The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-07-22 00:00:00

decessed wee taken IIL I usually decanted the wino a
quarter of an hour before dinner, and perhaps I did the
saws on the 18th. The fire lir ti the been caused
externally; It roust have arises he ft Iree grate.
Mrs. Cox had come lit rather._ that ght, and she
smelt it, and it was thedtfgh lilirthat I fotifid it out. Mrs.
Bravo had gone to bed. This was the day bcfore the ladies
went to Brighton.
The jury asked a few questions to render clear some state-
ments which had not been heard, through the low tone in
which the witness spoke throughout. and in addition the
witness answered,-1 went to Mr, Brock's (Mrs. Bravo's
solicitor) at the request of Mr. Campbell, to state what I bad
heard the deceased say about the house at Worthing. I saw
Ml's. Cox at Mr. Brook's. Ido not know that Dr. Gully's
place is adjoining the Priory rrounds Ido not know '‘,hy
I should have decanted a bottle of Burgundy on the 19th,
when Mr. Brave was ill. Ido not know that I actually did
so. 'the house was in confusion, and I mace up the book
hastily, thinkLng it mlLlit be asked for.
lhe enquiry was then adjourned.

o
The scaly art of Tuesday was taken up with reading over
the depositions of Rowe, the butler, who was examined on the
previous day. In the course of the cross examination of
Mr. Gorst the witness could not give a clear account,oLao
eonveriation be was reported to have bad with the'l ndlord
of the Bedford Hotel, on Friday, the 7th inst., on oming
from town, where he had been to see Mrs. Bravo is sliloitor,
and had seen there Mrs. Cox. ,
Sir Henry James said he thought it would be wel before
other evidence was taken to hear what the conversati n was,
as it was really a small matter, but, as told, seemedl4 imply
much.
Mr. Willis, the proprietor of the house, was thenlsworn
t and examined, and said: On Friday, the 7th, b ween
eleven and twelve o'clock in the day, I saw aowe ming
from the train (the room commands a view of the pat from
the station) Be saw me in this room, and I gave himia sign
of recognition as he passed, and he came up heri. He
said he had been "to London to see counsel," Rua had
seen Mrs Cox. I said it was not known she was in Lcindon.
I knew that it was the improssion of those engaged in the '
case that Mrs. Cox was near Birmingham. He Paid, t" Ah,
poor old woman, she's got herself into a great deal of ttouble
through not telling the truth. I intend to tell all the truth, or
the whole truth." This came out through inspector Clarke,
who was here the same day, and it being said that Mrs. Cox
was at Birmirg,ham, and that a letter had been sent to her, or
that he was going. I then told him the conversation in order
that he might know that Mrs. Cox was in London, and he
saved the trouble of going to Birmingham. There was nothing
In the conversation, and I am sorry it was mentioned.
Mary Ann Keeber (who was dressed in mourning), and
who had been in the service of Mrs. Bravo as housemaid, was
then called and sworn —We t.ke the following condensed
account of her evidence from the Globe :

Mary Ann Keeber, housemaid in Mrs. Bravo's service for
two years and three months before April last, said when she
entered the service Mrs Ricardo was a widow and resided at
Streatham. Mrs. Cox resided with her as companion. After
a time Mrs. Ricardo removed to the Priory. The househeld
consisted of cook, housemaid, butler, coachman, and lady's
maid. Mrs. Ricardo became Mrs. Bravo on the 7th Decem-
ber last. She was married from Mr. Campbell's, her father's
house in Lowndes-sonare, and about three weeks afterwards 1
Mr. and Mrs. Bravo returned to the Priory, and from that '
time to the 18th of April they lived there, Mrs. Cox remain-
ing with them. Witness used to keep the water bottle filled
in Mr. Bravo's room, and occasionally some water from it
was used during the day. She never saw any oitference in
the character of the water in the bottle. On the night of
Monday, the 17th of April, Mr. Bravo, who was in Md.
