The Press.
London, England, 1856-03-22 00:00:00

rtiant.

THE LORD CHIEF JUSTICE LEFROY, upon going the
Home Circuit, has been presented with the most
flattering address from the Home Bar of Ireland,
expressive of their undiminished confidence in his
eminent abilities and in his undoubted power to dis-
charge, to the complete satisfaction of the bar, the
onerous duties of his high office:—

We still view with pride (cbserves the address) in our
Chief Justice the same thorough knowledge of the princi-
ples of law, the same clear discernment in the administra-
tion of justice, and the same undiminished energy and
dignity of character which have always commanded the
respect of the bar; and we pray your lordship to accept
this our testimony of your lordship's eminent abilities,
which were never more conspicuous than during the present
cirenit►

SATURDAY,

The age of the learned Chief Justice, it will be
remembered, was stated with marked empha-
sis by Sir J. V. Shelley as amounting to
eighty-two years, by others in the debate upon Sir
John Shelley's motion it was set down at eighty-five.
We may take this opportunity to state, upon the very
best authority, that the Lord Chief Justice Lefroy
reached his eightieth year in January last.
THE APPOINTMENT OF MR. GEORGE *DOWELL as
official manager to wind up the affairs of the Tippe
rary Bank, has stopped all the actions against the
bank, and brought up Mr. James Sadleir for private
examination before the Bankruptcy Commission.
A TIPPERARY PAPER gives as an on dit that the
case of the depositors in the Tipperary Bank is not
at all so hopeless as was at first supposed. A
wealthy railway director, a private banker, and a
stockbroker of considerable personal property, are
said to have been shareholders ; and not having
transferred their shares within the time prescribed
by the Bankers' Act, are therefore liable for tho
debts of the bank.

ST. PATRICK'S DAY was kept in Dublin with the
usual observances.

ONE MAN has been arrested on suspicion of the
murder of the late Mr. O'Callaghan.

gals art 4 V olitt.

THE LEEDS POISONING CASE.
Tax adjourned inquiry into the cause of Mrs.
Dove's death was resumed on Monday. After some
discussion, Mr. Morley read out the following re.
port, upon the comparative result of experiments
made with the spirituous extract obtained from the
contents of the deceased's stomach and pure strych
nia, with the view of determining the cause of Mrs.
Dove's death:—

As a further test of the presence of poison in the
stomach, and one which as nearly as possible would
amount to demonstration, we determined to try whether
the spirituous extract obtained from the contents of the
stomach, already shown by chemical tests to contain
strychnia, possessed really the poisonous properties of the
substance, we selected for experiment two rabbits, two
mice, and one guinea pig, and, as the most exact method of
acting upon such animals with small quantities of poison,
we applied it by inoculation through small openings either
into the cellular tissue beneath the skin or into one of the
serous cavities of the body. One of the mice had a portion
administered into the mouth. In each of these five ani-
mals thus submitted to experiment, the characteuistic
effects of poisoning by strychnia were produced. In three
of them (two mice and a vigorous rabbit) death ensued
respectively in two minutes, twelve minutes, and fifty
minutes, from the first introduction of the poison. The
symptoms preceding death were, disturbed respiration,
general distress, convulsive twitchings or jerkings, tetanic
spasm, a peculiar outstretching of the legs, and general
rigidity of the body, symptoms which are exactly those
commonly produced by strychnia. In the fourth animal, a
rabbit, the symptoms were equally well marked and decisive ;
but although the animal lay for a time nearly dead, it after-
wards revived, and eventually recovered. In the guinea
pig, the effects were at first much more alight, the spasms
were not so strong as to throw it down or entirely disable
it, but on the following day it was found dead, with the
muscles rigid, and the hind legs extended, as if from the
effects of the poison. For the purpose of comparison, we
conducted at the same time a parallel series of experiments
on other animals with ordinary strychnia. In these
animals, the symptoms were exactly similar to those pro-
duced in the five acted on by the poison extracted from
the body of Mrs. Dove. They were, as a aeries, not more
severe, and not more rapidly fatal. These animal expert.
ments, which add the test of physiological effect to that of
the chemical reagents, decisively confirm our analysis;
and taking them in connection with the analysis, and with
the symptoms observed during life, and with the appear-
ances noted in the body after death, they afford, tin our
opinion, the most complete proof that the death of Mrs.
Dove was from the poisonous effects of the strychnia, and
from no other cause.—GEOROE MORLEY; TROXAS NUNNE.
LEv, F.R.C.S.E.

