The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-02-27 00:00:00

LORD ROSEBERY ON LIBERAL
ORGANISATION:

A meeting of the general council of the Scottish
Liberal Association in Edinburgh, the Earl of Elgin
in the chair, the following letter from Lord hosebery
was read: "I cannot find time to write to you what
is in my mind on the important subject which will
engage your attention, but the salient fact is this—
that almost all our Liberal associations require re.
organisation, if not reconstruction altogether, their
exact relation to. the Liberal party of the districts
being defined with a clear definition of their duties,
We have much to learn yet, and perhaps from some
bitter experience, before we can arrive at a satis-
factory solution of these difficult problems. I would
urge that some small committee be appointed to con.
Bider the subject very thoroughly, and to report to a
later meeting of the association. Some of the loca
associations have perhaps exceeded the proper
functions, and some are not held in proper respect,
often not from their own fault, but from the absti-
nence of Liberals, who ought to combine, for the sake
of the party, to make these organisations as useful
and as representative as possible. How far a Liberal
association may carry its functions without straining
its authority is also an important point; but the
main thing, to my mind, is this—To get as large a
number as possible of the Liberals of the district to
elect the representatives who form the executive
council. Unless you have a broad base to rest upon,
you can neither hope for authority nor command re.
snect.

THE PIMLICO POISONING MYSTERY;
THE WIDOW AND THE REV. GEORG
DYSON ARRAIGNED FOR MURDER.

The conclusion of the coroner's inquiry into the
cause of death of Edwin Thos. Bqrtlett, of Claverton-
stieet, Pimlico, on New Year', Eve, was arrived at
on the 18th inst., when the jury found the following
verdict: "That the deceased died from the effect of
chloroform administered by his wife for the purpose
of taking his life, and that the Rev. George Dyson
was an accessory before the fact." They added as a
rider the suggestion that application should be made
to the proper authorities to include chloroform and
all such poisons of a dangerous character in the first
part of Schedule A of the Sale of Poisons Act, and
that further precautions and restrictions should be
placed upon their sale.
The Rev. George Dyson was immediately arrested
on a warrant made out by the coroner, and on Friday
afternoon he was brought up by the side of Mrs.
Bartlett at the Westminster Police-court before Mr.
Partridge. Adelaide Bartlett, 30, of 66, Gresham-
street, City, was charged with causing the death of
her husband, by the wilful administration of chloro-
form, on or about midnight, 31st December, 1885; ,
and Mr. Dyson, 27, described as a NV esleyan
minister, of 18, Park-fields, Putney, was charged with
being concerned with the said Adelaide Bartlett in
causing Mr. Bartlett's death.
Mr. Moloney appeared for the Public Prosecutor,
instructed by Mr. Frayling, from the Solicitors'
Department of the Treasury; Mr. Beal, instructed by
Mr. Wood, defended the female prisoner; and Mr.
Lickfold, of the firm of Messrs. Lewis and Lewis,
appeared on behalf of Mr. Dyson.
The evidence of Inspector Marshall, of the B
Division was read over as to the apprehension of Mrs.
Bartlett, and he went on to say that on Monday last
he went with the prisoner Dyson to Wandsworth
Common, and found the bottle produced.
Edwin Thomas Bartlett, of 44, Chaucer-road,,
Herne Hill, carpenter and builder, was then called,
and stated that his deceased son was fcrty years of age •
in October last. He was married in April, 1875, at
St. John's narish church, Croydon, by licence. The
maiden name of his wife was Adelaide de la
Tremoyle. After the nuptial ceremony Mrs. Bartlett
was sent to a school at Stoke Newington, in the care
of Miss Dodd. Daring the vacation she lived with her -
husband at Herne Hill. Subsequently she went to
Belgium for about a year and nine months, and the
deceased frequently went to see her there. About
July, 1877, she returned and lived with her husband
at Herne Hill. On the death cf the witness's wife he
went to live with them, and continued to do so for
about six years. In the summer of 1885 they went to
Dover, and he visited them there. After a brief stay
there, and subsequently at an hotel in the Strand,
they went to live in Claverton-street, where his son
died. About 22 days before his son's death he heard
that he was ailing, and visited him at Claverton street.
He said in the presence of his wife that the medical
gentleman who was attending him had told him that
he had been poisoned with mercury. On a subse-
quent occasion when he called he was not allowed to
see his son. A letter from the female prisoner to the
witness, dated Dec. 28, was read, stating that she was
surprised to learn that he was anxious about " Edwin's "
health; but he must place himself on the same boting
as other people, and visit the house when invited. Qn
the Monday following the ieceipt of the letter he went
to Claverton-street, and Eaw his son in the front
drawing-room on a sort of bedstead in an eiderdown
quilted dressing-gown. The deceased said he was a
deal better, and that he should soon be at business
again. The next thing the witness heard about his
son was that he was dead. Thi3 was on New Year's
Day. He went to Claverton-street with Mr. Baxter,
and they saw Mrs. Bartlett in the smoking-room. She
said, " Edwin is dead." Mrs. Matthews was with her
at the time, and, the witness believed, the Rev. Mr.
Dyson. After a long conversation whispered in a
corner of the room between Sirs. Bartlett and Mr.
Dyson, he was permitted to go upstairs. As he was
going out of the room his daughter-in-law placed her
arms round hisneck, and said, "My dear father, don't
fret. It shall make no odds to you. I will see you
never want. It shall be just the same as if Edwin
was alive." The witness then went into the front
drawing-room and saw his son's body. He
smelt the dead man's mouth for prussic
acid, but did not detect an odour of that poison. He
was very much excited at the time, and turned to
Dr. Leach, who was standing by the fireplace, and
said, "We must have a post-mortem examination.
This must not pass." Mrs. Bartlett heard what he
said, and made no reply. Dr. Leach said: "We must;
for I cannot grant a certificate without." Mr. Dyson
was present, and said he could not go out; but he did
go.
By Mr. Maloney: Was anything said about who
was to be present at the post-mortem exam.ination ?
—Mr. Leach suggested that Dr. Green, of Charing-
cross Hospital, Dr. Murray, and himself. I waited
outside the house till Dr. Green came out. After-
wards I went in, and was generally informed of the
result of the examination. Mrs. Bartlett was in the
room when the result was announced that the body was
healthy and well nourished, and that there was no sign
ot disease. I think Dr. Dudley made that announce-
ment. Mrs. Bartlett's solicitor was present. Mrs.
Bartlett and I left the room together, and I kissed
her and wished her good-bye. My impression is that
he was worth something like £16,000.

