The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-03-06 00:00:00

AMERICAN BELLES IN—tßzu.l.a.NG.

"We are most of us in training for the winter
campaign," said a well-known New York belle the
other day. "No one has any idea of the strain upon
one's constitution when so much dancing, late hours,
and afternoon receptions and teas make up one's life
for five or six months," she continued. "Generally I
rise about ten o'clock, and breakfast while my maid
brushes my hair. Then at one o'clock lam off to a
luncheon, and only leave to attend three or four
receptions. Home again at half-past five to dress for
a dinner party, and then to the opera, and frequently
a ball after the opera. At two or three in the morn-
ing I am ready to go to bed; and this is the life I
have led for the last two seasons. What do I mean
by training? Well, you would call it training, I
think, and every society girl has to go through the
same regimen if she wants to keep her complexion
and health. Now, all the girls I know are
preparing for their first bath They go to
bed early, say at nine or ten o'clock, ar d sleep
until seven. Then they are given a bowl of beef-tea
before arising, and after they are dressed they must
take a walk, a ride, or drive in the open air. Coarse
oatmeal forms their chief dish for breakfast, and
after that meal they can go to the dressmaker's,
shopping, or calling, but must lunch at exactly the
same hour every day and wear a veil to protect their
complexions from contact with the cold air. "A.
low-neck dress is worn for awhile every evening," con-
tinued the belle with a sigh, "to accustom the arms
and neck to it, because you know a person wearing a
décolleté bodice for the first time in a ball-
room is apt to catch her death of cold, and
then her arms generally get so pink, instead of white.
Our greatest trials come after a dinner of bouillon,
bread and butter, and roast beef. Our maids spend
two hours or so polishing our arms and necks with
glycerine and rosewater, and another hour brushing
our hair. It's perfectly delightful, anyhow, with all
its drawbacks. The flowers, the music, the dancing
the lovely dresses, and the compliments are per-
fectly delightful. But I never could understand how
the young men keep up so well. Why, do you know,
after a ball at three o'clock in the morning most of
them go off to the club for an hour or two, ad son-
of them don't go to bed at all?"

TEE runico POISONING CASE.
sSENSATIONA.L DISCLOSURES.
At the Westminster Police-court on Friday,
Adelaide de in Trernoile Bartlett, thirty, widow, again
appeared charged with the murder of Edwin Thomas
Bartlett, her husband, at Claverton-street, Pimlico,
by administering to him chloroform on the night ot
Dec. 31 last, or early in the morning of New Year's
Day. The Rev. George Dyson, Wesleyan Methodist
minister, of Putney, also appeared to answer the
charge of being an accessory before the fact.
The first witness was Mr. Braxton Hicks, the
deputy-coroner for Westminster, who, examined by
Mr. Moloney, gave evidence as to the depositions
which he took at the inquest he held as to the cause
of the death of Mr. Bartlett.
Mrs. Doggett was called by Mr. Moloney and ex-
amined. The witness spoke of Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett
coming to reside at Claverton-street, and stated that
it was arranged that Mr. Dyson should visit them
once a week. That was what Mr. Bartlett said in the
presence of the female prisoner.
Mr. Beal objected that the statement of a dead
man was not evidence if he could not be called.
The Magistrate: That is the best evidence we can
have. A statement made in the presence of either of
the prisoners is clear') evidence.
The witness continued that the visits of Mr. Dyson
became more frequent after the first week, and he
came at all hours of the day—as early as 9.30 in the
morning. Mr. Bartlett usually left for business about
eight a.m. The visits lasted all day sometimes.
Lunch was served for both the prisoners, who would
sometimes walk out together. A serge coat and
slippers were kept for Mr. Dyson's use. When Mr.
Bartlett became ill Mr. Dyson's visits were less
frequent, and when he came he did not always go up
to Mr. Bartlett, but he always saw Mrs. Bartlett.
The night before his death Mr. Bartlett asked the
witness to come and sit down in his room. She had
seen him very much worse previously, and he said,
"I think the worst is over, and that I am getting
better." He was sitting in the easy chair in front of
the fir e. He had been out that day and had his tooth
extracted. Booth Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett said that Dr.
