The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Notting Hill Mystery, by Charles Felix
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Title: The Notting Hill Mystery
Author: Charles Felix
Illustrator: George du Maurier
Release Date: June 30, 2014 [EBook #46153]
[Last updated: July 21, 2014]
Language: English
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THE NOTTING HILL MYSTERY.
By
CHARLES FELIX
As it appeared in the magazine "Once A Week"
(November 1862 - January 1863)
[_It is unnecessary for us to state by what means the following papers
came into our hands, and it would be no compliment to the penetration
of our readers if we indicated beforehand the nature of the mystery
they are supposed to unravel. It will, however, require a very close
attention to names and dates to comprehend the view of the compiler, as
to the case he is investigating; and, so far, it is requisite to rely
on the reader's patience and discernment. The whole particulars of the
case will extend to some seven or eight numbers of "Once a Week" and
some things which are dark at first will appear clearer in the sequel.
If the compiler has really discovered a new species or description of
crime, it is natural that the evidence of it, which is circumstantial,
should be somewhat difficult of acceptance. The illustrations are
simply added to make the reader's task more agreeable, but, of course,
it is not pretended that they were made simultaneously with the events
they represent._]
_Mr. R. Henderson to the Secretary of the ---- Life Assurance
Association._
"Private Enquiry Office, Clement's Inn,
"GENTLEMEN, "17th Jan, 1858.
"In laying before you the extraordinary revelations arising from my
examination into the case of the late Madame R**, I have to apologise
for the delay in carrying out your instructions of November last.
It has been occasioned, not by any neglect on my part, but by the
unexpected extent and intricacy of the enquiry into which I have been
led. I confess that after this minute and laborious investigation I
could still have wished a more satisfactory result, but a perusal
of the accompanying documents, on the accuracy and completeness of
which you may fully rely, will I doubt not satisfy you of the unusual
difficulty of the case.
"My enquiries have had reference to a policy of assurance for 5000_l_.,
the maximum amount permitted by your rules, on the life of the late
Madame R**, effected in your office by her husband, the Baron R**, and
bearing date 1st November, 1855. Similar policies were held in the
---- of Manchester, the ---- of Liverpool, the ---- of Edinburgh, and
the ---- of Dublin, the whole amounting to 25,000_l_.; the dates, 23rd
December, 1855, 10th January, 25th January, and 15th February, 1856,
respectively, being in effect almost identical. These companies joined
in the instructions under which I have been acting; and, from the
voluminous nature of this letter and its enclosures, I shall be obliged
by your considering my present reply as addressed to them conjointly
with yourselves.
"Before entering upon the subject of my investigations, it may be
as well to recapitulate the circumstances under which they were
originated. Of these the first was the coincidence of dates, above
noticed; and an apparent desire on the part of the assurer to conceal
from each of the various offices the fact of similar policies having
been elsewhere simultaneously effected. On examining further into the
matter your Board was also struck with the peculiar conditions under
which the marriage appeared to have taken place, and the relation in
which Madame R** had formerly stood to the Baron. To these points,
therefore, my attention was especially directed, and the facts thus
elicited form a very important link in the singular chain of evidence I
have been enabled to put together.
"The chief element of suspicion, however, was to be found in the very
unusual circumstances attendant on the death of Madame R**, especially
following so speedily as it did on the assurance for so large an
aggregate amount. This lady died suddenly on the 15th March, 1857,
from the effects of a powerful acid taken, it is supposed, in her
sleep, from her husband's laboratory. In the Baron's answers to the
usual preliminary enquiries, forwarded for my assistance, and herewith
returned, there is no admission of any propensity to somnambulism.
Shortly, however, after the occurrence had been noticed in the public
prints, a letter to the Secretary of the Association from a gentleman
recently lodging in the same house with Baron R**, gave reason to
suspect that in this respect, at least, some concealment had been
practised, and the matter was then placed in my hands.
"On receipt of your instructions, I at once put myself in communication
with Mr. Aldridge, the writer of the letter in question. That
gentleman's evidence certainly goes to show that, within at least a
very few months after the date of the latest policy, Baron R** was
not only himself aware of such a propensity in his wife, but desirous
of concealing it from others. Mr. Aldridge's statements are also to
a certain extent supported by those of two other witnesses; but,
unfortunately, there are, as will be seen, circumstances calculated
to throw considerable doubt upon the whole of this evidence, and
especially on that of Mr. Aldridge, from which alone the more important
part of the inference is drawn. The same must, unfortunately, be said
with regard to some other parts of the evidence, as will be more
clearly seen when the case itself is before you.
"From his statement, however, in conjunction with other circumstances,
I learned enough to induce me to extend my researches to another very
singular case, which not long since had given rise to considerable
comment.
"You will, no doubt, remember that in the autumn of 1856 a gentleman
of the name of Anderton was arrested on suspicion of having poisoned
his wife, and that he committed suicide whilst awaiting the issue of a
chemical enquiry into the cause of her death. This enquiry resulted in
an acquittal, no traces of the suspected poison being found; and the
affair was hushed up as speedily as possible, many of Mr. Anderton's
connections being of high standing in society, and naturally anxious
for the honour of the family. I must, however, acknowledge the
readiness with which, in the interest of justice, I have been furnished
by them with every facility for pushing my enquiries, the results of
which are now before you.
"In reviewing the whole facts, and more especially the series of
remarkable coincidences of dates, &c., to which I beg to direct your
most particular attention, two alternatives present themselves. In the
first we must altogether ignore a chain of circumstantial evidence
so complete and close-fitting in every respect, as it seems almost
impossible to disregard; in the second, we are inevitably led to a
conclusion so at variance with all the most firmly established laws of
nature, as it seems almost equally impossible to accept. The one leaves
us precisely at the point from which we started; the other involves the
imputation of a series of most horrible and complicated crimes.
"Between these alternatives I am constrained to confess my own
inability, after long and careful study, to decide. I have determined,
therefore, simply to submit for your consideration the facts of the
case as they appear in the depositions of the several parties from
whom my information has been obtained. These I have arranged, as far
as possible, in the form in which they would be laid before counsel,
should it ultimately be deemed advisable to bring the affair into
Court. In view, however, of the extreme length of the case, I have
given, in a condensed form, the substance of such of the depositions as
did not seem likely to suffer from such treatment. The more important I
have left to tell their own tale, and, in any case, my abstract may be
at once checked by the originals, all of which are enclosed.
"Should your conclusions be such as have been forced upon myself,
further deliberation will yet be required with reference to the course
to be pursued; a point on which, in such case, I confess myself almost
equally unable to advise. Whether in a matter so surrounded with
suspicion, it might not be well, in any event, to resist the claim,
is certainly a question to be considered. On the other hand, even
assuming the fullest proof of the terrible crimes involved, it is a
matter calling for no less careful consideration, whether they would be
found of a nature to bring the criminal within reach of the law. For
the present, however, our concern is with the facts of the case, and
ulterior questions had better be left on one side until that issue is
decided, when, I conclude, I shall hear further from you on the subject.
"In conclusion, I must trouble you with a few words on a point which
seems to require explanation. I allude to the apparent prominence
I have been compelled to afford to the workings of what is called
'Mesmeric Agency.' Those, indeed, who are so unfortunate as to be
the victims of this delusion, would doubtless find in it a simple,
though terrible solution of the mystery we are endeavouring to solve.
But while frankly admitting that it was the passage from the 'Zoist
Magazine,' quoted in the course of the evidence, which first suggested
to my mind the only conclusion I have as yet been able to imagine, I
beg at the outset most distinctly to state, that I would rather admit
my own researches to have been baffled by an illusory coincidence, than
lay myself open to the imputation of giving the slightest credit to
that impudent imposture. We must not, however, forget that those whose
lives have been passed in the deception of others, not unfrequently
end by deceiving themselves. There is, therefore, nothing incredible
in the idea that the Baron R** may have given sufficient credence to
the statement of the 'Zoist,' above-mentioned, for the suggestion to
his own mind of a design, which by the working of a true, though most
mysterious, law of Nature, may really have been carried out. Such,
at least, is the only theory by which I can attempt, in any way, to
elucidate this otherwise unfathomable mystery.
"Awaiting the honour of your further commands,
"I am, Gentlemen, very faithfully yours,
"RALPH HENDERSON."
SECTION I. THE CASE.
Extracts from Correspondence of the Honourable Catherine B**.[1]
1. _From Lady Boleton to Honourable C. B** (undated), about October or
November of_ 1832.
"Oh, auntie, auntie, what shall I do? For three nights I have not
closed my eyes, and I would not write even to you, auntie dear, because
I kept hoping that, after all, things might come right, and he would
come back again. Oh, how I have listened to every sound, and watched
the road till my poor eyes ache! And now this is the fourth day since
he went away, and, oh, auntie, I am so frightened, for I am sure he is
gone after that dreadful man, and, oh, if he should meet him, I know
something terrible will happen, for you can't tell how he looked, poor
Edward, I mean, when he went away. But, indeed, auntie, you must not be
angry with him, for I know it was all my own fault, for I ought to have
told him everything long ago, though indeed, indeed, I never cared for
him, and I do love dear Edward so dearly. I was afraid....
[Here the MS. becomes in places very blotted and illegible.]
... and I thought it was all at an end, and then ... and only a
fortnight ago we were so happy ... married hardly seven months and ...
but you must not think I am complaining of him, dear auntie, for you
don't know how.... Only if you can, come to me, for I feel getting so
ill, and you know it is only God bless you, auntie; oh, do come to me
if you can.
"GERTRUDE BOLETON."
2. _Extract of letter from the Same to the Same, written about four
days later._
* * * * *
"I am so sorry to hear you are so ill; don't try to come, darling
auntie; I shall do somehow, and if not, anything is better than this
horrible suspense.... No tidings yet, but I cannot write more, for I
can hardly see to guide the pen, and my poor head seems to open and
shut. God bless you, auntie.
"G."
"I open my letter to thank you so much for sending dear kind Mrs. Ward;
she came in so unexpectedly (in a blue [2]) just as if she had come
from heaven. I wonder if she has seen Ed....?
[Here the MS. ends suddenly.]
3. _From Mrs. Ward to Honourable C. B**, enclosing the above._
"Beechwood,[3] Tuesday night.
"MY DEAR CATHERINE,
"I fear I have but a poor account to give you of our dear Gertrude.
Poor child! when I came into the room, and saw her looking so pale and
wan, and with great black circles round her eyes, I could scarcely
keep in my own tears. She gave a little cry of joy when she saw me,
and threw herself upon my neck; but a moment after, turned to the
writing table and tore open the letter I send you with this, and which
was lying ready for the post. The long-continued strain seems to have
been too much for her, and she had hardly written a line when her head
began to wander, as you will see from the conclusion of her postscript,
and in trying to write her husband's name she broke down altogether,
and went off into a fit of hysterics which lasted for several hours.
She is now, I am thankful to say, comparatively calm again, though at
times her head still wanders, and she seems quite unable to close her
eyes, but lies in her bed looking straight before her, and occasionally
talking to herself in a low voice, but without seeming to notice
anything. I have endeavoured, as far as I dared, to draw from her the
history of this sad affair, but can get nothing, poor child, but eager
assurances that it was 'all her fault,' and that 'indeed, indeed, _he_
was not to blame.' It seems as though my coming--though certainly a
great relief to her--had had the effect of putting her on her guard
lest anything should escape her unfavourable to her husband, and her
whole faculties seem to be concentrated in the endeavour to shield
him from reproach. I fear, however, there can be no doubt that he has
been very seriously to blame; indeed, from all I can gather, the fault
seems to have been entirely on his side. What is the precise history
of this unhappy business I have not been able to learn; but it seems
that Sir Edward, who is certainly a most violent young man, and I
fear also of a most jealous temperament, contracted some suspicion
with regard to that Mr. Hawker who so perseveringly persecuted poor
Gertrude the winter before last, and to have left Beechwood, after a
very distressing scene, in pursuit of him. Mr. Hawker is supposed to be
on the Continent, and it is known that Sir Edward took the Dover Road,
which, as you know, passes close by this place. This is all I can at
present learn with any certainty, though I hear but too much from the
servants, who are all in such a state of indignation at Sir Edward's
treatment of their mistress, that I have the utmost difficulty in
restraining it from finding some open vent. Should I hear more, I will
of course let you know at once; but meanwhile I cannot conceal from you
my deep anxiety for our dear Gertrude, whose poor little heart seems
quite broken, and for whom I am in hourly dread of the effect but too
likely to be produced, in her present delicate state, by the anxiety
and terror from which she is suffering.... You know how much I always
disliked the match, and I feel more than ever the impropriety of
consigning so young and sensitive a girl to the care of a man of such
notoriously uncontrollable temper. Poor thing! this is evidently not
the first time she has suffered from it, and even should she herself
escape without permanent injury to her constitution, I dread the effect
upon the child.... And now I must close this long and sad letter, but
will write again should anything fresh occur; meantime, I cannot be
longer away just now from Gertrude's side. I hope your own health is
improving. My love to little Henry, and tell him to be very good while
I am away.
"Your affectionate
"HELEN WARD."
4. _The Same to the Same._
"Beechwood, Monday morning.
"MY DEAR CATHERINE,
"I am sorry to say I can still send you no better account of poor
Gertrude. Since I last wrote by Saturday evening's post[4] very little
change has taken place, though she is certainly more restless, poor
child, and I fear also, if anything, weaker. She now constantly asks
for letters, and seems impressed with the idea that we are keeping them
from her, as indeed, in her present state, I should, I think, take the
responsibility of doing, if any arrived. The newspaper I have always
kept from her until it has first been carefully examined. I am dreading
fever, though by the doctor's advice I have not attempted to dissuade
her from getting up. The exertion, however, is almost more than she can
bear, and I am looking anxiously for his next visit. She lies all day
on the sofa, looking out of the window, which commands a view of the
Dover Road. This morning she seems growing more and more restless, and
I am waiting with inexpressible anxiety for Dr. Travers.
"Eleven o'clock.
"The doctor has been, and confirms my fear of approaching fever, which,
however, he says may possibly pass off. He has ordered me to lie down
at once for some hours, as I have hardly been in bed since I arrived,
and he says if fever should come on I shall want all the strength I can
get. I shall keep this letter open, to send you by the evening's post
the latest account.
"Wednesday.
"All is over. I can hardly command myself sufficiently to write, and
yet I must tell you what has happened. Oh, my dear Catherine, how shall
I ever forgive myself for leaving poor dear Gertrude; and yet I know
that this is foolish, for I was ordered to do so for her sake. But I
must come at once to the sad news I have to tell. I left poor Gertrude
in the charge of her maid, with strict injunctions to call me if there
should be any change; but the poor child seems suddenly to have grown
quieter, and at length to have fallen asleep. The maid watched her
until just four o'clock, when, overcome with weariness, she herself
dropped off into a doze, and on waking at a little before five, was
horrified to find herself alone. She flew at once to me, but I had
hardly got to the top of the stairs when some one came running up to
say that the postman was below, and had just met with poor Gertrude,
who had been watching for him at the gate. She enquired eagerly after
letters, and on being told there were none, asked for the newspaper,
which she at once hurried away with into a part of the grounds called
the Wilderness, while the postman, fearing from her manner that
something was amiss, came on to the house to tell what had occurred.
I need not tell you with what anxiety I hastened to the Wilderness,
and there, poor girl, we found her, stretched upon the turf close by
the edge of the lake, with the fatal newspaper in her hand. I had her
taken carefully to the house, and a man despatched on horseback for the
doctor; but before he arrived she had recovered consciousness, only,
poor child, to be at once seized with the signs of her approaching
trouble. From that moment until she breathed her last--an hour ago
--I have never left her side. After nearly thirty hours of the most
terrible suffering I have ever witnessed, she at length gave birth to
two poor little girls, both so small and weak-looking that it is quite
piteous to see them. The elder in especial, which was born about an
hour before the second, is so weak and sickly, that the doctor says it
is scarcely possible it can live, and, indeed, one can hardly hope that
it may. The second seems stronger, but both are very small and weakly
even considering their premature birth.
"Poor Gertrude now sank rapidly, and though every means was tried,
and she still lingered on for three or four hours, she at last sank
altogether, passing away at the last so quietly that we hardly knew
that she was gone. Poor darling, I always loved her as being such a
favourite with you all.... One word before I close as to the paper
which was the unhappy cause of this terrible blow. It contained, as I
had feared, the long-dreaded intelligence of Sir Edward's fatal quarrel
with Mr. H.; and I send it off by the same post, as you will wish to
know the sad particulars. I cannot write more now, for I am fairly worn
out, and must take some rest. You know how deeply I sympathise with
you....
"Most affectionately yours,
"HELEN WARD."
5. _Extract from the_ "Morning Herald," _of the 12th of November,_ 1832.
"_Fatal Duel at Dieppe._--We learn from the Paris papers, that an
extraordinary and fatal duel took place some days since in the
neighbourhood of Dieppe, between two Englishmen, neither of whom have
as yet been identified. It appears that the parties encountered each
other in the court-yard of the Hotel de l'Europe, where one of them,
whose linen bears the mark of C. G. H., had been staying for some
days. The new comer at once assailed the other evidently with the most
opprobrious language, to which Mr. H. replied with equal warmth, but
the conversation being carried on in English, was unfortunately not
understood by any one present. The altercation at length grew so warm
that the landlord was compelled to interfere, and the parties then
left the hotel together. A few hours afterwards Mr. H. returned, and
calling for his bill, hastily packed his portmanteau, and departed. He
has since been traced to Paris, where he was lost sight of altogether.
Early the next morning a rumour spread that the body of an Englishman
had been found in a vineyard, about a mile distant from the town, and
on enquiry it proved that the victim was no other than the gentleman
with whom the dispute had occurred on the previous night. It was
evident on examination that the unfortunate man must have fallen in
fair fight, though no seconds appear to have been present during the
encounter. A pistol, recently discharged, was firmly grasped in the
hand of the dead man; and at a dozen paces distant lay its fellow,
evidently the weapon with which he had been killed. The fatal wound,
too, was exactly in that portion of the chest which would be exposed
to an adversary's fire, and had evidently pierced the heart, so that
death must have been instantaneous. The weapons, too, with which the
fatal duel was fought appear to have been the property of the deceased.
They were a very handsome pair of duelling pistols, hair triggers,
and evidently of English make. On the butt of each was a small silver
shield, bearing the initials "E. B.," and an armed hand grasping a
crossbow. The initials of the unfortunate gentleman's opponent were,
as we have said, C. G. H.; and we have reason to fear that the victim
was a young baronet, of considerable landed property, with whose sudden
departure for the Continent rumour has for some time been busy.
"Since our first edition went to press, we have received further
particulars, which leave no room for doubt that the victim of the
above fatal occurrence was, as we feared, Sir Edward Boleton, Bart.,
of Beechwood, Kent; but the cause of the duel, and the name of his
opponent, still remain a mystery. The unfortunate gentleman leaves
behind him a young wife, to whom he was united but a few months
since. Failing a male heir, the baronetcy will now, we understand,
become extinct, while the bulk of the estates will pass to a distant
connection. The widow, however, is, we believe, in possession of a
considerable independent property."
6. _Mrs. Ward to Honourable C. B**._
"July, 1836.
"MY DEAR CATHERINE,
* * * * *
"You ask me whether I am satisfied with what I saw the other day of
poor Gertrude Boleton's little ones. To say that I am satisfied with
their appearance would, poor little things, be hardly true, for they
are still anything but healthy--poor Gertie especially looking like
a faded lily. The younger, however, is certainly improved, and will,
I hope, do well, and I quite think that they both are better where
they are than they could possibly be elsewhere. It is indeed sad, poor
things, that they should have no near relation with whom they could
live, but I quite agree with you that, in your state of health, it
would not only be too great an undertaking for yourself, but would be
by no means beneficial to them. Indeed I am convinced that on every
account they are best where they are. The air of Hastings seems to suit
them, and in the higher part of the town where Mrs. Taylor lives is
bracing without being too cold. Mrs. Taylor herself is a most excellent
person, and extremely fond of them. She seems especially interested in
poor Gertie, and never wearies of relating instances of the wonderful
sympathy between the twins. This sympathy seems even more physical
than mental. According to Mrs. Taylor, every little ailment that
affects the one is immediately felt also by the other, though with this
difference, that your namesake, Katie, is but very slightly affected by
Gertie's troubles, while she, poor child, I suppose from the greater
delicacy of her constitution, is rendered seriously ill by every little
indisposition of her sister. I have often heard of the strong physical
sympathies between twins, but never met myself with so marked an
instance. Both, unfortunately are sadly nervous, though here, too, the
elder is the greatest sufferer, while in the younger it seems to take
the form of extreme quickness of perception....
Of course, as they grow up, they should be placed with some one in our
own rank of life, but for the present I think poor Mrs. Taylor will do
very well.... I shall be at Hastings again next month, and will write
when I have seen them....
"Affectionately yours,
"HELEN WARD."
7. _From Mrs. Taylor to Honourable C. B**._
About January, 1837.
"HONNERED MISS,
"with My Humbel duty to Your ladyshipp and i am trewly sory to sai as
mis Gerterud hav took a terrabel bad cold wich i Was afeard as she wud
do has Miss kattarren av Likeways Had wun for 2 dais past wich i Am
sory to sai as mis gerterud is wuss than mis Kattaren but Hoping she
wil be Well agen Sone wich has I hev told your Honnered Ladyshipp they
as allers the same trubbels ony pore mis gerterud allers hav them Wust.
Honnered Miss the docter hay ben her wich he sais has mis Kattaren his
quite wel agen he sais Honnered mis he hops mis gerterud will sone be
wel 2. honuered Mis yore Humbel serv(t). to comand "SARAH
TAYLER."
8. _From the Same to the Same._
About June, 1837.
"HONNERED MIS
"with My humbel Duty to Yore ladyshipp hand i am trewly thenkfull to
sai the dere childern are both quit wel wich miss Kattaren made erself
Hill on teusday and pore miss gerterud were verry bad in connsekens for
3 dais but his now quit wel agen. honnered mis yore Ladyshipps humbel
ser(t). to comand "SARAH TAYLER."
9. _From Same to Same._
"July, 1837.
"HONNERED MIS
"with my humbel duty to Yore ladyshipp hand wud you plese Cum Direcly
wich sumthink Dredfull hav apenned to pore mis Kattaren honnered mis
Yore Ladyshipps humbel ser(t) to comand
"SARAH TAYLER."
10. _Mr. Ward to Honourable C. B.**_
"Marine Hotel, Hastings,
"12th July, 1837.
"DEAR MISS B**,
"Helen was unfortunately prevented from leaving home at the time your
letter arrived, so, as the matter seemed urgent, I thought it best to
come myself. I am sorry to have to send you such very unsatisfactory
intelligence. Poor little Catherine has been lost--stolen, I am afraid,
by gipsies--and I have hitherto been quite unable to find any clue to
their whereabouts. It appears that Mrs. Taylor took them for a trip
with some friends of hers to Fairlie Down, where they fell in with a
gang of gipsies, of whom, however, they did not take any particular
notice. They had taken their dinner with them, and after finishing it
sat talking for some time, when suddenly the child was missed; and,
though they hunted in every direction for several hours, no trace
of her could be found. On returning to the place where the gipsies
had been seen, the camp was found broken up, and the track, after
passing near where they had been sitting, was lost on the hard road.
Unfortunately, poor Mrs. Taylor--who seems quite distracted by what
has happened--could think of nothing at first but writing to you, and
it was only by the gossip of her friends, who live at some distance
from the town, that the intelligence at length reached the police.
Enquiries were being set on foot when I arrived last night, but I fear
that, from the time that has been lost, there is now but little chance
of recovering the poor child. I have advertised in all directions, and
offered a large reward, but I have little hope of the result, nor are
the police more sanguine than myself. Unfortunately poor Catherine's
dark, gipsy-like complexion, and black eyes and hair, will render it
easy to disguise her features, while her quick intelligence and lithe,
active figure, will make her only too valuable an acquisition to the
band. I need not tell you how grieved I am at this fresh trouble to
these poor children, and I fear Gertrude will suffer severely from the
loss of her sister, with whom she has, as you know, so extraordinary a
bond of sympathy. I am going now to the police station to consult on
further measures, and will write to you again by to-morrow morning's
post.
"Ever, dear Miss B**,
Very truly yours,
"HENRY WARD."
11. _Mrs. Vansittart to the Honourable C. B**._
"Grove Hill House Academy, Hampstead Heath,
"Wednesday, May 1st, 1842.
"MADAM,
"I have much pleasure in complying with your request for a monthly
report of the health and progress of my very interesting young friend
and pupil, Miss Boleton. In a moral and educational point of view
nothing could possibly be more satisfactory.... Of my dear young
friend's health I am compelled, however, to lament my inability to
address you in the same congratulatory terms which in all other matters
I am happily so well authorised to employ. Notwithstanding the extreme
salubrity of the atmosphere by which in this justly celebrated locality
she is surrounded, and I trust I may venture to add the unremitting
attention she has experienced both at my own hands and those of my
medical and educational assistants, her general health is still, I
regret to say, very far from having attained to that condition of
entire convalescence at which I trust she may yet, with the advantage
of a prolonged residence upon the Heath, before very long arrive. My
medical adviser, Dr. Winstanley,--a physician of European reputation,
and one in whom I can repose the most entire confidence,--informs me
that Miss Boleton is suffering from no especial ailment, though subject
from time to time to fits of illness to which it is often difficult
to assign any sufficient cause, and which after a while disappear as
strangely as they arose. He trusts with me that the pure air of the
Heath, which so far as we can venture to believe has already been
beneficial to his interesting patient, will in course of time effect
a radical cure. The loss of her young sister, of which you informed
me on her first joining our little society, inflicted, beyond doubt,
a very serious blow upon her naturally feeble constitution; but I
trust that its effects are already passing away. I shall, of course,
adhere strictly to your instructions never in any way to allude to the
sad occurrence in conversation with Miss Boleton, and have thought it
advisable not to acquaint her companions with the fact. On the 1st of
next month I shall again do myself the honour of acquainting you with
the progress made by my interesting young friend, and have little doubt
of being at that time able to furnish you with a satisfactory account
of her physical no less than of her moral and intellectual advancement.
For the present, dear madam, permit me to subscribe myself,
"Your very faithful
"And obliged servant,
"AMELIA DOROTHEA VANSITTART."
"To the Honourable Catherine B**."
12. _Mrs. Ward to the Honourable C. B**._
"14 June, 1851.
"MY DEAR CATHERINE,
"Very many thanks for your early intelligence of dear Gertrude's
engagement. I, congratulate you most heartily, though as you have
yourself alluded to it, I cannot deny that I should have been better
pleased had Mr. Anderton, in addition to all his other good qualities,
possessed that of a somewhat less nervous and excitable temperament.
I have always liked him much; but with poor Gertrude's own delicate
constitution I cannot but fear the results of such an union upon both.
However, it is impossible to have everything, and in all other respects
he seems more than unexceptionable, so once more I congratulate you
heartily. Are you really thinking of coming up to the Exhibition?....
Give my best love to dear Gertrude, and say all that is kind and proper
for us to her _fiancée._ Ever, dear Catherine,
"Affectionately yours,
"HELEN WARD."
[Footnote 1: Great-aunt of the late Mrs. Anderton. The object of going
so far back will presently appear.]
[Footnote 2: Scratched out.]
[Footnote 3: The residence of Sir Edward Boleton.]
[Footnote 4: This letter is omitted as containing nothing of any
importance.]
SECTION II.
[Illustration]
1. _Memorandum by Mr. Henderson._
We now come to that portion of Mrs. Anderton's[1] history which
embraces the period between her marriage and the commencement of her
last illness. For this I have been compelled to have recourse to
various quarters. The information thus afforded is very complete, and
taken in conjunction with what we have already seen in Miss B----'s
correspondence of the previous life of this unfortunate lady, throws
considerable light upon two important points to be hereafter noticed.
