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GNET, AGRICULTURAL, COMMERCIAL, AND FAMIUtgs with,tes that Almost ady pas-LTld sud-se stemHOUNSLOW SUICIDE.o thosing the sred the ioh had sy called said he a board. ,nco, the lo of the is of tlieFurther Examination of Mr. Garrett.On Wednesday, at the Red Lion Hotel, Hounslow, Dr. Diplock, Coroner for West Middlesex, resumed his inquiry into the circumstances attending the death of Mr. William Whitfield Edwardes, surgeon, aged 32.— The Court was again crowded to its utmost limit, and outside several hundred persons assembled. 'There was nothing to call for the active interference of the police.•Mr. George Lewis (with Mr. Barber) appeared forsaw no-e drawn for and coolness el. She age pas-)1. Thend Mrs. , Mr.F. nes, Mr. \ J. M. -. R. M. \ Kelly,rod, tho ilicer, of ; Birken-sst Divi-,d be as require-the relatives of the deceased ; Mr. Crispe watched the case specially on behalf of Mr. Donaldson, father-in-law of the deceasedMr. Jarvis and Mr. Gladstone appeared for Dr. Whitmarsh ; and Mr. Stephen Lynch attended as the representative of Mrs. Rose Biguell, who had preferred, and afterwards withdrawn, a charge gainst Dr. Edwardes. Dr. Whitmarsh was not present.Mr. Theodore Garrett, assistant to Dr. Whitmarsh, further deposed that on the morning of the 2Gth Dec. he called at Dr. Wliitmarsh’s house and remained to breakfast. While he was there a servant arrived with a letter from Dr. Edwardes, and Dr. Whitmarsh read it out. It was as follows:—“Dr. Whitmarsh.—Please not to go out until I see you. I shall be over very shortly.-—Yours, c., W. W. EDWARDES.” In a few minutes Dr. Edwardes came over, shook hands with them both, and seated himself. He then said to Dr. Whitmarsh, “I have determined to -prosecute that woman, and I want you to come and see Mr. Barber about it. I suppose he is about the best man we could employ in the matter.” Dr. Whitmarsh replied,investi-be pro-for tho you, no ag about for the■e haie autho-nstancesest, -liars, not for the rery well tout theury '..Wed-5 and the said his whistles Hall was ill speed he speed n the fog ;op when rhe jury i Coroner City of and ob-did tlie istances. th of the 3 brigan-her way f strong, earner at ved suchTheCertainly; and, besides that,, ho is a local and will observe secrecy ; but I do not see what good I cau do by coming with you. If, however, you wish it, I will go.” Dr. Edwardes replied that he did wish it, and witness then left the house. Some time afterwards they came to the surgery and said they had been to Sir. Barber, who had told them they must prosecute and go right through with it. Dr. Edwardes asked Dr. Whitmarsh for the letter he had obtained from tho woman, and this, after some delay, was produced. Dr. Edwardes asked if he could have a copy of it, and Dr. Whitmarsh immediately assented. Dr. Edwardes then asked whether he mighf have the letter, and Dr. Whitmarsh replied, “ Whenever you want it it shall be produced.” Dr. Whitmarsh then said, “You see Mr. Barber was of the same opinion as myself—that the mere retractation is not a denial, and that as the woman renews tho charge you must go.to the bottom of it.” Dr. Edwardes agreed that that was so. He said there was one good thing—namely, that after tho retractation she could not prosecute him. Witness then said, “ But you surely are not going to take proceedings agains' her after tlie letter you have got. You willjight fair ii the matter, I suppose. I think you ought to let her know you have a copy of the letter.” Dr. Edwardes iplied, “ No -. don’t tell the woman, or you will prejudice my case.” Ho afterwards said to Dr. Whitmarsh, “.Suppose you go back and tell her you have given me a copy of the letter, and that I want it lor my solicitor.” After some further conversation they separated. On the same day, about 1 o’clock, witness called on Dr. Edwardes, who then said, “ You see, Garrett, it is all up with me in Hounslow. I shall see the case through, and I suppose’ I shall be taken into custody to-morrow, and then the whole thing will leak out, get in the mouths of my fellow-medicals, and they will take care that I do not stop long in Hounslow.” After that he said he did not so much mind Hounslow, but wherever he went it would be sure to follow him. Witness replied that that was all rubbish ; that they could not take him after the retractation. He advised him to come out and show himself, but he said he unable to do so. Later in the day Dr. Whitmarsh called at the surgery, and said, “1 wonder what they are going to do about Edwardes.” Witness replied that lie was dreadfully frightened, but thatthey could not lock him up. Dr. Whitmarsh said, “ No, of course they could not.” He afterwards decided to call on Mis. Bignell and find out what they were going