[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.]