TRAGEDY IN POLAND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15955, 24 December 1913, Page 5

TRAGEDY IN POLAND

UNHAPPY MARRIED LIFE.

Pres3 Association—By Telegraph—Copyright,

BERLIN, December 22.

Meilczynski, who in 1895 was a suitor for the hand of Count Potocki's beautiful daughter, shot himself in the breast because the Count opposed the marriage. He never entirely recovered from the effect of his wound. Moved by this incident, Count Potocki yielded his consent to the marriage. For some time the two lived happily together. Two daughters and a son were born. Subsequently Meilczynski confided to his friends that his wife was under an undesirable influence. He sold his estate, and took the Countess and their family to Dresden, The Countess and her son quitted the new home, and stayed with relatives of the husband, whose absorbing passions were politics and landscapo painting. He divided his time between the Reichstag and his studio, living alone. The Berlin residence was a perfect museum of paintings and art objects that had. been collected in various countries.

The wife, who received from her husband a regular income, succeeded in 1912 to her brother's large fortune, and also to Dakowymokre Castle, the scene of the tragedy. The relatives, fearing she would fall under the former undesirable influences, effected a reconciliation, and the Count joined her at Dakowymokre. The renewed union was soon clouded. The Countess, who was then. 38 years old, formed a friendship with the 24-year-oid Count Mianczynski, whose mother was her half-sister. This friendship became the talk of the neighbourhood.

CAUSE OF THE TRAGEDY. BERLIN, December 23.

(Received Dec. 24, at 0.55 a.m.)

The Countess Meilczynaky's lady companion states that a young count came to the castle for the purpose of borrow ing money from his uncle. He knocked at the countess's dooT at three o'clock in the morning, and asked her to order a motor car to enable him to leave. She said: " You are drunk; sleep it off first.'' The young count forced his way into the room at the same moment as the husband appealed and fired.