The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-07-17 00:00:00

Shares there is a flatter market, a
ng from -I- to per cent, having

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--_Lei-
V _ILLIL

THE LEEDS POISONING

CAS

TRIAL OF WILLIAM DOVE

(FROM OVU OWS'ILEPORTER

YORK, W
EDNESDA NIGHT,

The trial of William Dove, who stands charged with
having poisoned his wife, Mrs Harriett Dove, at Leeds►
by the administration of strychnine, commenced this
forenoon before- Mr. Baron Bramwell. - The-court was

inconveniently crowded long before the commencemer.t-of

the proceedings, the audience comprising a great gathering
of the magistracy of the county. :One of the galleries was
exclusively appropriated to ladies, and every seat was
occupied at an early hour. There was an unusually large
numbei of the representltives of the press present from
different parts of the country, and the authorities had
provided additional accommodation for them by the erec.
tion of a desk across the deck, immediately behind the
prisoner. The railway trains from Leeds were much
crowded with people residing in that district (and where
the excitement caused by the trial is most intense) who
come to York specially to be present at the trial.
The counsel- for the prosecution were Mr. Overend,
Q C., Mr. Hardy, and Mr. Bayley ; and-for the prisoner,
Mr. Bliss, Q C., Mr. Sergeant Wilkins, Mr. Hall ( Re.
corder of Doncaster), and Mr. Middleton.
The jury having been sworn, the prisoner was placed at
the bar, and, on being arraigned, in a firm voice he pleaded
"not guilty." He was dressed in black, and looked very
healthy, and much stouter than he did when the prelim.
inary investigation before the Coroner at Leeds took

place.
Mr. Overend, Q.C., rose to state the case on behalf of
the prosecution, exactly at a quarter past ten o'clock. He
commenced his addr,ss amidst profound silence. He said

that a more solemn, a more important, or a more respon.
sible duty, than that which now devolved upon the jury,
could scarcely fall to any body of men. They were asked
to, enquire whether there was any truth in the accusation
which was preferred against the prisoner at the bar, that
he had committed the crime of wilful murder, and that of
the most cruel and deliberate_pature. The priFioner was