Bravo's bedroom, said to witness, "Mary Ann, I feel very
cross." That was said in the presence of Mrs. Eravo.
Witness asked him what was the matter, and he replied, "I
have the toothache, like you have sometimes." He was then
sitting by the side of the fire, with his elbows on his knees,
and his face resting on his hands, and he seemed to be suffer-
ing pain. That was about nine o'clock. Mrs. Bravo had
been in bed, and she got out to him. At that time they
were occupying separate beds, owing to Mrs. Bravo's ill-
ness. On the Sunday night when witness returned from
church Mrs. Bravo asked her what was a good thing for
toothache. Witness asked who had toothache, and Mrs.
Bravo replied- that it was Mr. Bravo. She asked what
he had taken for it, and witness understood that he had
taken chloroform and laudanum, and a glans of hot brandy
and water when he went to bed. Witness asked Mrs. Bravo
if she had tried the tincture which she gave to witness
in the winter for toothache, and she replied that she
had, but, that it did Lim no good. She took him a cup
of tea in his bedroom about seven o'clock on Tuesday,
the 18th of April, and the next time she saw him
was about half-past ten when he was going to London
with Mrs. Bravo in the carriage. She next saw Mrs.
Bravo between one and two, about luncheon time. She
did not see lir. Bravo again until the evening. Mrs. Cox
went cut early that day. She did not " settle " air,
Bravo's room that morning before Mrs. Cox. left, nor
had she replenished the water bottle. She SAW Mrs.
Cox, on her return, a little after seven the same evening.
Air. Bravo was at home at the time. The next time she
saw Mr. Bravo was at half-past nine, when he was
going upstairs. Mrs. Bravo was then in her dressing room
and Mrs. Cox was with her, and assisted in undresineg her.
At half-past nine witness looked at the clock and wondered
why his, Bravo had not gone to bed, as it was rather later
than she had recently remained up; she went apstairs with
r-two little cans of hot water to Mrs. Bravo's dressing-room.
.11- rs. Bravo was then undressed, and Mrs. C x was with her.
Mrs. Bravo said she thought that witness was having
her supper, and that was why she did not ring. Witness
then set one little can of water in the basin as she usueusuallydid, and the other she set on the landing, intending to take
, it up to Mrs. Cox's room afterwards. Mrs. Bravo asked her
to fetch a little marsala, gave her a small tumbler, and
witness wept to fetch it out of the cellaret in the dining.
room. No one was in the roam at the time. When she came
out of the dining-room Mr. Bravo came out of the morning.
room, and witness let him go upstairs before her.
She had the wine in her hand. As he was going
upstairs he turned round and looked at her twice, but did
not speak. She thought he "looked queer"—very strange
in his face, very pale—he did not appear to be in pain.
Witness thought he was angry, as he add not speak to her,
as he always used to speak whenever he met her. He went
nto Mrs. Bravo's dressing room, and witaess went into
Mrs. Bravo's bedroom. In° two rooms did not join each
other. She waited in Mrs. Bravo's bedroom until Mr.
Bravo had gone into his own room, and shut the door,
She was then going to Mrs. Bravo in the dressing room,
but met her on the lauding going to her bedroom.
She asked witness wlaare the wine was, and the latter
replied that it was as the bedroom. Mrs. Bravo then
got into bed, and witness went into the dressing-room
to put Mrs. Biavo's things away, and when she had finished
there she returned tes Mrs. Bravo's bedroom, and Mrs. Cox
was then sitting by the side of the bed, as she often did.
Witness asked it Mrs. Bravo would want anything more that
night, and she asked witness if she had brought the little tray
up. Witness replied that she had, and was told that va uld
be all that would be required. Mr. Bravo opened his bed-
room door in his nightshirt, and called out, " Fierence, hot
water la twice' very loud. Witness rushed into Mrs. Bravo's
bedroom, saidMr Bravo was ill, and asked her to come. Mrs.