Leech had ordered the deceased to go to Torquay but
the female prisoner said," I think the journey will be
too far.' She also said to the witness, " Have you
ever taken chloroform ?" and when she replied that
she bad once, Mrs. Bartlett asked, " Was it a plea-
sant feeling ? " to which the reply was that it was
years ago, and she had forgotten. The female pri-
soner said: "Mr. Bartlett is in the habit of taking
some drops to make him sleep," and added, "Ten
drops is a strong dose, but I do not hesitate to give
him twelve." The witness did not remember what
was the name of the drops mentioned. Mr. Bartlett
said that he was going to get up an hour earlier the
next morning, as the days were getting lighter. Mr.
Dyson called that day, and went upstairs and saw
the deceased while at dinner. He had jugged hare
for dinner, and oysters and bread-and-butter for
supper. The witness did not again see Mr. Bartlett
until she was called to him at four o'clock the next
morniag, when he was dead. There was then a
good fire, which might have been attended to within
an hour.
Cross-examined by Mr. Lickfold: The statement
about the ten drops followed the conversation about
the chloroform. Mr. Bartlett heard the conversation.
She did not know that at the end of Mr. Bartlett's
illness Mr. Dyson was on a visit to his friends at
Poole. She had heard him say so before the coroner.
Mr. Dyson used frequently to remain at Claverton-
street until Mr. Bartlett returned, and they dined
together.
To Mr. Beal: It was customary to take upstairs
hot-water bottles for the use of the deceased.
Re-examined by Mr. Moloney: Mr. Bartlett was
not in the room when she saw Mr. Dyson wearing
the blue-serge coat.
Alice Fuleher (servant to the last witness), exa-
mined by Mr. Moloney, gave corroborative evidence
as to Mr. Dyson's visits to Claverton-street, and
added that she had seen Mrs. Bartlett and Mr. Dyson
sitting together on the sofa, and had seen the curtains
at the drawing-room window pinned together. She
had also seen Mrs. Bartlett and Mr. Dyson sitting
beside each other on the floor - -(laughter)—and on
other occasions Mrs. Bartlett on the floor with her
head on Mr. Dyson's knee, he sitting on a low chair.
Having deposed as to the meals taken by Mr. Bart-
lett on the day before his death, the witness said that
at 10.35 o'clock that evening, when she took some
coal upstairs, Mrs. Bartlett told her to bring up some
beef-tea, and leave it outside the door, and she would
fetch it; and also not go into the room again. Mr.
Bartlett was then on the camp-bedstead in the drawing-
room. On all previous occasions she had taken the
beef-tea into the room. That was the only time
she was told to leave it outside on the landing.
The next morning she saw the basin when she was
called to go to Dr. Leach. It was on the landing
where she left it, and the beef-tea was still in it. Mrs.
Bartlett said, "Alice, I want you to go for Dr. Leach i
at once. I think Mr. Bartlett is dead." About 8.30 '
she took down some glasses on a tray. She recol-
lected Mrs. Bartlett, on the night of Jan. 2, giving 1
her two letters to post—one for Mr. Dyson and the
other for Mr. Wood.
- Crosis-essminetl-try Mr. Bielifola. IN,. tke fire,* ti
she went last Saturday to the Treasury Offices and
made the general statement she had given in evidence
to-day. She had hardly ever gone into the room
when the prisoners were together unless Mrs. Bartlett
rang; but she might have gone in without being rung i
for when tradesmen called. The door was never I
locked. It was on the occasions when she was rung i
for that she saw the two prisoners in the positions she
described to Mr. Moloney.
Re-examined by Mr. Moloney: She could not ,
recollect the reason why she went into the room when
Mrs. Bartlett was resting her head upon Mr. Dyson's
knee. She used always before entering the room to
knock at the door.
' Edmund Blake, a police-constable, produced a plan
of the basement, ground and first floors of No. 85,
Claverton-street.
