it was the Medwejs' object to secure that money for themselves. Madame Brodsky was first to be decoyed away and separated from her hu.bamid. She was thoo to be induced to change her religion. She was a Jewess, while her husband was a Roman Catholic, and theirs was only a civil marriage, in which. according to the law here, divorce is permissible. After the divorce she was to marry Dr. Melwej. To this arrangement Madame Brodsky was a consenting party, and as the doctor was himself mirried she agreed to pay 30,000 florins to his wife if she consented to be divorced from him. As, however, the Medwejs were also Roman Catholies,this divorce as impossible, and it is inferred that it was intended to swindle Madame Brodzky out of the sum just mentioned. But the chief question was how to get Brodkzy out of the way. The doctor was an excellent shot. He therefore, had only to manage so that he should be discovered with the faithless wife, then a duel must follow, and how it ended has already been stated. It was most probably a mere money speculation from beginning to end, and it is curious that Dr. Medwej stated in court that he never loved Madame Brodsky, and that she also stated she never had any tender feelings for the doctor. She is described by one witness who has known her from childhood as coquettish and heartless, and to characterise Dr. Medwej it will suffice to relate that he had the 200 florine spent in the resth Hotel refunded by his mistress, to whom he represented that it would redect on her honour if he paid the expenses out of his pocket. All this has been revealed in cross-examination,and it seems to have made some impression on Madame Brodsky, who at first had not a good word for her late husband, whilst she evidently assisted her. parsmour. Eventually the jury took a lenient 'LW of tbe case. and aesuitted Dr. Medirie.