to do.ne of the , died on the 82ndHeCalmore,Trinity,t first as ;ho Hon. jhose theWitness accompanied him in the trap, but did' not go into the house. Dr. Whitmarsh just looked in, and on coming our said Bignell had instructed Mr. Lay to take proceedings against Dr. Edwardes. On his return to the surgery witness found that Mr. Lay had called and asked for him. He and Dr. Whitmarsh then went on to Albemarle-house, - and there they found Mr. Lay waiting. This was about 9 o’clock. Mr. Lay, informing them that he had been instructed by Mr. Bignell to prosecute Dr. Edwardes, asked the witnesshe exhi-3 he was in 1817 cntatives y repre-; ap-rd John Knight-73, when i/member ie Middle practical d genial lawyers, remark-the rapid knots of mind the00 many1 to put it seek to.nd long x. Baronevidence:r guilty : him not criterion sred the a severe i modify ning theeath had nt circuit d brother id settled sed to be Secretary ometimeshad been he scoun-1 and sen-ige made:hool, and ere. The r occupies i creature s broughtd to three e release, imeanour, y, and, on rit, whom110. Hisjriminate. man who e. Baron iself up to ?hen they he felt he calmly, you like toTheu the box, ie Judge’ lg. Next” and the ar tin then ! law could ed to have udge who Northern t recollec-erpool, at the Courthe would ! a little iat Roger-uniary in-But whendeveloped ered it to -f riding ho young developed of the re-rst cup it jetting forTheesented to 75, Eaton-ible. But eight hav the State served his Late Baron t daughter )f the Ex-is married Cquity Bartin died, s. house ,-roe, near Live county .partmentsshortly beMORE PAINFUL EVIDENCE.There was no attempt whatever to terrify him into accepting Dr. Whitmarsh’s offer. He simply went to fetch Dr. Edwardes in the hope that it might lead to a settlement of the whole matter. Mr. Lay was present as the prosecuting solicitor, hut he said he would take no advantage of anything he heard. Nothing was saidabout the prosecution being withdrawn if Dr. Edwardes accepted the .£500, but he had a general impression that such was the case. He believed that Dr. Edwardes thought so, but he never heard Mr. Lay say it would be. Dr. Edwardes was never told that unless the termsup the deed in accordance with Dr. Whitmarsh’s offer. Ho did not know1 that the woman was to get anything. He understood she would accept an apology, and that was all. It was not in furtherance of any arrangement between Whitmarsh, Lay, and witness that he should go for him. He could hot say why Lay stopped till 1 Vclock. They were smoking and drinking together. Witless thought he acted the part of a friendto the deceased. —Mr. Lynch: Would Dr. Edwardes in the ordinary course of business have visited her on the Saturday, the day following the alleged assault?—I am not sure whether he was visiting her daily or not.—The alleged assault was committed on Friday, and Dr. Edwardes did not get Mrs. Bignell’s letter of complaint until Saturday night.—If there had been nothing passing in his mind, should he not have visited her on the Saturday ?—That depends upon whether he was visiting every day or not. I do not knowhow long Dr. Ed-wardcs had been treating her for hysteria. I myself saw Mrs. Bignell, and would, from her symptoms, have treated her for nervousness.—Did Dr, Edwardes ever tell you this was a false charge ?—Not until the night of his death.—As a result of the interview with Mr. Lay that night there was an arrangement that Dr. Edwardes should see his father-in-law next morning, and, with Mr. Barber, meet Dr. Whitmarsh at Mr. Lay’s office.—So that there was timo given for an arrangement to be effected ?—Yes.—Did Mr. Lay tell you he had been instructed only a very short time before coming to Dr. Whitmarsh’s?—Yes.—Do you know, as a matter of fact, that the. application for a warrant had actually been made by Mrs. Bignell at the police-station before Mr. Lay’s visit?—I know now that that was so.—And that that warrant was stopped for a short time by Mr. Lay in consequence of the arrangement between Dr. Edwardes and Dr. Whitmarsh?—Yes.—When you first went to Mrs. Bignell you went at the instance of Dr. Edwardes, to induce her to withdraw the charge, and she said that, out of friendly feeling towards Dr. Whitmarsh, who had been kind to her and her family, she would consent to withdraw the charge?— Yes ; that is so. The retractation was signed by her and her husband, and witnessed- by Dr. Whitmarsh.— Dr. Edwardes knew, at the time of Mr. Lay’s visit, that a rumour as to the alleged assault was in circulation about Hounslow.