The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-08-11 00:00:00

NoRTHERN a TIMES —LIVER-poor

~:. _

MONDAY.

at the latest, for I feel my time is short. I cannot
sufficiently thank you for your kindness to me whilst you
were at this placr. I cannot reward you, but my God
and Father will reward you. Dear sir, whilst I was
meditating on the goodness of Gcd, and thinking of my
past sins and wickedness, all at a moment a thought
Sashed across my mind that there was a reprieve for
me ;- and what do you think that reprieve was ? Well,
bless God, it was this " Thy sins, which were many,
are all forgiven you.' It was no delusion, for it was so
impre's'sed on my mind that I could not help but, make the
remark, and tell my fellow-prisoners and the officer that
was there. Dear sir, Ido not intend to stop there, but f
intend to " press forward to the mark for my high calling
which is of God, by Christ Jesus." Dear sir, do not for-
get to pray for me, that I may not be " weary in well
doing, so that, in due time, I may reap, if I faint not."
And may the God of all grace bless you and yours, is the
fervent prayer, of yours respectfully,

WILLIAM DOVE
P.S.—I shall anxiously wait an answer.

It was impracticable for Mr. Wright to, come to York
immediately; but he got back to the unhappy man at the
earliest possible moment. As a further proof of the tone
of Dove's mind, we may give the following letter, which
he put into Mr. Wright's hand on his entering the con-
demned cell on Friday morning :

York Castle, Condemned Cell, August 8, 1859.
Respected Sir,—My time is short—my days are num-
bered, and soon I shall hale to appear before the judgment
seat of Christ ; but I trust my judge is my advocate and
friend, and that I shall meet his smiles,,, and be welcomed
to mansions in the sky. I sari truly say—
I, the chief of sinners am,

But Jesus died for me.
Oh ! the consolation derived from this passage. I am
saved through fire and by death; ordinary means God had
used, but they failed. He has, therefore, used extraor-
dinary means, and blessed be his holy name. I believe it
is in answer to the prayers of my dear mother, and that I
shall have reason to bless and praise him through all
eternity, that he checked me in my mad career, and
adopted this plan to save .me. Oh my dear sir, accept
the thanks of a dying man for the kindness I have expe-
rienced at your hands. May that God, who is your
Father and my Father, bless you both in this life and that
which is to come, and may we meet in Heaven, is the
prayer of respected sir, yours affectionately,

WIL-L-lAlf DOTE,

In illustration of the distress of mind felt by the convict,
we give the following sentence, which he appears to have
recollected as having been addressed to him years ago by
a doar friend, and which he has committed to paper:—
" William, if you are determined to go to Hell, you shall
wade through teas of tears, and over mountains of prayers."
The words in italic are underlined in Dove's own manu-
script. The convict on Friday repeated a confession of
his guilt, and of the justice of the sentence of the law, in
the presence of Mr. Noble. Dove avowed the fact freely
that he administered the poison to his wife, and that he
knew at the time that what he was administering was
poison ! He then added, " I execrate and abhor myself, in
dust and ashes, for the crime I have committed; and I am
astonished only that any one could take an interest in,
and be so kind to, so dreadful an offender as I have
been!" In the course of Friday the condemned man
was visited by H. S. Thompson, Esq. (the high sheriff),
the Rev. J. Hartley, Mr. Wright, Mr. Barrett, and Mr.
Murfin, city missionary. The latter took his leave of
Dove in the afternoon. When the high sheriff had his
interview with the wretched man, he enquired of him if
he had any request to make ? Dove replied, " I hope you
will not allow any cast to be taken of my head ;" and the
high sheriff assured him that his wish should be complied
with. We believe the relatives and friends of the poor
criminal have been exceedingly anxious upon this point,
and; they have also begged that his clothes may not be
disposed of, as is too frequently the case, for the purposes
of public exhibition, to satisfy a morbid and most depre-
cable curiosity. This request has also been complied
with, Mr. Noble having given a positive undertaking that
Dove's clothes shall not pass into the hands of strangers
either for the above or any other purpose.

SOUTH LANCASHIRE ASSIZES

These assizes commenced at Liverpool on Saturday, when
the commission was opened in St. George's Hall, by Mr.
Justice Willes.

About six o'clock, his lordship, accompanied by the high
sheriff of the county, N. Phillips, Esq., the Rev. Mr. Croser,
his chaplain, and the Mayor of Liverpool, with the usual staff
of javelin men, arrived at St. George's Hall, when Mr. Shut-
tleworth, the clerk of the assizes, read the proclamation, after
which the court was adjourned until two o'clock this day.
On, Sunday his lordship, the High sheriff of the county, the
Mayor of Liverpool, and several members of the corporation,
attended divine service at St. George's Church. The sermon
was preached by the chaplain to the sheriff, the Rev. Mr.
Croser.

The business of the assizes will commence at eleven o'clock
this day in the Crown Court, and in that of the Nisi Prius, at
two o'clock.

We understand that Baron Bramwell arrived last evening.

BIRKENHEAD POLICE COURT.-SATETRDAy

VIOLENT ASSAULT UPON A WlFE.—Hugh Smith, a tailor,
was brought up on a charge of having violently assualted
his wife, Hannah Smith, and with having attempted to cut
her throat. She stated that on Thursday night she and
her husband were at Coates' public-house, where they had
some ale and a few words about money matters. He was
the, worse for drink, and said he would be d—d if he
would not cat ber throat. The landlady sent for a policeman,
who advised him to go home. When he got home he swore
very much, and took up a knife, and rushed upon her as
she was sitting upon the bed, saying, '• I will cut your
throat," and seized hei by the breast, and put - the knife to
her throat, but her hands, which he cut very severely,
prevented the throat being touched. This evidence was
corroborated by other witnesses, and the prisoner was com
mitted to take his trial at the Knutsford sessions, which
will be held this day.

ROBBERY.—Margaret Roberts, the girl charged with
stealing £69 from the person of Christopher Heslop, was
again brought up, when some further evidence was adduced,
and she was committed to take her trial. £6O of the money
has been recovered by Inspector Gunning.