The depositions, however, unavoidably run to a greater length than at
this stage of the proceedings, their bearing on the main points of the
case would render necessary, and I have therefore condensed them for
your use in the following memorandum. Any portion, not sufficiently
clear, may be elucidated by a reference to the originals enclosed.
Mr. Anderton was a gentleman of good origin, closely connected with
some of the first families in Yorkshire, where he had formed the
acquaintance of Miss Boleton, while staying at the house of her great
aunt, Miss B----. He appears to have been of a most gentle and amiable
disposition, though unfortunately so shy and retiring as to have formed
comparatively very few intimacies. All, however, who could be numbered
among his acquaintance seem to have been equally astonished at the
charge brought against him on the death of his wife, with whom he was
always supposed, though from his retired habits little was positively
known, to have lived upon terms of the most perfect felicity. As
the event proved, the case would in effect never have come on for
trial; but, had it done so, the defence would have brought forward
overwhelming evidence of the incredibility of such a crime on the part
of one of so gentle and affectionate a disposition.
During the four years and a-half of their married life there does not
appear to have been a cloud upon their happiness. Mrs. Anderton's
letters to her great aunt, Miss B---- (to whom I am indebted for
almost the whole of the important information I have been able to
collect respecting the family) are full of expressions of attachment
to her husband and instances of his devotion to her. Copies of several
of these letters are enclosed, and from these it will be seen how
unvarying was their attachment to each other. Throughout the entire
series, extending over the whole period of her married life, there is
not a single expression which could lead to any other conclusion.
It is, however, evident that the delicate health with which Mrs.
Anderton had been afflicted from her birth, still continued, and in two
instances we have indications of the same mysterious attacks noticed
in the letter of Mrs. Vansittart, before quoted. These, however,
appear to have been but very slight. They had for some years been of
more and more rare occurrence, and from this date, (October, 1852), we
have no further record of anything of the kind. Still Mrs. Anderton's
general health continued very unsatisfactory, and almost everything
seems to have been tried by her for its improvement. Among the enclosed
correspondence are letters dated from Baden, Ems, Lucca, Cairo, and
other places to which the Andertons had, at different times, gone for
the health of one or other, Mr. Anderton being also, as stated in Mrs.
Ward's letter of the 14th June, 1851,[2] extremely delicate.
Of this gentleman all accounts agree in stating that the chief
ailment was a constitutional nervousness, mental as well as physical.
The latter showed itself in the facility with which, though by no
means deficient in courage, he could be startled by any sudden
occurrence however simple; the former, in his extreme sensitiveness
to the opinions of those about him, and his dread of the slightest
shadow of reproach on the name of which he was so justly proud. In
the accompanying documents you will find instances of both these
idiosyncrasies.
In the summer of 1854 Mr. Anderton's attention seems to have been
drawn to the subject of Mesmerism. They had been spending some weeks
at Malvern, where this science seems particularly in vogue, and had
there made acquaintance with several of the patients at the different
water-cure establishments, by some of whom Mr. Anderton was strongly
urged to have recourse to mesmeric treatment both for Mrs. Anderton and
himself.
The constant solicitations of these enthusiastic friends seem at length
to have produced their effect, and the favourite operator of the
neighbourhood was requested to try his skill on these new patients.
On Mr. Anderton the only result seems to have been the inducing
of such a state of irritation as might not unreasonably have been
expected from so nervously excitable a temperament, in presence of the
"manipulations" to which the votaries of mesmerism are subjected. In
the case of Mrs. Anderton, however, the result was, or was supposed
to be, different. Whether from some natural cause that, at the time,
escaped attention, or whether solely from that force of imagination
from which such surprising results are often found to arise, I cannot
of course say; but it is certain that some short time after the
mesmeric "séances" had commenced, a decided though slight improvement
was perceptible. This continued until the departure of the operator for
Germany, which country he had only recently left on a short visit to
England.
Notwithstanding the worse than failure in his own case, the certainly
curious coincidence of his wife's recovery seems to have entirely
imposed on Mr. Anderton, whose susceptibility of disposition appears
indeed to have laid him especially open to the practices of quacks
of every kind. So great was now his faith in this new remedy that
he actually proposed to accompany the Professor to Germany rather
than that his wife should lose the benefit of the accustomed
"manipulations." He had proceeded to London, for the purpose of
making the necessary preparations, when he was induced to pause by
the remonstrances of several of his friends, who represented to him
that a winter in the severe climate of Dresden--the place to which the
Professor was bound--would probably be fatal to one of Mrs. Anderton's
delicate constitution.
His medical adviser also, though himself professing belief in
mesmerism, gave a similar opinion, while at the same time he obviated
the difficulty respecting the mesmeric treatment of Mrs. Anderton, by
offering an introduction to "one of the most powerful mesmerists in
Europe," who had recently arrived in London, and who eventually proved
to be the so-styled Baron R**.
This introduction appears to have finally decided Mr. Anderton
against the Dresden expedition; and, after a brief experience of
his manipulations, Mrs. Anderton herself seems to have derived, in
imagination at least, more benefit from them than even from those of
her late attendant. So thoroughly were they both impressed with the
beneficial results of the Baron's "passes," &c., that Mr. Anderton, who
had now resolved to settle in London for the autumn and winter, went so
far as to take a ready-furnished house at Notting Hill, for the express
purpose of having his new professor in his immediate neighbourhood.
Here the _séances_ were continued often twice or three times a day,
and though, of course, no one in his senses could really attribute
such a result to the exercises of the Baron, it is certain that, from
some cause or other, the health of Mrs. Anderton continued steadily to
improve.
Matters had continued in this position for some weeks, when objections
were raised by some of Mr. Anderton's relations to what they not
unnaturally considered the very questionable propriety of the
proceeding. There seems to have been a good deal of discussion on this
point in which, however, Mr. Anderton's constitutional susceptibility
finally carried the day against his newly conceived predilections
with respect to, a practice so obviously calculated to expose him to
unpleasant comment. The Baron, however, was not disposed so easily
to relinquish a patient from whom he derived such large and regular
profits. On being made acquainted with the decision respecting the
cessation of his visits, he at once declared that his own direct
manipulations were unnecessary, and that, if considered improper
for one of the opposite sex, they could easily be made available at
second-hand.
Having once swallowed the original imposition, any additional absurdity
was of course easily disposed of, and it was now determined to
avoid all occasion for offence; Mrs. Anderton should henceforth be
operated upon through the medium of a certain Mademoiselle Rosalie, a
_clairvoyante_ in the employment of the Baron, who, after being placed
"_en rapport_" with the patient, was to convey to her the benefit of
the manipulations to which she was herself subjected by the operator.
Into the precise _modus operandi_ I need not now enter, but will
only remark upon the fresh instance of the extraordinary powers
of imagination displayed in the still more rapid improvement of
Mrs. Anderton under this new form of treatment, and the marvellous
"sympathy" so rapidly induced between her and the Baron's "medium."
Mademoiselle Rosalie was a brunette rather below the medium height,
with a slight but beautifully proportioned and active figure, sallow
complexion, and dark hair and eyes. The only fault a _connoisseur_
would probably find with her person would be the extreme breadth of
her feet, though this might perhaps be accounted for by her former
occupation, to be noticed later on. It is necessary for our purpose
that this peculiarity should be kept in mind. In appearance she was
at that time about thirty years old, but might very possibly have
been younger, as the nature of her profession would probably entail
a premature appearance of age. Altogether she formed a remarkable
contrast to Mrs. Anderton, who was slight but tall, and very fair,
with remarkably small feet, and notwithstanding her ill-health, still
looking a year or two less than her age. Between these very different
persons, however, if we are to credit the enclosed letters, such a
"sympathy" sprang up as would, on all ordinary hypotheses, be perfectly
unaccountable. Mrs. Anderton could feel--or imagined that she felt--the
approach of Mademoiselle Rosalie even before she entered the room; the
mere touch of her hand seemed to afford immediate benefit, and within a
very few weeks she became perfectly convalescent, and stronger than she
had ever been before.
At this point I must again refer you to the depositions themselves,
that of Mr. Morton, which here follows, being of too much importance to
admit of condensation.
2. _Statement of Frederick Morton, Esq., late Lieutenant, R.A._
My name is Frederick George Morton. In 1854, I was a lieutenant in the
Royal Artillery, and was slightly wounded at the battle of Inkermann,
on the 5th of November of that year, the day after my arrival in the
Crimea. It was before joining the battery to which I was appointed. I
have since quitted the service, on the death of my father, and am now
residing with my mother at Leeds. I was an old school friend of the
late Mr. William Anderton, and knew him intimately for nearly fifteen
years. I was present at his marriage with Miss Boleton, in August,
1851, and have since frequently visited at their house. During the
time I was at Woolwich Academy, I spent every leave-out day with them,
and frequently a good portion of the vacations. My father encouraged
the intimacy, and I was as much at home in their house as in our own.
My father was junior partner of one of the large manufacturing firms
in Leeds. The Andertons generally lived in London, when they were not
abroad; and on one occasion I went with them to Wiesbaden. I saw very
little of them in 1854, as they were away the earlier part of the
year, first at Ilfracombe, and then at Malvern, but I spent the 13th
of October with them. I particularly remember the date, as I was on my
way to the Crimea, where I was afterwards wounded, and the order had
come very suddenly. When it came I had just gone to a friend's house
for some pheasant-shooting, and I remember I was obliged to leave the
second morning, and I spent the night at Anderton's, and embarked the
next morning. I was to have gone for the first, but could not get
away, and I lost the shooting altogether. It was on a Saturday that I
embarked, because I remember we had church parade next day. That was
the last time I saw Anderton. I was in Italy all that winter with my
wound and rheumatic fever; and in the summer of 1855 I was sent for to
my father, who was ill for several months before he died, and after
that I could not leave my mother. We only took in a weekly paper, and
I did not hear of his having been taken up till three or four days
after. I started to see him immediately, but was too late. It was not
on account of any quarrel that we had not met. Quite the reverse. We
were as good friends as ever to the last, and I would have given my
life to serve him. I was on the most friendly terms with Mrs. Anderton.
He was dotingly fond of her. I used to laugh, and say I was jealous of
her, and they used to laugh too. I never saw two people so fond of one
another. He was the best and kindest-hearted fellow I over knew, only
awfully nervous, and very sensitive about his family and his name. The
only time we ever quarrelled was once at school, when I tried to chaff
him by pretending to doubt something he had said: it made him quite
ill. He often said he would rather die than have any stain upon his
name, which he was very proud of. On the day I speak of--13th October,
1854--I telegraphed to them at Notting Hill that I would dine and sleep
there on my way out. I found Mrs. Anderton better than I had ever seen
her before. She said it was all Baron R**'s doing, and that since
Rosalie came she had got well faster than ever. She wanted to put off
the Baron for that night, that we might have a quiet talk, but I would
not let her; and, besides, I wanted to see him and Rosalie. They came
at about nine o'clock, and Mrs. Anderton lay on the sofa, and Rosalie
sat on a chair by her side, and held her hand while the Baron sent her
to sleep. It was Rosalie he put to sleep, not Mrs. Anderton. The latter
did not go to sleep, but lay quite still on the sofa, while Anderton
and I sat together at the farther end of the room, because he said
we might "cross the mesmeric fluid." I don't know what he meant. Of
course I know that it was all nonsense; but I don't think Rosalie was
shamming. I should go to sleep myself, if a man went on that way. When
it was over, Mrs. Anderton said she felt much better, and I couldn't
help laughing; then Anderton sent her up to bed, and he and I and the
Baron sat talking for an hour and more. I never saw Mrs. Anderton
again, for I went away before she was up, but I used to hear of her
from Anderton. What we talked of after she was gone was mesmerism. Of
course I did not believe in it, and I said so; and Anderton and the
Baron tried to persuade me it was true. We were smoking, but Rosalie
was there, and said she did not mind it. She always seemed to say
whatever the Baron wanted, but I don't think she liked him. She did not
join in the conversation. She said--or at least the Baron said--she
could not speak English, but I am quite sure she must have understood
it, or at all events a good deal. I have learned German, and sometimes
I said something to her, and she answered; and once I saw her look up
so quickly when Anderton said something about "Julie," and the Baron
said directly, in German, "not your Julie, child." I asked her, as
she was going away, who Julie was, and she had just told me that she
was her great friend, and a dancing girl, when the Baron gave her a
look, and she stopped. That was as they were leaving. Before that,
Rosalie was doing crochet, and we three were talking about mesmerism.
They tried to make me believe it, and the Baron was telling all sorts
of stories about a wonderful _clairvoyante._ That was his Julie, not
Rosalie's. Of course I laughed at it all, and then they got talking
about sympathies, and what a wonderful sympathy there was between
twins, and the Baron told some more extraordinary stories. And when I
wouldn't believe it, Anderton got quite vexed, and reminded me about
the twin sister his wife had had, and who had been stolen by gipsies.
And then the Baron asked him about it, and he told him the whole story,
only making him promise not to tell it again, because they were afraid
of her being reminded of it, and that was why it was never spoken of.
The Baron seemed quite interested, and drew his chair close in between
us. We were speaking low, that Rosalie might not hear. I remember the
Baron said it was so curious he must take a note of it, and he wrote it
all down in his pocket-book. He took down the dates, and all about it.
He was very particular about the dates. I am sure Rosalie could have
heard nothing of all this; not even if she had understood English. We
had gone to the window, and were too far off. Besides, we spoke low.
Afterwards the Baron seemed thoughtful, and did not speak for some
time. Anderton and I got to mesmerism again, and he got a number of
some magazine--the "Zoist," or something of that sort--to prove to me
something. He read me some wonderful story about eating by deputy, and
when I would not believe it, he called the Baron and asked if it was
not true, and he said perfectly, he had known it himself. He started
when Anderton spoke to him, as if he had been thinking of something
else, and he had to repeat it again. I know it was something about
eating by deputy, because afterwards, when I was wounded and had the
fever, I used to think of it and wish I could take physic that way.
You will find it in the "Zoist" for that month--October, 1854.[3] I
remember saying at the time, that it was lucky for the young woman that
the fellow didn't eat anything unwholesome, and Anderton laughed at
it. The Baron did not laugh. He stood for ever so long without saying
a word, and looking quite odd. I thought that I had offended him by
laughing. Anderton spoke to him, and he jumped again, and I saw this
time he had let his cigar out. I remember that, because he tried to
light it again by mine, and his hand shook so he put mine out instead.
He said he was cold, and shut the window. He would not have another
cigar, but said he must go away, for it was late. Anderton and I sat
smoking for some time. I tried to persuade him to give up mesmerism,
and he said Mrs. Anderton was so well now, he thought she could do
without it, and that she would give it up in a few weeks. I heard from
him afterwards, in November, that the Baron had left town for some
weeks. When I was ill at Scutari, after my wound, I wrote to ask him
to meet me at Naples, and he started with Mrs. Anderton in December,
but was stopped at Dover by Mrs. Anderton's illness. I have had several
letters from him since, and am quite ready to give copies of them;
all but the bits that are private. I have read over this statement,
and it is all quite true. I am quite ready to swear to it in a court
of justice, if required. I wish to add, that I am quite certain poor
Anderton had nothing to do with his poor wife's death. I will swear to
that.
3. _Statement of Julie._[4]
"Manchester, 3 Aug., 1857.
"DEAR SIR,
"In compliance with your instructions of the 11th ult., I forward
deposition of Julia Clark, _alias_ Julie, _alias_ Miss Montgomery, &c.,
at present of the Theatre Royal, duly attested.
"Dear Sir,
"Yours faithfully,
"WILLIAM SMITH."
"I am a dancer, and my name is Julia Clark: I have performed under the
name of Julie, and other names. I am at present called Miss Montgomery.
I knew the girl called Rosalie. She was my particular friend. We were
for several years together in Signor Leopoldo's company. I forget how
many. She did the tight-rope business, and had ten shillings a week and
her keep. In our company she was called the 'Little Wonder.' Her real
name was Charlotte Brown. She was about ten years old when I joined
the company. I do not know her history. She did not know it herself.
She often told me so. She would have told me if she did. She passed
as the niece of old Mrs. Brown. Mrs. Brown was the money-taker. She
took Lotty's money and found her in clothes. Lotty is Rosalie. Some
of our ladies said she had been bought from a tramp. Of course I did
not believe it. They said it out of spite. Lotty did the tight-rope
business for about five years after I knew her. She was a beautiful
figure, only her feet were very broad.[5] All tight-rope dancers
are. The rope spreads them. Otherwise her figure was perfect. She was
nervous. Not very, but rather. She used to tremble before she went
on. It was not from fear. She was ill sometimes. Not often. Sometimes
she caught cold from sitting on the damp ground to undress when she
was hot with dancing. She got stronger as she grew up. Sometimes she
felt ill, and did not know why. She had bad headaches. When she was
in that way physic was no good, only brandy. Brandy took away the
headaches. She used to drink brandy sometimes, but not like some of
our ladies. I never saw her the worse for liquor. Her headaches were
not from drinking. Certainly not. They came and went away again.
Brandy took them away. I only know of once that she has been ill since
she left the company. She wrote and told me of it. I have the letter
still. It is not dated, but there was an extract from a newspaper in
it about her which is dated some time in October, 1852.[6] The day of
the month is cut off. She gave up the tight-rope business because of
a fall. That was from being nervous. She was not drunk. She had not
been drinking. She was nervous. A glass drop fell from the chandelier
and frightened her. That was all. She was very much hurt. One foot was
sprained, and the doctors at the hospital said she must never go on
the wire again. She was two months there. When she came out the circus
was shut up. The company was all dispersed except her and me and Mr.
Rogers, and the gentleman who did the comic business. Mr. Rogers was
Signor Leopoldo. He took a music-hall. I think it was in Liverpool. He
got another singing lady and gentleman, and we gave entertainments.
Every evening Mr. Rogers gave a short lecture on mesmerism, and Lotty
was his subject. She was very clever at that. Of course she was not
really asleep. One night she stopped in the middle. The manager was
very angry. She tried to go on, but she fainted, and had to be carried
off. She said some gentleman in the stalls had done it. Next morning
the gentleman called and took her away. He gave the Signor 50_l_. He
was the Baron R**. I knew it from Lotty. She has written to me several
times. These are her letters. They are rubbed at the edges. It is from
keeping them in my pocket. I do not think she ever left the Baron, but
I do not know. The last letter I ever had from her was from his house.
It was in the first week of November, 1854. I got it in Plymouth.
It was the only week I was there before I went to Dublin for the
pantomime. She said she was going to be married, but must not tell me
who to just yet. I never heard from her since. I have written several
times, but my letters have been returned. I have no idea who she
married. It could not have been the Baron. She disliked him too much.
She stayed with him because he paid her well. Partly that, and partly
because she said she couldn't help doing what he told her. She said he
really did mesmerise her, and that she could see in her sleep. She did
not live with the Baron as his wife. Only as his medium. If she had
she would have told me. I am quite sure she would. I am quite certain
there was never any connection between her and the Baron except what I
have said. Of course I cannot swear she did not marry him, but I should
think it very unlikely. Why should she when she disliked him so much?
All this is true. I believe Signor Leopoldo is now somewhere abroad.
(Signed) "JULIA CLARK, _alias_ JULIE."
Read over to the deponent, and signed by her in the presence of William
Burton, J. P.
2nd August, 1857.
4. _Statement of Leopoldo._
N.B.--This statement was obtained with some difficulty, and only on an
express promise of immunity from any legal proceeding, in respect of
the deponent's relations with the girl Rosalie, _alias_ Angelina Fitz
Eustace, _alias_ the "Little Wonder," _alias_ Charlotte Brown. The
statement was enclosed in the following note:
"Signor Leopoldo, tragedian, &c., &c., &c., presents his compliments to
R. Henderson, Esq., and in consideration of the assurance that 'what is
done cannot be now amended,' I have the honour to forward the required
information, in confidence that you will not keep the word of promise
to the ear and break it to the hope, and thus 'my simple truth shall be
abused.'
"Sir, your most humble servant,
(Signed) "THOMAS ROGERS."
Deposition of Signor Leopoldo, Tragedian; Professor of Fencing and
Elocution; Equestrian, Gymnastic, and Funambulistic Artiste; Sole
Proprietor and Manager of the Great Olympian Circus, &c., &c., &c.
"I, Signor Leopoldo, Tragedian, &c., &c., &c., do hereby depose
and declare that the girl, Charlotte Brown, commonly known as the
celebrated 'Little Wonder,' was transferred by me to my celebrated
Olympian Company in the month of July, 1837, at Lewes, in the county
of Sussex, where the celebrated Olympian Circus was at that time
performing with great success and crowded houses. And this deponent
further maketh oath and saith that I, the said Signor Leopoldo,
tragedian, &c., &c., &c., did in consideration of the services of the
said Charlotte Brown, commonly known as the celebrated Little Wonder,
pay to a certain person or persons claiming to be the parent or parents
of the said Charlotte Brown, commonly known as the celebrated Little
Wonder, the sum of five pounds (5_l_.), which person or persons were of
the tribe or tribes commonly known as gipsies or Egyptians. And this
deponent furthermore maketh oath and saith that I, Signor Leopoldo,
tragedian, &e., &c., &c., cannot tell whether the said Charlotte Brown,
commonly known as the Little Wonder was really the child of the person
or persons, gipsy or gipsies aforesaid, or that her name was Charlotte
Brown, or any other of the particulars hereinbefore stated and deposed,
but only that her linen was marked C. B., which initials do set forth
and represent the name of Charlotte Brown.
"Witness our hand and seal this 4th day of January, in the year of
grace, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
(Signed) "THOMAS ROGERS."
5. _Statement of Edward Morris, Cleric in the Will Office, Doctors'
Commons._
"My name is Edward Morris. I am a clerk in the Will Office at Doctors'
Commons, and my duty is to assist those who wish to search wills
deposited in our office. On the 14th October, 1854, Baron R** came
to the office and searched in several wills. One was the will of a
Mr. Wilson, copy of which is herewith enclosed. I remember this will
particularly, because I had an altercation with the Baron respecting
his wish to copy parts of it. He wished to make extracts, and I told
him it was not allowed; only the date and the names of the executors.
He persisted, and I said I must report it. He then laughed and said
it did not matter, and he tapped his forehead and said he could make
a note of it there. He read parts of the will over two or three times
and gave it back to me. He then said, 'You shall see, my friend,' and
laughed again, and he made me follow him while he repeated several
pages of the will by rote. He laughed again when he had done, and
asked if he might copy it now. I said no; and he laughed again, and
wrote for some time in his note-book, looking up at me every now and
then and laughing. I was angry, partly because he laughed, and partly
because he kept me there when I wanted to get away. I had leave for a
week to go to the Isle of Wight and see my aunt. I wanted to get there
that night because the next day was my birthday. He made me miss the
train, and as the next day was Sunday, I did not get there till late.
That is how I remember the date. I am sure of the year because my aunt
only went to the Isle of Wight the November previously, and died in the
spring of 1855. I am quite sure it was the Baron. I should recognise
him anywhere. He is a short, stout man, with a rather florid complexion
and reddish hair, rather light. He has large fat hands, white and well
kept, and an immense head. He dresses all in black, and wears large
spectacles of light blue. I don't think it is because his eyes are
weak. I am sure it is not; for when he takes off his spectacles I never
saw such extraordinary eyes. I can't describe them, only that they are
very large and bright. I never could look at them long enough to make
out the colour, but they are very dark, I think black, and they put
one out to look at them, otherwise there is nothing very remarkable
about him. I recognised him that day from having seen him before at a
mesmeric lecture, when I asked his name."
6. _Memorandum by Mr. Henderson._
I enclose the will of which the following is an abstract:
"Mr. Wilson, of the firm of Price & Wilson, Calcutta, who died in 1825,
leaves the sum of 25,375_l_. three per cent. consols, to his niece,
Gertrude Wilson (afterwards Lady Boleton), and to her children, if
any, or their heirs in regular succession, whether male or female.
In default of any such heirs, the money to be made over to trustees
selected by the Governor General of India for the time being, from
among the leading merchants of Calcutta, for the purpose of founding,
under certain restrictions, an institution among the hills for the
children of those who could not afford to send them home to England."
The will also provides that should any female taking under it die
during her coverture, the husband shall retain a life interest in the
property.
[Footnote 1: The late Miss Boleton.]
[Footnote 2: Section I. No.12.]
[Footnote 3: An extract from the magazine here quoted will be given
later on in the case.]
[Footnote 4: The difficulty of tracing this witness, from the slight
clue afforded by Mr. Morton's statement, occasioned considerable delay.]
SECTION III.
[Illustration]
1.--_Extracts from Mrs. Anderton's Journal._
_Aug._ 13, 1854.--Here we are, then, finally established at Notting
Hill. Jane laughs at us for coming to town just as every one else is
leaving it; but in my eyes, and I am sure in dear William's too, that
is the pleasantest time for us. Poor Willie, he grows more and more
sensitive to blame from any one, and has been sadly worried by this
discussion about our Dresden trip. The new professor to-morrow. I
wonder what he will be like.
_Aug._ 14.--And so _that_ is the new professor! I do not think I was
ever so astonished in my life. That little stout squab man, the most
powerful mesmerist in Europe! And yet he certainly is powerful, for he
had scarcely made a pass over me before I felt a glow through my whole
frame. There is something about him, too, when one comes to look at
him more closely, which puzzles me very much. He certainly is not the
common-place man he appears, though it would be difficult just now to
say what makes me so sure of it.
_Aug._ 25.--Quite satisfied now. How could I have ever thought the
Baron common-place! And yet, at first sight, his appearance is
certainly against him. He is not a man with whom I should like to
quarrel. I don't think he would have much compunction in killing any
one who offended him, or who stood in his way. How quietly he talks of
those horrid experiments in the medical schools, and the tortures they
inflict on the poor hospital patients. Willie says it is all nonsense,
and says all doctors talk so; but I can't help feeling that there is
something different about him. And yet he is certainly doing me good.
_Sept._ 1.--Better and better, and yet I cannot conquer the strange
feeling which is growing upon me about the Baron. He is certainly an
extraordinary man. What a grasp he takes of anything on which he rests
his hand even for a moment; and how perfectly he seems to disregard
anything that stands in his way. This morning I was at the window when
he came, and I was quite frightened when I saw him, as I thought, so
nearly run over. But I might have spared my anxiety, for my gentleman
just walked quietly on, while the poor horse started almost across the
road. Had it caught sight of those wonderful green eyes of his, that it
seemed so frightened? What eyes they are! You can hardly ever see them;
but when you do!--And yet the man is certainly doing me good.
_Sept._ 11.--So it is settled that the Baron is not to mesmerise me
himself any more. Am I sorry or glad? At all events, I hope they will
not now worry poor William....
_Sept._ 13.--First day of Mademoiselle Rosalie. Seems a nice person
enough; but it feels very odd to lie there on the sofa while some one
else is being mesmerised for one.
_Sept._ 15.--This new plan is beginning to answer. I think I feel the
mesmerism even more than when I was mesmerised myself, and this way
one gets all the pleasures and none of the disagreeables. It _is_ so
delicious. Looked back to-day at my Malvern journals. So odd to see how
I disliked the idea at first, and now I could hardly live without it.
_Sept._ 29.--I think we shall soon be able to do without the Baron
altogether. I am sure Rosalie and I could manage very well by
ourselves. What a wonderful thing this mesmerism is! To think that
the mere touch of another person's hand should soothe away pain, and
fill one with health and strength. Really, if I had not always kept
a journal, I should feel bound to keep one now, as a record of the
wonderful effects of this extraordinary cure. Got up this morning
with a nasty headache. No appetite for breakfast. Eyes heavy, and
pulse low. Poor William in terrible tribulation, when lo! in comes
little Mademoiselle Rosalie and the Baron. The gentleman makes a pass
or two--the lady pops her little, dry, monkey-looking paw upon my
forehead, and, _presto_! the headache has vanished, and I'm calling for
chocolate and toast!
