The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-08-19 00:00:00

"THE BALHAM MYSTERY."

The inquiry Into the cause of Mr. Bravo's death was con-
cluded on Friday (23rd day) when the Court, at the "Bedford'
Hotel, Balham, was crowded. The Coroner, Mr. Carter (who
was assisted by Mr. Barleigh Muir as legal assessor), read his
summing up to the Jury, who, after deliberating for about
two hours and a half, gave in the verdict of a !raj ,rity of
their number. Sixteen jurymen were sworn at the opening
of the inquiry, one retired on account of illness, and thirteen
signed the inquisition embodying the verdict.
On this occasion Mr. Poland appeared on behalf of the
Crown; Sir Henry James, Q.O , and Mr. Biron appeared for
Mrs. Charles Bravo, the widow of the deceased ; Mr. Marphy,
Q C., and Mr. Bray for Mrs. Cox; Mr. Serjaant Parry and
Mr. Archibald L. Smith appeared for Dr. Gully; and Mr.
George Lewis, Jan., watched the care for Mr. Joseph Bravo,
the stepfather of the deceased, and for the relations of the
deceased.—The following account of the day's proceedings is
taken from The Times:—

When the Court was opened the Coroner asked the jury if
they desired Used any more witnesses should be -
they answered in the negative without hesitation
The Coroner, in opening his charge to the Jury, said.—
Yon have been sitting here to inquire, and are about to be
asked to find a verdict, as to how and by what means
Charles Delauney Turner Bravo came by his death. The
evidence given before you is fresh in your recollection, and
as it is very voluminous, I do not propose to read it over to
you, nnlers you wish it. ([he Jury said they did
not desire to hear the depositions read.) I have the
less hesitation in adopting this course, as I have been
much struck with the intelligent knowledge of the evidence
displayed by yon, and I apprehend that you will have no
difficulty in coming to the conclusion that Mr. Bravo dle4
on the 21st of April, 1876, at the house called the Priory,
situated at Belham, in sue parish of Streatham, in the
county of Surrey. You will also have little difficulty In
fineiug that he died from the effects of a poison called anti-
ninny, and upon that point I woold direct your attention to
the evidence of Dr. Paine and Professor Redwood. That
being so, the questiou for your consideration wW be as to
how the pelson came into Mr. Bravo's body. The considera-
tion of that question divides itself under three heads. First,
Did he take is intentionally ; second, Did he take it inadver-
tently ? And, third, Waa it administered to him by any
other person or persons? Now, before touching upon these
hear's, I would direct your attention to the evidence you
have heard as to what happened during the few days previcus
to and upon the day when the fated symptoms occurred.
You have heard from Mrs. Bravo and Mrs Cox how he spent
the Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and his letters
dated the 14th and 16th et April are important, as showing the
state of his health and rpirits from that time, the Good Fri-
day and Easter Sunday before his illness on Easter 1 uesiday.
You have heard bow on the morning of the 18th of April
he and Mrs. Cox breakfasted together, how Mrs. CuX went
away to Wcrthing to look for a house shoat nine o'clock,
very soon after breakfast; how Mr. and Mrs. Bravo drove
up to town, what occurred in the carriage on the way to
town, and how, after paying some bills, Mrs. Bravo left him
at the Ttirkah baths in Jermyn-street, and that Mrs. Bravo
returned alone to luncheon. You have beard that after
luncheon she lay down until her husband returned, between
4 and 4 30. In the meantime he seems to have taken a bath,
to have had luncheon with Mr. Orr, who had met him, and
who left him with Mr. MacCelmont, who then went with him
as far as Victoria station. The deceased invited Mr. MacCal-
niont to come down and dine with him that night, and failing
that to come down to the Priory the next day and play lawn
tennis with him. Mr. iilacCalmeut saw him leave by the 4.6
pain for Balham. The witnesses who speak to these points
are Mrs. Cox, Mrs. Bravo, • Mr. Orr, Mr. MacCairnont, and
Rowe, the butler. Mr. Bravo returned to the Priory about half.
past 4, and saw Mrs. Bravo, kissed her affectionately, went
cut for a ride upon one of the cobs, and expressed, before be
went, a determination to return and ride the other cob be-
fore dinner. He returned home from the ride at 6 15, and
told how the cob had bolted with him. That had fatigued
him, and he had a hot bath at his wife's suggestion. After
that he told Keeber to leave the water in the bath, as it
would do for him in the morning. 'the Coroner then referred
to the evidence of Mrs. Cox as to her return from Worthing
on the i,ht of the 18th. Reaching the Priory, as she states',
at 7 20 or 7 2.5, and looking in the morning-room and seeing
Mr Bravo there, she went upstairs into Mrs. Bravo's dressing.
room, and found her dressing for dinner, assisted by Keeber.