The Coroner then asked the prisoner whether he
wished to say anything in reply to the charge. Mr.
Dove replied, " I have nothing at all to say."
The Coroner then, pointing out to the jury that
their duty lay in simply determining the cause of
death, whether by poison or not, and if so whether
the poison was taken accidentally or administered
designedly and by whom, entered upon a lengthened
review of the evidence, dwelling upon every important
point, especially the symptoms of poisoning by
strychnine and the symptoms shown by Mrs. Dove:—
It may be difficult (said the coroner) to say how little
strychnine will cause death, what proportion will cause a
defined amount of spasmodic action, and how soon after
taking it the spasmodic action will come on, and how long
it will continue; but its effects during life are well marked
and settled. The symptoms commence generally from five
to twenty minutes after the strychnine has been swallowed.
The patient is suddenly seized with tetrinic symptoms,
producing spasmodic contraction of the whole muscular
system—the intellect is clear—the body becomes rigid, the
limbs are stretched out, and the jaws so fixed that consider-
able difficulty is experienced in introducing anything into
the month—the muscles of the chest are fixed by spa'
modie sentrastion—the body assumes the state of Wig

MARCH 22, 1856.

bent backwards--the lower extremities are extended an
stiff, and the soles of the feet are concave—the skin be.
lames livid—the eyeballs prominent, and the pupils
Alined and insensible After several attacks, increasing in
severity, death ensues from spasm of the muscles of the
chest, producing suffocation. That these are the symp•
toms during life produced by strychnine all men of science
are agreed.
That similar symptoms were experienced by 3lrs. Dove
'le Coroner referred to the evidence of the different
witnesses, and said that " all these appearances
were well marked and fully and clearly defined on the
.ight of Mrs. Dove's death." Further, drawing at
tention to the purchase of strychnine by the prisoner,
his knowledge of its effects, and his remarks with
reference to his wife that some might have been spilt
over her food, the Coroner thought the proof a strong
presumption of Mr. Dove's guilt.
The jury retired to consider their verdict at five
minutes past one o'clock. They returned into court
at a quarter to two :
The Cosossa : Mr. Foreman, have you agreed upon a
verdict?
Foreman : Yes. We find that Harriet Dove has died
from the effects of strychnia, wilfully administered by her
husband, William Dove.
The CORONER: That is a verdict of Wilful Murder
against William Dove ?
Foreman : It is.
The prisoner was then formally committed to take
tie trial at the next York summer assizes. It is un-
lerstood that his solicitor, Mr. J. M. Barrett, or
Leeds, has already retained Mr. Sergeant Wilkins,
and Mr. Robert Hall, barrister, for the defence.

ALICE GRAY was at length put upon her trial last
Saturday, for perjury, in the case of the two boys
Bindle and Perry. The facts of the case are well
known. The prisoner, in October last, while at
Wolverhampton, accused these boys of having robbed
her. So speciously was the charge maintained, that
the boys were sentenced to twelve months' imprison
went, with hard labour, while Alice Gray obtained
pecuniary relief from the bench. An alibi on the
part of the boys was now distinctly proved, and, after
an attempt by Mr. Motteram on behalf of the pri-
soner, to prove that the case was only one of mistaken
identity, as the money of which Alice Gray declared
she had been robbed had undoubtedly been given to
her by the Rev. Mr. Morris, who met her in the
train, and had taken her away from the station, to
which she returned after a couple of hours—t the
rev. witness was ill at Clifton, and unable to attend at
Stafford)—Mr. Baron Bramwell summed up strongly
against the prisoner, who was found guilty. On
being brought up on the following Monday for sen•
tence, Mr. Justice Cresswell, in addressing her,
said :

You have been found guilty of perjury. I don't want to
address you at any length. I can hardly conceive a worse
case than the one of which you
The Prisoner: Well, if you please, pass the sentence
with as little ceremony as you can.

The JUDGE : I Will. I was going to do it.
The Prisoner :I know it is a hard thing for me to suffer
innocently.
The RIDGE : Four years' penal servitude is the sentence
upon you; I make that in addition to six days' imprison.
went.

The Prisoner : You cannot make me lire it out.

The prisoner was then removed from the dock.