_Sept._ 30.--A blank day. Headache again this morning, and looking out
anxiously for my little brown "good angel," when in comes the Baron,
with the news that she cannot come. Up all night with a dying lady, and
so fagged this morning that he is afraid she would do me more harm than
good. I am sure she cannot feel more fagged than I do, poor girl. But,
after all, in spite of the delight of doing so much good, what a life
it must be!
_Oct._ 1.--Rosalie here again. Headache vanished. Everything bright as
the October sun outside. I am getting quite fond of that girl. How I
wish she could speak something besides German....
_Oct._ 4.--It is quite extraordinary what a hold that poor girl,
Rosalie, is taking upon me. I am even beginning to dream of her at
night....
_Oct._ 6.--Headache again this morning, and a message that Rosalie
cannot come. How provoking that it is on the same day....
_Oct._ 12.--I think I shall really soon begin to know when poor Rosalie
has been over-worked. Headache again to-day, and I had a presentiment
that she would not be able to come....
_Oct._ 20.[1]--So now the Baron is going to leave us. Well, I am indeed
thankful that he can now so well be spared. Jane Morgan here to-day,
and of course laughing at the idea of mesmerism doing any good. She
could not deny, though, how wonderfully better I am, and indeed, but
for those tiresome headaches, which always seem to come just when poor
Rosalie is too tired to take them away, I am really quite well and
strong.
_Oct._ 31.--Something evidently wrong between poor Rosalie and the
Baron. She has evidently been crying, and I suppose it must be from
sympathy, but I feel exactly as if I had been crying too. Very little
satisfaction from the mesmerism to-day. It seems rather as if it had
given me some of poor Rosalie's depression. How I wish she could speak
English, or that I could speak German, and then I would find out what
is the matter. Perhaps she is to lose her work when the Baron goes.
Mem.: To ask him to-morrow.
_Nov._ 1.--No. He says he shall certainly take her with him to Germany,
and "he hopes that may have a beneficial effect." What can he mean? He
says she is quite well, but throws out mysterious insinuations as to
something being wrong with her. How I do wish I could speak German.
_Nov._ 3.--Still that uncomfortableness between the Baron and Rosalie.
I am sure there is something wrong, and that she wants to speak to me
about it, but is afraid of him. It certainly is strange that he should
never leave us alone. Mem.: To ask William to get him out of the way
for a little while to-morrow, though what good that will be when she
and I cannot understand each other, I hardly know after all....
_Nov._ 4.--What a day this has been! I feel quite tired out with the
excitement, and yet I cannot make up my mind to go to bed until I have
written it all down. In the first place, this is to be my last visit
from Rosalie, at all events till they come back from the continent.
I cannot help perceiving that William is not altogether sorry that
she is going. Dear fellow! I do really believe that he is more than
half jealous of my extraordinary feeling for her. And certainly it is
extraordinary that a woman quite in another class of life, of whom
one knows nothing, should have taken such a hold upon one. I suppose
it must be the mesmerism, which certainly is a very mysterious thing.
If it is so, it is at all events very fortunate it did not take that
turn with the Baron himself. Ugh! I can really begin to understand now
all the objections I thought so foolish and so tiresome three or four
months ago, before Rosalie first came. And yet, after all, I don't
think--in spite of mesmerism or anything else--one need ever have been
afraid of liking the Baron too much. I could quite understand being
afraid of him. Rosalie evidently is, and to own the truth so am I a
little, or I should not have been beaten in that way to-day. To-day
was my last _séance_ with Rosalie, and I had made up my mind to get
the Baron out of the way, and try and get something out of Rosalie.
They came at two o'clock as usual, and as I thought I would not lose a
chance, I had got dear William to lie in wait in his study, and call
to the Baron as he passed, in hopes that Rosalie would come up alone.
That was no use, however, for the Baron kept his stout little self
perseveringly between her and the staircase, and when I went--thinking
to be very clever--to the top of the staircase and called to her
to come up, it only gave him an excuse for breaking away from poor
William altogether, and coming straight up to me before her. I _was_
so provoked, I could hardly be civil. Well, of course the Baron was in
a great hurry, and we went to work at once with the mesmerising. When
that was done, we both tried to keep them talking, and I made signs to
William to get the Baron out of the way. I was really beginning to get
quite anxious about it, and kept on repeating over and over to myself
the two German words I had learned on purpose from Jane Morgan this
morning. It was no use, however, and I began to grow quite nervous;
and I am quite sure Rosalie saw what I was wanting, for she seemed to
get fidgety too, and then that made me more nervous still. At last the
Baron declared he must go, and they both got up to leave. William would
have given it up, but he says I looked so imploringly at him he could
not resist, so made one more effort by asking the Baron to come into
his study for a short private consultation. This he refused, saying
he had not time, but could say anything needful where we were. Then
William told me to take Rosalie into the next room, but the Baron would
not have that either, though he laughed when he said he could not trust
to a lady's punctuality in this case, but if I would leave Rosalie she
would not understand anything that was said. Of course this would not
do, and at last William, with more presence of mind and determination
than I should have thought him capable of, took him by the buttonhole
and fairly drew him away into the further window, where he began
whispering eagerly to him to draw off his attention. I suppose it was
the consciousness of a sort of stratagem, but my heart beat quite fast
as I brought out my two words, "_Gibst' was?_" and I could see that
hers was so too. She seemed surprised at my speaking to her in German,
and certainly I was no less so to hear her answer in English, with
a slight accent certainly, but still in quite plain English--"Don't
seem to listen. I am ..." and then she stopped suddenly and turned
quite pale, and I could feel all my own blood rush back to my heart
with such a throb! I looked up, and there were the Baron's eyes fixed
upon us. Poor Rosalie seemed quite frightened, and I declare I felt
so too. At all events, we neither of us ventured on another word, and
the next minute the Baron succeeded in fairly shaking off poor William
and taking his leave. So there is an end of my little romance about
Rosalie. I am _sure_ there was something in it. Why, if she had nothing
particular to say, should she have taken the trouble of learning that
little bit of English? and why--but I must not sit here all night
speculating about this, which after all is, I daresay, nothing at all.
It is positively just twelve o'clock.
_Nov._ 6.--How strange! There is certainly some mystery about Rosalie
and the Baron. I am quite certain I saw them in a cab together this
morning, and yet they were to cross on Saturday night and be in Paris
yesterday. I wonder whether they were late after all, and yet an hour
and a-half is surely time enough to London Bridge, and if he had missed
the train I should think he would have come to us yesterday. At all
events he might have gone early this morning. It is very odd....
_Nov._ 7.--I wonder whether any one ever had such a husband as I have
got. Yesterday he must needs worry himself with the idea that I am
fretting about the loss of my mesmerism,--as if I could possibly think
a moment about the loss of anything when I had got him with me. So
nothing would satisfy him but that we must go to the Haymarket to see
"Paul Pry" and the Spanish Dancers. I have not laughed so much for many
a long day. I don't like all that violent dancing, so we came away
directly after the absurd little farce--"How to Pay the Rent." How we
did laugh at it to be sure, and the absurdities of that little monkey,
Clark. Wright, too, in "Paul Pry," is quite inimitable. Dear William,
how good it was of him!....
_Dec._ 5.--Just going to the theatre again when news came of poor Harry
Morton's illness. My own dear William, how good he is to every one. And
so prompt, too. Touch his heart or his honour, and the Duke himself
could not be more quick and decided. The news only came as we were
dressing, and to-morrow we are off to Naples to meet poor Mr. Morton,
and nurse him.
_Dec._ 6.--There is no one like Willie. After all the scramble we have
had to get ready, he would not take me across when it was so rough. So
we have taken two dear little rooms, from day to day, because Willie
cannot bear the publicity of an hotel, and I am sure I hate it too, and
we are to wait till it is fine enough to cross.
_Dec._ 9.--Still here; but the wind has gone down almost suddenly
within the last three hours, and to-morrow morning I hope we really
shall cross. Dear William getting quite worried; I persuaded him to
take me to a lecture that was going on, and while we were there the
wind went down, and we have been packing up ever since. Twelve o'clock!
and William calling to me. I _must_ just put down about Mr.... Good
Heaven! What is the matter? I feel so ill--quite--
2.--_Statement of Dr. Watson._
My name is James Watson, and I am a physician of about thirty years'
standing. In 1854, I was practising at Dover. On the night of the 9th
of December in that year, I was sent for hurriedly to see a lady, of
the name of Anderton, who had been taken suddenly ill immediately after
her return from a lecture at the Town-hall, which she had attended with
her husband. The message was brought by the servant from the lodgings
where they were living. On our way to the house she told me that "the
lady was dying, and the poor gentleman quite distracted." On arriving
at the house I found Mr. Anderton supporting his wife in his arms.
He seemed greatly agitated, and cried, "For God's sake be quick--I
think she has got the cholera!" Mrs. Anderton was on the couch in her
dressing-room, partially undressed, but with two or three blankets
thrown over her, as she seemed shivering with the cold. There was a
good fire in the room, but notwithstanding this and the blankets, her
hands and feet were both quite chilly.[2] I asked Mr. Anderton why
she had not been got to bed, to which he replied, that she had been
vomiting, until within a very few moments, so violently, that they had
been unable to move her. Almost immediately on my arrival the vomiting
re-commenced, though there appeared to be now hardly anything left in
the stomach to come away. The retching continued with unabated violence
for more than an hour after the stomach had been evidently completely
emptied, and was accompanied with great purging and severe cramps both
in the stomach and the extremities. I at once sent to my house for a
portable bath I happened to have hired for my own wife's use, and,
on its arrival, placed Mrs. Anderton in it at a temperature of 98°,
having previously added 3/4lb. of mustard. While waiting for the bath,
I administered thirty drops of laudanum in a wine-glassful of hot
brandy-and-water, but without, in any degree, checking the purging,
which continued almost incessantly, and was of a most watery character.
It was accompanied also by violent pains and great swelling of the
_epigastrium_. A fresh dose of opium was equally unsuccessful, nor was
any amelioration of symptoms produced by the exhibition of prussic
acid and creosote. On removing the patient from the warm bath, I had
her carefully placed in bed, shortly after which she began to perspire
profusely, but without any relief to the other symptoms.... I now
began to fear that some deleterious substance had been unconsciously
swallowed, the more especially as the patient had, up to the very
moment of her seizure, been in unusually good health. I therefore
made careful examinations with the view to detecting the presence of
arsenic; and instituted, by the aid of Mr. Anderton, the strictest
inquiries as to whether there was in the house any preparation
containing this or any other irritant poison. Nothing of the kind
could, however, be found, nor were such tests, as I was at the time
in a position to apply, able to detect anything of the kind to which
my suspicions were directed. Deliberate poisoning proved, moreover,
on consideration, entirely out of the question, as there could be no
doubt of Mr. Anderton's devoted attachment to his wife, and the people
of the house were entire strangers to her. Moreover, the length of
time since any food had been taken was almost conclusive against such
a supposition. Mrs. Anderton had dined at six o'clock, and between
that hour and midnight, when the attack came on, had eaten nothing but
a biscuit and part of a glass of sherry-and-water, the remainder of
which was in the glass upon the dressing-room table when I arrived.
Since then I have removed portions of all the matters tested, as well
as the remaining wine-and-water, and have had them thoroughly examined
by a scientific chemist, but equally without result. I am compelled,
therefore, to believe that the symptoms arose from some natural though
undiscovered cause. Possibly from a sudden chill in coming from the
heated rooms into the night air, though this seems hardly compatible
with the fact that she never complained of cold during the long drive
home, and that she was seated comfortably in her dressing-room, making
her customary entries in her journal, when the attack came on. Another
very suspicious circumstance was that, afterwards mentioned by her, of
a strong metallic taste in the mouth, a symptom sometimes occasioned,
and in conjunction likewise with the others noticed in her case, by
the exhibition of excessive doses of antimony in the form of emetic
tartar. This medicine, however, had never been prescribed for her, nor
was there any possibility of her having had access to any in mistake.
At Mr. Anderton's request, however, I exhibited the remedies used in
such a case, as port wine, infusion of oak-bark, &c., but with as
little effect as the other medicines. Indeed, the remedies of whatever
kind were precluded from exercising their full action by the extreme
irritability of the stomach, by which they were ejected almost as soon
as swallowed. This being the case, I abandoned any further attempt at
the exhibition of the heavy doses I had hitherto employed, or indeed
of drugs of any kind, and confined myself, until the irritation of the
_epigastrium_ should have been in some measure allayed, to a treatment
I have occasionally found successful in somewhat similar cases; the
administration, that is to say, of simple soda-water in repeated doses
of a teaspoonful at a time. I have often found this to remain with good
effect upon the stomach when everything else was at once rejected, nor
was I disappointed in the present case. About an hour after commencing
this treatment, the first violence of the symptoms began to subside,
and by the next afternoon the case had resolved itself into an ordinary
one of severe _gastroenteritis_ which I then proceeded to treat in the
regular manner. After quite as short a period as I could possibly have
expected, this also was subdued, leaving the patient, however, in a
state of great prostration, and subject to night-perspirations of a
most lowering character. I now began to throw in tonics, and to resort,
though very cautiously, to more invigorating diet. Under this treatment
she continued steadily to improve, though the perspirations still
continued, and her constitution cannot be said to have at all recovered
the severe shock it had sustained by the month of April, 1855, when
they left Dover, by my recommendation, for change of air. Since that
time I have not seen her. I am quite unable to account for the seizure
from any cause but that of a chill; an hypothesis which, I must admit,
rests its authority almost solely on the fact that no other can be
found.
3.--_Extracts from Mrs. Anderton's Journal_--_Continued._
_Jan._ 20, 1855.--At last I get back once more to my old brown
friend.[3] Dear old thing, how pleasant its old face seems! Very little
to-day though; only a word or two, just to say it is done. Oh, how it
tries one!
_Jan._ 25.--My own dear husband's birthday; and, thank Heaven! I am
once more able to sit with him. Oh! how kind he has been through all
these weary weeks, when I have been so fretful and impatient. Why
should suffering make one cross? God knows, I _have_ suffered. I never
thought to live through that terrible night. It makes me shudder to
think of it. And, then, that horrid, deathlike, leaden taste--that was
worst of all. Well, thank God! I am better now, but so weak. I am quite
tired with writing even these few lines....
_Feb._ 12.--How weak I still am! Walked out to-day with dear William
for the first time upon the pier, but had scarcely got to the end of
it, when I felt so tired I was obliged to sit down while poor William
went to fetch a chair to take me home.
_Feb._ 13. I have been quite startled to-day. I was talking to Dr.
Watson about my being so tired yesterday, and about how very weak I
still was, and how ill I had been--and, at last, he let slip that, at
the time, he thought I had been poisoned. It gave me quite a turn, and
then he tried to make us talk of something else, but I could not get it
out of my head, and kept coming back and back to it, and wondering who
could have had any possible interest in poisoning poor me. And so we
went on talking; and, at last, Dr. Watson said something which let out
that at first he had suspected--William! my own William! my precious,
precious husband! Oh! I thought I should have choked on the spot. I
don't know what I said, but I do know I could not have said too much,
and poor William tried to laugh it off, and said: "Who else would have
gained anything by it? Would he not have had that miserable 25,000_l_.?
and besides him, there was no one but the Charities in India, and they
could not have done it, because they would not exist till we were
gone;" but I could see how he winced at the idea, and I felt as though
my blood were really boiling in my veins. And then that man--oh! how
thankful I shall be when we can get away from him--tried to persuade
me that he had not really thought it. I should think not, indeed! and
that he soon saw it was impossible, and all that; and at last, I fairly
burst out crying with passion, and ran out of the room. And--and--I
could cry now to think of my poor dear Willie being--and I shall,
too, if I go on thinking about it any longer, so I will write no more
to-night.
_Feb._ 15.--No journal yesterday, I really could not trust myself to
write. And poor Willie, though he tried to laugh at it, I could see how
bitterly he felt the imputation. Good Heaven! think if that wretched
man had really charged him with it. It would have killed him. I know it
would, and he would rather have died a thousand times. Well, I must not
think of it any more. Only, once more, thank Heaven! we shall soon be
going away.
_April_ 7.--Back once more at home, thank Heaven! But how slow, how
very slow this convalescence, as they call it, is. Oh! shall I ever be
well again, as I was last year before that horrid day at Dover!
_May_ 3.--So we are to leave England for a time, and try the German
baths. I am almost thankful for it. I have grown very fond, too, of
this dear little luxurious house, though I could hardly say why. It is
like my wonderful fancy for Rosalie. Ah, poor Rosalie! I wonder where
she is now, and when they will return. I cannot help thinking she might
do me some good. But, as I was saying; fond as I am of this dear little
house, I shall be really glad to leave it for a time, and see what
change of air will do for me. If I could only get rid of those terrible
night perspirations. It is they that pull me down so, and make me so
weak and miserable. Oh! what would I not give to be well once more, if
it were only to get rid of the memory of that time.
_July_ 7.--Safe at Baden Baden; and too early as yet for the majority
of the English pleasure-seekers. What a delicious place it is; I
declare I quite feel myself better already....
_Sept._ 11.--Really almost well again. Quite a comfortable talk to-day
with dear Willie about that foolish Dr. Watson; the first time the
subject has been mentioned between us, since that day when I got into
such a passion about it. Poor man, he was hardly worth going into a
rage about. We heard to-day of his having made some terrible blunder in
the new place he has gone to, and lost all his practice by killing some
poor old woman through it. It was this made us talk of his poisoning
notion, and oh! how glad I was to see that dear Willie had quite got
over his nervousness about it. We had quite a long talk; and, at last,
he promised me faithfully never to say a word more about it to any one.
_Oct._ 10.--Home again at last, and in our own dear little house. And
really I feel once more as well and strong as this time last year. Dear
William, too, how happy he is; the shadow seems quite to have passed
away. God grant it may not return.
_Oct._ 30.--An eventful day. All the morning at the Crystal Palace, and
just as we returned who should walk in but the Baron R**! It was just a
year since he left us, but he had not altered in the very least. I do
not think that short, square figure, with the impenetrable rosy face,
and the large white hands, and those wonderful great green eyes that
you can so rarely catch, and when you have caught, so invariably wish
you had let alone, can ever change. I am afraid I was not very cordial
to him. I ought to be, for he has done great things for me; and yet
somehow when I saw him, I felt quite a cold shudder run all through
me. Dear William saw it, and asked if I was ill, and when I laughed
and said, "No, it was only some one walking over my grave," I could
not help fancying that for a moment the Baron's lips seemed to turn
quite white, and I just caught one glance from those awful eyes that
seemed as if it would read me through and through. And yet after all
it may have been only fancy, for the next moment he was talking in his
rich, quiet voice as though nothing could ever disturb him. So Rosalie
is gone. That is clear at all events, though what has exactly become
of her I cannot quite so well understand. From all I can make out, she
seems, poor girl, to have married very foolishly, and it was that that
was the matter between them when they went away last year. The Baron
seemed indeed to hint at something even worse, but he would not speak
out plainly, and I would defy any one to make that man say one word
more than he may choose. Poor Rosalie, I hope she has not come to any
harm.
_Nov._ 1.--Another visit from the Baron, to say good-bye before his
return to--his wife! How strange that we should never have heard of her
before, and even now I cannot make out whether he has married since he
left us or whether he was always so. Certainly that man is a mystery,
and just now it pleases him to talk especially in enigmas. He does not
seem disposed, however, to put up with vague information on our part. I
thought he would never have done questioning poor William and me about
my illness, and at last he drew it out of me--not out of William, dear
fellow--what that foolish Dr. Watson had said. After all I am not sorry
I told him, for it was quite a relief to hear him speak so strongly of
the absurdity of such an idea, and I am sure it was a comfort to poor
William. He--the Baron--spoke very strongly too about the danger of
setting such ideas about, and particularly cautioned dear Willie not to
mention it to any one. I knew he would not have done so any way, but
this will make him more comfortable.
_April_ 3.--Such a delightful day and so tired. I never saw Richmond
look so lovely, and how dear Willie and I did enjoy ourselves in that
lovely park. But oh! I am so sleepy. Not a word more.
_April_ 5.--Another lovely day--strolling about Lord Holland's Park
all the morning, and this evening some music in our own dear little
drawing-room. How happy--how very happy--good Heaven, what is this?
That old horrible leaden taste: and oh, so deadly sick....
_April_ 6.--Thank Heaven the attack seems to have passed away. Oh,
how it frightened me. Thank Heaven, too, I was able to keep the worst
from dear William, and he did not know how like it was to that other
dreadful time.
_April_ 20.--Again that horrible sickness, and worse--oh, far
worse--still, that awful deadly leaden taste. Worse this time, too,
than the last. In bed all day yesterday. Poor Willie terribly anxious.
Pray Heaven it may not come again.
_May_ 6.--Another attack. God help me! if this should go on, I do not
know what will become of me. Already I am beginning to feel weaker and
weaker. Poor Willie!--these last three days have been terrible ones for
him. However, the doctor says it will all pass off. Pray Heaven it may!
_May_ 25.--More sickness, more derangement, more of that horrible
leaden taste. The doctor himself is beginning to look uncomfortable,
and I can see that poor Willie's mind is reverting to that terrible
suggestion a year ago. Thank Heaven I have as yet managed to conceal
from him and from Dr. Dodsworth that horrid deadly taste which made
such an impression on Dr. Watson. Oh, when will this end!
_June_ 10.--A horrible suspicion is taking possession of me. What can
this mean? I look back through my journal, and it is every fortnight
that this fearful attack returns. The 5th and 18th of April--3rd and
21st of May--and now again the 7th of this month. And that terrible
leaden taste which is now almost constantly in my mouth; and with every
attack my strength failing--failing--O God, what can it be?
_June_ 26.--Another fortnight--another attack. There _must_ be foul
play somewhere. And yet who could--who would do such a thing? Thank
Heaven I have still concealed from my poor William that worst symptom
of all, the horrible leaden taste which is now never out of my mouth.
My precious Willie, how kind, how good he is to me....
_July_ 12.--I cannot hold out much longer now. Each time the attack
returns I lose something of the little, the very little strength that
is left. God help me, I feel now that I must go.... The Baron came
to-day, and for a moment my poor boy's face lighted up with hope again.
They had a long discussion before the doctor would consent to consult
with him, but after that, they seemed to change the medicines. But
something must have gone wrong, for I have never seen Dr. Dodsworth
look so grave.
_Aug._ 1.--I think the end is drawing very near now. This last attack
has weakened me more than ever, and I write this in my bed. I shall
never rise from it again. My poor, poor Willie.... Three days I have
been in bed now, but I have taken nothing from any hand but his.
_Aug._ 17.--This is, I think, almost the last entry I shall make.
Another fortnight and I shall be too weak to hold the pen--if, indeed,
I am still here.
_Sept._ 5.--Another attack. Strange how this weary body bears up
against all this pain. Would that it were over; and yet my poor, poor
boy.... He too, is almost worn out; night and day he never leaves me...
I take the things from his hand, but I cannot taste them now--nothing
but lead....
_Sept._ 27.[3]--Farewell my husband--my darling--my own precious
Willie. Think of me--come soon to me. God bless you--God comfort
you--my darling--my own.
_In the hand of Mr. Anderton._
This day my darling died. Oct. 12th, 1856. W. A.
[Footnote 1: Compare Section II., 2 and 5.]
[Footnote 2: This portion of Dr. Watson's statement, relating entirely
to the symptoms of Mrs. Anderton's case, though some details are
excluded, necessarily contains much that must be interesting only
to the medical profession and disagreeable to the general reader.
The following paragraph may therefore be passed over, merely noting
that the symptoms were such as would be compatible with antimonial
poisoning.]
[Footnote 3: Apparently the journal, which is bound in brown Russian
leather.]
SECTION IV.
[Illustration]
1.--_Memorandum by Mr. Henderson._
In the following certificate[1] you will perceive that the lady is
described as of "Acacia Cottage, Kensington." The identity of the name
with that given by both Julie and Leopoldo, as the proper designation
of the Baron's "medium," confirmed my suspicion that it was in fact
to the girl Rosalie that the Baron was married under that name,
notwithstanding the strong opinion of Julie as to the impossibility
of such being the case. Still, however, it was possible that this
might, after all, be a mere coincidence; and I therefore proceeded to
make such inquiries as seemed most likely to elucidate the point. I
had considerable difficulty in finding the house, which two or three
years back was included in the regular numbering of the row of similar
tenements in which it stands; but I at last succeeded in identifying
it. I found the landlady a very deaf old person, whose memory was
evidently failing, and was at first unable to extract from her any kind
of information on the subject, except that "she had had a great many
lodgers, and couldn't be expected to know all about all of them." In
the course of a second visit, however, I succeeded in persuading her
to favour me with a sight of her books, and looking back to October
and November, 1854, I found the sum of 2_l_. 5_s_., entered as payment
from Miss C. Brown of three weeks' rent, from the 18th October to the
8th November.[2] On further examining the books, I found that at this
time, while the other lodger was charged sundry sums for fire, Miss
Brown, though occupying the principal sitting-room, had no fire at
all during the whole time of her tenancy, though the commencement of
November in that year was unusually cold. There were also sundry other
little charges invariable in the other cases, but omitted in the case
of Miss Brown; and at length, on these things being pointed out to her,
the old lady managed to remember that the rooms had been taken by a
gentleman for a lady who was to give lessons in drawing. The gentleman
had paid the three weeks' rent in advance, and had specially requested
that they might be kept vacant for her, as the time of her arrival was
uncertain. He had also begged that any letters or messages received for
her should be sent to a certain address immediately. After a great deal
of searching, this address was at length found, and proved to be the
square glazed card which I enclose.
2. _Letters or messages for Miss Brown to be forwarded immediately to
care of._
Baron R**,
_Post Office, Notting Hill._
The old lady further stated that she never saw the gentleman again,
and that she had never seen the lady at all. In fact, after payment
of the money, nothing further had been heard of either of the parties
concerned; and as no inquiries had been made for Miss Brown, the
subject had altogether passed from her mind.
Being thus pretty well satisfied of the identity of Madame R**, my next
care was to trace the proceedings of the Baron between the time of his
marriage and the death of his wife, which took place, as you are aware,
in London, about two years and a half subsequently; the insurances
having, as you well know, been effected at about the middle of this
period. The information afforded me by Dr. Jones, the medical man who
signed the certificate to your office in connection with the policy on
the life of Madame R**, first gave me the required clue, and you will,
I think, find in the depositions immediately following, sufficient, at
all events, to justify, if not entirely to corroborate, the suspicions
which first gave rise to my inquiries. It is certainly unfortunate that
here, too--as in the case of Mr. Aldridge, whose letter first aroused
these suspicions--the witness on whose evidence the principal stress
must be laid, is not one whose testimony would probably carry much
weight with a jury. Such, however, as it is, I have felt it my duty to
lay it before you; and I will now leave it, with such other as I have
been able to collect, to tell its own tale.
3._--Statement of Mrs. Whitworth._
My name is Jane Whitworth. I am a widow, and gain my living by letting
furnished apartments at Bognor, Sussex. The principal season at Bognor
is during the Goodwood races, and there are very few visitors there in
the autumn and winter. On the 6th October, 1854, I let the whole upper
part of my house to a lady and gentleman, who arrived there late that
evening. They gave some foreign name; I forget what. It was some long
German name. They did not give the name at first. Not till I asked
for it. I don't know that the gentleman was particularly unwilling.
I said I wanted it for my bill; and he laughed, and said it did not
matter,--anything would do. Then I said, if letters came, and he
said:--"Oh! there won't be any letters," and went on reading the paper.
