The Medle Murder
One night towards the end of January 1911 there was a party at Erik
Brännström’s home in Medle, near Skellefteå. The guests were cronies
from the village alehouse, and they all got blind drunk. All evening Erik’s
wife Teolinda had to keep them served with potato dumplings and bacon
and fill up their empty glasses. When the party had finally fizzled out and
Teolinda had got the men out of the house, she went to bed. Shortly
afterwards it seems that the couple were woken up again by a man who
had turned up, wanting a lift by cart to a neighbouring village. Erik agreed
to do this. After a while, since she hadn’t heard them leave the yard,
Teolinda went out to see where the men were. She found the horse still
standing there, and when she went in again she found Erik on the kitchen
floor, dying from a wound to his temple.
Local police officer Sundelin concluded that Erik had been shot in the
head with a revolver. Teolinda was questioned and taken into custody in
Skellefteå. Also apprehended was Frans Persson, a navvy from Skåne
lodging with the Brännströms at the time. Both were highly suspect
because rumour had it that they were having an affair together. After nine
months in custody and nine interrogations they were released for lack of
evidence. But the rumours about them had taken root, and though they
were cleared of all charges the ballad of the “Medle Murder” was still
being sung a hundred years later.
lyrics
Medlemordet
Text: Thure Lindekvist, Melodi: Trad
Lyssnen nu jag vill berätta
om ett grymt och rysligt mord,
som i mörka vinternatten blev
begånget här i nord.
Medle by var skådeplatsen
för det hemska dramats akt,
då en bonde Erik Brännström
ömkligt blev om livet bragt.
Flaskan till sin vän han tagit
sen hans kärlek gått i kvav,
men den vännen svek som vanligt
endast bäddande hans grav.
Ty ett skott i stilla natten
ljöd så hemskt kring Medle by,
och den arme aldrig mera
skådar någon morgon ny.
Klockan ren var midnatt slagen
då det hemska bud man hör,
Erik Brännström blivit mördad
han förblöder nu och dör.
Grannar skynda till och finna
mannen skjuten som man sagt,
och hans egen Teolinda,
makligt sig i sängen lagt.
Han blev slagen av en främling
nu i natt berättar hon,
men sen blodet man avtvättat
blir hon tagen av den tron.
Han var skjuten med revolver
snart hans sista suck man hör,
livet nu ej mer kan räddas
kulan träffat har han dör.
Ilbud sändes nu till staden
efter kronans tjänstemän,
snart de komma dit o fängsla
Teolindas hjärtevän.
Och på andra dagens morgon
själv hon delar samma lott.
Ingendera vill bekänna
nej de endast neka blott.
Lång blir dagen hemsk blir natten
uti tom och ödslig cell,
nog de ångra få och minnas
denna dystra lördagskväll.
Hemska drömmar nog de drömma
varje stund och varje natt,
giljotinen nu dem vinkar
sen rättvisan tog dem fatt.
Ännu vilar dimhöljd slöja
över nattens dystra dåd,
ty man ännu icke funnit
beviskedjans rätta tråd.
Men ack snart ja snart man lossar
nog på ovisshetens bom,
och det spörjas skall kring landet
att de båda fått sin dom.
Nu min lutas strängar tystna
tanken flyr till Medle by,
där det hemska dramats minne
svävar likt en kolsvart sky.
Länge länge man förtälja
skall om detta hemska mord,
som förgäves sökt sin like
här uti vår kalla nord.
Triakel plays 'Weisen' - Visor typical for Scandinavia. The repertoire ranges from traditional folk songs to psalms
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