A DISPUTED-WILL CASE, of great length, threatened
this week to occupy the attention of Justice Cresswell
and a special jury tor scme days at Stafford. The ques-
tion was simply to decide, by airection of the Master
of the Rolls, the state of mind of the testator, Samuel
Swinfen, Esq., of Swinfen-hall, who, on the 7th July,
1854, executed a will leaving Swinfen to the widow
of his deceased and only son Henry. This will was
disputed by the heir-at law, Frederick Swinfen,
nephew by half blood to the testator. Sir Frederick
Thesiger and Mr. Alexander, Q.C., appeared for the
plaintiff and widow; the Attorney-General, Mr.
Whateley, Q.C., and Mr. Keating, Q.C., for the de-
fendant and nephew. On the case being resumed on
Monday, by the recommendation of ..he Judge a com-
promise was happily effected between the parties,
and the court left free for more pressing business.
The defendant, the heir-at-law, is, we believe, to
enjoy the estate, while the plaintiff is to be allowed
1,004)1. a year, with 1,2001. for costs.
THE MURDER OF A SOLDIER IN THE GERMAN
LFGIoN by a brother private was committed on
Tnursday week at Maker Heights, Devonport. The
body If the murdered man, Jacobi, was found lying
in a field near Maker Church brutally mutilated. A
large stone covered with blood and hair was found
close by. The last man seen in his company on the
same day was another soldier named Hansen. On
Hansen being arrested, several spots of blood were
observed on his jacket. His attention being called
to them, he started back, and said, " I did not kill
the man." An inquest was held, and a verdict of
Wilful Murder returned against Hansen, who has
been corn witted to Bodmin Gaol.
THE MURDERER BOUSFIELD, Whose execution WAS
fixed for the 24th inst., will not be hanged till Mon-
day the 81st,

THE PRESS.

THE VALIDITY OF A STAMPED RECEIPT W 11.9 ques-
tioned in a case of embezzlement heard at the
Hammersmith Police-court this week. Mr. Beadun
said that on examining one of the receipts produced
he found that the stamp had been marked with the
amount of the bill, and not with the name or initials
of the receiver of the money, am required by the act.
A gentleman present said it was done every day, and
he had seen it frequently among lawyers. Mr.
Beadon said that the act of Parliament made it im-
perative to write upon the stamp the initials or name
of the person receiving the money, and the receipt
before him would not be valid in a court of law.

A QUESTION OF IMPORTANCE in all future cases of
poisoning has been mooted by Mr. John Smith, of
Birmingham, the solicitor engaged in the defence of
Palmer, in a recent correspondence, first with the
solicitors employed by the Crown, and subsequently
with Sir George Grey. Mr. Smith contends that the
written reports of Dr. Taylor, containing a record of
the circumstances and the deductions by which he
arrived at the conclusion that the deceased had died
from the effects of certain poisons, are, in fact, sub-
stantive portions of the depositions, and that as such
should be furnished to the prisoner, who might
thereby know, according to the true principle on
which all the formalities of English law are based,
what he has to answer. Mr. Smith's request to be
furnished with these details has been refused by Sir
George Grey, on the authority of the Crown lawyers,
as unprecedented and informal.

