Yeah, bromine is a volatile brown/red liquid which appears to be generated during the reaction.
That solid is probably this stuff:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BCDMHWhich is sold as swimming pool disinfectant, and is a source of HOBr and HOCl.
I suspect we have something like this going on.
The alcohol is oxidised by HOBr.
HOBr + RCH
2OH ----> RCHO + H
2O + HBr
HOBr + RCHO ----> RCO
2H + HBr
This is generating HBr. Mixtures of HBr and HOBr can generate bromine.
HBr + HOBr <-----> Br
2 + H2O
The bromine can then go on to oxidise the alcohol directly (this is why the solution is colourless at the end of the reaction), and some is lost as bromine gas due to the heat generated.
The HOCl present can do similar reactions, but also oxidises HBr to bromine (as will any Cl
2 generated in the reaction):
2HBr + HOCl ----> Br
2 + H
2O + HCl <----> HOBr + HBr + HCl