The Express.
London, England, 1866-07-06 00:00:00

SINGULAR DEATH OF A LADY AT BRIGHTON.

On Wednesday evening, the Brighton borough
coroner wee engaged for several hours in the preliminary
stage of an investigation into the circumstances attending
the death of Mrs. Ellen Vivian Warder, aged about 35 ears,
wife of Dr. Alfred William Warder. The lady
was the sister of Mr. R. Branwell, a anrgeoa at Brighton,
but neither she nor her husband resided there.
came on a visit to Brighton about two months ago, and
took lodgings in a house in Bedford-square. About six
weeks ago Mrs. Warder was attacked with illness. Her
husband himself attended on her till her brother, Mr.
Branwell, called in the aid of Dr. Taafe, of Brighton.
Dr. Taafe said he administered various remedies with-
out success, and finding that be could not account for the
disease by any natural cause, he communicated this fact
to Mr. Branwell. It was then agreed that if on Sunday
morning they could not come to a more decided conclusion
as to the diagnosis of the ease, another medical man should
be called in. On the Sunday morning, however, Mrs.
Warder died. Dr. Warder, on the suggestion being made
to him, assented to a post-mortem examination. This
was made by Dr. Taafe and two other medical men. They
all agree that death is not to be amounted for on natural
causes.

In answer to Mr. Stuckey, Dr. Taafe said Mr. Bramwell
never interfered professionally in the case. He did not
know, of his own knowledge, that his prescriptions had
been made up and taken, he trusted for that to Dr.
Warder, be took all that for granted. There was nothing
to show the deceased died from debilitating causes except
the formation of clots in the heart. He could not recognise
any disease in deceased during her lifetime, and the gimp-
toms were not reconcileable with any disease that he blew
of. The remedies he prescribed did not appear to sot as he
had been accustomed to their doing in other awes. Dr.
Warder said he had administered the largo doses of aconite
because nothing else seemed to allay the pain In deceased.
As deceased had been so comparatively well up to 10 o'clock
on Saturday night, he should have expected to find decided
traces of disease when she died before 6 o'clock next
morning. Deceased complained of difficulty of swal-
lowing—so much so that she sometimes took her medi-
cines in very small quantities, mere sips. After he bad
attended her for some time both the thirst and the morbid
appearance of the tongue disappeared, and did not return
till within a week of her death. Both then came on again.
Dr. William Withers Moore was present at the post-
mortem examination, and agreed in every particular in the
details given by Dr. nixie.
Coroner—Have you arrived at any opinion as to the
cause of death ?

Witness—l cannot reconcile the appearance of the body,
taken as a whole, with any known natural cause of death
that I am acquainted with. I had never seen deceased during
life. I have come to my opinion quite independently of
any other person.
Mr. Frederick William Jowers also assisted at the post-
mortem examination, and agreed with Dr. Taafe entirely
in the account he bad given thereof.
Coroner—And as to the cause of death!
Witness—l am not able to assign any cause for death. I
bad never seen her during life.
Mr. Stuckey—And was the opinion founded indepen-
dently ?
Witness—Entirely so.
Mr. Stuckey—You have had great experience in post-
mortem examinations, I think!
Mr. Jowers—l suppose I have made several hundreds.
Charlotte Lansden, living at 36, Bedford-square, Brigh-
ton, deposed that deceased and her husband came to lodge
there on the 23rd May last. Deceased did not appear to be
ill when she came to her house. She saw deceased die.
Dr. Warder rang a call-bell about half-past five on Sunday
morning as near as possible. Witness sent her servant im-
mediately, but the bell was rung a second time before the
servant reached the room. She followed her servant im-
mediately. Deceased was in bed and undressed. She was
not able to speak and seemingly unconscious. Her
countenance was very calm. Deceased died about six
o'clock. AN soon as the servant got downstairs she had
been sent for Mr. Branwell. Just as Mr. Branwell
arrived deceased breathed her Int. Witness never took
part in giving deceased any medicine. On Saturday
evening a sister, whom deceased ,addressed as Jane,
came in as witness was going to give deceased some food,
and she left the sister to do so. The food was arrow-
root, brandy and beef tea, mixed. Mrs. Warder went to
bed after ten o'clock on Saturday night, and she then
seemed very prostrate. Dr. Warder usually attended on
deceased, and gave her foal and medicine. Deceased had
no servant of her own, and there was no one with her
but her husband. Witness did not remember deceased
getting better for some time together; she did not see
deceased every day. The servant always put the vomited
matter away.
By Dr. Teafe—The arrowroot and milk was always sent
up boiling Viet, and I have remonstrated with her for
drinking it so quickly as she used to do.
By Mr. Stuckey—When I went into the room on
Sunday morning, when called, Dr. Warder told me she
was dying. I went up to the bed and looked at her.
Dr. Warder was quite dressed. My servant had told me
on the Saturday night that be was going to sit up. I then
went and offered to assist him, but deceased herself de-
clined my doing so. I have never given deceased food.
Dr. Warder used to ask me to do so if be did not get
back in time ; but, as a matter of fact, I have never given
her trod. I should say, I have a nephew staying with me
who is about six years old, and when I have not been in
the way he has often eaten all that has come down from
the room of deceased—the beef tea and so on. The win-
dows of the room were closed when I went in. _ _

By the jury—l did not smell the slightest odour when
I went in the room ; and it there had been any I should
have .lone so, for my sense of smell is very keen. When
he called us up Dr. Warder begged of my servant to go
for Mr. Branwell. He said he had rung the bell imme-
diately he had seen the change. Deceased could walk
on Saturday. I offered to assist her to a hand-chair at
the door; but she said she could do very well with Dr.
Warder. He told me she had walked from the sitting
-
room to the bed-room adjoining, when she went to bed.
I have given her food on one or two occasions, but not on
Saturday.
By Dr. Tsafe—l do not know whether the food remained
on her stomach. I did not stop with her.
By the jury—We gave her no stimulants to keep her
up during the half-pour she lived after I went into the
room. There were stimulants in the adjoining room,
but not in the bedroom. I asked Dr. Warder what she
had taken, and be said about as usual. On Saturday
night he had served out the essence of beef to make the
beef tea from a canister which he had. I bought all the
food they had in the house except the beef essence from
which the beef tea was made. The medicine used to come
mixed up in bottles in the ordinary way. Dr. Warder
did not tell me when I went into the room before she
died how long she had been in a sinking state. He said
she hail slept a good deal during the night. I asked him
was she conscious of her end, and he said, " No ; you
know how excitable she is." He also said that when she
woke she complained of prostration. He did not say how
long she bad been awake before he rang. When she came
to my house she said she was excitable, and that she did
not wish anyone about her, and therefore I did not in-
trude, and I did nut see her frequently. Dr. Warder
always remained with her when she was ill ; she could not
endure him to leave her for a moment. I never suggested
a nurse, for she told me she preferred her husband to do
eveifthing for her.
At this stage of the proceedings the inquiry was ad-
journed for ten days, the coroner informing the jury that
in the meantime he would direct Dr. Taylor to make an
analysis of the viscera and the contents of the stomach
and intestines.