THE HIGH SHERIFF OF CARMARTHEN was fined
1001. by Mr. Justice Williams, last week, for not pro-
viding the usual number of javelin men and bailiffs
to attend the judge. upon his entry into the county.
A Gram DIGGER lately arrived home in the James
Baines, was robbed last Friday, in his lodgings at
Liverpool, of 4781. in sovereigns, and nearly 2001.
worth of gold dust and specimens. A bag with 200
sovereigns was found stowed away in the oven of the
house. Two other lodgers have been arrested oa
suspicion.
BEAUCHAMP, THE CRICKETER, indicted for the
murder of his wife a short time since, was tried on
Wednesday before Mr. Justice Coleridge, at Kingston.
The prisoner was found guilty of manslaughter, and
sentenced to four years' penal servitnde.
THE MURDERER Fowxzs, convicted of the murder
of his nephew, at Snarestone, in November last, was
hanged on Monday in front of Leicester gaol, and
before 20,000 people. The prisoner confessed to the
murder before dying, and also admitted that he " in-
tended to have shot his brother Bill, if hefould have
got them both in a line."
Mr. NOLDWRITT, the Custom house agent, charged
with perjury, attended before Mr. Norton this week,
in discharge of the recognisances entered into by
him on Saturday, and was bound over in a sum or
1,0001., and two sureties of 5001. each, to appear and
meet the charge at the summer assizes for Surrey.
-SAMUEL CHESHIRE, the Rugeley Postmaster, and
Palmer's friend, was tried at Stafford last week, upon
the well-remembered charge of opening a post letter
from Dr. Taylor to Mr. Gardener, during the post-
mortem inquiry into the late Mr. Cook's death. The
prisoner was found Guilty, but recommended to mercy
from his previous good character. Mr. Baron
Bramwell sentenced hint to one year's imprison-
ment, without hard labour.
PARTICULARS as to the previous life of the young
man Murdoch,who murdered the gaoler at Hastings,
have been supplied by the London police. It ap-
pears that the boy has been a young thief, a sea
apprentice, a labourer at the docks, a pickpocket, a
soldier, and finally a robber at Hastings. In the
intervals of his offences, he professed repentance,
and was rather patronised by the London police, to
whom he was useful as an informer. The prisoner
is barely twenty-one.
A SECRET AND SINGULAR SYSTEM OF ABDUCTION OF
YOUNG ENGLISH GIRLS by procuresses who traffic
between our towns and the Continent has been ex-
posed this week. The case in point was that of a
young girl of sixteen inveigled away from home by
' the artifices of a Belgian procuress, put on board the
Hamburg boat, and carried off at once. Luckily the
father of the girl heard of his daughter's error, and
immediately applied at the Mansion-house for
assistance. A telegraphic message was at once
despatched to the Hamburg authorities, who de-
tained the girl on her arrival. Meanwhile, two de-
tectives started in pursuit. rhe girl was found in
custody, and happily brought home direct; but before
leaving the detec'ives ascertained that, withont
doubt, a regular system of this sort was carried on
under our very eyes to supply the continental towns
with young English girls. The British Consul at
Hamburg admitted and regretted the fact, but ac-
knowledged his inability to cheek it. His opinion
was that the direct interference of the Government
would be necessary to put a stop to this abominable
system.
A SERVANT GIRL in the service of Mr. Wilkinson,
of Hartlepool, died last week under rather suspicious
circumstances. A belief that she had been poisoned
prevailed, and a postmortem examination was made;
ut no traces of poison discovered.

275

A CLEVER AND NEATLY EXECUTED ROBBERY of
Royal plate was effeaed last Saturday from off the
van conveying twelve chests or plate trom Backing•
ham Palace to the Paddington Station, en route to
Windsor. The van was in charge of four men and a
royal servant. When they reached the South-wharf-
road, they stopped at a public-house (the old story),
and went in, only for "five minutes," to have some-
thing to drink. When they came out they remarked
some appearance of disturbance in the covering
cloth, and, on looking closer into the van, found the
binding Tope cut, and the smallest chest—packed in
the very centre of the cart, and containing nursery
plate to about the value of 5001.—stolen ! Here Was
a dilemma for the carters. There was no help for it;
the chest was undeniably gone, and so they set off
on their way to Windsor. On Monday, the empty
plate-box was found in Bonner's Fields, the hinges
torn off, the plate stolen, and the silver handles of all
the knives and forks carefully removed, while the
steel blades, with the maid's petticoats and stockings
in which the royal plate was packed, were left be-
hind. A reward of 1001. has been offered for any
information leading to the apprehension and convic-
tion of the thieves, and another 1001. for the recovery
of the plate. The placard states that the chest was
stolen from a van on Saturday evening, while standing
in Porcheste: street, Paddington, opposite the Ma-
sons' Arms, and that it was supposed to have been
removed by a man on foot, and placed on a cab or
omnibus. There is, however, another and a very
reasonable conjecture. The place where the robbery
was committed was close to the Regent's-canal, and
the field near the Victoria•park where the usk chest
was found on Monday morning without the plate, is
on the line of the same canal, and within 100 yards
of it. It is not at all improbable that the chest was
placed on board one of the canal barges, and taken
down the canal to Bethnal-green. At present the
police appear to be at fault.

