THE BRAVO MYSTERY
ANTIMONY, like arsenic, to which in many ways it is closely allied,
claims also to be ranked among the historic poisons. It was known and
used by the ancient Greek and Roman physicians as a medicinal agent,
and for certain purposes it is, perhaps, unequalled at the present
time. The metal is a brittle, silvery and very brilliant substance, in
the form of plates and crystals, and is largely used in the arts as an
alloy, the most common form being Britannia metal, which is a compound
of antimony, lead, and tin. The old _Poculo emetica_ or everlasting
emetic cups, were made of antimony. It is found abundantly in nature
as a sulphide, also combined with various metals, and with quartz and
limestone. From these it is separated by fusion, the heavy metallic
portion sinking by the law of gravity, and abandoning the impurities
which remain on the surface of the molten mass. Arsenic is a frequent
contamination of commercial antimony, and it is very important that it
should be eliminated before antimony is prepared for use in medicine.
Poisoning by tartarated antimony causes a peculiar metallic taste in
the mouth, which is speedily followed by vomiting, burning heat, pains
in the stomach and purging, difficulty in swallowing, thirst, cramp,
cold perspirations, and great debility. In smaller doses it produces
these effects in a mitigated form, which causes symptoms somewhat
similar to natural disease, such as distaste for food, nausea, and loss
of muscular power. For this reason, doubtless, it has been a favourite
medium with many criminal poisoners, including Dove, Smethurst,
Pritchard, and others; but there is no trial in which antimony has
figured that caused more interest than the "Bravo Mystery" of 1876.
The story of this case begins with the marriage of Mr. Bravo, a young
barrister of about thirty years of age, to Mrs. Ricardo, who was then
a wealthy widow and a lady of considerable personal attractions.
After the marriage, which followed a very short acquaintance, the
couple went to reside at Balham. According to a statement made by
Mrs. Bravo, she informed her husband before the marriage of a former
lover, and there is little doubt that it rankled in Mr. Bravo's mind,
and he frequently taunted his wife with the fact. He was a strong,
healthy, and temperate man, but appears to have been both weak and
vain in character. On Tuesday, April 18, 1876, after breakfast at his
own house at Balham, he drove with his wife into town. On their way,
a very unpleasant discussion took place. Arriving in town, he had
a Turkish bath, lunched with a relative of his wife at St. James's
Restaurant, and walked on his way home to Victoria Station with a
friend and fellow-barrister, whom he asked out for the following day.
He arrived back home about half-past four. Shortly after his return,
Mr. Bravo went out for a ride, in the course of which his horse bolted
and carried him a long distance, and he got back to his home very tired
and exhausted. At half-past six he was noticed leaning forward on his
chair, looking ill, and with his head hanging down. He ordered a hot
bath, and when getting into it he cried out aloud with pain, putting
his hand to his side. The bath did not appear to relieve him much, and
he seemed to be suffering pain all through dinner, but appeared to
avoid attracting the attention of his wife and Mrs. Cox, her companion,
who dined with him.
The food provided during the dinner was partaken of more or less in
common by all three, but this was not the case as regards the wine.
Mr. Bravo drank Burgundy, only, while Mrs. Bravo and Mrs. Cox drank
sherry and Marsala. The wine drunk by Mr. Bravo had been decanted by
the butler some time before dinner; how long he could not say, but he
noticed nothing unusual with it.
The wine was of good quality, and Mr. Bravo, who was something of a
connoisseur of wine, remarked nothing peculiar in its taste, but drank
it as usual. If he had Burgundy for luncheon he finished the bottle
at dinner; but if not, as on the day in question, the remains of the
bottle were put away in an unlocked cellaret in the dining-room. The
butler could not remember whether any Burgundy was left on this day or
not; but, however, none was discovered.
This cellaret was opened at least twice subsequently to this, and
prior to Mr. Bravo's illness, once by Mrs. Cox, and once by the maid.
Mr. Bravo seems to have eaten a good dinner, although he was evidently
not himself from some cause or other. It was said he was suffering from
toothache or neuralgia, and had just received a letter that had given
him some annoyance.
The dinner lasted till past eight o'clock, after which the party
adjourned to the morning-room, where conversation continued up to about
nine o'clock.
Mrs. Bravo and Mrs. Cox then retired upstairs, leaving Mr. Bravo alone,
and Mrs. Cox went to fetch Mrs. Bravo some wine and water from the
dining-room.
Mrs. Bravo remained in her room and prepared for bed, and drank the
wine and water brought to her by Mrs. Cox, who remained with her.
The housemaid, on taking some hot water to the ladies' room, as was her
usual custom at half-past nine, was asked by Mrs. Bravo to bring her
some more Marsala in the glass that had contained the wine and water.