—Mr. Lewis : Is it a fact thatwhether he could throw any light upon the matter, and remarked that it was a pity the case could not be settled. Subsequently, Mr. Lay said that he had from the woman a statement which he believed to bo true, and under the circumstances, ho did not s'ee what he could do. He should be sorry to prosecute Dr. Edwardes, as it would be his ruin. Dr. Whitmarsh ex-pressed a liopeitwould not go so far as that. Ultimately; witness suggested that he should fetch Dr. Edwardes, but requested not to be present at the interview. He went over and saw'Dr. Edwardes about 11 o’clock, and informed him that Mr: Lay had been instructed to prosecute him on behalf of the Bignells. He drew himself up, heaved a long sigh, and said, “ My God ! has it gone as far as that ? then I shall he in gaol tomorrow.” Mrs. Edwardes came into the room, and witness told her what he had come for. Turning to her husband, she then said, “ Go, Willy, dear, at once, and see what arrangements you can make.” He said that in any case lie would have to leave Hounslow, and asked him what were the terms which Dr. Whitmarsh offered. Witness told him that Dr. Whitmarsh did not think lie ought to pay anything, hut that he thought he intended to offer him lt;£‘500. He remarked on the figure being very small, seeing what he had paid to go into the practice. They afterwards walked across toEwomen suffering from hysteria have been frequently known to make charges of this kind ?—Yes (applause in Court;.—You have hot heard that this woman ever made a similar charge before?—No.—By Mr. Jarvis: It was Dr. Edwardes who engaged me. I saw inore of him than of Dr. Whitmarsh.—Which of the two did you like best?—Dr. Edwardes.—You were on very friendly term3 with liim?—Yes.—Is it yonr opinion that a man, when liis friend gets into trouble, should not desert him ?—Yes.—Therefore you were actuated by friendly feelings towards Mr. Edwardes when you- endeavoured to throw oil on the troubled waters ? —Yes. I am not aware that Dr. Whitmarsh kno' Mr. Lay was coming to see him on the evenin in question. It was with the view of trying t see whether the matter could be settled amicably and out of the police-court that I fetched Dr.Dr. Whitmarsh’s, when Dr. Edwardes said, in the presence of Mr. Lay, “ I presume this meeting is without prejudice of any kind.” Mr. Lay said, “ No ; I suppose I have no business to be here?” Dr. Edwardes then said, “Well, what is to bo d.one?” Mr. Lay replied that lie could have nothing to do with that, and mentioned what -were his instructions. Dr. Edwardes then said to Dr. Whitmarsh, “ I suppose I shall have to go ; what will you give me to go?” Then, turning to Mr. Lay, lie asked whether there was any chance of stopping it. Mr. Lay said he could not answer for that at present. Dr. Whitmarsh then remarked that if this act were proved, the partnership would be dissolved, and he would have to pay Dr. Edwardes nothing. lie then asked Mr. Lay what he thought would be a fair sum to give him. Mr. Lay replied that he could have nothing to do with that; Dr. Whitmarsh must make liis own terms. Dr. Whit-, irsh then offered lt;£509. Dr. Edwardes said, “That little enough, considering what I paid to come in.” Dr. Whitmarsh answered, “I admit that; but look at tlie damage you have done the practice” (hisses and ironical laughter).—The Coroner remarked that the Court was more like a bear garden than anything else, and threatened to have the Court cleared if there were any further manifestation of feeling.—Witness, continuing, said that Dr. Edwardes afterwards asked Dr. Whitmarsh whether lie might not have a part of theEdwardes.—Was the impression paramount in Dr. Edwardes’ mind that he must leave Hounslow, and did he several times express his-intention to go?-Mr. Lay took no active part in tho discussion be the two partners as to a dissolution. Dr. Whitmarsh gave Dr. Edwardes the alternative between the offer of lt;£500 and arbitration in accordance with the arbitration clause of - the deed of partnership.—Was tho slightest threat used to Dr. Edwardes that if ho did not assent to terms Mr. Lay would proceed ?;—No. If I had had the slightest idea that the deceased contemplated suicide I would have stayed with him all night. Dr. Whitmarsh wa3 the first to offer to go to Mrs. Bignell and try to get tlie charge against Dr. Edwardes retracted. It washis influence that obtained the retractation. Dr. Whitmarsh suggested to Mrs. Bignell that the charge might arise out of a hallucination of her brain. He told her lie had known women with hysteria have strange delusions, and that in her case she might have been mistaken—that it might have been only Dr. Edwardes’ affable manner (laughter). He also said that as she was suffering from prolapsus uteri it might be only a medical office that Dr. Edwardes was discharging. After the retractation had been made; Dr. Whitmarsh, hearing that rumours were still abroad, went to Mrs. Bignell to see if she still had the letter. I never heard Dr. Edwardes allege that Dr. Whitmarsh had encouraged the woman to make a false charge.