Cox got up and went into Mr. Bravo's room. Witness stood
at the door and saw that Mr. Bravo was standing at
the window. She heard him call again for hot water, and
witness fetched some hut water from the kitchen in a small
water can. ' When she returned with the hot water Mr.
Bravo was then in a sitting position. and Mrs Cox was rub-
bing his chest. Mr. Bravo was on the floor Close by the win-
dow, and Mrs. Cox told her to fetch some mustard. Mrs.
Cox also said, "Fetch spirits (f camphor," and witness went
to Mrs. Bravo's bedroom. Mrs. Bravo was in bed asleep.
Witness woke her, and asked her tcaget up, telling her that!
Mr. Bravo was iIL Mrs. Bravo asked what was the matter se
witness replied that she did riot know, but that he seemed;
very iIL She helped Mrs. Bravo put on her dressing-goals`
and they then went to Mr. Bravo. She fetched the cama
phor from Mrs. Cox's room. Witness then by direction of
Mrs. Cox put Mr. Bravo's feet in mustard and water, and
rubbing them as hard as she could, -Mrs. Cox meanwhile
rubbing his chest with camphor. Witness asked what was
the matter, and Mrs. Cox replied, "Rub him as hard as
you can." He was not conscious at the time. Mrs. Cox
said to him, "Wake, Charlie, try and wake." Witness
was then sent by Mrs. Cox for more hot water, and
when she returned with it Mrs. Cox told her to mix
some mustard and water in the glass. Witness asked
how much, and Mrs. Cox seemed very impatient, and said,
"Make haste, Mary." Witness told her she had better mix
it herself, and Mrs. Cox did so, and gave some of it to Mr.
Bravo, but he could not swallow much. Mrs. Cox then told
her to get a strorg cup of coffee, and witness made it in the
kitchen. Mrs. Cox tried to give him some but he could not
swallow it—very little. Mr. Bravo was sick in my presence,
and I believe it was after he had the coffee. Mrs. Cox said
they had better try and get him up on his feet, but they could
not. She then called the other housemaid and asked her
to help them lift Mr. Bravo into the easy chair. They
got him into the easy chair some one fetched a
clean night shirt, and Mrs. Cox and Mrs. Bravo helped
to put it on Mr. Bravo. Mrs. Bravo told witness to get
some more hot water to put his feet in, and wane she was
, one for it the two ladies changed the night shirt. When
he doctors arrived Mrs. Bravo saidstothern, "My husband
Is very ill. I don't know what is the, matter with him. He
7bas taken his dinner all right." The witness then gave evi-
dence as to the treatment of the patient by the medical men
%and the distress evinced by Mrs Bravo. Mrs. Bravo spoke
to the doctors about sending for Mr and Mrs. Bravo, sena,
. -ad said, "If anything happens, I know if anything happens
' hey will never forgive me." On the Wednesday morn-
. t alien witness was in Mr. Bravo's bedroom, he said
-to her, "We shall not have our trip to Worthing now."
Witness said she hoped they would, and Mr. Brava then
r•liaid, "My next trip will be to Streatham churchyard."
'astddressisg Mrs. Bravo, he said, "What a bother I
vim to you all, Florry," and Mrs. Bravo said, "Don't say so,
(Marna ; it's no trouble." Mr. Bravo next said, "When you
there
we, Florry, make no fuss over ine,a and he asked that
there 'should be no feathers, or any fuss whatever. Mrs.
'Bravo said, "Don't say so, Charlie, but I won't it it's your
Wish." On the Thursday afternoon she went into the room,
but did not think that Mr. Bravo knew her, as be did not
, speak to her. She did not see Mr. Bravo alive any more.
Early on Friday morning, between four and five o'clock, Mrs.
Bravo came into witness's room. She was crying very much,
and caked her to get up and make her some tea ta itness
didt up and made some tea, and Mrs. Bravo told her Mr.
Bravo was dead, and that he had been dead a few minuaesa
They all seemed in great trouble. Mrs. Bravo, sen , Mo.
