PASSIONATE CRIMES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16456, 18 June 1921, Page 3

PASSIONATE CRIMES.

SHOT IN HIS OFFICE CHAIR DEEP-LAID SCHEME THAT FAILED. (By Geo. R. Sims, in “ Pearson's et Weekly.”) I doubt if, in the blood-honnd volume of crime, there is a stranger story to be found than that which tells of the way William Bernays was murdered by his friend in order that the murderer might make his victim’s widow his wife. William Bernays, a barrister of good fortune and good fame, was one of the best known men in Antwerp. His wife. Julia, tho daughter of a distinguished statesman, was a beautiful woman; but, from her husband’s point of view, cold and austere. Bernays was a sinner and she was a saint, and the marriage did not prove to be a happy one. But in the eyes of the world, all was well in the beautiful Bernays home. There was a little son, whom both husband and wife adored, and to all outward appearances they were happy. THE MAN FROM AMERICA. But tho hand of Fate was rapidly directing the domestic drama of Bernays and his wife in the direction of tragedy. In the same town of Antwerp there lived a Madame Peltzer, a widow with three handsome and distinguished sons.

The eldest, Armond, had gone to America, where as an engineer, he was prospering greatly. Tho brothers who remained at home had embarked in business, but not successfully, and presently they came within measurable distance of fraudulent bankruptcy. Armand, in America, was informed of the condition of affairs at home. He .had, some little time previously, lost his young wife, and he was now a widower with one little girl- Alarmed at the news he had received, Armand, taking his little girl with him sailed for Antwerp, and immediately on his arrival had a family council with regard to his brothers’ affairs. He had been away for some time and was out of touch with local happenings, so he interviewed a friend in tho town who strongly advised him to go to Mr William Bernays, one of the most successful lawyers in Antwerp. Armand went to see Bernays and placed tho Peltzer brothers’ affairs in his hands. These two had many interviews. and presently a strong personal friendship sprang up between them, with the result that Armand was frequently invited to be a guest at the lawyer’s house. In the. meantime. Bernays had thoroughly interested himself in the Peltzer business and was eventually able to bring the brothers through their trouble without any stain being left upon their honour. Armand did not go back to America. He had his little, daughter with him, and he had found an attraction which kept him in Antwerp. He was not only a welcome guest at the lawyer's house, but the lawyer’s wife had become greatly attached to his littlo girl.

ANONYMOUS LETTERS ARRIVED. In the house of tho Bernays Armand received the confidences of both sidesThe lawyer told him of the coldness and austerity of his wife; the wife told him of her husband’s rough ways and vulgar infidelities. The young engineer's sympathy was undoubtedly with the wife, and he soon allowed her to see. that his sympathy had developed into a warmer sentiment.

But Julia Bernays was not a woman to bo tempted by a hair’s breadth from tho right path. She admired .rmand Peltzer, and she found pleasure in his society ; and that, so far as .she was concerned, was all. This was the situation, when, one day, Bernays received an anonymous letter informing him that his wife and Armand were constantly in each other’s society when he, Bernays, was away from home, and that the nature of their relationship was a matter of common gossip in Antwerp. Bernays then sent the young man a friendly letter informing him of the gossip, and urged him to discontinue his visits.

The young engineer was furious- He met Julia Bernays, and told her what had happened. She was indignant that her husband should have listened to anonymous slander, and she told Bern--ays that if he refused to allow Armand to visit the house she would sue for a divorce. , Then tho husband apologised, and Armand Peltzer resumed his visits. But the anonymous letters continued, and became more and more explicit. Again, Bernays wrote to Armand and ■old him that the position was becoming intolerable, and for everyone’s, sake it was imperative that he should agree not to see Julia again. He wont to his wife and told her that lie would no longer tolerate the presence of Armand Peltzer in his home. Eventually a deed of agreement was drawn up between the unhappy couple. Bernays withdrew all aspersions upon his wife, the couple were to inhabit separate suites of apartments in the same house, and they were to meet occasionally to discuss matters concerning the little one’s future. Before friends who might visit them, however, there were to be no signs of any difference in their domestic arrangements. The deed was signed, and the next day Julia invited Armand to dinner. Bernays heard of tho invitation and was indignant. He told Julia that in no circumstances would he allow Armand Peltzer to cross his threshold. MURDERER’S CAREFUL PLANS. Then Armand accused Bernays of having wilfully insulted him, and challenged him to a duel which Bornays declined and sent an apology, explaining that he was compelled in his wife’s interest to act as he had done. Tho position now became so intolerable in the Bernays’ home that tho lawyer in his turn talked of divorce. He asked his wife to consent to one for incompatibility of temper. Julia Bernays refused- Such a divorce would, under the Belgian Law, deprive her of the custody of her child for six months out of every twelve. Matters had reached this point when Armand Peltzer persuaded himself that it was his duty to rescue the woman he loved from the persecutions of her husband at all hazards. Ho knew that his passion was hopeless. There was only one way in which he could bring love and happiness into the life of Julia Bernays and that was bv making her his honoured wife. Such a thing was impossible so long as William Bernays was alive, and. therefore, Liio only solution of the difficulty was his removal. Armand’s younger brother, Leon, after the bankruptcy business, had been furnished with a sum of money by bis brother and had gone out to America where he had embarked in business and was doing fairly well. Leon was devoted to Armand and the latter at once decided to call his brother to his assistance. Ho cabled to him to leave America at onoe and come to Antwerp, and then began the weaving of a plot that has no counterpart iu the history of crime. Leon did not go to Antwerp. Ho met his brother in another town by