I went down stairs, and as I was going down he rang, and I went back,
and he told me of his own accord. That was at the end of the first week
when I was making out my bill. They said they intended remaining for
some weeks. It was the gentleman who said this. The lady took no part
in the business, and seemed out of spirits, and very much afraid of her
husband. He settled with me to take the apartments at thirty shillings
a week. He was to remain as long as he liked. Not beyond the next race
week, of course. We never let over the race week. He also made an
agreement with me about board. I was to find for him and the lady, and
the servant, for 2_l_. 15_s_. a week. That was without wine, beer, or
spirits. It is not a usual arrangement. We do it sometimes--not often.
The gentleman said it was because his wife was not well, and could
not be troubled. The servant was his. It was a maid. She did not come
with them. The gentleman hired her at Brighton. That is not a usual
arrangement. Certainly not. I never made such a one before, and I told
him so. He said it was because he was so particular about his servants.
He said he never would live where the servants were not under his own
hand--where he could not turn them away. I said I did not like it, it
was not the custom. He said he was sorry, but he could not take the
apartments without it, and then I gave way. Afterwards he followed me
down stairs, and gave me to understand it was something about his wife.
At first, I thought she was not quite right in her head. That was from
what he told me. I said I should be afraid to have her in the house,
but he laughed, and said it was not that. I then supposed it must be
temper. He was very pleasant about it. He was always very pleasant to
me. I don't know what he may have been to other people. I always had
my money to the day, and he was always pleasant. I can't say better
than that. He got a servant a few days after they came. I did not turn
away my own. I had none at the time. The season being over, it was a
great chance whether I let again, and I sent my servant away, and did
for myself. A charwoman did for the gentleman till he got a servant.
He got one from Brighton. I recommended two or three in Bognor, but
they did not suit. The one he got was a girl about twenty. Her name
was Sarah Something. I did not think much of her. I used sometimes
to think my tea and sugar went very fast. I never caught her taking
anything. She was very quiet and civil-spoken. She stayed with the
gentleman about a month; not quite. She was sent away for giving the
lady a dose of physic in her arrow-root to make her sick. The lady was
very bad indeed. We thought she would have died. She was dreadfully
sick, and had the cholera awfully bad. This was the 9th of December.[3]
I know it from my books. The gentleman sent out for brandy and several
things, and they are down in my book. On the following morning he sent
for some stuff from the chemist.[4] Before that he had given her some
medicine himself. I don't know what it was. He had a lot of chemicals
and things. He kept them in a back room. The lady had a doctor. Not at
first. Not till the Monday after she was ill. I asked him to send for
one, but he said he was a doctor himself. She continued very ill, and
on the Sunday night I asked him again. He said if she was not better
next morning, he would. I wanted him to send for Dr. Pesketh or Dr.
Thompson, but he would not. He said they were no good. I have always
heard them very highly spoken of. Dr. Pesketh I have always heard of
as a first-rate doctor. He is since dead. Dr. Thompson is a very good
doctor, too; but Dr. Pesketh, perhaps, had most practice. I don't think
the gentleman knew anything about either of them. He sent for a Doctor
Jones, who was in lodgings in the Steyne. I believe he lived in London.
He prescribed for the lady while he stayed in Bognor. He went away
the week after. He was only there a fortnight. The gentleman heard of
him through a friend of mine in the Steyne. He asked me to find out
whether there was no London doctor in the place. He would not have any
one who belonged to the place. He said country doctors were no good.
The lady got better, but very slowly. She was ill several weeks. When
she was strong enough they went away. He was very attentive to her.
Never left her alone for a minute hardly. She did not seem very fond
of him. I think she was afraid of him, but I don't know why. He was
very kind to her, and always particularly civil. Sometimes she seemed
quite put out like by his civility. I thought sometimes she would have
flown out at him. She never did fly out. He always seemed able to stop
her. I don't know how he did it. He never said anything; only looked
at her; but it was quite enough. I thought she must have been doing
something wrong, and he had brought her to Bognor to be out of the way.
I do not know exactly what made me think so. It was the way they went
on, and what he said to me. He never told me so. It was from things he
said. I did not talk much to the lady. I thought her very ungrateful
when he was so kind. Then she was hardly ever alone. Only once when
the gentleman went out for something. Then she was left about an hour.
She was writing part of the time. She borrowed writing materials of
me. There were none in the sitting-room. There usually were, but the
gentleman had sent the inkstand downstairs. He said it was sure to be
upset. I lent the lady the things, and she gave me two letters for
the post. She did not say anything to me; only asked me to post them
immediately. One was addressed to Notting Hill. I noticed that because
I have a sister living there; the other was to some theatre. I forget
where. It struck me, because I thought it odd that a lady should write
to a theatre. I didn't think it was right. I would rather not say what
I thought. Well, it was that she was connected with some one there.
Improperly, of course. The letter was not addressed to a man. It was
"Miss Somebody," but that might be a blind. I thought this might
account for her behaviour to her husband. I was very angry. A woman has
no business to go on so. It is particularly bad when she has such a
good husband. I did not say this to her. I did not notice the address
till I got down-stairs. I kept the letters, and told the gentleman when
he came in. He seemed very much vexed. He took the letters, and was
very much obliged to me. He put the letter to the theatre into the fire
without opening it. The other he said he would post himself. I don't
know whether he did post it, or not. I suppose so, of course. I think
he spoke to the lady about it. I am sure he did, for that night when
I went up, I could see she had been crying, and she would never speak
to me again. She spoke English quite well. The letters were addressed
in English. When she spoke to the gentleman it was generally in some
foreign language, but she could speak English perfectly. I do not know
what became of the girl, Sarah. I think she went into service again
at Brighton. I know the gentleman gave her a character. He was very
kind to her. He was always very kind. He was the pleasantest and most
civil-spoken gentleman I ever met, and I think his wife behaved very
bad to him.
4. _Statement of Dr. Jones, of Gower Street, Bedford Square._[5]
I am a physician, residing in Gower Street, Bedford Square. In the
beginning of December, 1854, I was suffering from a severe cold, and
being unable to shake it off, went for a fortnight to the sea for
change of air. I selected Bognor, because I had been in the habit
of spending my holidays there for two or three years. I was lodging
in the Steyne. Some few days after my arrival, I received a message
requesting me to call and see a lady who was dangerously ill at a
lodging in another part of the town. At first I declined to go, not
wishing to interfere with the established practitioners of the place. A
gentleman then called upon me, who gave the name of the Baron R**. He
informed me that the lady in question was his wife, and that she was
dangerously ill from the effects of a considerable quantity of emetic
tartar, administered to her by the maid. He was very urgent with me
to attend, saying that he was in the greatest anxiety about his wife,
and that he could not in such a case sufficiently rely upon the skill
of any country doctor. He pressed me so strongly, that I at length
consented to accompany him to his lodgings. I found the patient in a
very exhausted condition, and evidently suffering from the effects of
some irritant poison. From what the Baron told me, the symptoms were
much abated, but the purging still continued, accompanied with severe
griping pains and profuse perspirations. I learned from the Baron
that, being himself a good amateur chemist, and having accidentally
discovered at the outset the origin of his wife's illness, he had so
far treated her himself, rather than trust to the chance of a country
physician. He described his treatment, which appeared to me perfectly
correct. On becoming satisfied of the cause of the disturbance, he
first promoted vomiting as much as possible by the exhibition of
tepid water, and afterwards of warm water, with a small quantity of
mustard. When no more food appeared to be left in the stomach, he
then administered large quantities of a saturated infusion of green
tea, of which he had a few pounds at hand for his own drinking, and,
finally, at the time of my arrival was exhibiting considerable doses
of decoction of Peruvian bark: both which remedies are recommended
by Professor Taylor in cases of antimonial poisoning. Their action
left no doubt on my mind as to the origin of the symptoms; but by
desire of the Baron I proceeded to analyse with him portions of the
vomited and excreted matter, as also a portion of the arrow-root in
which the tartarised antimony was supposed to have been administered.
To all of these we together applied the usual tests,--viz., nitric
acid, ferrocyanide of potassium, and hydrosulphuret of ammonia,--and
succeeded in ascertaining beyond doubt the presence of antimony in
all three. The quantity, however, appears to have been small. So far
as we could ascertain, there could not have been more than one, or at
the most two grains of tartarised antimony in the arrow-root, of which
not much more than three parts was eaten. I cannot account for the
violent action of so small a quantity. I have frequently administered
much larger doses in cases of inflammation of the lungs without ill
effect. Two grains is by no means an unusual dose when intended to act
as an emetic; but the action of antimony varies greatly with different
constitutions. Having certified ourselves of the presence of the
suspected poison, the question was, as to the person by whom it had
been administered. The Baron said he had no doubt that it was a trick
on the part of the servant maid, between whom and her mistress there
had been some dispute a few days since. We therefore determined on
taxing her with it; but before doing so, proceeded to examine a bottle
of prepared tartar emetic, which, as the Baron informed me, he kept
for his own use, being subject to digestive derangement. He was, I
believe, addicted to the pleasures of the table, and was in the habit
of taking an occasional emetic. The bottle was not in its usual place,
but was standing on the table at the side of the dressing-case in which
it was usually kept. It was labelled, "The emetic. One tea-spoonful to
be taken as directed." I remarked that it should be labelled "poison,"
and the Baron quite agreed with me, and immediately wrote the word in
large characters on a piece of paper and gummed it round the bottle.
We then weighed the contents of the bottle, from which three doses
only had been taken by the Baron, and, on comparing the results, we
found that a quantity equivalent to about one grain and a-half of the
tartarised antimony had been abstracted in excess of this amount. The
servant maid was the only person besides the Baron who usually had
access to the apartment; and we at once sent for her and taxed her
with having administered it to Madame R** in the arrow-root before
mentioned. My own counsel was to give her immediately in charge, but
the Baron pointed out, very justly, that there was nothing to show the
girl that she was doing anything that could possibly affect life; and
that, in the absence of any motive for such a crime, it was only fair
to conclude that nothing was intended beyond a foolish practical joke.
He said the same to the girl, and spoke to her very kindly indeed. At
first she altogether denied it, and pretended to be quite astonished
at such an imputation. The Baron, however, looked steadily at her
and said, "Take care, Sarah! Remember what I said to you only three
days ago." She did not attempt then to deny it any longer, but said
she was very sorry, but she hoped the Baron would forgive her. The
Baron said he could not possibly retain her in his service, and she
then begged of him not to send her away without a character. At this
time I interfered, and said he would be very wrong to send her into
any other family after playing such a trick. She again protested she
had meant no harm, and the subject then dropped, the Baron saying he
would take time to consider of it. From that time I attended Madame
R** until my return to London, when she was clearly recovering. I did
not enter into any conversation with her, as she seemed very reserved
and of an unsociable disposition. The Baron seemed an unusually
attentive husband. Talking over the subject of the seizure a day or
two afterwards, he informed me that the death of his wife would also
have been a severe loss in a pecuniary point of view, as if she lived
she would inherit a considerable fortune. I asked him why he did not
insure her life, and he said he should now certainly do so, but had
not before thought of it. He called upon me about two months later, in
passing through town, and informed me that he intended to travel abroad
for some months. I recommended the German baths, and on his objecting
to the crowds of English there, suggested Griesbach or Rippoldsau, in
the Black Forest, where Englishmen are rarely to be encountered. It was
too early for either place at that time, and I recommended the south
of France until the season was sufficiently advanced. I did not see
him again till October, 1855, when he again called upon me with Madame
R**, who seemed perfectly restored, and of whom I had no difficulty in
reporting most favourably to the ---- Life Assurance Association, as
also some weeks later to the ---- Life Office of Dublin, when applied
to for my professional opinion. I think Madame R**'s was an excellent
life, and there could be no better proof of it than her entire recovery
in the course of a very few months, or indeed weeks, from so severe
an illness. The sensitiveness to antimony would not affect this
opinion. Indeed Professor Taylor, in his work on poisons, points out
distinctly the "idiosyncratic" action of antimony and other medicinals
on certain constitutions, as "conferring on an ordinary medicinal dose
a poisonous instead of a curative action." I have a copy of his work
now before me, in which he says that "daily experience teaches us that
some persons are more powerfully affected than others by an ordinary
dose of opium, arsenic, _antimony_, and other substances;" and again,
in considering the probable amount of the "fatal dose," he speaks of
"that ever-varying condition of idiosyncracy, in which, as it is well
known, there is a state of constitution more liable to be affected by
antimonial compounds than other individuals apparently in the same
conditions as to health, age," &c. I did not, therefore, nor do I
now, consider the sensitiveness of Madame R**'s constitution to that
medicine any objection to her life, especially in view of the immense
vitality shown by her recovery. With regard to the sleep-walking,
I have had no hint from the Baron of such a propensity on the part
of Madame R**. Certainly it was never suggested that she could have
poisoned herself in that way. Indeed the servant girl admitted the
act. The mode of Madame R**'s death does not in any degree shake my
confidence in my former opinion, as such an occurrence might have
happened, though by no means likely to do so, to any one in the habit
of walking in their sleep, a propensity which in Madame R**'s case I
had no means of ascertaining. I have been enabled to be thus precise
in my statement, from the fact that the interesting nature of the case
led me to make a special memorandum of it in my diary, from which the
above is taken. I shall therefore have no difficulty in confirming any
portion of it upon oath.
5. _Statement of Mrs. Throgmorton._
Mrs. Throgmorton presents her compliments to Mr. R. Henderson, and
begs to inform him that the girl Sarah Newman, who is still in her
service, and continues to give entire satisfaction in every way, came
to her about Christmas, 1854, with a written character from the Baron
R**, then residing at Bognor, and with whom she had been as housemaid
and parlourmaid for some weeks. The character given by the Baron was
a most satisfactory one, but on Mrs. Throgmorton's desiring to know
the reason of Sarah Newman's leaving the situation, she was informed
by the Baron that it was on account of her having played a foolish
trick upon her late mistress by administering an emetic to her without
authority, a highly reprehensible proceeding, which rendered Mrs.
Throgmorton very much indisposed to receive her into her family. On
further correspondence with Sarah Newman's late master, however, Mrs.
Throgmorton received the impression that the fault had, in point of
fact, been chiefly on the side of Madame R**, though, of course, as a
gentleman, impossible to say so directly with respect to his own wife,
and Mrs. Throgmorton therefore agreed to take Sarah Newman on trial,
as she appeared truly penitent for her most reprehensible conduct,
and has since proved a very valuable servant in every respect. Mrs.
Throgmorton trusts that this information will be satisfactory to Mr.
Henderson, as he appears interested in Sarah Newman's welfare, in whom
Mrs. Throgmorton herself takes great interest.
Cliftonville.
6. _Statement of Mr. Andrews._
"SIR,
"In reply to your letter of the 25th ultimo, I beg to inform you that
the girl, Sarah Newman, certainly was in my service at Brighton for
a month or two in the summer of 1854, but was discharged, I think,
in September of that year, for various petty thefts. She was a very
interesting girl, and took us in completely, but was accidentally
discovered by one of our children, and after full proof of her
delinquencies, turned away without a character. My own wish was to
prosecute her, which indeed I considered almost a duty to others
by whom she might hereafter be plundered, but I was persuaded to
relinquish my intention by my wife, who had taken a great fancy to
her. About two months after her dismissal, a gentleman, who gave some
German name--I cannot now remember it--called to inquire our reasons
for discharging her, and I then informed him of the whole case. He
questioned me pretty closely as to my real opinion of the girl, stating
that he was philanthropically disposed, and would give her a chance
for reform, if there was any likelihood of her availing herself of it.
I told him frankly my own opinion, viz., that the girl was a hardened
offender; but my wife was very eager that she should have another
chance, and I have very little doubt the German gentleman took her. He
was, so far as I remember, a stout good-natured looking man, and he had
with him a young lady whom he left in the carriage, and who was, he
said, his wife. I think the name you mention--Baron R**, is the same
name as that given--or at least something like it--but cannot be quite
sure. I am,
"Dear sir,
"Faithfully yours,
"CHARLES ANDREWS.
"P.S.--My wife begs me to ask that should you know anything of the
after-career of her protégée you will kindly communicate it to us.
"R. Henderson, Esq., &c. &c. &c.,
"Clement's Inn, W.C."
7. _Statement of Sarah Newman._
N.B. This statement was not obtained without considerable difficulty,
and must be taken for whatever it may be worth. The girl was naturally
anxious to be secured against the possible consequences of her own
admissions, and I only at last succeeded in inducing her to speak out
by means both of a promise on the part of Mrs. Throgmorton not to
discharge her, and a threat of police interference, if she did not
confess the whole truth. I have, myself, no doubt whatever of the
correctness of her statement as it now stands, and it is, as you will
see, corroborated in several very important particulars, but whether
it could be produced before a jury, or, if it were so, what effect it
would have upon their minds, are both very doubtful questions. R. H.
My name is Sarah Newman. I was in the service of Mr. Andrews at
Brighton for three months. I was discharged by him for stealing tea and
sugar. Mr. Andrews wanted to take the law of me, but my mistress would
not let him. My mistress would have kept me on, but master said, No.
She was always very kind to me, and it was very ungrateful of me to rob
her. I would never do so again. My present mistress is very kind to me,
too. I have never robbed her of a pin. I declare to goodness I have
not, nor I never will steal from anybody again. I have often wanted to
tell Mrs. Andrews so since, but did not know where she was. I did not
say it to her when I left. I felt quite hard like, because of master.
I was out of place two months after that. No one would take me without
a character. At last a friend at Bognor told me of a gentleman, and I
got her to speak to him. It was the Baron. He came to see me one day
when he was at Brighton. He insisted on knowing all about me--where I
had been and why I had left Mr. Andrews. He was very kind, and said it
was hard a poor girl should be ruined for one false step. He said if I
would promise never to steal again he would give me a trial. I promised
him faithfully, and he at last took me down to Bognor with him. I do
not know whether he made any inquiries about me. I think not. He did
not tell me he had. I meant to keep my promise. Indeed I did, and I
did keep it, almost. I mean I only took one little thing, and I really
did not think that was stealing. Nothing was ever locked up. The Baron
always insisted on having the tea-chest and other things left open in
case he wanted some. I never took any. I might have taken a great deal,
but I did not. I used to think sometimes things were left on purpose to
tempt me, but of course that was fancy. Often there were coppers left
about, but I never touched them. I did take one thing at last. I did
not think it was stealing. It was only some orange-marmalade. I am very
fond of sweet things. One day there was a pot of orange-marmalade. It
was left on the table. It was after they had gone away from breakfast.
I couldn't help it. It looked so nice. I just put in my finger. That
was all. I declare to goodness that was all. I did not even taste it.
The Baron came back and caught me. He did not say anything. He just
shut the door close and walked straight up to me. I was so frightened I
could not move. He took hold of my wrist and held up my hand. I burst
out crying. He said it was no use crying; I had deceived him, and must
go. He said if he did his duty he ought to give me up to the police. I
said indeed I had taken nothing, but only that little taste of sweets.
He said who would believe me with my character? He spoke very kind but
very stern, and I was dreadfully frightened. I begged of him not to
give me up, and he said he would give me one chance more; but I must go
away. I said if he turned me out without a character I might as well
drown myself at once. I begged him to let me stay; but he said that
was impossible. Then I begged him not to say why I was sent away. He
said, what else could he say? I begged him again very hard. At last
he said he would think over it. He said he would try and make some
other excuse for my going, but I must go next day, positive. He told me
if he did make an excuse for me to be very careful not to contradict
him. I was very grateful to him. He is a kind good gentleman, and I
shall always bless him for it. I did not go next day. I was kept by
my mistress's illness. She was very bad indeed. I did all I could for
her. I hoped the Baron had forgotten and would let me stay. He sent
for me two or three days afterwards. There was another gentleman with
him. It was the doctor. He charged me with having given some stuff to
my mistress to make her sick. Of course I denied it. I never gave her
anything, I never had any quarrel with her at all. She was always very
good-natured to me, but I did not like her much. I don't know why. I
think it was because she did not like master. I said I had given her
nothing. No more I had. I never saw the bottle, and don't know what
it was. I cannot read at all. I saw master look at me, and he said
something about two or three days ago. I knew then that he was making
an excuse to send me away. He made signs at me to abide by what he
said, and I did abide by it. The other gentleman was very hard, but
of course he did not know. What the Baron said was given as a reason
for my going away. That was all. The real reason was my taking the
marmalade. If you ask the Baron he will tell you so. I hope you will
tell him how grateful I am for his kindness to me.
[Footnote 1: See next page.]
[Footnote 2: Compare Sections II., 2 and 5; and III., 1.]
[Footnote 3: Compare Mrs. Anderton's Journal. Dec, 9.]
[Footnote 4: On inquiry I find this to have been the decoction of
Peruvian bark.--R. H.]
[Footnote 5: Compare Section III., 2.]
SECTION V.
1.--_Memorandum by Mr. Henderson._
We have now reached a point in this mysterious story at which I must
again direct your attention most particularly to the coincidences of
dates, &c., on which, indeed, depends entirely, as I have before said,
the only solution at which I have found it possible to arrive.
The length to which these depositions have run has obliged me to
divide them into distinct sections, each of which should bear more
directly upon some particular phase of the case. For this purpose I
have taken, as you will have perceived, first the early history of Mrs.
Anderton, and as we may, I think, fairly assume, of Madame R** also,
thus establishing, at the outset, the initiatory link of that chain of
connection between these two extraordinary cases, which, inexplicable
as either is in itself, will nevertheless, I cannot but imagine,
each help to elucidate the other. The second division placed us in
possession of the histories both of Mrs. Anderton and Madame R**, up
to the point at which the thread of their singular destinies crossed;
showing, also, how the Baron became aware of his wife's probable
relationship to Mrs. Anderton, and of the benefit thereby accruing to
her upon the death, without issue, of her sister and Mr. Anderton.
The third section deals with the first illness of Madame R**, to the
date and circumstances of which I felt it right to direct your most
particular attention.
In the fourth division of the evidence we then reviewed the
circumstances attending the fatal illness of Mrs. Anderton, which led
to her husband's arrest on suspicion of murder, and finally to his
suicide, while awaiting investigation. A considerable portion of the
evidence connected with this phase of the subject I have thought it
best to keep back for insertion in that division of the case which
bears more particularly upon the conduct and death of Mr. Anderton,
and which will follow that on which we are now about to enter. The
narrative, therefore, of Mrs. Anderton's last illness has been thus
far confined to the mention of it in the unfortunate lady's own diary,
with the note at its termination, in which her husband records the fact
of her decease. With this, however, I have coupled an account, drawn
partly from an earlier portion of the same diary, and partly from the
statement of the medical man by whom she was at the time attended, of
a previous illness very similar in general character to that by which
she was finally carried off, and apparently of an equally unaccountable
description. The object with which I have thus placed in juxtaposition
the first attacks respectively of Madame R** and Mrs. Anderton will
probably be sufficiently apparent. I have now to direct your attention
to a second illness of Madame R**, occurring, under what I cannot but
feel to be most suspicious circumstances, but a very few months before
her demise.
In proceeding with this portion of the case, the extreme importance
attaching to a thorough and correct appreciation of the dates of the
various occurrences will become more obvious at every step, and to them
I must again request your utmost attention. I had at first proposed
to submit to you in a tabular form the singular coincidences to which
I allude, but on reflection, such a course appeared objectionable,
as tending to place too strongly before you a view of the subject
with which I must confess myself thoroughly dissatisfied. I have,
therefore, preferred leaving entirely to yourselves the comparison of
the various dates, &c., limiting myself strictly to a verification of
their accuracy. In many instances this has been no easy task, and more
particularly in establishing satisfactorily the exact date (5th April,
1856), at which the symptoms of Madame R**'s second illness first
appeared, wherein I have experienced a difficulty only compensated by
the importance of the result.
I have, therefore, to request that the depositions here following may
be carefully compared with the concluding portion of Mrs. Anderton's
diary, and also with the statement of Dr. Dodsworth. In making this
comparison you will notice, besides the points I have already referred
to respecting dates, various discrepancies between facts as actually
occurring and as represented to Mr. and Mrs. Anderton by the Baron.
These I need not here particularise, as they will be sufficiently
obvious on a perusal of the depositions themselves, but it is as well
to draw your attention generally to them, as they seem to have a
significant bearing upon other parts of the case.
I must request you also to bear in mind the relation in which the Baron
and his wife were supposed to stand towards each other previously to
their marriage, and will now proceed to lay before you the depositions
relating, as I have said, to the second illness of the latter.
2.--_Statement of Mrs. Brown._
My name is Jane Brown. I am a widow, and my poor dear husband was
a clerk in the city. I don't know in whose house. I did know but I
forget. My memory is very bad. I live in Russell Place. The house is
my own, not hired. My poor dear husband left it to me in his will. I
sometimes let it off in lodgings. Not always. Only when I can get quiet
lodgers. Last year[1] I let the first and second floors to Baron R**.
The ground floor was let to Dr. Marsden. He has had it several years.
He does not live there. He has a practice near London. He comes to
Russell Place every Monday and Friday to see his patients. He used to
live with us. That was in my poor dear husband's lifetime. Baron R**
took the rest of the house except the attics. I lived there myself. I
cannot remember when the Baron came. It was some time in February or
March. I am sure I cannot remember. I have no means of ascertaining. I
don't keep any accounts. My poor dear husband always kept the accounts.
I have kept none since he died. I dare say I lose money by it, but
I can't help it. I have no head for it. I am pretty sure it was in
February or March. I think about the beginning of March.[2] There was
no other lodger then. Not till my son went away from home again. He
was away from home then. He came home some time in March or April. I
suppose it was in March. He came from Melbourne to Liverpool. He was
at home for some weeks. I can't tell how many. He went away again in
April, or it might have been May. I am almost sure it was not later
than May. Not so late I think. Mrs. Troubridge could tell you. Richard
married her daughter. Richard is my son. He married Ellen Troubridge.
That was while he was at home last year. They had been engaged ever so
long. He came home on purpose to marry her. He had got a promise of
something at Melbourne, and was obliged to go back directly. He worked
his passage home from Melbourne. I do not know what ship he came in. I
don't think he shipped in his own name. I forget why it was. Something
about not liking to have it known. I don't know why not. I don't know
at all what name he took. I cannot remember when he came home or when
he went. I do not know when he left Melbourne. He brought home one
paper. There is only a small piece of it left. He was with me all the
time he was at home except Saturdays and Sundays. He used to go down to
Brighton then to see Ellen. She was in a shop there. He used to go by
the excursion train and stay with her mother from Saturday to Monday.
All the rest of the time he was with me. That is all I can tell you
about him. The other lodger was a friend of his. He had known him in
Australia. He asked him to his wedding. That was at our house. It was
on a Monday, and he came the Saturday before. They all came up together
from Brighton. The Baron let us use his rooms. He went away somewhere
to give his lady change of air. I think it was because she had been
ill. I cannot be sure. She was ill several times at my house. She died
there. I forget when was the first time she was ill there. It was while
my son was in England. I remember talking to him about it. He was away
from home at the time. There was no one in the house but myself. I
remember it because I was so frightened. There was nobody at all. Not
even a servant. I generally have a servant. I was without one then for
two or three months. I got a charwoman to come in the day. The reason
was my servant got tipsy. She had to be taken away by the police and
I was afraid for a long while to get another. I can't at all remember
when that was. I think it must have been before the Baron came. I can't
be sure. I am quite sure it was before Madame R** was taken ill. I am
sure of that because I remember so well how frightened I was. I think
Dr. Marsden attended Madame R**. He used to be very friendly with the
Baron. Everybody liked him. He was so good-natured and so very kind to
his wife. We did not think so much of her. She was very quiet, but she
did not seem to care about him. She seemed frightened like. I sometimes
thought she was not quite right in her head. The Baron was always kind
to her. He was good-natured with everybody. I never heard him say a
hard word of any one but once. That was of young Aldridge. He was
Richard's friend who lodged with us.[3] He made a noise and disturbed
Madame R**. He came home one night quite intoxicated, and the Baron
asked me to give him notice. He said if Mr. Aldridge did not go he
must. Of course I gave him notice directly. He said it was all spite.