After talking to her for a short time, Mrs Cox said she went
to her own Teem and simply washed her hands, ma having
time to dress for dinner, rind proceeded downstairs to the
morning-room, where she totuid Mr. and Mrs. Bravo waiting
for her to go into to dint cr. The Coroner summed up the
evidence as to the dinner, and he remarked that Rowe,
the butler, spoke of a muttered observation made by Mr.
Bravo that he would not be at Worthing, but that neither
Mrs Bravo nor Mrs. Cox beard this; and it might
be that Rowe was mistaken Mr. Bravo appeared
during dinner to have been in pain from the effects of the
cob having run away wi-h him, and he seemed also to have
been irritable and out of sorts by the evidence. At half-past
eight or twenty minutes to nine all three went into the
morning-room from the dining room. After remaining there
twenty minutes or half an hour Mrs. Bravo and Mrs. Cox
wer.t up to Mrs. Bravo's dressing-room, leaving Mr. Bravo
alone in the room, as stated by Mrs. Bravo, Mrs. Cox, and
Rowe. Just aa they were going upstairs, on the way to the
dretsing-room, Mrs. Bravo asked Mrs. Cox to get her a little
wine and water, and Mrs. Cex, having procured it from the
dining-room, took it upstairs to the dressing-room in a little
tumbler, and Mrs. Bravo drank it. A short time after half.
past nine Keeber went upstairs to Mrs. Bravo's dressiug-
room and found her undressed. Mrs. Bravo asked her to
bring her some wine and water, and gave her the same little
tumbler to fetch it in. Keeber brought the wine from
the dining-room, and as she came out with it in her
hand Mr. Bravo came out of the morning-roem She
let him pass upstairs before her, and as he was going up-
stairs he turned round, looked at her twice, and she says
she thought "he looked very queer and strange in the face."
He did not then appear to be in pain, but she thought
he looked angry. lie went upstairs into Mrs. Bravo's
dressing-room, and Keeber went into the bedroom. In the
meantime Mrs. Cox states that he said to his wife in French,
"You have sent for more wine; you have drunk nearly a
bottle to-day," and he left the room ; but Mrs. Bravo says
she does not remember that remark. Mr. Bravo went into
his bedroom and stint the door. Keeber met Mrs. COX on
the landing, and Mrs. Bravo and Mrs. Cox went into the bed-
room, where Mrs. Bravo went to bed. Keeber first went into
the dressing-room and put away Mrs. Bravo's things, and
then she went into the bedroom and asked Mrs C.' if she
wanted her for anything else. Mrs. Cox replied in the nega-
tive, and Keeber lest the room, shutting the door after her.
As she stood at the foot of the stairs shortly afterwards ,
on her way to bed, Mr. Bravo opened the door of his bed- ,
shfrt. and called ode, Floreneg, Florence
hot water, hot water 1" very loudly. Keeber went back to
Mrs Bravo's bedroom, and told Mrs. Cox that Mr. Bravo
was iIL Mrs. Cox said that on going she found Mr. Bravo
standing by the window, and to quote her own words.
"lie said he had taken poison ; 'don't tell Florence.'
I asked how he came to do such a thing; he did
not answer, but screamed for hot water." When
Keeber returned with hot water he was on the fleet* in-
sensible, and Mrs. Cex was rubbing his chest. Mrs. Cox
then tent her for mustard. Keeber then aroused Mrs. Bravo,
who, when she came and found that Mr. Harrison had been
sent for, ordered Dr. Moore, who lived nearer, to be
fetched. Shortly after ten o'clock Mr. Harrison arrive d
—some time between half-past ten and a quarter to eleven
o'clock. As soon as he arrived Mrs Cox told bias that "she
was cure Mr. Bravo had taken chloroform." Dr. Moore and
Mr. Harrison had detailed in their evidence the condition
in which they found sir. Bravo, and the steps they took to
afford him relief About half-past two in the morning Mr.
Re yes Bell and Pr. Johnson arrived and saw the patient.
Some time aft, r their arrival Mrs. Cox called Mr. Reyes
Bell out of the sick room, and told him, "Charlie
says he has taken poison, but don't tell Florence." Mr.
Bed then called Dr. Johnson, and Mrs. Cex repeated to
him the statement she had made to Mr. Bell, Dr. John-
son fixed the interview at about half an hour after his
arrival, which would make it about three o'clock on Wednes-
day moiqiing, but Mrs. Cex said she thought it was sooner.
The following is Dr. Johnson's account of the interview,
and Mr. Bell substantially agrees with him :—" It was
after we had been there about half an hour that Mr. Bell
asked me to go out and hear a statement which Mrs. Cox
had to make. I went out and saw Mrs. Cox. See said,
'When Mr Bravo was taken ill he said to me, "I have taken
some of that poison, but do not tell Florence." That was all.
I then asked if he had not told her more than that; if she
had not learnt from him what he had taken, when he had
taken it, and why. She refitted, 'Na she had learnt nothing
more than that.' I immediately went back to the patient's
bedside and said, 'Mrs. Cox tells us that you have spoken to
her about having taken poison,—what is the meaning of that?'
