The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-11-06 00:00:00

rHE MYSTERIOUS DEATH AT PENGE.

On Saturday Mr. W. Carter, the Coroner for Emit
Surrey, resumed, at the Mitre Tavern, Mitre.leue,
Beath Penge-park, the inquiry into the eircumstances
attending the leath of Mrs. Emily Fowler, aged
ehirtv-teree, woo, newspaper readers will remember,
was found dead on a balcony outside the top window
of her residence, 30, Weighton-road, South Penge, on
the previous Sunday morning, under cireumetances
which left no doubt that eho had lost her life by toe
dministretion of poison either by her own hand or by
at of some other person.
The hot witness nailed on the previous occasion was
Me Walter Frewratu Fowler, the husband of the de-
&wed, who, afterbeing duly cautioned by the Coroner,
voluntarily stated that he had procured the poison with
which the act had been coninitted from a cheemist in
the city with whom he dealt. It seas in the form of
&powder. As, hoeFeer; tliis statement differed from
that of tjts teiste:ants, who had given two different de-
kientrims of the poison—one that it was in globules,
lied tee other in a fluid state, and as, moreover, Mr.
Fowler seemed to be too much excited to thoroughly
recognise the importance of the Coroner's caution, the
inquiry was adjourned till Saturday, in order that the
evidence should be forthcoming of the chymist who
supslied the poison, and that an analysis should be
made of the contents of the stomach of the deceased.
Mr. Fowler was not present on this occasion, but
sees repreeentedby Mr. Serjeant Sleigh, who intimate,'
the. hlt client, who was at home in the greatest pros
tiVtion of mind, courted the fullest inquiry into this
most unfortunate affair.
The proceedings commenced by an argument be.
tween the jury and the Coroner as to how far Mr.
Fewler was culpable, and what construction could be
placed upon certain statements made upon the first
hearing, and in order that all those engaged might be
perfectly certain mein various matters in dispute the
Conner re-called &rah Aske, the cook, whose
staremeut made on path wag nearly a recapitu-
latien of that of Wednesday last. During the
titee she was under examination she was sub-
jected to a severe examination, and stated that
on the day of her death Mrs. Fowler was hiding
from Mr. Fowleim violence in the smoking-room. She
liail previously fainted in the kitchen, and witness, the
housemaid, and Mr. Fowler carried her up into the
smoking-room, where water was hrown over her, and
on her recovery she pushed Mr. Fowler and the house-
maid out of the room. Then it was she said that on
the previoue night while putting oil her chignon in the
dark, she nit something strange, and discovered, on
striking a light, that it was a bottle of imisfin (pn,
dueed), which the raid the believed Mr. Fowler laad
placed there that she might see it and be induced to
take it. She was very much distressed in mind, and
said that she was tired of her life, and during the hour ,
witness was with her was crying, and sent a message '
by witness to her mother with a request that Fiedler, a
late servant, might be the last to see to her. All this
occurred between one and two. No one else was pre-
sent, and the door of the smoking-room being closed,
Mr. Fowler could not pomiblv have heard anything
that 'mussed. She left Mrs. Fowler alone for a few
minutes during this hour, and she then had the poison
in her possession.
The Coroner at this stage observed that as Mr.
Fowler was not present while the statement affecting
him was made he must strike that part of the deposi-
tions out as affecting him, as in law one of the jury
might just as well have made a similar etatement.
In examination by Mr. Sleighwitness said that since
the last inquest she had found under the cushion of
the sofa in the kitchen the parcel produced, containing
Ili be., directed in Mrs. Fowler's handwriting to her
mother. She recognised the torn photograph pro-
duced as a likeness of her mistress, and had found it
in the grate in Mr. Fowler's bedroom since her mistress's
death.
Julie Coote, the housemaid, deposed to the same acts of
violence and unkindness on Mr. Fowler's part, and to the
grief sad distress of her mistress. Mr. Foster was drunk,
violent, and excited as early as eleven o'clock, throwing
the things from the top to the bottom of the house, and her
mistress was trying to save the valuable glass and china.