Cox, Mrs. Campbell, anti Mrs. W. Campbell were there. -Oa
-,By Mr. Lewis: Before Mrs. Ricardo married Mr. Bravo
she was visited by Dr. Gully. She did not remember his'
coming while they lived at Streatham. She did not know
where he lived whilst she was at Streatham, in fact whilst
there she had no knowledge of the existeace of Dr. Gully.
About a few weeks after removal to the Priory she knew Dr.
Gully. Ile was in the habit of visiting at the Priory. She saw Lim
there occasionally. She had seen him there in the morning,
at luncheou, and at dinner. He used to leave about nine or
ten. He continued his visits until September, when Mrs.
Ricardo became acquainted with Mr. Bravo The butler, Sir.
Daw, used to open the door. Mr. Gully was, she should
think, between sixty and seventy years of age. He was
called Dr. Gully. Mrs. Cox was living in the house
at the time of his visits. She had heard him call Mrs.
Ricardo "Florry," and Mrs. .Ricardo call him "James,"
Alter Mr. Bravo's marriage she used to see Mr. and Mrs, .
Bravo together, and she never heard the name of Dr.
Gully from either of them. During the four months he
never evinced any jealously, and he treated her with the
greatest affection and consideration, Ile usually called
her 'Florence." After he recovered consciousness he
was most affectionate to his wife, and she also treated
him with the greatest affection. She believed they
each of them did their utmost for their mutual happl.-
ness and 'comfort. He was always very kind to the Der-
, vents, all of whom were very fond of him. Mrs. Cox
did not tell witness that night that Mr. Bravo said he
had taken poison. It was not until after his death
that Mrs. Cox said so. During Mrs. Bravo's illness
Mrs. Cox slept with her, and she did so on
the night previous to Mr. Bravo's illness. Mrs. Cox and
Mrs. Bravo were on very intimate terms. Directly Mr, Bravo
was seized he called out for his wife. Mrs. Bravo drank the
marsala she took to be r bedroom. She noticed nothing
peculiar with Mrs. Bravo that night: It did not strike her
that she had taken too much wine. Witnesewas in the room
when Mrs. Bravo got on the bed beside her husband. She
did not know whether Mrs. Bravo went to sleep. She
saw Mrs. Bravo leave the room when the doctor re-
quested her to do so. Mrs. Cox was in the room when
Mr. Bravo was recovering consciousness. Neither Mrs.
Cex nor Mrs. Bravo, in witness's presence, asked him ale me
his illness. When Mr. Bravo was talking about his funeral
airs. Bravo was affected and crying, and she leaned over
him, and they kissed each other. On Tuesday morning she
went upstairs to ant his bedroom straight, just after her
breakfast, about nine o'clock, She could net bay whether the
water bottle was empty when Mr. Bravo called out, but she
remembered filling it up on Wednesday morning. She tidied
up his room after he had drsssed for dinner on the Tuesday
afternoon. .She filled up the water bottle then. Mr. Bravo
was ofteu in the habit of going upstairs to clean his teeth.
There was about a tumlyer ot water left iti the bottle
on Tuesday evening. Sue thought about flee or st
minutes elapsed between the time Sir. Bravo welu
Into his room and his calling out. She would not
undertake to say that a quarter of an hour did not elapse.
She took a little tray upstairs, and on it were a tea pot, auger
;'basin, a little milk, and some bread and butter. Mrs. Bravo
and Mrs. Bravo's father had speken to witness ab ou, the
time that elapsed, and Mrs. Bravo had said it must have
been more than five !Ideates. When Mr. B-avo called out
Mrs. Cox was sitting by the aide of Mrs. Bravo's bed. Mrs.
Bravo was asleep; Mrs. Cox was doing nothing. Mrs. Bravo
-often used to `have wine in her bedroom at night; Mrs. o,x
..did not. She knew of no season why he should commit
' illicide.
At the request of Sir IL James, the witness left the room.
James, said he was solicitor
Mr. Brooks, in reply to Sir IL

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