Bis reply was, I don't remember having spoken of taking
poison. I then asked, 'Have you taken poison?' tie replied
'I have rubbed some laudanum on my gums for neuralgia,
and I may have swallowed some of it.' I said, 'That will not
explain your symptoms.' Ile was perfectly consciou.s, and I
have no doubt he thoroughly understood what I said. He
also said something to this effect that if it was not
laudanum he did not know what it was. I then asked him if
he had any poisons in the house. Be said, Yes, several.'
I asked him to name them. He mentioned chloroform,
landanum, Condy's fluid (which is not a polson), and he
said there was a rat poison in the stable. Nothing further
transpired at that time. We all looked about the room
to see what drags or poisons there were there, and we
found one bottle containing laudanum, and another
labelled chloroforne" which I believe was empty." The
Coroner then read the evidence of Sirs. Cox as to this
Interview—evidence which agreed with the words of Dr.
George Johnson in all material points, she fixing the time
when she told them as when the patient was recovering
a little. The evidence of Mr. Harrison upon this point
was also read, and It was to the effect that on hearing this
statement on the part of Mrs. Cox, he said, "Why did you
not tell me that before?" (he having been there some hours
before Dr. Johnson), and she replied that the thought she
had, upon which he answered, "You certainly did not:
you told me he had taken chloroform." "I entertain,"
said Mr. Harrison, "not the least doubt as to what she
told me. She did not tell me that he bad taken poison,
nor did she say that the deceased hail said ' Don't tell
Flareece.' " The Coroner then quoted from the notes the
statements made by Mrs. Cex to Mr. Reyes 8011, and
gave at length the evidence of Sir William Gull as to his
and seatements which the deceased, according to Sir
William made to hitn. Sir William said that he told dt. ceased
"This is not a case of disease ; you are ding of poison,"
and asked the deceased how he came by it, Lead he replied
that he "took it himself" In cross-examination Sir William
replied that the deceased positively denied having taken any-
thing but laudanum, using the expression, or something like
It, "Before God, it was only laulanum.' At another inter- '
view ehort,y atterwards the dying man assured Sir William
that he had told him the whole truth in the matter. The
evidence of Amelia Bushell, the servant of Mrs. J. Bravo, was
also quoted at length as to the statements made by the de-
ceased at these interviews' and she stated that when the
deceased was asked where he had got that which made him
iii he turned to his wife and said, "Out of your bottle,
Florence ! ' and the same witness testified that when the
deceased called Sir William Gull back he said, "Sir William,
I wish to tell yo i that I have told you the whole truth, mid
nothing but the whole truth," adding, after he heard
that his death was near, "I know I am going to
appear before my Maker; I have taken laudanum, if
Is wive not laudanum, so help me God, I do not
know what it was." The Coroner alto brought before the
jury the statement subsequently made by Mrs. Cox
that the deceased while he was 11l and alone with her,
said, "Why did you tell them? Does Florence know I
have poisoned myself ? " and her addition to her
first statement of the words, "I have taken poison ; don't
tell Florence," to "I have taken poison for Dr. Gully; don't
tell Florence," 'the Coroner urged the jury to consider these
statements well, and on the other band Mr. Bravo's repeated
statements to the medical men, particularly those reported
by Dr. Johnson and Sir William GuIL The Coroner pro-
ceeded,—You will else weigh the evidence as to Mr. Bravo's
character and mental condition, and if you should be sa.lE-
fled that he deliberately and knowingly took antimony with
the intention of putting an end to his existence, you will
find accordingly, and you will find also as to whether or not
he was then of a sound mind. To aid you in considering the
question whether Mr. Bravo took the antimony inadvertently,
I would refer you to the evidence of the medical men, and
Mr. Bravo's statements to them—among others his statement
to Sir William Gull :—" I took it myself. I took it myself •,
but, before Gad, it was only landaeum ;" and if
you should
be of opinion either that he took the antimony, medicinally,
knowing it to be antimony, but tcok an overdose of it, or that
be took the antimony in m'stake for some other drug or sub-
stance, you will find accordingly. In considering whether the
antimony was administered by any other person or persons, I
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of access to him. Griffith certainly said n evidence that he
purchased tartar emetic both at te shops of Mr. Smith at
Balham, and Mr. RoLineon at etreatham • but both these
gentleman denied the truth of his statement' and he himself
says he threw away what he had left before he quitted Mrs.
Bravo's service early in January. All the evidence
to is before.
you and it is for you consider and decide uponit. Before
you can bring in a verdict of " murder " against any person
or persons you must be satisfied that that person or those per.
sons wilfully administered the poison to Mr Bravo, or laeird.
poison for him, and that he took it and wan killed by it ; for if
the poison were laid the law will presume that the adminis-
tration was malicious, although no particular enmity be
proved. I do not trouble you with a definition of "man.
slaughter," for the law presumes every homicide to be
murder until the contrary appears. I would, however, state
that you mud be satisfied with the evidence that n2uFder has
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called, ind I and that there "NILS no trace
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