About tour, or nali•oast, witness went Up to dress, and she
then heard Mr. Fowler up in the attics throwing the boxes
about. She last saw her mistress alive when she turned her
out of the stuokiegroom. When she had finished dressing
Mr. Fowler came to her and said, "Jane; I think you had
better come with me and find your mistress" She accord-
ingly preceeded with him, and they searched carefully allover
the house, but could Ott find her. They went into the room
outside which she was found. It was a lumber room, but she
did net notice whether the window was open or shut, or
whether the Venetian blinds were down or not; the boxes in
the room were all turned upside down When her master
asked her to go and look for her mistress he did list seem
to aritizipate that he would not find her, or that any harm
had come to her, neither did she. On Friday, at a little
after ten, witness had gone to bed, and her mistress woke
her up again She found her in the dining room. She sand
to witness Mr. Fowler had said he would poison him.
self, and she did not wish to be there alone; and
witness was to he there to prevent him. Then he
held A bottle produced) up in his hands. It looked like
little balls. Witness caught at it to take it from him Ile said
" You fool: I gut it for the cats. I like life too well." She
never saw the bottle again till the cook found it in her
presence. After her mistress went upstairs on Saturday she
never heard any scream or any scuffling as if of two persons.
Deceased was a powerful woman. Never raw her master
force her to take anything nuttiest her will, hut had frequently
beard her threateu to destroy her life This was when she
was distressed iu niind, through her master iLl.treating her.
Mr. Fowler was not /wormed of the finding of the bottle.
He was too tipsy.
Croswesamined by Mr. Sleigh : Tier master WAS very fond
of her mistress when sober V. hen he was drunk he was
quite mad. tine did not know whether he had drunken
hysterics or delirium tremens. He would look an the glass
and talk to himself, saying, " Hah, Walter l" and tlinsw his
head back. She did not go t. bed till three, but foiled them
In their bedroom an the morning on solig to bed Mr
Fowler was tu the habit of putting his money end the co,
tents of his pocket on the dressing table, so that the little
he had in his hand when she law him on Friday wonld be
placed there along with the other things. when she was
miming he said he thought she had gone away to her mother.
She had done so before, and he conducted the search
aexiously, after which lie went into the dining-room and
ell Weep, and slept there all night.
Dr. Arthur Newman Turner mid he had made an analysis
of the contents of the stomach, emitted by the clinical assist- ,
ant of Guy's Hospital, and could swear to the pressum of I
strycludne ill the stomach. He had termed that opinion
Odors making the analysis. It might have been taken out
of the bottle, and deceased might have lived two hours or
less—probably Inure, perhaps as much as tette hours. There
was no great quantity of strychnine taken. The duration
of life afterwards would depend upon the amount absorbed
in the system, and a person might have the power to go
upstairs and open the window after taking It Strychnine
eid not paral)ze cr deaden the senses like pru-sic acid.
Another witness was gills who deposed to the general
conduct of Mr. Fowler, who new nothing as to the occur-
rence of the day.
Frederick Langley, chemist, of Plough-court, London. de-
posed that he was In the habit of supplying Mr. Fowler with
various articles, and on the .20th of last mouth he called and
had a prescription made up, after which he asked for some
strychnine to destroy cats with. Ile did not see it made up,
MAR was made up under his direction, it would be in the
form of crystal, like coarse salt. He supplied him with One ,
grains, and entered the sale in shook 'produced', according
to law. It was not necessary to make any Inquiries of the
purchaser at the time.
The Coroner then inquired whether Serjeant Sleigh
thought it necessary to call Mr. Fowler, to which the
learned gentleman replied he did not think it necessary,
nor shouts he advise it. He agreed with the Coroner
that there was not a tittle of evidence against his
client, who was at home in the greatest grief and pros-
tration at the loss of hie wife. He had doted on the
poor lady when sober, hut be understood when under
the influence of liquor he was a perfect demon in the
house.
The Coroner then summed up at considerable length,
and at the end of nearly an hour and a half the jury
returned the following verdict
"That the deceased Emily Fowler died from the
effects of strychnine, but how or by whom administered
there is no enthelent or satisfactory evidence."