Mr. Frederick Horace Doggett, the landlord of the -
house in Claverton-street, where the deceased died,
said that Mrs. Bartlett called him to the room where
the dead body lay. There was an odour, it struck
him, of chloric ether. Dr. Leach arrived son after.
The witness looked round the room cursorily, and he
and Dr. Leach smelt the bottles about the place. Mrs.
Bartlett did not leave the room till he did. The
deceased lay on a chair-bedstead, but in the back
room there was a proper bed, and there was a large
fire that had evidently been attended to within a
comparatively short time; and that struck him par-
ticularly, as Mrs. Bartlett said she had been asleep
for three hours.

The witness here recapitulated part of his, evidence,
and the case was adjourned until Friday.

A Croydon correspondent called at the parish
church on Saturday, and was shown the register of
the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett, which, it
appeared, was solemnised on April 7th, 1875, by the•
Rev. W. Wilks, who is now vicar of Shirley, by
special license. Mr. Bartlett is described as "Thomas
Edwin Bartlett, full age, grocer, of the parish of St.
Paul, Herne-hill, Lambeth, and son of Edwin Bart-
lett, cabinetmaker," and Mrs. Bartlett is described as
"Adelaide de in Tremoille de Thouars de Escury,
aged 19, spinster, of Croydon, daughter of Adolphe
Collot de in Tremoille Comte de Thouars de Escury,
professor of mathematics." The register was
signed by William Chamberlain and Caroline
Ann James, the latter of whom subsequently
married a cousin of Mr. Bartlett's. It now seems
that the deceased obtained his first knowledge of the
grocery business as assistant to Mr. Whit'aker, who
was some years ago in the occupation of a shop at 68,
South-end, Croydon, and Mr. Bartlett was much liked I
in that locality. The Mr. Whittaker alluded to
eventually became manager to Messrs. Baxter and
Bartlett, and he now has charge of the Milkwood-
road, Brixton, shop. Mr. Bartlett was married from
the house of his uncle, Mr. Russen, the well-known
Croydon and London carrier, and the wedding, which
is stated to have been "a quiet one," took place early
in the morning.
A Poole correspondent says that the prisoner
Dyson, who is the son of the Rev. J. B. Dyson,
Wesleyan minister of that place, has written a lettter
to his parents, received on Friday morning, in which
he declares before God that he is innocent, and can
sleep peacefully until the trial, when he feels assured
of a verdict of acquittal at the hands of his fellow-
countrymen. He speaks in the most endearing terms
of his mother, and tells her that her boy is inno-
cent, and begging her not to fret. He also speaks
encouragingly to his aged father and sisters, all
of whom he asked to pray to God in his behalf
that justice may be done. He has told the truth,
and it is for his fellow countrymen to be-
lieve or disbelieve what he had spoken. The fol-
lowing letter, dated last Thursday morning, has been
received by a friend of Dyson, at Poole: "My dearest
Bernard—Just a line to you to say I am feeling calm
and very hopeful. No one sees more clearly than I
the frightful suggestions of the facts to which I have
confessed, but invincibly strong in the consciousness
of perfect innocence. Nay, I can remember that the-
fatal New Year's Eve was spent by me in prayer for
the sick man, and, as I thought, his faithful atten-
dant. You must not worry for me. If you could
look at my face, and look into my heart, you would
see that I am perfectly free from distraction myself.
I have told the facts. Now they must deal according
to therm or disbelieve. I receive hosts of letters of
confidence. Good-bye, my dear fellow. Pray that
justice may have sway. They had a special prayer
meeting at Putney for me. Best love, GEORGE."