Of course I knew that was not true. He said he was not drunk, but the
policeman found him lying on the doorstep. I forget what he said. It
was some foolish story about the Baron. I do not know of any reason why
they should have quarrelled. I remember he said something once about
Madame R** walking in her sleep. I don't know what it was. I don't
think that could have had anything to do with it. Of course it could
not. The Baron complained of being disturbed. That was all. I do not
remember that I was ever disturbed myself. His room was next to mine. I
might have been disturbed without remembering it. I certainly was that
night he came home intoxicated. He might have disturbed Madame R** and
I slept through it. I sleep heavy sometimes. I forget when this was and
when he left the house. I cannot remember the exact dates of anything.
My poor dear husband always did everything of that sort for me. He was
a very exact man. I have no sort of books or papers of any kind to
which I could refer. This is all I can tell you about it.
3.--_Statement of Mrs. Troubridge._
My name is Ellen Troubridge. My husband is a seafaring man. He is
captain of a small collier. We live at Shoreham, near Brighton. I have
one daughter, whose name is Ellen. She is married to a man of the name
of Richard Brown. He is in Australia. He went out to Australia in
1856. I forget the exact date. It was some time in April or May. The
ship's name was the Maria Somes. She sailed from Gravesend. My daughter
was married on the 14th of April. That was not very long before they
sailed. She had been engaged to young Brown for three or four years.
He came home on purpose to marry her. I don't remember exactly when he
came home. It must have been about a month before. Something of that
kind. He was in a great hurry to get out again. He wanted to marry by
license, so as to be quicker, but I told him it was a foolish expense.
He had the banns put up the first Sunday he was at home. I think it was
the first, but cannot be quite sure. My daughter was then in service.
She was at a shop in Brighton. During the week she used to sleep at
a friend's house, and on Saturdays she used to come home to us for
Sundays. Brown used always to come down on Saturdays. He used to come
by the cheap excursion train. He used to go to Brighton and call for
Nelly, and walk with her to Shoreham. He used to walk back with her
early Monday morning, and go on to town. He never came at other times.
It was no good. Nelly was only at home Sundays. He wanted her to leave
and go to his mother's. She would not leave the shop till her time was
out. I would not let him be at Brighton. I was afraid people might
talk. So far as I know, he was at home all the rest of the time. The
marriage took place from Mrs. Brown's house. She had a lodger then--a
foreigner, I think. He went out of town for two or three days, and lent
her his rooms. After the wedding young Brown and my daughter went to
Southend for a few days. I cannot say exactly how long. About a week or
a fortnight. On the Saturday before they sailed we all went down to
Gravesend to meet them and see them off. The ship was to have sailed
on the Sunday. We all went to Rosherville, and slept at Gravesend that
night. I had some friends there who gave us beds. Mrs. Brown went back
on Sunday, but I stayed. A young man by the name of Aldridge was with
us. He was a friend of Brown's. I did not much like him. He went back
with Mrs. Brown. I think he took lodgings in her house. I cannot call
to mind the exact day young Brown came home. I think it must have been
some time in March.
4.--_Statement of Dr. Marsden_
My name is Anthony Marsden. I am a physician, and formerly resided at
Mrs. Brown's house, in Russell Place. Some three or four years ago I
found the atmosphere of London beginning to tell upon my health, and
determined to remove into the suburbs. I bought a small practice in
the neighbourhood of St. John's Wood, and gave up the greater portion
of my London patients. I was, however, desirous of not altogether
relinquishing that connection, and with this object rented two rooms
at Mrs. Brown's, where I might be consulted by such patients as I
still retained in that neighbourhood. I used to drive up for this
purpose every Monday and Thursday morning. I had been doing this for
some time, when the first and second floor apartments were taken by
the Baron R**. I did not at first much like him. I thought him an
impostor. He seemed, however, to wish to make my acquaintance, and I
found that he was, at all events, a very highly informed man on all
matters of science. We had frequent conversations respecting mesmerism.
He certainly seemed to be himself a believer in it. Were I not myself
thoroughly satisfied of its impossibility, I am not at all sure but
that he might have convinced me on the subject. I am quite unable to
account for many of the phenomena exhibited. They were, however, of
course, to be accounted for in some way. He seemed a very excellent
chemist, and we used at times to pursue our investigations together.
There was a small room at the back of the house, on the basement floor,
which he used as a laboratory. He invited me to make use of it, and
I was frequently there. He was always engaged in experiments of one
kind or another, and had various ingenious projects in hand. In the
laboratory was a large assortment of chemicals and medicines of various
kinds. In the case of poor patients, I have sometimes asked him to
make up a prescription, and he has done so. At the time at which I
knew him, he was engaged in a series of experiments on the metals, and
more especially on mercury, antimony, lead, and zinc. I think he must
have had almost every preparation of these that is made. I believe
that his researches were for the purpose of finding a specific against
the disease so prevalent among painters, which is known by the name of
"lead colic." The laboratory was at the back of the house, and quite
detached from all the other rooms. There was an open space between
it and the rest of the house, with only a passage communicating with
the offices. This passage was shut off by a glass door, and there was
a wooden door at the end into the laboratory. Both these doors were
always kept closed. They were not usually locked. I told the Baron I
thought they should be, but he said no one would go there. He had a
weight put on to the laboratory door to close it. The glass door had
a spring already. I frequently made use of his laboratory: sometimes
when he was absent. I might go there with or without him, whenever I
pleased. There was no attempt at concealing from me anything whatever
that was done there. It was all quite open. I attended Madame R**
through greater part of her illness. It was a very long affair, and of
a very singular character. I cannot be at all certain as to the date
at which it commenced. I was not regularly called in at the time, and
did not notice it in my book. The Baron only consulted me in a friendly
way about it, two or three days afterwards. It was certainly as much
as that. I think it was the third day. I cannot be sure of that, but I
am quite sure it was at least the second. By being the second day, I
mean that at least one clear day had intervened between the night on
which she was ill and the day on which I was consulted by the Baron.
I cannot swear to more than one, but I think it must have been. From
what the Baron told me of the symptoms, I remember concluding it to be
a case of English cholera, but she was almost recovered at the time I
first heard of it, and I did not prescribe for her. About a fortnight
or three weeks after this she had another slight attack, for which
the Baron himself also prescribed. He acquainted me on my visit to
town with the course he had pursued, and I entirely concurred in his
treatment of the case. The attack, however, returned, I think more
than once, and he then asked me to see and prescribe for her. I first
saw her professionally on the 23rd of May, 1856.[4] This was two days
after the third or fourth attack, which occurred on the night of the
21st of May. As soon as I regularly took up her case, I made notes of
it in my diary. Extracts from this are inclosed (_vide_ 5 _herewith_),
showing the progress of the case from time to time. I attended her
throughout her illness. The attacks occurred, as will be seen from my
diary, about every fortnight. They increased in intensity up to the
10th of October, 1856. At this time she was apparently, for three or
four days, almost _in articulo mortis_, and I was unable to hold out
any hope of her recovery. Another attack would certainly have been
fatal. Happily the disease appeared to have spent itself, and at the
expiration of the fortnight no renewal of the more acute symptoms
was experienced. From this date Madame R** progressed steadily but
slowly to convalescence, and would no doubt have ultimately entirely
recovered, but for the unfortunate accident which put an end to her
life. Madame R**'s case was one of great difficulty. It was apparently
one of chronic gastritis; but its recurrence in an acute form at stated
intervals was a very abnormal incident. The case presented, in fact,
all the more prominent features of that of chronic antimonial poisoning
recorded by Dr. Mayerhofer in Heller's Archiv., 1846, and alluded to
by Professor Taylor in his work on Poisons, p. 539. There were also
strong points of general resemblance to the other cases of McMullen
and Hardman, quoted by Professor Taylor at the same page, and recorded
in Guy's Hospital Reports for October, 1857. As matters progressed,
I took the opportunity of pointing this out as delicately as I could
to the Baron, and asked if he had any suspicions of foul play. He
seemed at first almost amused by the suggestion; but upon further
consultation was inclined to take a graver view of the matter. We went
carefully through the cases in question, the Baron translating that of
Dr. Mayerhofer for my benefit, as I was not a German scholar. At his
suggestion, we determined to analyse the various excretions, &c., and
an examination was accordingly instituted in the Baron's laboratory.
He was always very particular in keeping up the supply of medicine,
and would never allow the bottles, &c., to be thrown away. There was
therefore some remnant of every medicine that had been made up for
her. These we tested carefully, as well as the excreta, &c., both for
arsenic and for antimony, but without finding the slightest trace of
either. The analysis was conducted by the Baron, who took the greatest
interest in it. I could not, perhaps, have done it myself. Such matters
have not come within my line of practice. In such a case I should
certainly not trust to my own manipulations. I trusted to those of the
Baron, because I knew him to be an expert practical chemist, and in
the daily habit of such operations. My own share in them was limited
to the observation of results, and their comparison with those pointed
out by Professor Taylor. I did not take any special pains to ascertain
the purity of the chemical tests employed or of their being in fact
what they were assumed to be. That is to say, when a colourless liquid
with all the apparent characteristics of nitric acid was taken from
a bottle labelled "Nit. Ac." I took for granted that nitric acid was
being employed. Similarly, of course, with the other chemical agents.
It never occurred to me to do otherwise. Nor did I take any especial
precautions to identify the matters examined. Others might certainly
have been substituted; but if so, it must have been done by the Baron
himself. It was, perhaps, possible that he might have conducted his
investigations, under such supervision as I then exercised, with
fictitious tests, and it was quite so to substitute other matters and
mislead me by subjecting them to a real analysis. That is to say, this
would have been possible to be done by the Baron. No one else could,
under the circumstances, have done it, or at least without his direct
connivance. I had no ground for any suspicion of the kind, nor do I
see any now. I think it most unwarrantable. Every circumstance that
came under my notice goes equally to contravene such a supposition. The
Baron was devotedly attached to his wife: he supplied her liberally
with professional advice, as also with nurses, medicine, and every
necessary; his care for her led him to precautions which, in their
incidental results, must have inevitably exposed any attempt at the
administration of poison. During the severer period of the disorder,
he had no opportunity of attempting such a crime, as he universally
insisted on both food and medicine being both prepared and administered
by the nurses; he himself rendered every assistance in the endeavour
to detect any such attempt when its possibility had been suggested by
myself; and lastly, Madame R** did not die, although the investigation
had already removed all suspicion. I think such an imputation wholly
unwarranted and unwarrantable from any one circumstance of the case.
5.--_Extracts from Dr. Marsden's Diary_[5]
MAY 23rd.--Madame R**, nausea, vomiting, tendency to diarrhoea, profuse
perspiration, and general debility. Pulse low, 100. Spirits depressed.
Burning pain in stomach--abdomen tender on pressure. Tongue discoloured.
26th.--Madame R** slightly better--less nausea and pain.
30th.--Madame R**. Improvement continues.
JUNE 2nd.--Madame R** improving.
6th.--Ditto.
9th.--Recurrence of symptoms on Saturday evening.[6] Increased nausea,
vomited matter yellow with bile. Pulse low, 105. Throat sore, and
slight constriction. Tongue foul.
13th.--Symptoms slightly ameliorated. Treatment continued.
16th.--Ditto. Tongue slightly clearer. Pulse 100.
20th.--Improvement continued. Pulse slightly firmer.
23rd.--Ditto.
24th.--Special visit. Return of symptoms last night. Great increase
of nausea and vomiting--very yellow with bile. Throat sore and tongue
foul. Abdomen very tender on pressure. Slight diarrhoea. Tingling
sensation in limbs.
27th.--Slight improvement.
30th.--Continued, but slight. Pulse firmer.
JULY 3rd.--Improvement continued, especially in throat. Perspiration
still distressing. Less tingling in limbs.
6th.--Improvement continued. Pulse somewhat firmer, 110.
(10th to 20th.--Absent in Gloucestershire.)
20th.--A slight rally. Baron says attack shortly after last visit, but
recovery for time more rapid.
24th.--Improvement continues, but less rapid. Pulse 110.
27th.--Recurrence yesterday. Vomiting, purging amounting to diarrhoea.
Soreness and aphthous state of mouth and throat. Perspiration. Pain in
abdomen. Complains of taste in mouth like lead. Pulse low, 115. Qy.
antimony? Speak, Baron.
31st.--Analysis--satisfactory. Symptoms slightly abated.
AUGUST 3rd.--Improvement continued. Pulse 112, firmer.
7th.--Same.
10th.--Return of vomiting and purging. General aggravation of symptoms.
Much prostrated.
24th, 28th, 31st.--Slight improvement.
SEPTEMBER 4th.--Improvement continued, but slight.
7th.--Return of severe symptoms. Vomiting, extremely yellow, much
bile. Diarrhoea. Pulse low and fluttering, 120. Violent perspiration.
Slight wandering. Extreme soreness and constriction of throat. Slight
convulsive twitchings in limbs. Great exhaustion and prostration.
10th, 14th, 18th.--Very slight abatement of symptoms.
21st.--Violence of symptoms increased. Pulse 125. Great prostration.
25th, 28th.--Very slight amelioration. Pulse 125. Wandering.
OCTOBER 1st, 4th, 8th.--Symptoms slightly less severe.
11th.--Aggravation of all symptoms. Pulse 132, low and fluttering. Face
flushed and pale. Much convulsive twitching in limbs. Power of speech
quite gone. Entire prostration. Can hardly live through night.
12th, 13th, 14th.--Special visits. No perceptible change.
15th.--Pulse a shade firmer, 136.
N.B.--From this date recovery slow but steady.
6.--_Memorandum by Mr. Henderson._
From the very vague nature of the foregoing evidence, so far as dates
are concerned, it was, as you will at once perceive, no very easy task
to determine the precise day of Madame R**'s first attack. To the view
of the case, however, which I was even then inclined to adopt this was
a matter of the last importance, and I determined to spare no effort
to elucidate it if possible from the very loose data furnished by the
depositions. In this I have, I think, been successful; but, as the
process has been somewhat complicated, I must ask you to follow me
through it step by step.
The difficulty of tracing the truth seemed at first sight not a little
augmented by the fact that no one had been in the house but Mrs. Brown
herself, whose memory, even had it afforded any clue, could not have
been relied on. On further consideration, however, I began to fancy
myself mistaken in this respect, and finally conceived a hope that this
very fact might, if properly handled, prove an assistance instead of an
obstacle to my investigation. The following was the course of reasoning
I pursued.
There are only two points on which Mrs. Brown appears to be certain;
her son's presence in England, and her being herself alone in the
house on the actual day in question. The only chances of success
therefore seemed to be:--First, in ascertaining precisely the limit
of time within which such a combination was possible; and, second, in
determining by a process of elimination the actual day or days on which
such a combination could fall.
The result has been far more complete than at the outset of the
investigation I could venture to hope.
1st. For the period of time to which our researches should be directed.
This was obviously limited by the residence of Richard Brown in
England, and my first efforts were therefore directed towards
determining the exact dates of his arrival and departure.
1. On inquiry at Liverpool, I found that the only vessels which had
arrived from Melbourne during the month of March, 1856, were as follows:
Ship. Captain. Owners. Arrived.
James Baines McDonald Jas. Baines & Co 4th March
Lightning Enright " 24th "
Emma Underwood Pilkington Bros 27th "
Of these the James Baines left Melbourne on the 28th November, and the
Lightning on the 28th December. The exact date of sailing of the Emma I
have not been able to ascertain, but it is immaterial to the case.
The fragment of newspaper preserved by Mrs. Brown has no date, nor
could I at first find any clue by which it might be determined. The
last paragraph, however, commences as follows:
SEASONABLE WEATHER!--The thermometer has, for the last four days, never
been lower than eighty degrees in the shade. We wonder what our friends
in England would say to singing their Ch... rols in such a....
The remainder is torn off, but the missing syllables are clearly
Ch_ristmas Ca_rols, and this shows clearly that the paper must have
been published after the departure of the James Baines on the 28th
November. Richard Brown must therefore have come home either in the
Lightning or the Emma, the earliest of which reached Liverpool on the
evening of the 24th March. The 25th of March therefore is the earliest
date from which our examination need commence.
2. From Mrs. Troubridge, mother of the young woman to whom Richard
Brown was married during his stay in England, I learned that the young
couple sailed for Sydney in the Maria Somes. Mrs. Brown was unable to
give me the date of this vessel's departure, but a search through the
file of the Times for April, 1856, shows that she left Gravesend on the
23rd of that month. The period to be analysed is therefore confined to
the interval between the 25th March and the 25th April, 1856.
3. During this period, as we learn from Mrs. Brown's statement, Richard
Brown was at home every day except Saturdays and Sundays. These were
respectively, 29th and 30th of March, and 5th, 6th, 12th, 13th, 19th,
and 20th of April.
4. Dr. Marsden, in his evidence, states most distinctly that he did not
see Madame R** until at least "one clear day" had elapsed after her
attack. Dr. Marsden's visits take place on the Monday and Friday of
each week. Madame R**'s seizure therefore did not occur on a Sunday.
This reduces the days on which it may have happened to the 29th March
and 5th, 12th, and 19th April.
5. From Mrs. Troubridge's evidence we learn that Mrs. Brown and the
whole party slept at Gravesend on the Saturday night previous to the
sailing of the Maria Somes. Mrs. Brown was therefore absent from town
on the 19th April. The issue is thus narrowed to the 29th March and the
5th and 12th April.
6. From Mrs. Brown's statement we learn that on the Saturday and Sunday
preceding the wedding her son's friend Aldridge slept at the house. The
wedding took place on the 14th April. On the 12th April, therefore,
Mrs. Brown was not alone. The only days, therefore, on which the
occurrence, as described, could have taken place are the 29th March and
5th April.
At this point I feared for some time that my clue was at an end.
This would, however, have been most unsatisfactory, as the possible
error of a week in point of date would have seriously detracted from
the trustworthiness of the entire case. The only possible chance of
determining the point seemed to lie in ascertaining the precise date
of the servant's dismissal, and it at length occurred to me that this
might be accomplished by means of the police records of the court
before which she was carried. From them I found--
7. That the offence for which she was discharged was committed on
Sunday, the 30th of April. On the 29th, therefore, she was still in
Mrs. Brown's house. The only day, therefore, on which Madame R**'s
first seizure could have taken place as stated during Richard Brown's
stay in England, and on a night when Mrs. Brown was alone in the house,
was the 5th of April.
The importance of this date, thus fixed, you will, I think, at once
perceive.
[Footnote 1: 1856, R. H.]
[Footnote 2: Clearly so. The Baron was in Dublin on 25th Feb.--R. H.]
[Footnote 3: This portion of Mrs. Brown's evidence affects more
particularly the part of the case to be hereafter referred to in Part
vii.; but I have thought it best to preserve it intact.--R. H.]
[Footnote 4: Comp. journal of Mrs. Anderton, 25th May and 10th June.
_Vide_ Section III. 3.]
[Footnote 5: These extracts will, of course, be chiefly interesting to
the medical profession, and may be passed over by the general reader.
Some details are necessarily excluded. The notes, also, relating to the
treatment adopted by Dr. Marsden, not materially affecting the question
at issue, which is concerned only with the symptoms of disorder,
are omitted as irrelevant, and therefore confusing. _Vide_ note to
statement of Dr. Watson, Section III., 2.]
[Footnote 6: 7th June.--R. H.]
SECTION VI.
1.--_Memorandum by Mr. Henderson._
We have now arrived at a point in this extraordinary case at which
I must again direct your attention to the will of the late Mr.
Boleton. By this will 25,000_l_. was, as we have seen, bequeathed
to Miss Boleton (afterwards Mrs. Anderton), with a life interest,
after her death, to her husband. At his decease, and failing children
by his marriage with Miss Boleton, the money passed to the second
sister, whom, as I have before said, we may, I think, be justified in
identifying with the late Madame R**. It seems, at all events, clear,
both from the circumstances attending the marriage of the Baron, and
from the observation made by him at Bognor to Dr. Marsden relative to
the pecuniary loss he would have sustained by the death of his wife,
that the Baron himself believed and was prepared to maintain this
relationship, and that the various policies of assurance effected on
the life of Madame R**--to the gross amount of 25,000_l_., the exact
sum in question,--were intended to cover any risk of her death before
that of her sister. This is all that we need at present require. What
import should be attached to the degree of mystery with which the whole
affair both of the marriage and of the assurance seems to have been
so carefully surrounded will, of course, be matter for consideration
when reviewing the whole circumstances of the case. It is enough for
our present purpose that the Baron clearly looked upon his wife as the
sister of Mrs. Anderton, and calculated upon participation, through
her, in the legacy of Mr. Boleton. The lives of Mr. and Mrs. Anderton
thus alone intervened between this legacy and the Baron's family, and
we have thus established, on his part, a direct interest in their
decease.
On the death of Mrs. Anderton, under the circumstances detailed in an
earlier portion of the case, the life of her husband only now stood
in the way of Baron R**'s succession, and it is important to bear
this in mind in considering, as we are now about to do, the various
circumstances attendant on the death of that gentleman.
The chain of evidence on which hangs, as I have so often said, the sole
hypothesis by which I can account for the mysterious occurrences that
form the subject of our inquiry, is not only of a purely circumstantial
character, but also of a nature at once so delicate and so complicated
that the failure of a single link would render the remainder altogether
worthless. Unless the case can be made to stand out clearly, step
by step, in all its details, from the commencement to the end, its
isolated portions become at once a mere chaos of coincidences, singular
indeed in many respects, but not necessarily involving any considerable
element of suspicion. It is for this reason that I have, as before
stated, endeavoured to lay before you in a distinct and separate form
each particular portion of the subject. Hitherto our attention has been
entirely occupied with the death of Mrs. Anderton, and with various
attendant circumstances, the bearing of which upon that occurrence
will be more clearly shown hereafter. We have now to consider the very
singular circumstances attending the lapse of the second life--that
of Mr. Anderton--intervening, as we have seen, between Mr. Boleton's
legacy and Madame R**.
For the purpose of this inquiry, I propose adducing pretty much the
same evidence as that given at the inquests held on the bodies of Mrs.
and Mr. Anderton. The final result of the former of these inquests
was, as you are aware, a verdict of "Died from natural causes," though
the case was at first adjourned for a fortnight in order to admit of a
more searching examination of the body, during which time Mr. Anderton
remained in custody in his own house. In the latter case the jury,
after some hesitation, returned a verdict of "Temporary insanity,
brought on by extreme distress of mind at the death of his wife,
and suspicions respecting it which subsequently proved to have been
unfounded." Our present concern, however, being with the conduct of the
Baron rather than with that of Mr. Anderton, I have omitted portions
not directly bearing upon this part in the matter, and have endeavoured
to procure such additions to the evidence of Doctor Dodsworth and
others as might serve to further elucidate the subject of our inquiry.
I now therefore lay before you this portion of the case with especial
reference to its bearing upon the proceedings of Baron R**.
2.--_Doctor Dodsworth's Statement._
I was in attendance on the late Mrs. Anderton during the illness which
terminated fatally on the 12th October, 1856. I was first sent for
by Mr. Anderton, on the night of the 5th of April[1] in that year.
I found her suffering apparently from a slight attack of English
cholera, but was unable to ascertain any cause to which it might be
attributed. There was nothing to lead to any suspicion of poisoning,
indeed this seemed to be rendered almost impossible by the length of
time that had elapsed since the last time of taking food and that at
which the attack commenced. This was at least three or four hours;
whereas, had the symptoms arisen from the action of any poisonous
substance, they would have shown themselves much earlier. This is only
my impression from after consideration. No idea of poison occurred
to me at the time, nor should I now entertain any were I called in
to a similar case. I prescribed the usual remedies for the complaint
under which I supposed Mrs. Anderton to be suffering. They appeared to
have their effect, though not so rapidly as I should have expected.
The symptoms appeared rather to wear themselves out. I visited her
several times, as the debility which ensued seemed greater than, under
ordinary circumstances, should have followed on such an attack. About
a fortnight later she had a fresh seizure, of a very similar kind.
This time, however, the symptoms were aggravated, and accompanied by
others of a more alarming character. Of these the most conspicuous
were nausea, vomiting, violent perspiration, and increasing tendency
to diarrhoea. The patient also complained of great sinking of the
heart, and of a terrible lowness of spirits, almost amounting to a
conviction that death was at hand. In the course of another fortnight
or three weeks there was a fresh recurrence of the symptoms. The
tongue, which in the former attacks had been clammy and dry, was now
covered thickly with dirty mucus, and there was a greatly increased
flow of saliva. The condition of the tongue became greatly aggravated
as the disease progressed, the mouth and throat becoming ultimately
very sore, with great constriction of the latter. The abdomen was
distended, and very tender to the touch, the liver also being very
full and tender. Pulse low and rapid, decreasing in fulness as the
disease progressed, and reaching finally to 130 or 140; and the
depression of spirits and sinking at the heart considerably increased.
The patient appeared to be daily losing strength, and at each attack,
which seemed to return periodically at intervals of about a fortnight,
the same symptoms appeared more severely than before. Mr. Anderton
seemed to be in the deepest distress. From the time when the symptoms
first became serious, he hardly ever left her side, administering
both food and medicine with his own hand. So far as I am aware, Mrs.
Anderton took nothing of any kind from any other person throughout the
greater portion of her illness. I have heard her say this herself, in
his presence, shortly before her death. For the last few weeks she
took scarcely any nourishment, and could with difficulty swallow her
medicine. The principal cause of this difficulty lay in the extreme
nausea which followed any attempt to swallow, but it was greatly
increased by the painful and constricted state of the throat, which
was extremely rough and raw, and rendered swallowing very painful. As
the disease progressed the vomited matter became strongly coloured
with bile, and was of a strong yellow colour. The opression on the
heart also increased, until at length respiration was almost impeded.
The heart and pulses also gradually lost power, and latterly the lower
portion of the body was almost paralysed, the limbs being stiff, and
the whole frame, from the waist downward, very heavy and cold. The
patient also suffered from severe cold perspirations, as well as from
heat and irritation of the upper portion of the body, and from entire
inability to sleep. A very remarkable feature in the case was, that
notwithstanding this general sleeplessness, each fresh attack of the
malady was preceded by a sound slumber of some hours duration, from
which she appeared to be aroused by the return of the more active
symptoms of the disorder. I tried all the usual remedies indicated by
such symptoms, but without any permanent effect, and I was a good deal
perplexed by the anomalous appearance of the case, and especially by
its intermittent character, the symptoms recurring, as I have said,
with increased severity, at regular intervals of about a fortnight. I
mentioned my difficulty to Mr. Anderton, and asked if he would wish
further advice. At his urgent request I consented, though with some
hesitation, to meet Baron R**, who holds, as I was given to understand,
a regular diploma from several of the foreign Universities, but whose
practice has been of a somewhat irregular character. I first consulted
with him on the 12th July.[2]
[Dr. Dodsworth here details at some length how he became convinced of
the Baron's great skill and knowledge of chemistry, and was finally
persuaded to meet him in consultation.]
After examination of the patient, however, and some conversation as to
the nature of the symptoms and of the remedies employed, I had some
difficulty in drawing from him (the Baron) any expression of opinion.