Edward Baxter, of No. 34, Doronda-road, Herne.
hill, examined by Mr. Moloney, said that for 13 years
he had been a partner with the deceased, and had
known him for 22 years. Had never known Lim to
be ill before the last illness, except four or five years
ago, when he was overworked and went away for a
change. The witness remembered the deceased's
marriage, and Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett living at Station-
road. On one occasion he saw Mr. Dyson at Station-
road. The deceased regularly attended to his business.
He went home ill on Dec. 8 last, and the witness
called upon him on the following Sunday, when he
found him very ill indeed. But on the following
Sunday he was better. The witness saw Mr. Bartlett
on the Wednesday night before he died, and stayed
two hours with him, when he was very much better,
and was very cheerful. After seeing the deceased on
the Friday after his death he went and fetched Mr.
Bartlett, sen. On no occasion did he see Mr. Dyson
at Claverton-street. The witness on Now Year's Day,
with Mr. Bartlett, sen., went into the room where the
dead body lay. The case was then adjourned.
The case was resumed on Saturday. The court was
densely crowded.
Mr. John Baltny Humble, chemist, of Putney, de-
posed: The Rev. Mr. Dyson came to my shop on the
28th of December, about 12 o'clock, and asked for
some chloroform. I said, "Do you require campho-
rated chloroform for toothache ?" and he said, "No,
pure chloroform." I showed him a half -ounce bottle, but
that was not large enough. An ounce bottle was pro-
duced, and he said that would do. He asked if it was
good for taking out grease spots. I gave him an
ounce bottle and labelled it, " Chloroform—poison."
In my book I have entered in a rough form (ready
money sale), "Chloroform, is. 3d." That was not a
register of poison, only a memorandum. Chloroform
is not a registered poison. The quantity sold was an
exceptionally large quantity without a prescription.
Mr. Thomas Samuel Penrose, managing the busi-
ness of Cadman and Co.'s, the Ridgway, Wimbledon,
deposed that tie recollected seeing Mr. Dyson about
twelve o'clock on the 28th. After some preliminary
conversation he asked for some chloroform for cleans-
ing purposes. He said he had been in the country
for a week, and one could tell how "clothes got in a
week in the country." The witness put up loz, in a
white round-shouldered bottle. After that he asked
for a double quantity (methylated chloroform), and
the witness replied that, .as it was so volatile, he
would take precaution. He put it up in two bottles,
tied the corks with string, and labelled each bottle
with the address, "Cadman and company, chloro-
form, poison." It was an unusual quantity without a
prescription, and he should not have sold it had he
I
not known Mr. Dyson well.
Mr. Joseph Richard Phillip Snelling, assistant to 1
his father, a chemist, of 26, High-street, Wimbledoa, I
said he had known Mr. Dyson for eighteen months. I
He believed that on Dec. 28 last Dyson came in and I
asked for chloroform for cleaning clothes and remov-
ing grease spots. In reply to the witness, he said that
he would not use ammonia or turpentine, as the
smell was offensive. He served him with I.', oz. or
2oz. of chloroform. It was in a blue bottle (produced),
, labelled "poison."
Mr. Athelstan Braxton Hicks, deputy coroner for
Westiniester, proved that the inquest over which he
presided was first held on Jan. 7. Depositions were
taken, and the inquiry adjourned to the 4th, Bth, 9th,
15th, and finally the 18th of February, on which day
the jury returned their verdict. He produced a
paper signed "George Dyson." The statement
was made by him, in the presence of the
witness, and reduced to writing. He was
sworn before he made the statement on Feb. 11,
and the inquest was adjourned at the end of his
evidence on that day, and a further statement
was made by him on oath on Feb. 15. He
made another statement on the 18th, the last day.
-,, Before that he had been cautioned as to what he
I should say, and Mr. Lickfold, his solicitor, was
Ipresent. He told Mr. Lickfold that he intended to
call Mr. Dyson if he wished to give evidence. At
that time Mr. Dyson was not regarded as a suspected
I person. After further conversation, Mr. Dyson was
tendered as a 7oluntary witness anxious to give evi-
dence. There was no formal statutory caution, but
1 such as could be given under the peculiar circum-
stances. Mrs. Bartlett was present during the greater
part of 3slr. Dyson's evidence.