—Up to the last time of liis leaving Dr. Whitmarsh was ne not on friendly terms with him ?—Yes.— Mr. Lewis : The last moments of his life are revealed in the letters which have been produced, and in which he curses Dr. Whitmarsh (applause in Court).—Mr. Jarvis -. Yes ; after madness had set in. (To witness) -. Do you know whether after the retractation Dr. Edwardes oalled and saw Mrs. Bignell by himself ?— He told me that he had been there, that he had been turned out of the house, and that old Mr. Bignell was going to prosecute him. . That was on the Monday.— Was it on the following day that he went to see Mr. Barber to suggest a prosecution against Mrs. Bignell ? —I believe so.—Was Dr. Edwardes in great terror of being locked up ?—Yes; it-seemed to weigh on hisPolice-con'stalles Boyd and Davis gave evidence as to their being called by Mrs. Edwardes to see the deceased shortly after he committed tho act, and the latter-deposed .to finding a bottle on the table near him labelled, “ Hydrocyanic acid,” and also a pieee of paper with the words written thereon, “ The last words of William Whitfield Edwardes.—May God curse Michael Whitmarsh.”Mr. G. H. Barber, solicitor, of Hounslow, detailed the proceedings at an interview which took place between him and Drs. Whitmarsh and Edwardes on Tuesday, the 2Gth December, when the latter handed him the retractation of Mrs. Bignell. Dr. Whitmarsh then said, “ I think it right, Mr. Barber, I should inform you that the woman still persists that her charge is true, and, as it is very serious, I shall have to dissolve the partnership.” Witness asked Dr. Edwardes if there was the slightest foundation for the charge, and he replied, “ Not the slightest.” Witness then advised him that if the woman, having withdrawn the charge, still persisted in it, he should take proceedings against her for malicious and unwarrantable libel, and at the same timo suggested that he should go home andbook-debts. Dr. Whitmarsh replied, “ Certainly not.’ The book-debts had been estimated at £1,000. Dr. Edwardes produced his copy of the deed of partnership, and said he thought he had a claim for at least ,£1,000. Dr. Whitmarsh disputed this, but suggested that the matter should b referred to arbitration. Dr. Edwardes said he could not wait for that, as Mr. Lay would have a warrant out against him in the morning. He afterwards asked Mr. Lay whether he would continue the prosecution provided he accepted Dr. Whitmarsh’s offer. Mr. Lay replied that he could not say anything about that, but he did not think the people would have prosecuted at all if Dr. Edwardes had not made a start. Dr. Edwardes subsequently asked Dr. Whitmarsh whether he would put his offer down in black and white, but Dr. Whitmarsh replied, “ No, I shall not, my word is as good as my bond” (laughter). Dr. Edwardes then remarked that he should first like to see his wife’s father, and. ho would telegraph to Dr. Whitmarsh whether he accepted the offer or notbefore 10 o’clock in the 'morning. If he telegraphed in the affirmative, Dr. Whitmarsh was to meet him at Mr. Lay’s office at Brentford to sign the dissolution of partnership, which Mr. Lay was instructed to prepare. The interview having terminated, witness went with Dr. Edwardes, by invitation, to his house. He asked him up to his bedroom, where they talked the matter over. Dr. Edwardes remarked that if, he did not accept the offer, Dr.' Whitmarsh would appear in the witness-box against him, and that the unkindest cut of all was that his partner believed him guilty. Mrs. Edwardes strongly advised him to accept Dr. Whitmarsh’s offer. Witness did so, too, at the same time promising to crush down the rumour. The deceased, who seemed very downhearted, said he should not hesitate to go, but he felt that wherever he started in practice again the rumour would follow him. Witness advised him to come over and settle the matter at once, but he declined, and-said he would leave it until the morning. This conversation took place some time afte.rmidnight. Dr. Edwardes asked witness whether he tliought he was guilty, and added, “ I call God to witness that I am innocent: may God strike me dead if I am not.” Witness, bidding him “Good-niglit,” went back to Dr. Whitmarsh’s, where he found Mr. Lay just coming out of the front door. He told Dr. Whitmarsh he thought Dr. Edwardes would accept his offer ; in fact, he said he would. Dr. Whitmarsh then directed Mr. Lay to got the papers ready.