He appeared, however, to agree entirely in the course hitherto pursued,
and after some further conversation we separated. The consultation took
place in Mrs. Anderton's dressing-room, and in passing by the wash-hand
stand on his way out, the Baron suddenly took up a small bottle which
was standing there, and turning sharply upon me, asked "if I had
tried that?" On taking it from his hand, I found that it contained
tincture of tannin, a preparation much used for the teeth. I was
somewhat startled by the suddenness of the question, and replied in the
negative, on which the subject dropped. On my way home, however, I was
again struck by the peculiarity of the Baron's manner in putting the
question; and on thinking the matter over, the idea suddenly flashed
across me that tannic acid was the antidote to antimony, and that the
symptoms of poisoning by tartarised antimony, to which attention had
just been drawn by Professor Taylor, in the case of the Rugely murder,
closely resembled in many respects those under which Mrs. Anderton
was then suffering. At the first moment this supposition seemed to
account for all the mysterious part of the case; but on reflection the
difficulty returned, for it seemed impossible that the poison could
have been administered by any one but Mr. Anderton himself, and I
felt it still more impossible to suspect him of such an act, in face
of the evident and extreme affection existing between them. On mature
reflection, however, I determined on trying, at all events for a time,
the course suggested by the Baron, and accordingly exhibited large
doses of Peruvian bark, together with other medicines of the same kind.
My suspicions were at first increased by the improvement apparently
effected by these remedies, and I took occasion to ask Mr. Anderton,
in a casual way, in presence of the nurse and one of the servants,
whether he had any emetic tartar or antimonial wine in the house.
The manner of his reply entirely removed from my mind any idea that
either of those present at least had any knowledge of such an attempt
as seemed implied by the Baron, and on seeing that gentleman a day or
two after, I questioned him as to the true bearing of his suggestion.
He disclaimed, however, any such meaning as I had been disposed to
attribute to his words, stating, in a general way, that he had before
known great benefit to accrue from the exhibition of such medicines in
similar cases, and expressing a hope that they might be successful in
the present instance. Something, however, in his manner, and especially
the great stress laid upon careful watching of the patient's diet while
under this course of treatment, led me still to fancy that he was not
so entirely without doubt as he wished me to believe; but that, on the
contrary, his suspicions pointed towards Mr. Anderton, his friendship
for whom made him desirous of concealing them. This opinion was
confirmed by the recollection of another apparent instance of suspicion
on the part of the Baron, to which, a few days previously, however, I
had not at the time attached any importance. I accordingly continued
the bark treatment, determining, should any fresh attack occur, to take
measures for investigating the matter; for which purpose I gave private
orders to the nurse, on whom I knew that I could thoroughly depend, to
allow nothing to be removed from the room until I had myself seen the
patient. The beneficial effects of the bark continued for about ten or
twelve days, at the end of which period I was sent for hurriedly in the
middle of the night, the disease having returned with greater violence
than at any previous attack. Having done what was in my power to
alleviate the immediate pressure of the symptoms, I took an opportunity
of privately securing portions of the vomited and other matters, which
I immediately had submitted to a searching chemical analysis. No
trace, however, of antimony, arsenic, or any similar poison, could be
detected, and as the tannic acid appeared now to have lost its remedial
power, I came finally to the conclusion that its apparent efficacy
had been due to some other unknown cause, and that the suspicions of
the Baron were altogether without foundation. I continued the former
treatment, varied from time to time as experience suggested, but
without being able to arrest the progress of the disease, which I am
inclined to think must have been constitutional in its character, and
probably hereditary, as I learned from Mr. Anderton that the patient's
mother had also died of some internal disease, the exact symptoms of
which, however, he was unable to call to mind. Towards the close of the
case the patient was almost constantly delirious from debility, and the
immediate cause of death was entire prostration and exhaustion of the
system. I wished Mr. Anderton to allow a _post mortem_ examination,
with a view to discovering the true nature of the disorder, but he
seemed so extremely sensitive on the subject, and was in such a state
of nervous depression, that I forbore to press the point. The Baron
also seemed to discourage him from such an idea. Subsequently an
order came for an inquest, and I then assisted at the analysis which
followed, and which was performed by Mr. Prendergast. We found no
traces of antimony in any part of the body or its contents. The report
of Mr. Prendergast, in which I fully concurred, will show the result
of the analysis. Looking at that, and at all the circumstances of the
case, I was, and still am, convinced that Mr. Anderton was perfectly
innocent of the crime imputed.
In answer to the queries forwarded at various times by Mr. Henderson,
Dr. Dodsworth gives the following replies:
1. In questioning the Baron as to his suggestion respecting the
tincture of tannin, I put it plainly to him whether he had been led
to make it by any suspicion of poison. This he disclaimed with equal
directness, but with such hesitation as convinced me that the suspicion
was really in his mind.
2. I told the Baron that I had exhibited bark and other similar
remedies, and with what success. He smiled, and turned the conversation.
3. The Baron was not present at the _post mortem_ examination. He
wished very much to be so, but Mr. Prendergast objected so strongly
that I was obliged to refuse him. I promised, however, to let him
know by telegraph the result of the examination, which took place at
Birmingham, where Mr. Prendergast was living at the time. I enclose
a copy of the message sent. He offered to assist in removing the
intestines, &c., from the body, but this I also declined, as Mr.
Prendergast had particularly requested me to allow no one to come near
the body after it was opened but myself and some student or surgeon
from one of the great hospitals, to render such assistance as might
be necessary. The caution was, I think, a very reasonable one, and I
followed it out strictly.
4. The Baron certainly seemed at first, as I thought, annoyed at being
excluded, but I attributed this to his interest in the case. He did
not make the request as to telegraphing at the time, but wrote to me
afterwards on the subject.
5. The object of Mr. Prendergast's precaution was, of course, to
prevent the body from being tampered with.
6. By tampered with I mean in such manner as to destroy the traces of
the poison.
7. It would, of course, be possible to manufacture traces of poison
where none had previously existed, but this could only be done with the
view of fastening on an innocent person the guilt of a murder which
had never been committed, and was by no means what we intended to guard
against in the exclusion of his friends.
8. Certainly had such a thing been successfully attempted in this
instance, it would have rendered the case conclusive against Mr.
Anderton.
9. The other incident to which I have alluded as evincing suspicion
on the part of the Baron, was as follows. We were one morning in
consultation in Mr. Anderton's room. I wished to seal a letter. The
Baron lighted a taper for me with a piece of paper which he took from
the waste basket. As he did so, he appeared struck with something on
the paper, and untwisted it and showed it to me. There were only a few
letters on it, part having been torn off and part burned. The letters
were ... RTAR EME ... and part of what was evidently a T. Beneath was
the upper portion of a capital P in writing. I did not, however, take
much notice of it, and the thing passed from my mind.
10. I have no doubt myself that the paper came from the waste basket.
The Baron said so. I did not actually see him take it out, but I
saw him stoop to do so. There was nothing physically impossible in
his having taken the paper from his own pocket, but I cannot see the
slightest reason for such a supposition. The only object he could
possibly have had in such an act would have been that of throwing
suspicion on Mr. Anderton, and his whole desire evidently was to
conceal the suspicions in his own mind as far as possible.
11. The Baron gave me no other grounds for supposing that he suspected
anything. On the contrary, he was continually pointing out to me the
affection of Mr. Anderton for his wife, and especially the assiduity of
his attendance in permitting no one else to administer either food or
medicine.
12. The practical effect of all this was certainly, I admit, to impress
upon my own mind the suspicious circumstances of the case more strongly
perhaps than if they had been pointed out in a directly hostile manner.
It is impossible, however, that the Baron could have reckoned upon
this, and I feel bound to add that it seems to me exceeding the limits
of legitimate inquiry to suggest anything of the kind.
3.--_Statement of Mrs Edwards._
I am a sick nurse. I was in attendance on poor Mrs. Anderton all
through her sickness. The poor lady was greatly cast down. She was
expecting her death for weeks before it came. She seemed to think there
was a doom on her. I do not think she had any suspicion that she was
being poisoned. I am sure poor dear lady, no one would ever think of
poisoning her, everybody loved her too much. Mr. Anderton was dotingly
fond of her. I never saw so good a husband in my life. I could have
done anything for him, he was so good to his poor wife. I don't think
he hardly ever left her. I used to be vexed sometimes because I said
he would not let me do anything for her. I mean he would not let me
give her her slops or her physic. She took nothing but slops the best
part of the time. She couldn't feel to relish anything at all, and meat
made her vomit. For the last two months or better I don't think she
took anything from anybody, excepting it was from Mr. Anderton himself.
He used to bring her her physic as regular as the clock struck, and
everything from the kitchen was took first into his room if he wasn't
with the mistress, and he would carry it to her himself. He used to
have rare work sometimes to get her to take anything. I am sure she
wouldn't have done it poor lady for any one but him. Not the last few
weeks. She was so very sick and ill, and everything seemed to turn upon
her stomach. Mr. Anderton always slept on a mattress in the mistress's
room so as to be within call. The mattress was put on the floor by the
side of the bed, and nobody could have got to the bed without waking
him. He was a very light sleeper. The least little sound used to wake
him, and I often told him he was going the way to kill himself, and
then what would our poor lady do. Once or twice I persuaded him to go
out for a bit, and then he always insisted on my not leaving the room
while he was away. Even when he was in his study he always made me
stay with the lady, and if I wanted to go out for anything, I was to
ring for him. Mrs. Anderton was never left without one or other of us
for an hour until the last six weeks, when she grew so bad, another
nurse had to be got. Then we three did the same way between us. We
were obliged to take her because I was getting quite knocked tip. How
ever Mr. Anderton kept up the way he did, I cannot think or say, but
he broke down altogether when the mistress died. I don't think after
that the poor gentleman was ever quite right in his head. I remember
the doctor asking him one day whether he had any tartar emetic in the
house. He said no, but he would get some if it was wanted. Nothing more
passed at the time, so far as I know. It was brought to my mind again
by something which happened after the poor lady's death. It was nothing
very particular, only I found in her room a piece of paper with "Tartar
Emetic" printed on it. That was all that was printed, but the word
"Poison" was written under it. I kept the paper and showed it to the
Baron. I don't know why I did so; I suppose because he was in the house
at the time. Afterwards I showed it to the lawyer, and he took charge
of it. I had no particular suspicion, none at all. I can't tell why I
took it up. I did it without thinking, quite promiscuous like. I didn't
show it to master because he was too ill to be worried. That was the
only reason.
The above is the evidence I gave at the inquest. I have nothing more
to add. I am quite sure that Mr. and Mrs. Anderton were very fond of
each other. I never saw two people so affectionate like. The Baron
was very fond of both of them. I don't think Mrs. Anderton liked him
much. She seemed to have a sort of dread of him. I don't know why; she
never said so. The Baron used often to call on Mr. Anderton, to see
the doctor, but, so far as I know, he only saw the mistress once. I
think he knew she did not like him, and kept away on purpose. He was
a very kind-hearted gentleman. He was always particularly polite and
civil-spoken to me. He used often to talk to me about master doting so
on mistress. He used to speak about his always giving her her physic
and things. I remember one day his saying it wouldn't be very easy to
give her anything unwholesome without his knowing of it, or something
of that sort. He seemed as if he never could say enough in praise of
master, and I am sure he deserved it. I took him the paper I found
just like I might have taken it to master if he had been well enough.
He was in the house at the time. He had been in the poor lady's room
with Dr. Dodsworth just before, and had stayed in the parlour to write
something. He sent me into the room to see if he had left his glove
there. It was in looking for it that I saw the paper. It was lying just
under the bed when I stooped down to look for the glove. I took it up
at first, thinking how careless it was to have left it there when the
room was put straight after the poor lady died, and then I saw what
was written upon it. The glove was lying on the floor close to it.
There was no vallance to the bed, it had been taken off for the sake of
sweetness. I forget exactly what the Baron said when I showed him the
paper. It was something that made me think I might get into trouble
about it. That was why I showed it to the lawyer. My brother had been
to him once before about some money that ought to have come to us. He
took the paper to the magistrates, and that was how the inquest came
about. I was very angry about it, and so was the Baron. He asked me how
I could have been so foolish. I don't know what made me think of taking
it to him. I think it was something the Baron said. He did not advise
me to do it. He did not advise me anything, but I think he wanted me to
burn it. I offered it to him, but he said he was afraid, or something
of that kind, and I think that was what put it into my head to ask the
lawyer about it.
4.--_Memorandum by Mr. Henderson._
The statement of the other nurse, herewith enclosed, merely
corroborates that of Mrs. Edwards, with respect to such matters as came
within her cognisance. I have therefore not thought it necessary to
insert it here.
Mr. Prendergast's report, also enclosed, is somewhat lengthy, and of a
purely technical character. It is to the following effect:
1. That, on examination, the body of the late Mrs. Anderton presented
in all respects the precise appearance which would be exhibited in a
case of poisoning by antimony.
2. It was nevertheless possible to account for these appearances, as
the result of chronic _gastritis_, or _gastro enteritis_, though in
some respects not such as either of those diseases would be expected to
present.
3. The strictest and most thorough examination entirely failed in
showing the very slightest trace of either antimony or arsenic; either
in the contents of the various organs, or in the tissues.
4. A portion of the medicine last taken by the deceased was also
examined, but equally without result.
5. From the lengthened period over which the poisoning, if any,
must have extended, and the small doses in which it must have been
administered, it is scarcely possible but that, had such really been
the case, some traces of it must have been found in the tissues, though
not perhaps in the contents of the stomach, &c.
6. In a case of poisoning also, the symptoms would have recurred
in their severest form within a short period of taking the food or
medicine in which it had been administered. In this case, however,
they appear to have uniformly shown themselves at a late period of the
night, and several hours after either food or medicine had been taken.
7. It is therefore concluded that, notwithstanding the suspicious
appearance of the body on dissection, death is to be attributed not to
poison, but to an abnormal form of chronic _gastro enteritis_, for the
peculiar symptoms of which the exceptional constitution of the deceased
may in some degree account.
5.--_Statement of Police-Sergeant, Edward Reading._
I am a sergeant on the detective staff of the Metropolitan Police.
In October, 1856, I was on duty at Notting Hill. I was employed to
watch a gentleman by the name of Anderton. He was in custody on a
coroner's warrant for the murder of his lady, but couldn't be removed
on account of being ill. I was put in the house to prevent his escape.
I did not stay in his room. I did at first, but it seemed of no use;
so I spoke to our superintendent, and got leave from him to stop in
the outer-room. I did this to make things pleasant. I always try to
make things as pleasant as I can, compatible with duty, specially when
it's a gentleman. It comes harder on them than on the regular hands,
because they are not so much used to it. In this case prisoner seemed
to take on terribly. He was very weak and ill--too ill seemingly to
get out of bed. He used to lie with his eyes fixed upon one corner of
the room muttering sometimes to himself, but I couldn't tell what. He
never spoke to any one. The only time he spoke was once, to ask me to
let him see the body. I hadn't the heart to say no; but I went with him
and kept at the door. He could hardly totter along, he was so weakly.
After about half-an-hour, I thought it was all very quiet, and looked
in. He was lying on the floor in a dead faint, and I carried him back.
He never spoke again, but lay just as I have said. Of course I took
every precaution. Prisoner's room had two doors, one opening on the
landing, and the other into the room where I stopped. I locked up the
outer-door and put three or four screws into it from the outside. The
window was too high to break out at, but our men used to keep an eye
upon it from the street. At night I used to lock the door of my room
and stick open the door between the two. I was relieved occasionally by
Sergeant Walsh,[3] but I mostly preferred seeing to it myself. I like
to keep my own work in my own hands, and this was a very interesting
case. When I first took charge I made a careful examination of the
premises and of all papers, and the like. I found nothing to criminate
the prisoner. I found a journal of the lady who was murdered, with a
note at the end in his handwriting; but so far as it went they seemed
to be on very good terms. I found also a lot of prescriptions and notes
referring to her illness, but no papers like that found by the nurse,
nor any traces of powders or drugs of any kind. I went with the nurse
into the bed-room of the murdered party, and made her point out the
exact spot where the paper was found. According to what she said it was
lying just under the bed on the right-hand side. The glove was lying
close to it, but not under the bed. Somehow I didn't quite feel as if
it was all on the square. I thought the business of the paper looked
rather queer. It didn't seem quite feasible like. I have known a thing
of that sort by way of a plant before now, so I thought I'd just go on
asking questions. That's always my way. I ask all kinds of questions
about every thing, feeling my way like. I generally find something turn
up that way before I have done. Something turned up this time. I don't
know that it was much--perhaps not. I have my own opinion about that.
This is how it was. After more questions of one kind and another, I got
to something that led me to ask the nurse which side of the bed Mr.
Anderton usually went to give the lady food and physic. She and the
other servants all agreed that, being naturally left-handed like, he
always went to the _left_ hand side of the bed, so as he could get to
feed her with a spoon. He was very bad with his right hand. Couldn't
handle a spoon with it no more than some of us could with the left.
Nurse said she had seen him try once or twice, which he always spilled
everything. I mean of course with his right hand. He was handy enough
with his left. When I heard this I began to suspect we might be on a
false scent. This is the way I looked at it. The glove, as I told you,
was lying on the floor by the right side of the bed, so as anybody
who dropped it must have been standing on that side which it's the
natural side to go to as being nearest the door. The paper was close
to it, just under the same side of the bed. Now I took it as pretty
clear prisoner hadn't put that paper there for the purpose, but if he'd
done it at all, he had dropped it by accident in giving the stuff. I
fancy, too, he'd naturally be particularly careful in giving that sort
of stuff not to spill it about the place, so he'd be pretty well sure
to take his best hand to it. In that case he'd have dropped it on the
left hand side of the bed--not the right. Still, of course it might
have got blown across, or, for the matter of that, kicked, though that
was not very likely, as the bed was a wide one, and put in a sort of
recess like, quite out of any sort of draught. So I thought I'd have
another look at the place, and, poking about under the bed, I found
a long narrow box, which the servants told me was full of bows and
arrows, and hadn't been moved out of its place since they first came
to the house. It took up the whole length of the bed within a foot or
so, and lay right along the middle on the floor. There was a mark along
the floor that showed how long it had been there. A bit of paper like
that never could have got blown light over that without touching it
if there had been ever such a draught. When I'd got so far, I fancied
things began to look very queer, so I got the bed shifted out of its
place altogether. The coffin was in the way, and I got that moved to
one side of the room, and pulled the bed right clear of the box. As we
shifted the coffin I thought I saw some thing like a piece of paper
under the flannel shroud. I said nothing at the time, but waited till
the undertaker's men were out of the room and I was alone. I then
opened the shroud and found a small folded paper. It was put just under
the hands, which were crossed over the bosom of the corpse. I opened it
and found a lock of hair, which I saw directly was Mr. Anderton's, and
there were a few words in writing which I copied down in my note-book,
and then I put the hair and the paper and all back where I found them.
The writing was, "Pray for me, darling, pray for me." I knew the hand
at once for Mr. Anderton's. His writing is very remarkable, by reason,
I suppose, of being so left-handed. Of course that wasn't evidence,
but somehow I got an idea out of it that a man wouldn't go on in that
way with his wife just after he'd been and murdered her. It struck me
that that would be against nature, leastways if he was in his right
mind. After I had finished with the coffin I took a look at the box.
As I expected, the top was covered ever so thick with dust, and it was
pretty clear that, at all events, the bit of paper had never lain atop
of it. I put a piece just like it on to try and blew it off again, and
it made a great mark and got all dirty. The paper picked up by the
nurse was quite clean, or very nearly so. Putting all this together
I came pretty nigh a conclusion that, at all events, it wasn't Mr.
Anderton as had dropped the paper there. The sides of the box were also
dusty, but there were marks on them like as if a brush or a broom had
brushed against them. I put the box and the bed back into their places,
and went down to question the housemaid.[4] I found that she had put
the room tidy the day Mrs. Anderton died, and had passed a short
hair-broom under the bed as there were several things lying about. She
said she was quite sure there was no bit of paper there then, as she
had stooped down and looked under. I tried with the same broom, and you
couldn't reach the box without stooping, as she said. I then inquired
who had been in the room between the time of the death and the finding
of the paper. No one had been there but the nurse, the doctor, the
housemaid, and Baron R**. I was determined to hunt it out if possible.
I questioned the nurse and the housemaid--on the quiet, not to excite
suspicion--but felt pretty clear they knew nothing more about it; and
when next Baron R** came I sounded him about different points. He did
not seem to know that Mr. Anderton was so left-handed, nor could I get
any information from him on the subject. He didn't seem at first to
see what I was driving at, and, of course, I didn't mean he should,
but after a while I saw he had struck out the same idea as I had about
the place where the paper was found, though I had not meant to let him
into that. He seemed quite struck of a heap by it. I fancied at the
moment that he turned regularly pale, but he was just blowing his nose
with a large yellow silk handkerchief, and I could not be sure. He said
nothing to me of what he had guessed, nor did I to him. I like to keep
those things as quiet as I can, particularly from parties' friends. I
have not been able to get any further clue, but I am convinced that
something is to be made out of that paper business yet. I generally
know a scent when I get on one, and my notion is that I am on one now.
I did not see the Baron again till the evening before Mr. Anderton
made away with himself. He came then in a great hurry, and insisted on
seeing the prisoner. I said I would ask, but did not expect he could,
as Mr. Anderton would see or speak to no one. He seemed to be in a sad
state, partly with exhaustion after waiting on his wife so long, and
partly with the worry of having this hanging over him He was a very
sensitive gentleman, and seemed to take it more to heart than any one
I ever saw. He wouldn't see any one, not even his lawyer. When I told
him about the Baron, however, he said he might come in, and they were
together half-an-hour or more. I did not hear anything that passed.
When the Baron came out he took me on one side and told me everything
was all right, and his friend was sure to get off. He said he was quite
overpowered with the good news, and particularly begged that he might
not be disturbed by any one, as he thought he could sleep now. He had
hardly slept a wink all the time. I promised not to disturb him, and
he lay quite quiet all night. I peeped in once or twice to make sure
he was there, but did not speak. I noticed a faint smell like peaches
once, but did not think anything of it. In the morning I went in to
take him his breakfast, and found him dead and quite cold. In his hand
was a little bottle which had contained prussic acid, and which had
evidently come out of a pocket medicine chest that lay on the bed. I
gave the alarm, and the divisional surgeon was sent for, but he was
stone dead. At about nine o'clock the Baron's servant came round to
know whether he had left a pocket medicine chest the night before. I
questioned the servant, and found the Baron had given him a list of the
places where he had been, and that he had asked at several already. The
medicine chest wanted, proved to be the one found in Mr. Anderton's
room. On the pillow I found also a piece of paper in Mr. Anderton's
handwriting, of which I enclose a copy.
6.--_Pencil note found on the pillow of Mr. Anderton._
Let no man condemn me for what I do. God knows how I have fought
against it. My darling! my own darling! have I not seen you night and
day by my side beckoning me to come? Not while a chance remained. Not
while there was one hope left to escape this doom of hideous disgrace
which dogs me to the death. No, darling, my honour--_your husband's_
honour before all. It is over now. No chance--no hope--only ignominy,
shame, death. I come, darling. _You_ know whether I am guilty of this
horrible charge. My darling--my own darling--I see you smile at the
very thought. God bless you for that smile. God pardon me for what I am
about to do. God reunite us, darling.
[Footnote 1: Compare Section III., 3, &c.]
[Footnote 2: Vide Section V., 5.]
[Footnote 3: The evidence of Sergeant Walsh is enclosed, but is merely
corroborative of the present statement.--R. H.]
[Footnote 4: The housemaid's deposition corroborates this part of the
evidence.]
SECTION VII.
[Illustration.]
1.--_Statement of Mr. Henderson._
In the concluding portion of the evidence we have now a double object
in view. First, to lay before you the various links by which the
circumstances, already detailed, are connected into a single chain;
and, secondly, to elucidate the general bearing of the whole upon the
particular case of the death of Madame R**, into which it is my more
immediate duty to inquire. It was this apparent connection with the
entire story which first led me to investigate matters otherwise quite
beyond my province, and you will, I have no doubt, after reading the
evidence, concur in the propriety of my so doing.
It is unfortunate that, in this important part of the case, as
previously with regard to the no less important point of the suspicious
circumstances attendant on Madame R**'s first illness at Bognor, the
evidence of the principal witnesses is open to very grave question.
It is not indeed, as then, that the moral character of the individuals
themselves rests under any suspicion, for, so far as I have been able
to learn, both the servant-of-all-work, and her lover, John Styles, are
perfectly respectable people; whilst the young man Aldridge, though
certainly a foolish and perhaps rather a dissipated young fellow, has
a very fair character from the house of business in which he is now
employed. But the evidence of the two former is, as will be seen,
greatly diminished in value by the circumstances under which it was
obtained, whilst, in the latter, there is so clear a suspicion of
_animus_ as cannot but throw still greater doubts upon evidence in
itself sufficiently questionable--and rendered yet more so by other
circumstances which will hereafter more fully appear.
It was this man Aldridge, whose letter, as you will remember, led to
the investigation, of which the result is now before you; and his
statement hereto annexed, that first gave substance to the suspicions
of foul play on the part of the Baron, and, in conjunction with the
discovery of the enclosed papers, subsequently induced me to extend
my inquiries to the cases of Mr. and Mrs. Anderton. I confess that,
notwithstanding the doubt with which his statement is surrounded, I
am still inclined to accept it as substantially true, though possibly
somewhat coloured by personal feeling against the Baron. The point,
however, has seemed to me of sufficient importance to justify the
occupying a considerable portion of this present division of the
case with such evidence as I have been able to gather respecting
the circumstances of his final ejectment, and it will be for you to
determine between the story as told himself and that of Baron R**.
With regard to the other two witnesses who, by one of those singular
coincidences that, in criminal cases, seem so often to occur, are able
to confirm in some degree the evidence of Aldridge, there is, I think,
less difficulty. They had certainly no business where they were, but
the circumstances are such as to fully acquit them of any felonious
intent, while even had such existed, it would be difficult to see how
the fact of such intent could have exercised any influence over their
present statements. It is moreover quite clear that there has been no
collusion upon the subject.
I have now only to refer, in conclusion, to the fragment of paper
found in the Baron's rooms in Russell Place, and the marked copy
of the "Zoist," belonging to the late Mr. Anderton, to which Mr.
Morton referred in his statement[1] as having formed the subject
of discussion at Mr. Anderton's house on the evening of the 13th of
October, 1854. The first of these is a portion of a letter, which I
have endeavoured, so far as possible, to complete. Admitting that I
have done so correctly, and coupling it with the fact of the visit
which, as I have been able to ascertain, was paid by foreign lady to
the Baron "very early in the morning" following the death of Madame
R**, it appears to throw no inconsiderable light upon the extraordinary
circumstances of the death of Madame R**. The bearing of the latter
upon the case will be perhaps less clear. I have no hesitation in
admitting that when the connection first suggested itself to my own
mind, I at once dismissed it as too absurd to be entertained for a
moment. But I feel bound to add that the further my inquiries have
progressed, the more strongly this apparent connection has forced
itself upon me as the only clue to a maze of coincidences such as it
has never before been my lot to encounter, and that while even now
unable to accept it as a fact, I find it still more impossible to
thrust it altogether on one side. I have therefore left the matter
for your decision, merely pointing out, as I have before, in the
opening portion of my report, that, even admitting the influence of
these passages upon the mind of the Baron, and the ultimate success
of the plan founded upon their suggestion, that success, however
extraordinary, may not necessarily involve, as at first appears, the
admission of those monstrous assertions of the "mesmeric" journal on
which it was based.
With these observations, I now submit to your consideration the
concluding portion of the evidence, after which it will only be
necessary for me to take a brief review of the whole case before
leaving it finally in your hands.
2.--_Statement of Mrs. Jackson._
My name is Mary Jackson. I live in Goswell Street, City Road. I am a
monthly and sick-nurse. In June, 1856, I was engaged to nurse Madame
R**. I was recommended to the Baron by Dr. Marsden, who lodged in the
same house. I have often nursed for him. Madame R** was not very ill.
I don't think she was ill enough to require a nurse. Of course she
was the better for one--everybody always is--but she could have done
without one. I came by the Baron's wish. He was anxious like. The poor
gentleman was very fond of his wife. I never saw such a good husband.
I am sure no other husband would have done what he did, and she so
cold to him. I don't think she cared about him at all. She hardly ever
spoke to him unless it was when he spoke first. She never spoke much.