Mr. Beal objected to the evdence on the ground
that a man's confession could not be made evidence
against his accomplice mentioning in support of his
argument the case of Crawford v. Crawford. After a
1
long legal argument it was arranged that on Friday
next, at 2 o clock, the deputy coroner should anin
attend. Mr. Partridge stating on the auestion of the

reception of one of the accused as against the other,
that he could not reject the evidence. The practice
was as cld as the hills, and he could not find anything
that authorised him to exclude the statement from the
cognisance of the jury.
Alfred Leach, F.R.C.S., and Licentiate of the
College of Apothecaries, Charlwoo-l-street, Pimlico,
said: I was called in to attend the deceased by Mrs.
Bartlett at 0.30 in the morning of Dec. 10. The
deceased was sitting on a sofa with his face to the
window. He was suffering from diarrhcea, hypo-
chondriasis, and sickness. There was a blue line
round the gums which were spongy. Ho complained
of pains in the abdomen and slight salivation. I con-
tinued to attend him until his death. The blue line
on the gums only disappeared when the part affected
sloughed off. I attributed his condition primarily to
dyspepsia; and, secondarily, to mercurial poisoning.
On the 12th I had a consultation about the deceased
with Mr. Roberts, by whom some stumps of teeth were
drawn from the upper jaw. At about four o'clock on
the day before his death I saw the deceased, and
took him to a dentist's at 49, Charlwood-street,
and saw an anxstnetic administered (nitrous
oxide gas). I adninistered it myself. He was
under that gas about 25 seconds, during which the
tooth was extracted. He then returned home in a
hansom with Mrs. Bartlett, at least I saw them go.
I saw him dead at 4.30 on the morning of his death.
When I went into the roam Mr. Doggett and Mrs.
Bartlett were there. The body was on a camp bedstead.
Did you examine the body? Yes; the nightdress was
open. The under vest, if present, was certainly open
too, for the breast was exposed. Deceased was lying
on his back, with the arms crossed on the abdomen.
The eyelids were almost closed,pupils dilated; mouth
slightly open; tongue very white; the upper surface
of the body very cold; the under surface very warm
—at the warmest point not under 95 degrees. Did
you notice any smell when you went into the room?
No; except a slight smell of brandy. I afterwards
sniffed about for any slight Odour. What was the
result? Nil. Before I -left I opened the window
in order to let out the odour of brandy and supper.
How long should you say Mr. Bartlett had been
dead when you saw him? Over three hours. Did
you then form any opinion as to the cause of
death? I formed negative ones; but no positive
ones. Mrs. Bartlett, and I think Mr. Doggett, were
present. I said, "He has probably died from the
rupture of some small aneurism, or blood vessel."
Was there anything in his previous condition to
account for his so sudden death? Nothing whatever.
Mr. Moloney: Did you say anything about a certifi-
cate? Yes; I said I cannot give a certificate. There
must be a post-mortem. Was anything said about an
inquest? Mrs. Bartlett said, "Must there be an
incmest ?” emphasising the word must. I replied,
"There must be a post-mortem. We must get a
pathologist." Had you said anything to Mrs. Bartlett
about consulting Dr. Dudley before you brought him?
Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett both requested me to bring some
one with me, saying that Mr. Bartlett's friends were
unkind to Mrs. Bartlett, and had said bad things about
her. If he lay there much longer, and did not recover,
and should get worse or die, they would accuse her of
ill-treating or poisoning him. Mr. Bartlett himself
added, "They want to send me a physician themselves,
but I will only see one you bring. I do this for the
protect-ion of my wife." Did you communicate the
effect of that to Dr. Dudley? I did, and told Dr.
Dudley what he really was suffering from. Mr. Part-
ridge: Did you suggest the name of Dr. Dudley? I
think I did, as being the nearest practitioner I knew.
Mr. Moloney: Was there a nurse besides Mrs. Bart-
lett? There was not. She acted as nurse, and carried
out my instructions.
The case was then adjourned until the following
Friday.