THE PRISONERS FOR DEBT now confined in the
United Kingdom appear in a return of the House
of ;Commons delivered on Tuesday. The length
of time of imprisonment, distinguishing those de-
tained for an indefinite from those remanded by ad-
judication for a fixed period ; the amount of debt in
each case, and where practicable the amount of costs ;
the age of each prisoner, and whether transferred
from other prisons; and, where practicable, the
terms of confinement in them, and what are the
ci ief impediments to an ear►y release, are fully spe-
cified. The returns, in the form of tables, cover
thirty-nine pages. Some of the replies to the ques-
tion, " What is the chief impediment to an early re
lease ?" are remarkable. One man, owing 301., and
enjoying an annuity of 12s. per week, had refused
to assign over weekly a certain portion for the benefit
of his creditors. Another man, imprisoned in Chester
gaol, owing 571. debt and costs, and having been in
prison five years, filed his petition several years
since, but will not file his schedule. He states tt at
he will have the sum of 2001. at the death of an
aged lady, which interest he will not assign.
At Bodmin another man owes 1361., and has been
in prison two years; he states that his affairs (are in
the hands of his attorney, from whom he can get no
information. In Devon county prison a person
whose initials are given as V. 8., and who owes 751.,
has been in prison 33 years. In a return from Dur-
ham county gaol, the chief impediment to the release
of ET. is said to be " the Commissioner of the
Bankruptcy Court, Newcastle-upon-Tyne." From the
Somerset county gaol about the most remarkable case
is reported :

J. H. is ninety.four years of age, end has been in the
gaol twelve months, at the snit of his own son ; sent by
him apparently to avoid his maintenance, and that he may
be buried at the cost of the county. Application was
made to the son and his friends to obtain his release with-
out effect, and the excellent society in London for relief of
poor debtors caused the necessary documents to be pie-
pared to procure his discharge through the Insolvent
Court, but the wretched old man, knowing that his treat-
ment under the gaol regulations is better than be would
receive if discharged, refuses to sign Lis petition, which,
under the existing law, is the only other means to bring
him before the court.

Among the bad characters, G. B. in Norfolk Gaol
must be mentioned, the chief impediment to his
release being " drunkenness and reckless conduct—
has had a fine estate, but not paid his debts." ' A
silly person in the same p►ison is detained by his own
obstinacy, pretending to have been falsely arrested.
In the Queen's Prison (Surrey) there is a formidable
list of prisoners, mostly transferred from other
prisois, and including sundry bankrupts. One is. a
debtor to the tune of 17,3981., and at the mercy
of the Court of Bankruptcy. A prisoner in York
Castle, committed at the suit of the Attorney-General
for contempt, refuses to put in an appearance, and
" has apparently no desire to leave the gaol." This
person is seventy years of age, and he has been de-
prived of his liberty 'for seven years and a half.
From the House of Correction at Knutsford one gene-
ral answer is given on behalf of all the prisoners:4—
" The chief impediment to a release is the, inahilleytof
the prisoners to pay their debts."

MARCH
bent backward
stiff, and the
comes livid
dilated and ins
severity, death
chest, producii
toms during fil
are agreed.
That similar s
the Coroner
witnesses, a'
were well ma
night of Mrs
tention to tho
his knowiedi
reference to I
over her food
presumption
The jury
minutes past
at a quarter I
The CORONE
verdict?
Foreman : 1
from the effect
husband, Will
The CORO!
against Williai
Foreman : 1
The prisor
his trial at ti
derstood tha'
Leeds, has a'
and Mr. Rot
ALICE OR.
Saturday, fc
Bundle and
known. Thi
Wolverhamp
her. So spe
the boys wer
went. with
pecuniary r(
part of the b
an attempt
Boner, to pro
identity, as I
she had beet
her by the
train, and 1
which she
rev. witness
Stafford)-3
against the
being brongl
knee, Mr.
said :
You have b
address you a
case than the
The Prison
with as little
The JUDGE
The Prison
innocently.
The RIDGE
upon you; I
went.
The Prison
The prisone
A DISPUT:
this week to
and a specie
tion was sin
of the Rolls
Swinfen, Es
1854, execu
of his decea
disputed b
nephew by 1
Thesiger an
plaintiff ar
Whateley, 1
fendant and
Monday, by
promise wt
and the cou
The defent
enjoy the et
1,0001. a ye
THE Mt
LFGION by
Tnursday
body If the
in a field ni
large stone
close by.
same day s
Hansen be
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to them, 1.1(
the man."
Wilful Mul
been corn n
THE MIN
fixed for thi
day the 81st