She always seemed frightened; especially when the Baron was there. She
certainly seemed to be afraid of him, but I can't tell why. He was
always kind to her. He was the nicest and most civil-spoken gentleman
I ever knew. It was not that he was not particular. Quite the reverse.
I wish all husbands were half so particular, and then nurses wouldn't
so often get into trouble. Everything used to be done like clockwork.
Every morning he used to give me a paper what was to be given in the
day. I mean medicine and food. A list of everything, with the time it
was to be taken. Everything used to be ready, and I used to give it
regular. No one else ever used to give anything. _The Baron never gave
anything himself_. Never at all. I am quite sure of that. He used to
say that it was nurse's business, and so it is. He often said he had
seen so much sickness he had learned never to interfere with the nurse,
and I only wish all other gentlemen would do the same. He used to be
very particular about the physic. We always have the bottles for our
perquisite. We get a shilling a dozen for them all round if they are
clean. The Baron objected to this. He allowed me a shilling a dozen
instead. The bottles were all put away in a cupboard. They never used
to be quite emptied. The Baron always made a point of having fresh in
before the old was quite finished. He said he always liked to have
them to refer to in case of accident or mistake. He was a very careful
gentleman. I nursed Madame R** every day until her recovery. I am quite
certain that, during the hours I was there, nothing was ever given to
her but what passed through my hands.
3.--_Statement of Mrs. Ellis._
My name is Jane Ellis. I am a sick-nurse, and live in Goodge Street,
Tottenham Court Road. In about the end of July, 1856, I was engaged as
night nurse to Madame R**. Perhaps she did not exactly require one. She
was ill, but she could help herself. At times she was very ill. It was
much more comfortable for her, and she could afford it. Baron R** never
seemed to spare anything for her. She was generally worst at night. The
worst attacks used to come on about every fortnight. It was generally
on a Saturday. I took turn and turn about with Mrs. Jackson. She took
the day work, and I took the night. I used to come at ten o'clock, and
leave at breakfast time. During that time I was never out of the room.
It was the Baron's particular desire. When I first came he made it a
condition that I should never leave the room, and never go to sleep.
He was the most particular gentleman I ever nursed for. I have nothing
whatever to say against him. Quite the contrary. He was always civil
and pleasant spoken, and behaved most handsome, as a gentleman should
do. He was uncommon fond of the lady. She didn't seem to care much
about him. She was ill, poor soul, and could not care about any body.
She seemed quite frightened like. When the Baron came into the room she
used to follow him about with her eyes, as if she was afraid of him.
I never heard him say an unkind word. Other times she would lie quite
quiet, and not speak a word for hours. She seemed afraid of everybody.
If I moved about the room, I could see her eyes following me about and
watching me everywhere. I think it was part of her complaint. The Baron
was most attentive. I never saw such an attentive husband. He used to
lie in the next room. It opened into the bedroom, and he always had
the door wide open. He was a wonderfully light sleeper. If either of
us spoke a word, he would be in the room directly, to ask what was the
matter. I couldn't even move across the room but what he would hear it.
He was a wonderful man. He seemed to live almost without sleep. I think
it must have been the meat did it. He used to eat enormous quantities
of meat. I never saw a man eat so much. When I first came he used to
joke with me about it. Madame R** was not so bad then, and we used to
talk sometimes. He told me it was because he was a mesmeriser. I don't
believe in mesmerism. I told him so. He didn't say anything; he only
laughed. One night he offered to send me to sleep. That was when I had
been there about a week. I said he might try if he could. He looked
hard at me, ever so long, and made some odd motions with his hands. I
did go to sleep. I don't believe it was mesmerism. Of course not. I
think it was looking at his eyes. I told him so. He asked if he should
do it again. He did it once more. That was the night after. I went to
sleep then almost directly. Of course I knew it was not mesmerism, but
I couldn't help it. He did not talk about it any more. He only said
that I must take care not to go to sleep of my own accord. I did drop
asleep three or four times after that. That was not from anything the
Baron did. He was not in the room at the time. He must have been in
the next room. I suppose the door was open. It always was. The first
time I went to sleep was about a week after we had talked about the
mesmerism. It was on a Saturday night, or Friday. I am not quite sure
which. It was one of the nights when Madame R** was so ill. She had
gone to sleep at about eleven o'clock. She seemed very well then. She
was sleeping quite quiet. I suppose I must have dropped off. I was
awoke by her moaning in her sleep. That was about one o'clock. She soon
woke up in great pain, and had a very bad attack. The Baron came into
the room just as I awoke. Something woke him, and he came in directly.
He told me what it was that woke him. It was me snoring. He said so.
I fell asleep again a fortnight after in the same way. The Baron was
not there. Madame R** was asleep. She had not slept for many nights. I
must have dropped off in a doze hearing her so nicely asleep. The Baron
woke me. That was at about one o'clock. He was very much displeased. He
told me Madame R** had been walking in her sleep and might have killed
herself. He said she went into the kitchen. I am certain that was
where he said. I can swear it. He asked what I had taken for supper,
and tasted what was left of the beer. He seemed very much vexed and
disturbed. I was very sorry, and promised to be very careful another
time. I never had such a thing happen in any other case, and I told
him so. He said he would look over it that time, but it must never
happen again. He went up-stairs afterwards. I think it was to speak to
somebody. He said somebody had seen her, I think. Madame R** was ill
that night. She began to moan while we were talking, and had a very bad
attack. The Baron said she must have caught cold, and I am afraid she
did. I determined to be particularly careful for the time to come. I
was very careful for some time, particularly when she was asleep. She
hardly slept at all for two weeks, but when she did I was very careful.
At the end of that time I must have fallen asleep again. I was hardly
aware of it. I know I must have been asleep, because when I looked at
the clock it was two hours later than I thought. Madame R** was ill
again that night. I was very much vexed. I began to think somebody was
playing tricks upon me. It was so strange, coming every fortnight. I
did not tell the Baron. I know it was wrong, but I was afraid. Next
fortnight I was on the look out. Madame R** went to sleep again. I was
determined not to go to sleep. I thought somebody must have played
tricks with the beer, so I wouldn't drink it. I ate no supper and
drank nothing but some strong green tea I made for myself. I was quite
sure the tea must keep me awake. It did not. I awoke with a great start
about one o'clock, and found Madame R** bad again as usual. I was very
much bothered about it. I made up my mind to tell the Baron if it
happened again. It did happen again, but I did not tell him. Madame R**
was so bad then I was really afraid, and, after that, it never happened
again, and she got well. I know I ought to have told the Baron. I am
very sorry I did not. Such a thing never happened to me before. Of
course I have slept in a sick-room before, but not when it was against
orders. I was there about three months. I dropped asleep in that way, I
think, six times, but I am not quite sure. It was always while Madame
R** was asleep. She was always bad afterwards. I did not say anything
to her about it, or about her walking. The Baron particularly desired
I would not. He said it would frighten her. He never asked me again
whether I had been asleep, or I would have told him. I was really going
to tell him once or twice, but something always happened to stop me. I
can swear that nothing of the kind ever happened to me before. There
must have been something wrong. I have sick-nursed twenty years, and
have the best characters from many doctors and patients.[2]
4.--_Statement of Mr. Westmacott._
"London, 20th September, 1857.
"SIR,
"I have the honour to inform you that in compliance with your request
I have submitted to the most careful and searching examination and
analysis the contents of three dozen and seven (43) medicine phials
forwarded by you for that purpose.
"The number and contents of these phials correspond exactly with
the prescriptions, &c., furnished by Messrs. Andrews and Empson,[3]
and after the most exact analysis I have been unable to detect the
slightest trace of either arsenic, antimony, or any similar substance.
"I have the honour to be,
"Your most obedient servant,
"THOMAS WESTMACOTT,
"Analytical Chemist."
5.--_Statement of Henry Aldridge._
My name is Henry Aldridge. I am a clerk in the employ of Messrs.
Simpson and Co., City. In the summer of 1856 I came to lodge at Mrs.
Brown's, in Russell Place. I did not come there first as a lodger, but
as a friend of her son. I had known him in Australia. We were together
in the same store in Melbourne, and got to be great friends. We did not
come home in the same ship. That is a mistake. I came home some weeks
before he did, and was in Liverpool when he arrived. I think he came in
the Lightning, but cannot be sure. I used to board so many ships that
I can't call to mind. I was in a Liverpool house then for a time, and
it was my duty to board every ship as she came up. I agreed to go with
him to London. I could not go directly, as I had to give notice to my
employers, but I was to follow him. He asked me to stay with him for
his wedding at his mother's house, and I did so. That was how I first
came to Russell Place. After that he arranged with his mother for me
to take a room regularly, and I was to pay so much a week, and so much
more when I got a situation. I was not aware of the Baron making any
objection. I saw very little of him. I slept on the floor above, and
was always very careful not to make any noise on account of Madame R**.
She was ill, and I took particular care not to disturb her. I used
sometimes to be out late. I have been intoxicated in my life. Not very
often. Not at all while I was in Russell Place. I have been out to my
friends while I was there, and have drunk wine and spirits, but never
to be the worse for it. I may have been merry. I don't say I have not
been once or twice a little excited with wine. What I mean is, that I
have never been in such a state as not to be quite conscious of what I
was doing, and quite able to control myself. I am quite certain that
I never made the slightest disturbance, or could have done so without
knowing it. That I will swear to. I believe the Baron accused me of
it to Mrs. Brown. He spoke to her several times about it, and wished
her to turn me out. She said she had never seen anything wrong, and
couldn't say anything till she did, because I was her son's friend.
At last he got her to do it. The reason was that I was found by a
policeman on the doorstep at about twelve o'clock one night insensible.
The policeman knocked and rang, and woke up the house, and the Baron
said I was drunk. I was perfectly sober. I had had nothing whatever
but one small bottle of ale. The facts of the case were these, and I
will swear to them. I had been kept late at our office with some heavy
correspondence, and had then walked home with another clerk from the
same office--William Wells--having taken nothing but one small bottle
of ale, which I had at a public-house in High Holborn, as I felt quite
tired. Wells had some brandy-and-water. He left me at the corner of
Tottenham Court Road. When I got to Russell Place I tried to open the
door with my latch-key, but the latch was fastened. I then rang at the
bell, but could not make it sound, and the handle came out loose as if
the wire was broken. I tried the key once more, and was just thinking
whether I should not go to some place, as I did not like to disturb
Madame R** by knocking, when the door was opened from the inside. I
turned round to go in when something was thrust into my face, and I
can remember nothing more. I must have fallen down insensible, and the
policeman found me. This is the truth. I could not see who opened the
door. There was a street lamp close to the area gate, but the person
was in the shadow. I cannot account for it. I made sure at the time it
was a trick of the Baron to get me turned out. I think so still, but
am not so sure of it as I was. What I mean is, that, on reflection,
I don't think it is certain enough to accuse him of such a thing. I
will swear to the truth of what I have said. I will swear that I was
perfectly sober--as sober as I am now. My employers and Will Wells can
prove it. I do not know why the Baron should have wished so much to
turn me out. We never had words about anything. I don't think I ever
spoke to him but once. I mean not more than "Good morning," or such
like. That was on the occasion about which I wrote to the Assurance
Office after Madame R**'s death. It was one Saturday night. I had had
a half-holiday, and had been up to Putney in a boat with some friends.
We had drunk a good deal of beer and shandy-gaff, but I was not drunk.
I was quite sober, though perhaps a little excited. Nothing to speak
of. I got home at about eleven o'clock. I had a latch-key then, but the
lock was hampered; and when I got back home I found the servant girl
sitting up to let me in. I went up very quietly not to disturb Madame
R**. I saw her bedroom-door ajar as I passed. The door of the room next
to it was wide open, and there was some sort of lamp burning. No one
moved or said anything as I went by. I took off my shoes to go more
softly, but the house was old, and it was impossible to move without
the stairs creaking a little. The stairs below the Baron's room were
stone and did not creak. I had a candle which I shaded carefully with
my hand. I went to bed, but I suppose I was over-tired, for I could
not get to sleep. The night was very hot. When I had been in bed about
a couple of hours I thought I would have a good wash and see if that
would cool me. I got up and went to the washhand-stand. I found the
jug empty. The maid often forgot to fill it. I took the jug and went
out on to the landing to fill it at the tap. I went very softly, not
to disturb Madame R**. As I got on to the landing, I saw some one
coming out of her room, and went to look over the bannister. From the
landing of my room you can see that of the floor below. I looked over,
and saw that it was Madame R**. She was in her dressing-gown, but had
no candle. She went to the stairs, and there I lost sight of her. As
I watched her past the door of the other room, I saw the shadow of a
man's head and shoulders upon the wall, as if somebody was watching
her. I leaned against the bannister to watch her, and it creaked, and
the shadow vanished directly. When I looked up again it was gone, and
at first I thought it must have been fancy, but I am quite certain
about it now. I was only doubtful for the moment. It was so sudden. I
could swear to it now. I saw it perfectly plain. I saw it all the time
Madame R** was going down the first flight of stairs. About twelve of
them. She was at the corner when I turned and leaned over to watch
her. I felt convinced that Madame R** was walking in her sleep. The
staircase was quite dark beyond the corner, and she had walked straight
down. I was afraid she would hurt herself, and went down to the Baron's
door. He was asleep; at least I had to knock twice. He then came to the
door, and I told him what I had seen. He seemed a good deal annoyed,
and at once took up the lamp, and went down stairs. I looked over the
bannister, and saw him go down. From that place you can see right
down to the door which leads to the kitchen-stairs. There is a glass
partition between them and the hall. I saw him go in at the door, and I
saw the light through the glass as he went part of the way down stairs.
Presently he came up again, and stood back from the door while Madame
R** came up past him, and walked up stairs, and he then followed her.
When I saw her coming up, I went back to my own landing and looked
over. She went back to her own room, fast asleep still, as it seemed to
me, and he followed. I heard whispering in the room, and then the Baron
came up to me. He thanked me very much for telling him, and said that
Madame R** had gone down into the kitchen, and was just coming out as
he got to the foot of the stairs. He particularly begged me never to
mention it, as it might come to her ears and do her harm, and I have
never spoken of it to any one till I wrote to the Assurance Office.
I had almost forgotten all about it when it was recalled to my mind
by seeing that poor Madame R** had killed herself in a sleep-walking
fit. I then wrote. I had no malice against the Baron, nor have I now.
I don't know why he tried to turn me out. I suppose he really thought
I disturbed his wife. He was very fond of her, and I dare say he was
anxious and fretful about her. I was very angry at the time, but when
I come to think of it, I dare say I was hard upon him. He never seemed
to bear me any grudge about what I had seen. On the contrary, he always
said he was very much obliged to me. This is all I know on the subject,
and I can swear to the truth of every word. I am quite positive he said
Madame R** had been into the kitchen.
6.--_Statement of Miles Thompson._
I am a police constable. In August, 1856, I used to be on night duty
in Russell Place. I remember Baron R** speaking to me one night, and
asking me to keep a look out as often as I could of a night to keep the
street quiet. He gave me five shillings for my extra trouble. I was on
the beat one night about twelve o'clock when I saw some one lying on
the Baron's door-step. It was a young gentleman, and at first I thought
he was dead, but found he was only insensible. I set him up against the
railings, and was going to ring the bell, when I saw a latch-key in his
hand. I tried it in the door and it opened it directly, and I took him
into the hall. I then knocked and rang till somebody came. The bell
rang quite well. The Baron came down in his dressing-gown, and two or
three other people. I offered to go for a doctor, but the Baron said
he was only drunk. I helped to carry him up-stairs, and get him into
bed. The Baron gave me half-a-crown for my trouble. He seemed very much
annoyed, as was natural, and said he wished I had taken the young man
to the station. I think he was drunk myself. He smelt a little of beer,
but not much. I helped put him to bed, and went away. That is all I
know.
N.B.--By letters from Messrs. Simpson and Mr. Wells, Mr. Aldridge's
assertion that he was sober is borne out up to the time of the
latter's leaving him at the corner of Tottenham Court Road, certainly
not more than half-an-hour before he was found as above stated by
Police-constable Thompson. R. H.
7.--_Statement of John Johnson._
to
mister endusson sir obeadent to yore Comands i hev eksammd tha belwir
in russle please wich in my humbel Hopinnium it hev ben Templd wit by
sum Hunperfeshnl And wich tha Wir it hev ben tuk hof tha Kranke & putt
bak hall nohowlik wich hany Purfeshnl And wud be a Shammd fur 2 du It i
am sur yore hobeadnt survnt too Comand
jon jonsun
Plommr hand belanger
totunmcort rode
lundon
8.--_Statement of Susan Turner._
My name is Susan Turner. In August, 1856, I was general servant to
Mrs. Brown in Russell Place. I remember the night that Madame R**
came down-stairs. I had sat up to let Mr. Aldridge in because the
latch was broken. Mistress broke it that afternoon. I don't suppose
the Baron knew anything about it. Mr. Aldridge came in rather late. I
cannot justly say the time. He was quite right. I mean quite sober.
He went straight up to bed. I did not go up to bed. My young man was
in the kitchen. He is a very respectable young man upon a railway. I
don't know what railway. I know he goes to Scotland sometimes with
his engine, that is all. He is what they call a fireman. He was going
down with a luggage-train somewhere that night very late, and came to
see me. Mistress didn't know he was there. He came in after she was
gone to bed. He was to start at two, and we sat till about one. He
was just going away, and we were standing at the kitchen door when we
heard somebody in the hall. I said, "Oh, Lor! that's missis." He said,
"She'll be coming to look for you," and wanted me to go and meet her
while he cut out by the area. I said no, that wouldn't do, by reason of
it being all glass and a gas lamp at top of the area steps.[4] I pulled
him along to the lumber-room. The lumber-room is behind the kitchen and
the cellar. There are some old boxes and things there, but nobody ever
goes into it. I thought my mistress would not think of looking there.
Just as we got to the door we saw somebody come from the hall and
down the stairs. I whispered to John, "Why that's not missis--that's
Madame." My mistress was very tall and stout, and Madame R** was small
and thin. I could see her as she came through the door, because there
was some sort of light in the hall. She came right down-stairs and
past where we were. She went right on into the little place at the end
where the Baron kept all his bottles and stuff. She did not go into the
kitchen. Not at all. I will swear to that. She went into the Baron's
place. The laboratory, I dare say it is; I don't know. It was where
the bottles are. John and me crept to the window and looked out. The
window of the lumber-room looks right into the window of the back room
where the bottles are. You could see in quite plain. It was a bright
moonlight night, and there is a sort of tin looking-glass over the back
room window to make more light like. We saw Madame go into the room
and take a bottle from a shelf. She poured out a glassful and drank
it. Then she put the bottle back in its place. It was the last in the
second shelf. Then she went out again, and when we turned round we saw
a light shining into the room from the kitchen stairs. It stayed there
till Madame had gone past our door again, and then it went up again.
Just as it got to the top of the stairs I peeped out and saw it was
the Baron. Madame was close behind him. I said to John, "Why, John,
there's the Baron." He said he supposed he had come to look after his
wife. After they had gone John and me went into the bottle place. We
found the glass on the table. There were a few drops of stuff in it.
John and me smelt it, and it was just like wine. It tasted just like
wine, too. Then we looked for the bottle. It was at the end of the
second shelf. It was about half-full of stuff that looked like wine.
There was something in gold letters on the bottle. I can't tell what it
was. It was "vin" something. I know that because John and me settled
it must mean wine. I think I should know the rest if I saw it--[being
here shown several labels, witness picked out the following "Vin. Ant.
Pot. Tart." designating antimonial wine, a mixture of sherry and tartar
emetic]--I am pretty sure that was the one. I remember it because they
were such funny words. I remember John and me joking about "pots" and
"pies." The stuff in the bottle smelt just like wine. It was just like
sherry wine. I did not taste that. John wouldn't let me. He said I
might go and poison myself for aught I knew. We put the bottle back and
then John went away. I said nothing about it to anybody. Not even when
Madame was taken ill that night. I was afraid by reason of John. I have
never said a word about it to any living soul till I was asked to-day.
Certainly not to Mr. Aldridge, nor he to me. I will swear to the truth
of all I have said. I am quite positive that Madame never went near the
kitchen. I am quite positive that the Baron must have seen her come
out of the bottle place. He was standing with the candle in his hand
waiting for her. That I can swear.
N.B.--The statement of the "young man" referred to fully corroborates
the above statement. The accompanying plan will make this witness'
evidence more clear.
[Illustration: _Plan of basement floor of Baron R**'s lodgings, Russell
Place._ A A Windows of lumber-room and laboratory referred to in the
evidence of John Sanders and Mary Allen. B B Glass Partitions.]
9.--_Copy of a letter from a leading Mesmerist to the compiler, with
reference to the power claimed by mesmeric operators over those
subjected to their influence._
"_Dorset Square._
"My DEAR SIR,--
"... Many times after throwing Sarah Parsons into the mesmeric state,
I have _willed_ her to go into a dark room and pick up a pin or other
article equally minute, and however powerless she might be at the time
out of the state was quite immaterial. My will and power being employed
was sufficient. Then, Mr. L----, a paralytic, under my influence,
without losing consciousness or undergoing any recognisable change,
has many times, with the lame leg, stepped up on to and down again
from an ordinary dining-room chair. This of course was a masterpiece
of mesmeric manipulation. I wish I could write more and better, but my
eyes forbid * * *
"With kindest regards,
"Yours most truly,
"D. HANDS."
10.--_Fragment of a Letter found in the Baron's room after the death of
Madame R**._
[Illustration]
COMPLETED.
...On (?)
te... pendrait n'e... st ce pas mon
p...auvre philippe? E...h bien par
ce...t enfant, ce pauvre ... petit ange (?)
q... ui nous regarde du... haut du ciel,
n'...est ce pas philipp...e et que
no...us ne reverrons ja...mais, par
ce...t enfant je te le j...ure. Tu m'en
sa...is bien capable j...e crois.
En...core une fois, aujo...urd'hui c'est
le... 13, le 15, de grand...matin je
se...rai chez toi; il fa...ut que je
t...e trouve seul, tu ... me comprends;
se...ul au monde! n'... en sais
tu ... pas bien le moy...en?
O...h! philippe je t'ai...me (je t'aime?)
sa...is tu ce qu...e c'est qu'une
f...emme ja...louse?
_Translation of above._
(They) would hang thee, would they not, my poor Philip? Well, by
that child--that poor (little angel) who is now--is it not so,
Philip?--looking down on us from heaven, and whom we shall never see
again, by that child I swear it to you. Once more. To-day is the 13th.
On the 15th very early in the morning I shall be at your house. I must
find you alone--you understand me, alone in the world! Do you not well
know the means? Oh, Philip, I love thee (I love thee). Knowest thou
what a jealous woman is?
11.--_Extracts from the "Zoist Magazine," No. XLVII., for October,
1854._
"MESMERIC CURE OF A LADY WHO HAD BEEN TWELVE YEARS IN THE HORIZONTAL
POSITION, WITH EXTREME SUFFERING. By the Rev. R. A. F. Barrett, B.D.,
Senior Fellow of King's College, Cambridge.
* * * * *
"In January, 1852, I was calling upon ----, when she happened to tell
me that she had been in considerable pain for a fortnight past; that
the only thing that relieved her was mesmerism; but the friend who used
to mesmerise her was gone.
"... I continued to mesmerise her occasionally for some months....
"_April_ 21 _st._--I kept her asleep an hour and a quarter in the
morning and the same in the evening. She said[5] her throat looked
parched and feverish; at her request _I ate some black currant paste,
which she said moistened it_.... She said, 'Before you ate, my stomach
was contracted and had a queer-looking sort of moisture in it; now the
stomach is its full size and does not look shrunk, and part of the
moisture is gone.'
"I. 'But you could not _get nourishment_ so?' "A. 'Yes: _I could get
all my system wants._'
* * * * *
"_April_ 26_th._--In the evening I kept her asleep one hour, _and took
tea for her._
"_April_ 27_th._--... I ate dinner and she felt much stronger.
* * * * *
"I kept her asleep two hours and a quarter in the morning and one hour
in the evening, _eating for her as usual._"
[Footnote 1: Section II. 2.]
[Footnote 2: This I find to be the case.--R. H.]
[Footnote 3: The chemists from whom the Baron obtained his medicines.]
[Footnote 4: The arrangement alluded to will be seen from the
accompanying plan. The inner partition is entirely of glass, while the
outer has a row of large panes along the top.]
[Footnote 5: In a former portion of the case we are told that this
patient was _clairvoyant_ and could see her own internal condition.--R.
H. pard.]
Section VIII. Conclusion.
[Illustration]
There now only remains for me, in conclusion, to sum up as briefly
and succinctly as possible the evidence contained in the preceding
statements. In so doing, it will be necessary to adopt an arrangement
somewhat different from that which has been hitherto followed. Each
step of the narrative will therefore be accompanied with a marginal
reference to the particular deposition from which it may be taken.
First then, for what may be called the preliminary portions of the
evidence. With these we need here deal but very briefly. They consist
almost entirely of letters furnished by the courtesy of a near relation
of the late Mrs. Anderton (I.), and read as follows:
Some six or seven and twenty years ago, the mother of Mrs.
Anderton--Lady Boleton--after giving birth to twin daughters, under
circumstances of a peculiarly exciting and agitating nature, died in
child-bed. Both Sir Edward Boleton and herself appear to have been of
a nervous temperament, and the effects of these combined influences is
shown in the highly nervous and susceptible organisation of the orphan
girls, and in a morbid sympathy of constitution, by which each appeared
to suffer from any ailment of the other. This remarkable sympathy is
very clearly shown in more than one of the letters I have submitted
for your consideration, and I have numerous others in my possession
which, should they be considered insufficient, will place the matter,
irregular as it certainly is, beyond the reach of doubt. I must request
you to bear it particularly and constantly in mind throughout the case.
Almost from the time of the mother's death, the children were placed
in the care of a poor, but respectable woman, at Hastings. Here the
younger, whose constitution appears to have been originally much
stronger than that of her sister, seems to have improved rapidly in
health, and in so doing to have mastered, in some degree, that morbid
sympathy of temperament of which I have spoken, and which in the
weaker organisation of her elder sister, still maintained its former
ascendency. They were about six years old when, whether through the
carelessness of the nurse or not, is immaterial to us now, the younger
was lost during a pleasure excursion in the neighbourhood. Every
inquiry was made, and it appeared pretty clear that she had fallen into
the hands of a gang of gipsies, who at that time infested the country
round, but no further trace of her was ever after discovered.
The elder sister, now left alone, seems to have been watched with
redoubled solicitude. There is nothing, however, in the years
immediately following Miss C. Boleton's disappearance having any direct
bearing upon our case, and I have, therefore, confined my extracts from
the correspondence entrusted to me, to two or three letters from a
lady in whose charge she was placed at Hampstead, and one from an old
friend of her mother, from which we gather the fact of her marriage.
The latter is chiefly notable as pointing out the nervous and highly
sensitive temperament of the young lady's husband, the late Mr.
Anderton, to which I shall have occasion at a later period of the case,
more particularly to direct your attention. The former give evidence of
a very important fact; namely, that of the liability of Miss Boleton to
attacks of illness equally unaccountable and unmanageable, bearing a
perfect resemblance to those in which she suffered in her younger days
sympathetically with the ailments of her sister; and, therefore, to be
not improbably attributed to a similar cause.
Thus far for the preliminary portion of the evidence. The second
division places before us (II.) certain peculiarities in the married
life of Mrs. Anderton; its more especial object, however, being to
elucidate the connection between the parties whose history we have
hitherto been tracing, and the Baron R**, with whose proceedings we are
properly concerned.
