The Forest of Dean Examiner : — 1876-08-18 (Blakeney, Gloucestershire, England)

THE CORONER'S SUMMING UP. VERDICT OF WILFUL MURDER.  The Court re-asaembled yesterday morning at hull. past ten o'clock, and the Coroner commenced his sueffiming-up. He said they were asked toted. verdict, when, how, and by what means Charles Delaney Turner Bravo came by his death. They would have no difficulty in coming to a decision that the deceased died 'on the 21st of April, 1876, at the Priory, and as little difficulty in finding that he died from the effects of antimony. That being no, the question that would remain for their consideration would be how that poison came into Mr. Bravo's body, and the inquiry into that subject naturally divided itself Into three heads Did he administer the antimony to himself Did he take it inadvertently? Or was it administered to him by other persons? Adverting to the seizure, he quoted extracts from the evidence with refer. ence to the visit of several medical gentlemen, nod Mrs. Cone statement that deceased bad told her that he had taken laudanum, but that she was "not to tell Florence." Hecalledattention to the remark made by Sir William Gull, on being called to the Priory, that the dmeased was not suffering from ' the effects of laudanum poisoning, and to the evidence of Mrs. Cox, who declared that, after the deceased had vomited, she discovered the odour of laudanum. The other converastions will& had taken place between the aitnesses as to the condition of the deceased nod the probable causes of his illness were also commented upon. and the deceaaed's emphatic denial that before God he had only taken laudanum, and that although he knew some one might be charged with giving him the poison he had only taken laudanum. The Coroner then rend the evidence touching the theory of some irritant poison having been administered, and the collection of the vomit. After conclnding the evidence on these potato, the coroner said, in oonsidering whether deoeased administered the antimony to himself, he would direct attention to the statement of Mrs. Cox, Iliad the deeesAed had told her that he had taken poison "for Dr. Gully," and the subsequent conversation she had alone with him, when he said, 'Why did you tell Florence? does Florence know I poisoned myself ?" and on the other. hand they must consider the repeated statements made by the deceseed to Sir William Gull and other niffiessee. The Coroner continued You will also weigh the evidence as to Mr. Bravo's character and mental condition, and if yon should be satisfied that he deliberatelyand knowingly took antimony with the intention of putting an end to his existence, you will find accordingly, and, also, whether erect he was then of a mend 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 seen and Mr. Bravo's statement to them amongst others" his statement to Sir Wm. Gull " I took it myself, I took it myself ; and before God it was only laudanum i" and if you should be of opinion either that he took the antimony medically, k-noveing it to be antimony. hot took an overdose of it, or that he took the antimony in mistake for some other dreg, yon will find accordingly, Considering whether the antimony was administered by any other person or pemons, I as, enable to point .your attention to any direct evidence hearing on the subject. Yon will conaider whether or not it is the fact that the wily evidence that antimony WM administered by himself or by another is the body of Mr. Bravo, and the vomit bond upon the bed. You will eoneider whether there is any evidence of the purchase of antimony by Mr. Bravo or any other person having means of access to him. Griffiths certainly said in evidence that he purchseed tartar emetic both at Smith's, Balbani, and Robinson's. Streatham, hot both these gentlemen denied the truth of his states scoot. and he himself says that he threw away what he had left before he left Mrs. Bravo's service in January. Before you can bring in. verdict of mur'ti. ZntteWrsP:„"oer, peo rraP:7'4ll.ll;m::7l:atensttreind the poison to Mr. Boom, or laid poison for him that he took it and was killed by it. The law will presume that the administration was malicious, although no particular enmity be proved.—The jury retired at 11,35, and after waiting two hours and a half, re tented into Court with the following verdict :—"We find that Mr. Bravo did not commit suicide, nod that he did not meet his death by misadventure, but was WILFULLY MURDERED by the :tdministralion of tarter emetic, but there is not sufficient eWdence to fir the guilt on any person or persons.