WIFE ACCUSED

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 September 1928, Page 4

WIFE ACCUSED

DOCTORS SOLVE MYSTERY. An Englishwoman, Mrs. Pernetta, wife of an Italian, Hugo Pernetta, has twice’ been arrested by the Berlin police on suspicion of being concerned together with Johannes Gleissner with the death of her husband, who was found shot in May of last year. Both suspected persons have now been finally released, it having been established that Pernetta com’mitted suicide in a fit of depression. A scone in a film scenario written by the dead man played a part in the chain of circumstantial evidence against Mrs. Pernetta and Gleissner, for the scene described a man’s suicide, and his farewell letter was couched in exactly the same terms as the actual farewell letter left by Hugo Pernetta on his desk. Suspicion arose thatdhe letter was in fact, the film manuscript to which Pernetta’s signature, had been added by his murderer. In May of last year Pernetta was found dead in his flat, a revolver bv his side, and a farewell lettei’ on his desk in which was written: “I have lots my honour, my fortune, and the

love of my children. Therefore I am committing suicide.” , Police investigations (showed that the revolver belonged to Gleissner, a business friend of the deceased, who declared he had once lent it to Pernetta, who had never returned it. The farewell letter, it was believed, had been torn out of the film manuscript which Pernetta had written. Both Mrs. Pernetta -and Gleissner were arrested, but were speedily released for lack of evidence. Subsequently, however, the pubiic prosecutor ordered their re-arrest, and at the same time the exhumation of Pernetta s The medical examination resulted iu the final release of Mrs. Pernetta and Gleissner, for it was discovered that the bullet wound which caused Pernetta’s death was a typical suicide’s wound, and that death had taken place within two hours of a meal having been eaten. Witnesses were forthcoming' to. prove that neither Mrs. Pernetta nor Gleissner were with Pernetta within two hours of the time at which he must have committed suicide.