It appears then, that in all respects but one, the married life of Mr.
and Mrs. Anderton was particularly happy. Notwithstanding their retired
and often somewhat nomad life, and the limits necessarily imposed
thereby to the formation of friendships, the evidence of their devoted
attachment to each other is perfectly overwhelming. I have no less
than thirty-seven letters from various quarters, all speaking more or
less strongly upon this point, but I have thought it better to select
from the mass a small but sufficient number, than to overload the case
with unnecessary repetition. In one respect alone their happiness was
incomplete. It was, as had been justly observed by Mrs. Ward, most
unfortunate that the choice of Miss Boleton should have fallen upon a
gentleman, who however eligible in every other respect, was, from his
extreme constitutional nervousness, so peculiarly ill-adapted for union
with a lady of such very similar organisation. The connection seems to
have borne its natural fruit in the increased delicacy of both parties,
their married life being spent in an almost continual search after
health. Among the numerous experiments tried with this object, they
at length appear to have had recourse to mesmerism, becoming finally
patients of Baron R**, a well known professor of that and other kindred
impositions.
Mrs. Anderton had not been long under his care when the remonstrances
of several friends led to the cessation of the Baron's immediate
manipulations, the mesmeric fluid being now conveyed to the patient
through the intervention of a third party. Mademoiselle Rosalie, "the
medium" thus employed, was a young person regularly retained by Baron
R** for that purpose, and of her it is necessary here to say a few
words.
She appears to have been about the age of Mrs. Anderton, though looking
perhaps a little older than her years; slight in figure, with dark
hair and eyes, and in all respects but one answering precisely to the
description of that lady's lost sister. The single difference alluded
to, that of wide and clumsy feet, is amply accounted for by the nature
of her former avocation. She had been for several years a tight-rope
dancer, &c., in the employ of a travelling-circus proprietor; who, by
his own account, had purchased her for a trifling sum, of a gang of
gipsies at Lewes, just at the very time when the younger Miss Boleton
was stolen at Hastings by a gang whose course was tracked through Lewes
to the westward. Of him she was again purchased by the Baron, who
appears, even at the outset, to have exercised a singular power over
her, the fascination of his glance falling on her whilst engaged upon
the stage, having compelled her to stop short in the performance of her
part. There can, I think, be little doubt that this girl Rosalie was in
fact the lost sister of Mrs. Anderton, and of this we shall find that
the Baron R** very shortly became cognisant.
It does not appear that on the first meeting of the sisters he had
any idea of the relationship between them. He was, indeed, perfectly
ignorant of the early history of both. The extraordinary sympathy
therefore which immediately manifested itself between them was not
improbably set down by him as a mere result of the mesmeric _rapport_,
and it was not till he had been for some weeks in attendance on Mrs.
Anderton that accident led him to divine its true origin. Nor, on the
other hand, does this singular sympathy--a sympathy manifested in
a precisely similar manner to that known to have existed years ago
between the sisters--appear to have raised any suspicion of the truth
in the mind of either Mrs. Anderton or her husband. From the former,
indeed, all mention of her early life had been carefully kept till she
had probably almost, if not entirely, forgotten the event, while the
latter merely remembered it as a tale which had long since ceased to
possess any present interest.
The two sisters were thus for several weeks in the closest contact, the
effects of which may or may not have been heightened by the so-called
mesmeric connection between them, before any suspicion of their
relationship crossed the mind of any one. One evening, however,--and
from certain peculiar circumstances we are enabled to fix the date
precisely to the 13th of October, 1854,--the Baron appears beyond
all doubt to have become cognisant of the fact. I must request your
particular attention to the circumstances by which his discovery of it
was attended.
On that evening the conversation appears to have very naturally turned
upon a certain extraordinary case professed to be reported in a number
of the "Zoist Mesmeric Magazine," published a few days before. The
pretended case was that of a lady suffering from some internal disorder
which forbade her to swallow any food, and receiving sustenance
through mesmeric sympathy with the operator, who "_ate for her._" From
this extraordinary tale the conversation turned naturally to other
manifestations of constitutional sympathy, as an instance of which Mr.
Anderton related the story of Mrs. Anderton's lost sister, and the
singular bond which had existed between them. The conversation appears
to have continued for some time (II., 2.), and in the course of it a
jesting remark was made by one of the party in allusion to the story
of eating by deputy, to which I am inclined to look as the key-note of
this horrible affair.
"I said," deposes Mr. Morton, "I said _it was lucky for the young woman
that the fellow didn't eat anything unwholesome._"
From the moment these words were spoken the Baron appears to have
dropped out of the conversation altogether. More than this, he was
clearly in a condition of great mental pre-occupation and disturbance.
Mr. Morton goes on to describe the singularity of his manner, the
letting his cigar expire between his teeth, and the tremulousness of
his hands, so excessive, that in attempting to re-light it he only
succeeded in destroying that of his friend. There can, I think, be
no doubt whatever that from that moment he believed thoroughly in
the identity of Rosalie with the lost sister of Mrs. Anderton. What
other ideas the conversation had suggested to him we must endeavour to
ascertain from the evidence that follows.
On the morning of the day succeeding that on the evening of which
he had become convinced of Rosalie's identity, we find Baron R** at
Doctors' Commons inquiring into the particulars (II., 5.) of a will
by which the sum of 25,000_l_. had been bequeathed, under certain
conditions, to the children of Lady Boleton. Under the provisions of
this will, the girl Rosalie was, after her sister and Mr. Anderton, the
heir to this legacy. We need, I think, have no difficulty in connecting
the acquisition of this intelligence with the steps by which it was
immediately followed. Mr. Anderton at once received an intimation of
the Baron's approaching departure for the continent, and at the end
of the third week from that time leave was taken, and he apparently
started upon his journey. In point of fact, however, his plans were of
a very different character. During the three weeks which intervened
between his visit to Doctors' Commons and his farewell to Mr. Anderton,
there had been advertised in the parish church of Kensington the banns
of marriage between himself and his "medium," Rosalie,--not, indeed,
in the names by which they were ordinarily known, and which would very
probably have excited attention, but in the family name--if so it
be--of the Baron and in that by which Rosalie was originally known when
with the travelling circus. By what means he prevailed upon his victim
to consent to such a step is not important to the matter in hand. The
general tenour of the subsequent evidence shows clearly that it must
have been under some form of compulsion, and, indeed, the unfortunate
girl seems to have been made by some means altogether subservient to
his will.
The marriage thus secretly effected, the Baron and his wife leave town,
not for the continent, as stated to Mr. Anderton, but for Bognor, an
out-of-the-way little watering-place on the Sussex coast, deserted save
for the week of the Goodwood races, where, at that time of the year,
he was not likely to meet with any one to whom he was known. Before
endeavouring to investigate the motive of all this mystery, it is
necessary to bear in mind one important fact:--
_Between the wife of Baron R** and Mr. Wilson's legacy of_ 25,000_l_.,
_the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Anderton now alone intervened._
The first few days of the Baron's stay in Bognor seem to have been
devoted to the search for a servant, he having insisted on the unusual
arrangement of himself providing one in the house where he lodged. It
is worthy of note that the one finally selected was in a position,
with respect to character, that placed her entirely in her master's
power. It is unfortunate that this same defect of character necessarily
lessens the value of evidence from such a source. We must, however,
take it for what it is worth, remembering at the same time, that there
is a total absence of any apparent motive, save that of telling the
truth, for the statement she has made.
It appears, then, from her account, that after trying by every means
to tempt her into some repetition of her former error, the Baron at
last seized upon the pretext of her taking from the breakfast table a
single taste of jam upon her finger, to threaten her with immediate and
utter ruin. One only loop-hole was left by which she could escape. The
alternative was, indeed, most ingeniously and delicately veiled under
the pretext of seeking a plausible reason for her dismissal; but, in
point of fact, it amounted to this, that as a condition of her alleged
offence not being recorded against her, she would own to the commission
of another with which she had nothing whatever to do.
The offence to which she was falsely to plead guilty was this. On the
night succeeding the commission of the fault of which, such as it
was, she was really guilty, Madame R** was taken suddenly ill. The
symptoms were those of antimonial poisoning. The presence of antimony
in the stomach was clearly shown. In the presence of the medical man
who had been called in, the girl was taxed by the Baron with having
administered, by way of a trick, a dose of tartar emetic; and she,
in obedience to a strong hint from her master, confessed to the
delinquency, and was thereupon dismissed with a good character in other
respects. Freed from the dread of exposure, she now flatly denies the
whole affair, both of the trick and of the quarrel which was supposed
to have led to it, and I am bound to say, that looking both to external
and internal evidence, her statement seems worthy of credit.
Nevertheless the poison was unquestionably administered. By whom?
_Cui bono?_ Certainly, it will be said, not for that of the Baron; for
until at least the death of Mr. and Mrs. Anderton his interest was
clearly in the life of his wife. It is not, therefore, by any means to
be supposed that he would before that event attempt to poison her. Of
this mystery, then, it appears that we must seek the solution elsewhere.
Returning then for a time to Mr. and Mrs. Anderton, we find that the
latter has also suffered from an attack of illness. Comparing her
journal (III.) and the evidence of her doctor, with that given in the
case of Madame R**, it appears that the symptoms were identical in
every respect, with this single but important exception, that in this
case there is no apparent cause for the attack, nor can any trace of
poison be found. A little further inquiry, and we arrive at a yet more
mysterious coincidence.
It is a matter of universal experience, that almost the most fatal
enemy of crime is over-precaution. In this particular case the
precautions of the Baron R** appear to have been dictated by a skill
and forethought almost superhuman, and so admirably have they been
taken, that, save in the concealment of the marriage, it is almost
impossible to recognise in them any sinister motive whatever. His
course with respect to the servant girl, though dictated, as we
believe, by the most criminal designs, is perfectly consistent with
motives of the very highest philanthropy. Even in the concealment
of the marriage, once granting--as I think may very fairly be
granted--that such a marriage might be concealed without any necessary
imputation of evil, the means adopted were equally simple, effective,
and unblameable. They consisted merely in the use of the real, instead
of the stage names of the contracting parties, and in the very proper
avoidance of all ground for scandal by hiring another lodging, in
order that before marriage the address of both parties might not be
the same. In the illness of Madame R**, too, at Bognor, nothing can,
to all appearance, be more straightforward than the Baron's conduct.
He at once proclaims his suspicion of poison, sends for an eminent
physician, verifies his doubts, administers the proper remedies, and
dismisses the servant by whose fault the attack has been occasioned.
Viewed with an eye of suspicion, there is indeed something questionable
in the selection of the medical attendant. Why should the Baron refuse
to send for either of the local practitioners, both gentlemen of skill
and reputation, and insist on calling in a stranger to the place, who
in a very few days would leave it, and very probably return no more?
Distrust of country doctors, and decided preference for London skill,
furnishes us, as usual, with a prompt and plausible reply. It does
not, however, exclude the possibility that the expediency of removing
as far as possible all evidence of what had passed may have in some
degree affected the choice. Be that as it may, this precaution, whether
originally for good or for evil, has enabled us to fix with certainty a
very important point.
_Mrs. Anderton was taken ill, not only with the same symptoms, but at
the same time, with Madame R**._
Before proceeding to consider the events which followed, there are one
or two points in the history of this first illness of the sisters on
which it is needful to remark. The action of these metallic poisons,
among which we may undoubtedly rank antimony, is as yet but very
little understood. We know, however, from the statements of Professor
Taylor,[1] certainly by far the first English authority upon the
subject, that peculiarities of constitution, or, as they are termed,
"idiosyncracies," frequently assist or impede to a very extraordinary
extent the action of such drugs. The constitution of Madame R** appears
to have been thus idiosyncratically disposed to favour the action of
antimony. There can be no doubt that the action of the poison upon
her system was very greatly in excess of that which under ordinary
circumstances would have been expected from a similar dose. The poison,
therefore, by whomsoever administered, was not intended to prove fatal,
though from the peculiar idiosyncracy of Madame R** it was very nearly
doing so.
The narrowness of Madame R**'s escape seems to have struck the Baron,
and to have exercised a strong influence over his future proceedings.
Whether or not he knew or believed her to be exposed to any peculiar
influences which might tend to render her life less secure than that
of her delicate and invalid sister, it is impossible positively to
say. There was no question, however, that her death before that of
Mrs. Anderton would destroy all prospect of his succession to the
25,000_l_., and with this view he proceeded to take as speedily as
possible the necessary steps to secure himself against such an event.
The obvious course, and indeed that suggested at once by Dr. Jones,
was that of assurance, and this course he accordingly adopted, after
having previously, by a tour of several months, restored his wife to
a state of health in which her life would probably be accepted by
the offices concerned. The insurances, therefore, with which we are
concerned, were effected in consequence of a previous administration of
poison to Madame R**, producing an illness far more serious than could
have been anticipated, and accompanied by precisely similar symptoms
on the part of her delicate sister, Mrs. Anderton, whose death, _if
preceding that of Madame R**_, would more than double the Baron's
prospect of succession.
Between him, therefore, and the sum of either 25,000_l_. or 50,000_l_.
there now intervened three lives, those of Mr. and Mrs. Anderton,
and of his own wife, Madame R**, and on the order in which they fell
depended the amount of his gain by their demise. The death of Mr.
Anderton before that of Mrs. Anderton, would open the possibility of
a second marriage, from which might arise issue, whose claim would
precede his; that of his own wife preceding that of either Mr. or Mrs.
Anderton, would destroy altogether his own claim to the larger sum. It
was only in the event of Mrs. Anderton's death being followed first by
that of her husband, and afterwards by that of her sister, that the
Baron's entire claim would be secured.
_Within one year from the time at which matters assumed this position,
these three lives fell in, and in precisely the order in which the
Baron would most largely and securely profit by their demise._
We now proceed to examine the circumstances under which they fell.
Immediately on his return to England, and before apparently completing
his arrangements with respect to the policies of insurance, the Baron,
we find, calls upon Mr. Anderton, and by dint of minute inquiries draws
from him the entire history of the attack from which Mrs. Anderton
had suffered several months before. Supposing, therefore, that the
information was of any practical interest, the Baron was now fully
aware of the perfect similarity, both of time and symptom, between the
cases of his wife and her sister. It is essential that this should be
borne in mind.
He now proceeds to establish himself in lodgings in Russell Place (V.),
in a house in which, for five days and every night in the week, he is
entirely alone. The only other tenant is a medical man, whose visits
are confined to a few hours on two days in the week, and who lives at
too great a distance to be called in on any sudden emergency. Here he
establishes himself upon the first and second floors with a laboratory
in a small detached room upon the basement floor, where his chemical
experiments can be carried on without inconvenience to the rest of the
house. It is essential that the position of this laboratory should be
very clearly borne in mind, as it plays a most important part in the
story which is now to follow.
In these lodgings, then, Madame R,** is again taken ill with a return,
though in a greatly mitigated form, of the same symptoms from which she
had previously suffered at Bognor. The attack, however, though less
violent in its immediate effects, was succeeded at regular intervals
of about a fortnight by others of a precisely similar character. And
here we arrive at what is at once the most significant, the most
extraordinary, and the most questionable of the evidence we have been
able to collect.
It appears, then, that upon a night in August, a young man of the name
of Aldridge, who, as a matter of special favour, had been taken into
the house since the arrival of the Baron (VII.), saw Madame R** leave
her bedroom, and, apparently in her sleep, walk down the stairs in
the dark to the lower part of the house. The room in which the Baron
slept was next to hers, and on the wall of that room, projected by the
night-lamp burning on the table, the young man saw what seemed to be
the shadow of a man watching Madame R** as she went by. He looked again
and the shadow was gone--so rapidly that at first he could scarcely
believe his eyes, and was only, after consideration, satisfied that
it really had been there. He went down to the room, but the Baron was
asleep. He told him what had happened to Madame R**, and he at once
followed her. Young Aldridge watched him until he had descended the
kitchen-stairs and returned, followed closely by the sleep-walker. He
then went back to his room, to which the Baron shortly afterwards came
to thank him for his warning, and to tell him that, in some freak of
slumber, Madame R** _had visited the kitchen_.
So far the story is simple enough. There is nothing extraordinary in a
sick woman of exciteable nerves taking a sudden fit of somnambulism,
and walking down even into the kitchen of a house that was not her own.
The Baron's conduct--in all respects but that of the watching shadow
--was precisely that which, from a sensible and affectionate husband,
might most naturally have been expected. Nor is it very difficult, even
setting aside all idea of malice, to set down the shadow portion of the
story to a mere freak of imagination on the part of the young man who,
though "not drunk," was nevertheless on his own admission, "perhaps a
little excited," and who had been "drinking a good deal of beer and
shandy-gaff." But the evidence does not end here.
By one of those extraordinary coincidences by which the simple course
of ordinary events so often baffles the best laid schemes of crime,
there were others in the house, besides the young man Aldridge, who
witnessed the movements of the Baron and Madame R**. It so happened
that, on the afternoon of that particular day, the woman of the house
had hampered the little latch-lock by which young Aldridge usually
admitted himself, and, as this occurred late in the day, it is more
than probable that the Baron was unaware of it, as also of the fact
that in consequence the servant-girl Susan Turner, sat up beyond the
usual hour of going to bed for the purpose of letting the young man
in. This girl, it seems, had a lover--a stoker on one of the northern
lines--and him she appears to have invited to keep her company on her
watch. Aldridge returned and went up to bed, but the lover--who was
to be on duty with his engine at two o'clock, and who was doubtlessly
interrupted in a most interesting conversation by the arrival of the
lodger--still remained in the kitchen, and was only just leaving
it when Madame R** came down stairs. Taking her at first to be the
mistress of, the house, and fearful lest the street-lamp gleaming
through the glass partition should betray her "young man's" presence,
Susan Turner draws him to the lumber-room, the window of which, it
appears, looks into a sort of well between the house and the two
rooms built out at the back, after a fashion not unusual in London
houses. Into this well, also, immediately opposite to the window of
the lumber-room, looks that of the backroom or laboratory, furnished
with what the witness describes as a "tin looking-glass," but which is
really one of those metal reflectors, in common use, for increasing
the light of rooms in such a position. The distance between the two
windows is little more than eight feet. The night was clear, with a
bright, full harvest moon, and its rays, thrown by the reflector into
the laboratory, made every part of its interior distinctly visible
from the lumber-room. The door of the latter room was open, and the
staircase illuminated by the Baron's approaching light. The hiders in
the lumber-room could see distinctly the whole proceedings of both
Baron and Madame R**, from the time Aldridge lost sight of them to the
moment they again emerged into his view.
And this was what they saw:
_"Madame R** never went into the kitchen at all;" "she went straight
into the laboratory," and "the Baron watched her as she came out."_
A glance at the place will show the bearing of this evidence and the
impossibility of the Baron (who, if he had not been in the kitchen,
must at least have thoroughly known the position of his own laboratory)
having made any mistake on this point.
What, then, was his motive in thus imposing upon Aldridge, to whose
interference he professed himself so much indebted, with this false
statement of the place to which Madame R** had been?
There does not seem the slightest reason for discrediting the evidence
of these two witnesses. Their story is perfectly simple and coherent.
There is neither malice against the Baron nor collusion with Aldridge,
in whose case such malice is supposed to exist. The only weak point in
their position is the fact, that they were both doing wrong in being in
that place at that time; but the admission of this, in truth, rather
strengthens than injures the testimony which involves it. We must seek
the clue, then, not in their motives, but in those of the Baron. The
errand of Madame R**, in her strange expedition, may perhaps afford it.
What did she do in the laboratory?
_"She drank something from a bottle." "It smelt and tasted like
sherry." "It was marked VIN. ANT. POT. TART." That label designates
antimonial wine, which is a mixture of sherry and tartar emetic._
Let us see if from this point we can feel our way, as it were,
backwards, to the motive for concealment. The life of Madame R** was,
as we know, heavily insured. It had already been seriously endangered
by the effects of precisely the same drug as that she was now seen to
take. If the Baron knew or suspected the motive of her visit, here is
at once a motive sufficient, if not perhaps very creditable, for the
concealment of a fact, the knowledge of which might very probably lead
to difficulty with respect to payment of the policy in case of death.
But here another difficulty meets us. The incident in question occurred
at about the middle of the long illness of Madame R**. That illness
consisted of a series of attacks, occurring as nearly as possible at
intervals of a fortnight, and exhibiting the exact symptoms of the
poison here shown to have been taken. One of these attacks followed
within a very few hours of the occurrence into which we are examining.
Was it the only one of the kind?
The evidence of the night-nurse bears with terrible weight upon this
point. Her orders are strict, on no account to close her eyes. Her
hours of watch are short, and the repose of the entire day leaves her
without the slightest cause for unusual drowsiness. The testimonials of
twenty years bear unvarying witness to her care and trustworthiness.
Yet every alternate Saturday for eight or ten, or it may even have
been nearly twelve weeks, at one regular hour she falls asleep. It
is in vain that she watches and fights against it--in vain even
that, suspecting "some trick" she on one occasion abstains entirely
from food, and drinks nothing but that peculiarly wakeful decoction,
strong green tea. On every other night she keeps awake with ease,
but surely as the fatal Saturday comes round she again succumbs, and
surely as sleep steals over her is it followed by a fresh attack of
the symptoms we so plainly recognise. She cannot in any way account
for such an extraordinary fatality. She is positive that such a thing
never happened to her before. We also are at an equal loss. We can but
pause upon the reflection that twice before the periodic drowsiness
began, a similarly irresistible sleep had been induced by the so-called
mesmeric powers of the Baron himself. And then we pass naturally to her
who had been for years habituated to such control, and we cannot but
call to mind the statement of Mr. Hands--"I have often _willed_ her
(S. Parsons) to go into a dark room and pick up a pin, or some article
equally minute."
_And then we again remember the watching shadow on the wall._
And yet, after all, at what have we arrived? Grant that the Baron knew
the nature of his wife's errand in the laboratory; that the singular
power--call it what we will--by which he had before in jest compelled
the nurse to sleep, was really employed in enabling the somnambulist to
elude her watch. Grant even that the pretensions of the mesmerist are
true, and that it was in obedience to his direct will that Madame R**
acted as she did, we are no nearer a solution than before.
_It was not the Baron's interest that his wife should die._
We must then seek further afield for any explanation of this terrible
enigma. Let us see how it fared with Mrs. Anderton while these events
were passing at her sister's house.
And here we seem to have another instance of the manner in which the
wisest precautions so often turn against those by whom they are taken
(III. and V.). Admitting that the illness of Madame R** was really
caused by criminal means, nothing could be wiser than the precaution
which selected for their first essay a night on which they could be
tried without fear of observation. Yet this very circumstance enables
us to fix a date of the last importance, which without it must have
remained uncertain. Madame R**, then, was taken ill on Saturday, the
5th April. On that very night--at, as nearly as can be ascertained, the
very same hour, Mrs. Anderton was unaccountably seized with an illness
in all respects resembling hers. Like hers, too, the attacks returned
at fortnightly intervals: For a few days, on the Baron's advice, a
particular medicine is given, and at first with apparently good effect.
At the same date the diary of Dr. Marsden shows a similar amelioration
of symptoms in the case of Madame R**. In both cases the amendment is
but short, and the disease again pursues its course. The result in both
is utter exhaustion. In the case of Madame R** reducing the sufferer to
death's door; in the _weaker constitution_ of her sister terminating in
death. Examination is made. The appearances of the body, no less than
the symptoms exhibited in life, are all those of antimonial poisoning.
No antimony is, however, found; and from this and other circumstances,
results a verdict of "Natural Death." On the 12th October, then, Mrs.
Anderton's story ends.
_From that time dates the recovery of Madame R**._
The first life is now removed from between Baron R** and the full sum
of 50,000_l_ (VI.). Let us examine briefly the circumstances attending
the lapse of the second. Here again events each in itself quite simple
and natural, combine to form a story fraught with terrible suspicion.
I have alluded to the inquest which followed on the death of Mrs.
Anderton. That inquiry originated in circumstances which cast upon her
husband the entire suspicion of her murder. To whose agency, whether
direct or indirect, voluntary or involuntary, is an after question, may
every one of these circumstances be traced? Mr. Anderton insists on
being the only one from whom the patient shall receive either medicine
or food. It is the Baron who applauds and encourages a line of conduct
diametrically opposed to his own, and tending more than any other
circumstance to fix suspicion on his friend. A remedy is suggested, the
recommending of which points strongly to the idea of poison, and it is
from the Baron that the suggestion comes. Two papers are found, the one
bearing in part the other in full, the name of the poison suspected to
have been used. The first of these is brought to light by the Baron
himself,--the second is found in a place where he has just been,
and by a person whom he has himself despatched to search there for
something else. He draws continual attention to that point of exclusive
attendance from which suspicion chiefly springs. His replies to Dr.
Dodsworth respecting the recommendation of the antimonial antidote are
so given as to confirm the worst interpretation to which it had given
rise, and even when, on the discovery of the second paper, he advises
the nurse that it should be destroyed, he does so in a manner that
ensures not only its preservation but its immediate employment in the
manner most dangerous to his friend.
The evidence fails. What is the Baron's connection with the catastrophe
that follows? He knows well the accused man's nervous anxiety for his
own good name. He procures, on the ground of his friendly anxiety, the
earliest intelligence of his friend's probable acquittal. He enters
that friend's room to acquaint him with the good news. Returning
he takes measures to secure the prisoner throughout the night from
interruption or interference. In the morning Mr. Anderton is a corpse,
and on his pillow is found the phial in which the poison had been
contained, and a written statement that the desperate step had been
taken in despair of an acquittal. By what marvellous accident was the
hopeful news of the chemical investigation thus misinterpreted? By what
negligence or connivance was the fatal drug placed within his reach?
One thing only we know--
_It was the Baron who conveyed the news. It was from his pocket
medicine case, left by him within the sick man's reach, that the poison
came._
Thus fell the second of the two lives which stood between the Baron and
the full sum of 50,000_l_. Of this sum the 25,000_l_. which accrues
from the relationship between Mrs. Anderton and Madame R** is already
his as soon as claimed, but there is no immediate necessity for the
claim to be preferred. He may perhaps have thought it better to wait
before making such a claim until the first sensation occasioned by the
double deaths through which he inherited had passed away. He may have
been merely putting in train some plausible story to account for his
only now proclaiming a fact of which he had certainly been aware for at
least a year. Whatever his reason, however, he certainly for some weeks
after Mr. Anderton's death made no movement to establish his claim upon
the property, and during this time Madame R** was slowly but surely
recovering her strength.
But while wisdom thus dictated a policy of delay, the irresistible
course of events hurried on the crisis. A letter comes (VII.) filled
with threats of the vengeance of jealous love if its cause be not that
night removed. It is but a fragment of that letter that is preserved,
but its meaning is clear enough, and it is that under threat of
revelation of some capital crime, the connection between himself and
Madame R** should be finally brought to an end.
"_N'en sais-tu bien le moyen?_"
That night the condition is fulfilled. Once more the sleeping lady
takes her midnight journey to her husband's laboratory. Once more her
unconscious hand pours out the deadly draught. But this time it is no
slow poison that she takes. It is a powerful and burning acid that
even as it awakes her from her trance, shrivels her with a horrible
and instant death. One shrill and quickly stifled shriek alarms the
inmates of the house, and when they hurry to the spot they find only
a disfigured corpse, lying with bare feet and disordered night dress
in the darkness of the stormy November night, and with the fatal glass
still clasped in its hand.
My task is done. In possession of the evidence thus placed before you,
your judgment of its result will be as good as mine. Link by link you
have now been put in possession of the entire chain. Is that chain
one of purely accidental coincidences, or does it point with terrible
certainty to a series of crimes, in their nature and execution almost
too horrible to contemplate? That is the first question to be asked,
and it is one to which I confess myself unable to reply. The second
is more strange, and perhaps even more difficult still. Supposing the
latter to be the case, are crimes thus committed susceptible of proof,
or even if proved, are they of a kind for which the criminal can be
brought to punishment?
[Footnote 1: "Taylor on Poisons." 2nd edition, p. 98, _et inf._]
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