— The witness vras cross-examined at considerable length by Mr. Lewis, who, at the outset, sought to test his credibility by a number of questions relative’to his marriage. He admitted that he was first married in 1886 to a Miss Evans. She died four years after, and he afterwards married his deceased wife’s sister. There were no children, and they agreed to separate and consider the marriage annulled. He married a third time, a few months after he left his second wife. In liis marriage certificate he described himself as a journalist, and had previously described himself as an assistant surgeon. Ho had no other wives (laughter). He could understand how it was Dr. Edwardes came to writewrite down a detailed statement of what had taken place since he first attended this woman. Dr. Whitmarsh said, “ Barber, do yon not think it would be better for Edwardes to go away until this has blown over ?” when witness replied, “ Good God, Whitmarsh, how can you suggest such a thing? He would condemn himself.” The same afternoon he received the written statement produced.—[This was now read by the Coroner, and in it the deceased detailed all that had taken place, and denied that 'he had done anything wrong from beginning to end, hut had simply discharged his duty as a medical man: He subsequently received a letter from the woman charging him with an offence. On his going to see her on the following day with Dr. Whitmarsh and Mr. Garrett she reiterated the charge and demanded t apology, but soon afterwards signed the retractation.] ■Witness, continuing, saidthatDr. Edwardes solemnly denied that there was any truth whatever in the woman’s statement, and-said that the relations between him and Dr. Whitmarsh were rather strained; that he had paid ■£1,800 for a half-share of the business, and that his profit for the first year was only .£180, which, after deducting his expenses of a carriage, left him a net profit of only .£20. After perusing the deed of partnership, he told Dr. Edwardes that when this case was disposed of, he thought he should he able to advise him as to a case against Dr. 'Whitmarsh of fraud and misrepresentation. In reply to his question, Dr. Edwardes said he did not believe Dr. Whitmarsh was at the bottom of the letter ; but he did believe he would use it for his own purpose. Witness added .-—“ I now say that if I had heard of the conversation between Dr. Whitmarsh, Mr. Garrett, and Mr. Lay I would have indicted the whole lot of them for conspiracy”—a remark which evoked considerable cheering from the assembled public.—The witness was cross-examined by Mr. Jarvis and Mr. Lynch.—The Coroner said he hoped the evidence of Mrs. Bignell and Dr. Whitmarsh would complete the inquiry.—The inquest was then formally adjourned to Tuesday next.At the Brentford Police Court, Messrs. J. R. Hogarth and Frank Ashton presiding, Mr. F. G. Gorton, solicitor, made an application on the part of Dr. Whitmarsh to examine the servants who were in Albemarle-house on the 1st January, when the mob smashed the windows and otherwise damaged the house. He stated that that was a necessary legal preliminary to commencing an action in the name of Dr. Whitmarsh against the hundred of Isleworth, Hounslow being within that hundred, for the recovery of damages for injuries sustained to hi3 property. He made application in pursuance of the statute 7th and 8th George IV. —Jane Gardener, the cook, was examined, and stated that about half-past 7 on Monday evening, the 1st January, she heard 'a crowd outside Albemarle-house singing the Salvation Army song, “ Are you ready? Yes, I am ready.” Stones were being thrown from that time till 9 o'clock. The witness then gave evidence as to the damage done to tho house.—Dr. Garrett, Dr. Whit-marsh’s assistant, and George Walters, his coachman, gave evidence as to the injury done to the surgery.—Maria Bulley, housemaid, corroborated the evidence of the cook.—Four hoys, named Ernept Allen, Thomas Harris, Joseph Wood, and George Stevens, were fined in small sums for tearing down a portion of a brick wall in the neighbourhood of Albemarle-house.i.- , ■ i y ,, ... , ,—------- DR. FRAXCIS KER FOX died on Sunday, after ahis last letter, except that he always had a strong . Bh0rt illness, at Brislington House Asylum, near Bristol, feeling against Dr. Whitmarsh. Mr. Lay and Dr. o£ which establishment he had been the principal pro-^ hitmm-sh had not been discussing the terms on which- prietor fornearly 50 years. Brislington House was Dr. Edwardes was to leave the practice before he went founded by Dr. Long Fox, .the father of the deceased to fetch him. Mr. Lay did not tell Dr. Edwardes I gentleman, who was one of the first lunacy experts to that he would probably be convicted and imprisoned; ] practise the modern system of treatment.
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London Magnet
London, Middlesex, GB
Mon, Jan 15, 1883
Page 3
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USA 30 May 2025
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