On her way downstairs to the dining-room, the girl met her master at
the foot of the stairs. He looked "queer" and very strange in the face,
but did not appear to be in pain, according to her statement. He
looked twice at her, yet did not speak, though it was his custom, but
passed on.
Mr. Bravo was alone after the departure of his wife and Mrs. Cox, until
the time when he passed the housemaid at the foot of the stairs. He
entered his wife's dressing-room, and the maid Mrs. Bravo's bedroom. In
the dressing-room, according to Mrs. Cox's statement, Mr. Bravo spoke
to his wife in French, with reference to the wine. This had frequently
been the subject of unpleasant remarks before; but Mrs. Bravo had no
recollection of the conversation on this occasion.
After leaving his wife in her room, Mr. Bravo went to his own bedroom
and closed the door. The maid left Mrs. Bravo's bedroom and met her
mistress in the passage partially undressed and on her way to bed. Mrs.
Bravo and Mrs. Cox entered their bedrooms, and the former drank her
Marsala and went to bed.
In about a quarter of an hour Mr. Bravo's bedroom door was heard to
open, and he shouted out, "Florence! Florence! Hot water." The maid
ran into Mrs. Bravo's room, calling out that Mr. Bravo was ill. Mrs.
Cox, who had not yet undressed, rose hastily and ran to his room. She
found him standing in his night-gown at the open window, apparently
vomiting, and this the maid also saw. Mrs. Cox further stated that
Mr. Bravo said to her, "I have taken poison. Don't tell Florence"
(alluding to his wife); and to this confession of having taken poison
on the part of Mr. Bravo, Mrs. Cox adhered. After this, Mr. Bravo was
again very sick, and some hot water was brought by the maid. After the
vomiting he sank on the floor and became insensible, and remained so
for some hours. Mrs. Cox tried to raise him, and got some mustard and
water, but he could not swallow it. She then applied mustard to his
feet, and coffee was procured, but he was also unable to swallow that.
Meanwhile a doctor, who had attended Mrs. Bravo, and who lived at some
distance, was sent for. Mrs. Bravo, who was aroused from sleep by the
maid, and who seems to have been greatly excited, insisted on a nearer
practitioner being sent for, and in a short time a medical man, living
close by, arrived on the scene. The doctor found Mr. Bravo sitting
or lying on a chair, completely unconscious, and the heart's action
almost suspended. He had him laid on the bed, and then administered
some hot brandy and water, but was unable to get him to swallow it. In
about half an hour another medical man arrived, and was met by Mrs.
Cox, who said she was sure Mr. Bravo had taken chloroform. Both doctors
came to the conclusion that the patient was in a dangerous state, and
endeavoured to administer restoratives. Realizing the critical nature
of the case, Dr. George Johnson, of King's College Hospital, was sent
for. Meanwhile, Mr. Bravo was again seized with vomiting, mostly blood,
and the doctors came to the conclusion he was suffering from some
irritant poison. About three o'clock he became conscious and able to be
questioned. He was at once asked, "What have you taken?" But from first
to last he persisted in declaring, in the most solemn manner, that
he had taken nothing except some laudanum for toothache. In reply to
other questions, asking him if there were any poisons about the house,
he replied there was only the laudanum and chloroform for toothache,
some Condy's Fluid, and "rat poison in the stable." Mr. Bravo did not
lose consciousness again until the time of his death, which occurred
fifty-five and a half hours after he was first taken ill.
At an early period his bedroom was searched, but nothing was found but
the laudanum bottle, and a little chloroform and camphor liniment which
had been brought from another room. There were no remains of any solid
poison in paper, glass, or tumbler, and nothing to indicate any poison
had been taken. The post-mortem examination showed evidence of great
gastric irritation, extending downwards, but there was no appearance of
any disease in the body, or inflammation, congestion, or ulceration.
It was left therefore to the chemical examination to show what was
the irritating substance which had been introduced into the body, and
supply a key to part of the mystery. The matters which had been vomited
in the early stage of Mr. Bravo's illness had been thrown away; but,
singular to relate, on examination of the leads of the house beneath
the bedroom window, some portion of the matter was found undisturbed,
although much rain had fallen and the greater part must have been
washed away. This was carefully collected and handed to Professor
Redwood for analysis. From this matter he extracted a large amount of
antimony. Antimony was also discovered in the liver and other parts of
the body, and it was concluded that altogether nearly forty grains of
this poison must have been swallowed by the unfortunate man. How he
came to swallow this enormous dose, whether the design was homicidal or
suicidal, there was not the slightest evidence to show, or where the
antimony was obtained. The whole affair was shrouded in mystery, and a
mystery it remains.