AN EXTRAORDINARY POISONING CASE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7541, 19 April 1886, Page 4

AN EXTRAORDINARY POISONING CASE.

The London papers give reports of an inquest held concerning the death of Blr Edwin James Bartlett, of Claverton street, by means of chloroform, the result being that the wife of the deceased, Adelaide Bartlett, 30 years of age, and the Rev. G. Dyson, 8.A., a Wesleyan minister, aged 27, were committed to the Petty Court for examination. This took place on the 10th February last, and the particulars of the case are thus briefly given by the Pall Mall Gazette of that date:—At the Westminster Police Court Adelaide Bartlett and the Rev. G. Dyson, 8.A., of IS Park Fields, Putney, were charged before Mr Partridge—the former with causing the death of her husband, Edwin James Bartlett, by the wilful administration of chloroform on or about the night of December 31, 1885; and the latter with being concerned with Adelaide Bartlett in causing the death of the deceased. Mrs Bartlett was attired in deep mourning with a thick crape veil. The court was crowded, there being several ladies in court. Mr Maloney said that Mrs Bartlett was married to deceased in April 1575. It appeared that Mrs Bartlett was a lady something'about 20 years of age at the time of her marriage. Immediately after marriage she was sent to school at Stoke Newiugton, and remained there 12 months. Subsequently to that she was sent to schoolin Belgium,anil he understood that her hi"-'- ■■" 1 used to sco her in Belgium. She renu.iued in Belgium 15 or IS months, and then she came to live with her husband at I-lerne Hill. They lived there for six years as husband and wife. After v time they came to Morton Cottage, where they remained for some years. During the time of the residence at Herne Hill Mrs Bartlett gave birth to a stillborn child. Iv the month of October ISSS they came to CJavertou street. While Mr and Mrs Bartlett were living at Merton Abbey they made the acquaintance of Mr Dyson, and Mrs Bartlett became very intimate with him. It would appear that there was a sort of understanding between thorn that if Mr Bartlett died Blr Dyson would bacome her

husband. Iv October or November 1885 Mr"'Bartlett began to get ill, but prior to that time he was a robust and vigorous man. Shortly before his death Dr Leach attended him, and under his treatment he considerably improved. Immediately before his death he had a tooth drawn, but beyond that was in very good health, and during the night of the day that that occurred he expired. Mrs Bartlett' was_ tfre only person in the room when deceased expired; but shortly afterwards the landlord and landlady of Claverton street were called in. A post mortem was held, which revealed • suspicious circumstances. The contents of the stomach were investigated by an analyst, and the result showed, bo far as medical judgment could guide one, that death resulted from an overdose of chloroform. How that was administered would be for the Court to consider. Iti would appear that chloroform was purchased by Mr Dyson in three different piaces for Mrs Bartlett. After detailing further circumstances of the case, Mr Moloney asked the magistrate to commit the prisoners for trial. The inquiry was adjourned till February 26. At 'the iuquest held previously, the Gazette reports that tha jury retired to consider their verdict, and after an absence of 40 minutes returned into the courg,when the foreman said the jury were of opinion that the deceased, Edwin Thomas Bartlett,- died! from the effects of chloroform administered to him by his wife for the purpose of taking his life, and that the Rev. George Dysou was an accessory before the fact. The Coroner said this was a verdict of wilful murder against both Mrs Barfclett and Mr Dyson. A painful scene took place in the crowded court on the verdict being delivered. The Eev. Mr Dyson sank into a chair almost fainting, and cried; his Wesleyan friends, particularly several ministers, standing round him in a synipatheticmanner. After the lapse of a few minutes Mr Dyson became calmer, and he was taken into custody. The antecedents of Mrs Bartlett are surrounded with a good deal of mystery. Her mother, an Englishwoman (Miss Chamberlain), went abroad, and there made the acquaintance of a foreigner, whose name is given as Count de la Tremoyle. He is stated to be the father of Mrs Bartlett, and at any rate the latter bore the name of Adelaide do la Tremoyle at the time she was married to Mr Bartlett, althougli it is stated that she had previously been known under the name of Blanche Dethors Bscalan. The deceased man first met her at Kingstou-oii-Thames, where he was paying a visit, at the latter end of 1874 or the beginning of 1875, and a short acquaintance resulted in their becoming engaged in February of the latter year. It was at first suggested by Mr Bartlett's friends that his engagement with Miss de la Tremoyle should not be carried out for three years; but at the desire of the bride-elect the marriage took place in the following April, and immediately afterwards she went

;o school, to stay until her husband should be

freed from his obligation to his partner not to marry for three years, till their business was established. She went first to the school of Miss Dodds, at Stoke Newington, and subsequently was sent to a school near Antwerp, where she completed her education. Altogether she remained away about two and a-half years, after which she joined her husband at Herne Hill.