MURDER AS A BUSINESS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2567, 12 October 1893, Page 1

MURDER AS A BUSINESS.

We are soon to have in this city (writes the New York correspondent of the Argus) a murder trial which may excite more interest than the case of Carlyle Harris or that of Dr Buchanan. The defendants will be Dr Henry Meyer and his wife, who have been engaged in murder as a business, with the purpose of defrauding life insurance companies. For more than a year one of the great life insurance companies has been procuring and perfecting evidence against this pair, and for almost as Jong a noted expert has been at work on the viscera of these murderers' latest victim. Meyer is a native of Prussia, and is not 40 years old. He obtained his medical education in Chicago. His first victim was his first wife. Then, it is charged, he killed a rich grocer, whose widow he married. She was on the way lo* the grave when she escaped by pro curing a divorce. Five years ago Meyer married the woman who afterwards became his partner in crime. Her father was to be the next victim, but he discovered that Meyer had by forgery obtained insurance on his life, and he prosecuted the scoundrel for this offence. Meyer escaped punishment, aud after this case had b en disposed of he'resume 1 practice and employed as a collector one Ludwig Braudt, the son of a general in the Norwegian army, who left his'native land to avoid prosecution for some crime. It had been the practice of Meyer's wife to ensnare men while living apart from her husband, and then to assist her husband in murdering them for the insurance on their lives. For example, a man thus induced to live with her, or to marry her, would be led to insure his life for her benefit, and soon afterwards would become ill. Then Br Meyer would be called in, and in due course the man would die. If Brandt had been familiar with this practice he would not have consented to become a party to a conspiracy which seemed to him to promise comfortable profits. It was proposed to him that he should procure insurance on his life, marry Mrs Meyer, become ill, aud be drugged into a condition resembling death. Then an official certificate that ha was dead was to be obtained and usad; he was to disappear, and Mrs M««yer was to collect the insurant money. He consented. He d>J marry Mrs Meyer a year and ago, both using assumed jniraes. \lq. obtained insurance in fo/ar companies, and transferred the policies to the woman who. was supposed to bo his wife. Then he became if, aud was attended by Meyer, who appeared to be a boarder iu the s->oa& house,, where he assumed the rmu)o <'f lieuter. But Brandt died,, Meyer and his wife murdered him. by poison, as they intended to do, >tv>m the beginning. She collected, t, part of the money, but on© viOuipany the Mutual, of this city—« decided that it would inake an investigation. Thereupon the two innrderers went to Chioagv), The company pursued its with the hehi of.detective agencies until the wholo extraordinary s.to,ry was re veiled. Then the nnu'o'erftva wore ajyoaidd iu the State of Michigan. It is believed that Meyer and his wife murdered by poison at least ton persons. The poison ua d caused a disease of the bowols which was called dysentery or acute diarrhoea in the ceriificates, >yhich were procured through the agonoy of reputable physicians q.iUed in by Meyer either in consultation in the last stage of the iJ.ln.e33 or immediately after de.Uh. Failing- oit in Tradiv-JJs* n-m-92 the wharfage at Melbourne iw,tno t.-> .-C !>■;■{.J 07. and iu 181)2-!)3 \\, H' *j £!2 iyliio ; aivl the. pilotage ''ft 'tiioao two periods was £30.l , ::.j and #24,21)4: respectively. The total receipt) were £213,382 iu 1891-03 and £144,751) in 1892-93, a decrease pi' £08,623. The best medicine known is Sander & Sons;' Eucalypti Extract, lost its powerful effects in coughs, colds, influenza; the relief is instantaneous. In serious cases, and accidents of all kinds, be they wounds, burns, scalding, bruises, sprains, it is the palest remedy—no swelling —no inflammation. Like surprising effects produced in croup, diphtheria, bronchitis, inflammation of lungs, swelling- &c., diarrhoea, dysentery, diseases of the kidneys and urinary organs. In use at hospital and medical clinics all over the plobe ; patronised by His Majesty the King of Italy; crowned with medals and diplomas at International Exhibition, Amsterdam. Trust, in this approved artiulo iuid rejuufc All. Others,