arrangement, and there the murder of Bernays was arranged between them. Leon disguised liimself and went to Paris, Basle and other big cities, posing as Henry Vaughan, an American c-f wealth, who had business to do in Europe. As Henry Vaughan he consulted alawyer in each town, and engaged in small business transactions in order to establish later on the fact that a business man named Henry Vaughan was travelling about Europe. Then ho came to Brussels, and still in the name of Vaughan he took an office at 158, Rue de la Loi, which was let out as business premises. He furnished an office on the third floor. “ HENRY VAUGHAN’S ” LETTER TO POLICE. Then one day Bernays received a letter inviting him to call upon Mr Henry Vaughan at his office as Mr Vaughan wished to consult him with regard to important business upon which he was engaged. Bernays replied that he would call on a certain day at a certain time, and on the morning of tho day fixed lie set out for Brussels to keep tho appointment. Tliat night ho did not return, nor tho nexti day, nor the next. His friends became alarmed at his absence. Artnand at once called on Julia, and offered to assist her in any possible way to find trace of her missing husband. Inquiries were made in every direction, but without success. The last that had been seen of William Bernays was when a friend had seen him getrine out of the train at Brus-

sels on tho day of his disappearance. But when some nine or ten days had elapsed the police in Antweip received a communication, signed “ Henry Vaughan.” It was to tho effect that Mr "William Bernays had called unon the writer at his office. No. 159, Rue do la Loi, on a business matter, and in the course of the interview Mr Vaughan had picked up> a. pistol which was lying on the desk and it had accidentally gone off. killing Mr Bernays. Mr Vaughan, alarmed at the accident, and having to leave for America quickly, decided to avoid being mixed up in a police inquiry which might be a very protracted one, so he had left tho body in the office and locked it up. He had sent this letter before Jeavruj* for America in order! that the mystery might bo cleared up.

THE CLUE OF THE HANDWRITING

The police at first thought it was a hoax. They went to ti.e office in Brussels, broke open the door, and there, sitting propped up in a chair, they discovered the dead body of the missing William Bernays. The moment the news of the discovery was made known tho head of the uolico received an anonymous letter telling him that there was no mystery. Armand Peltzer was madly in love with Julia Bernays, and that there was littlo doubt that Armand had lured Bernays to this office in Brussels by a trick and had theve murdered him in order to be free to continue his relationship with the dead man’s wife. The police were bound to follow the suggested clue. The first thin®' they did was to go to Peltzer’ 3 residence and take possession of any papers they might find there. While making the search, they found a. letter from Leon to his brother'. There was nothing incriminating in tho letter itself, but it was the handwriting that at once attracted tho attention of the officer who was in charge of the investigation. Leon’s letter to his brother was in the same, handwriting as that of Henry Vaughan’s letter to the police explaining what had happened to William Bemavs.

After the discovery that Henry Vaughan was Armand PeltzeP’s brother Leon, Armand was at oriee arrested, and it was not long before Leon was also in safe custody. Both protested their innocence. Lawyers and bankers from various towns came forward to say that they had met and done business with Henry Vaughan. and that the features of Henrv Vaughan were not those of Loon Peltzer. Armand indignantly declared that ho had no knowledge of fch© affair beyond what he had read in the newspapers. But handwriting was once more to play an important part in the affair. The police discovered from the post office people that a number of telegrams had been dispatched from, an office in Antwerp to Mr Henry Vaughan at addresses in various towns on the Continent, some to Paris, some to Basle, some to Cologne. When the originals of these telegrams to Mr Henrv Vaughan were obtained they were found to be in the handwriting of Armand Peltzer.

FOR LOVE OF JULIA BERNAY. After that all was plain sailing for the prosecution. The two brothers were duly convicted of the murder and sentenced. Tb£ widow appeared in court, dressed in deep mourning, pale, beautiful and dignified. “I am here,” she said, ‘‘not to accuse but to forgive.” With breathless eagerness the crowded court wait-

ed for the finish of the sentence, and this is what they heard: “It is my husband I try to forgive for his infamous conduct.” She declared in her evidence that her love for' Armand Peltzer had been of a. pure, true friendship, and that that friendship for him was as pure and true as it had ever been. The love of Julia Bernays for Armand Peltzer was that of a faithful wife who loathed her husband and respected herself. At the trial she stood in the witness-box, clad in widow’s weeds, and forgiving her husband absolved the murderer, and declared her affection and her esteem for him, even as he stood in tho presence of his judges.