charged with having caused the deatn
administration of a deadly poison. In a case o:
where there was no actual proof that the prieoncr did ao
minister the poison, the jury :Would reeeity cnnceivf
that the prosecution would depend upon a variety of small
circumstances connected with the case. lrhis case had
latterly been the subject of much comment fbronehout the
country, and rumours regarding the evidence which would
be brought before them had been freely Circulated, which
might, perhaps, have prejudiced their minas against the
prisoner. Now, hemust ask them to discard all such rumour
from their mind, to come to the consiiierata-e—e • • -
free from prejudice, and to watch wie'
would be brought' before them. In the name or
prisoner, and in the name of public justice he asked th
to give their verdict according to the evidence, and h
that alone, whether it should be against the Prisoner oi
whether it should he in his favour. The offence with
which he charged the prisoner, was one of the most Cold
blooded, one of the most ,cruel murders which he (the
learned counsel) had ever heard of. What was alleged
-
on the part of the prosecution was, that the prisoner had
committed murder by the use of that subtle poison, known
by the name of strychnia—that he administered that
poison five times to his wife, and that ultimately he was
successful in causing her death:- The prisoner was him-
self a witness of the sufferings and death of his wife, and
therefore he repeated it was one of the most cruel and
heartless murders which had ever disgraced our common
humanity. He would now refer to the kind of poison
which was used, and endeavour to lay before the jury its
peculiar nature. The poison which it was alleged the
prisoner used was strychnia, and unfortunately the name
of strychnia as a poison, had of late been very prominently
before the country. The learned counsel, after stating
that three quarters of a grain of- strychnia was sufficient
to destroy life, and that a grain and a half was a
full dose, went into a lengthened narrative of the pro-
perties and deadly effects of strychnia as a poison. He
next referred to the prisoner's family, observing that he
was the son of a very respectable gentleman named
Christopher Dove, formerly residing at Leeds, and who
died about Christmas, 1854, leaving the prisoner the sum
of .£9O per annum. The prisoner was brought up- to-the
business of a farmer, but -at the time of his wife's death
he was out of employment. Some time before her death
the prisoner was a candidate for the situation of pay-
clerk to the Leeds Board of Guardians, but he was
unsuccessful. It was in' 1851 that the prisoner first
became acquainted with his wife, who was then on a visit
to some friends near Leeds. He continued his addresses
to her, and in 1832 they were married. They went to
reside at Woodhouse Grove, near Normanton, where they
remained until 1854, when they removed to Cardigan_
place, near Leeds, when the crime of which the prisoner
stood accused was %lleged to have been committed.
Reviewing the prisoner's conduct towards his wife whilst
at Cardigan-place, and his dissipated habits, the learned
counsel detailed the_prisoner's harsh treatment of the
deceased. He was much addicted to drunkenness,
and on these occasions his conduct towards
his wife was exceedingly violent. The deceased's
endeavours to reform the prisoner and wean him from his
drunken habits, was the cause of frequent quarrels be.
tween them, and it was to be feared was ultimately one
main cause of her death. Frequently, on these occasions,
he made use of the most offensive language towards the
deceased, as•he (the learned counsel), should prove by the
witnesses he intended to call before them. On one occa-
sion, he said " he would do her business for her one of
these days," and on another occasion, he told her that
she was a w--, and was so before he marries her. The
learned counsel next referred to the question of the pri
soner's motive for committing the crime with which he
stood charged. It might be urged in his defence, that he
couliiihave no motive for poisoning his wife. He felt,
that in the present case, the question of motive might be
a difficult one, but he, at the same time, was confident that
he should be able to lay before the jury testimony which
would sufficiently account for motive, the motive being,
b;e desire to get rid of his wife in order to marry Mrs.
Witham, a widow. The learned counsel next dwelt at
very great length on the circumstances connected with
Mrs. Dove's last illness and death, showing how the
prisoner had constantly given her her medicine--
that she constantly complained, after receiving the rnedi-
dicine from the husband„ that it was hot and bitter, and
thatem more than one occasion he was seen to put some-
thing into the medicine, before giving it to the deceased,
and that immediately after giving her the medicine, he
carefully took the glass to the washstand, and washed it
out. The learned counsel next adverted to the prisoner
having strychnia in his possession during the- period of his
wife's illness, and also to the strong feetine which WI-.
expressed to Mr. Morley- the surgeon, eeein :t a pnst
mortem examination of the body being made, an l lei vine
gone through the entire facts of the case, he cenclieled hi
stating that it would he for the jury to say, whether the
mass of evidence which would be laid leeore then, lef
any doubt on their minds that the eieepesed died fro n the
effects of strychnia. and further, if they believe" that he'
death was causei by strychnia, whether they had any
doubt that the poison was administered ,by the prisoner.
As he said at the commencement, the off nee charged
against the prisoner, was a most dreadful cr rne—e most
cruel-murder, and they had a right to demand iron him
(the learned counsel) that it should be fully mad,
out. If he failed—if he left their minds in reasonable
doubt, they would, of course, acquit the prisoner,
and no one would be more gratified than himself should
they be satisfied of his innocence ; but, if on the other
hand the evidence should convince them of his guilt, and
should bring their minds to the conclusion that he admin
istered the poison to the deceased, then, however painful
to themselves, and whatever the consequences to the
accused, it would be their bounden duty, in obedience to
the oath which they had taken, to say so by their verdict.
The learned counsel concluded his address a few minutes
before one o'clock, having sp.oolrceansnheoarrtlytitmhere, eahrtoeurr
f' which
The court here adjourned
the examination of witnesses was proceeded with.
Elizabeth Fisher was the first witness examined. lam
daughter of William Fisher, employed at the Normanton
Station. I lived with Mr. and Mrs. Dove when they
resided at Norrnanton, and afterwards I came with them
when they removed to Leeds. They lived very unhappily
together, both at Normanton and Leeds. Mrs. Dove's
health was very delicate when they removed to Leeds. I
remember one night at Normanton when the prisoner was
very violent and broke the piano-160e. I said I would
call assistance, when the prisoner said he would kill me if
I did. The prisoner took a knife and sharpened it, and
said he would kill- his wife. She ran away and
hid herself under the bed. Whilst at Norman-
ton I once heard the. prisoner say that he had
been at Leeds and seen a man named Harrison, and
he had heard that Mrs. Dove's days would be at an end in
February. Mrs. Dove said, "Look, he is drunk 1" She
asked him not to get drunk, and he said he would be
better when they got to Leeds. Shortly afterwards he
said to Mrs. Dove, " Never ync mind, mind your own
business, or I'll do your job." On Saturday, I was called
into the sitting room about two o'clock, and ,Mr. Dove
came in. Mrs. Dove said,-" What a thing it is you can't
come' home before 'half-past two." He ordered me out,
and after that I heard a noise. I went in, and found Mrs.
Dove sitting on the chair, and Mr. Dove holding np his
hand with a carving knife in it. He said he would kill her.
Mr. Dove struck her the same evening, and she went up
stairs. I followed her, and found she had fainted. Mr
Dove got some brandy for her. After we went to Leeds
he obtained some-money from the executors of his father
and he got drank. On the .following day I heard Mrs.
Dove ask him-for some.of the money.. He said he would
not give her any, and.also that he would rather give it to
any 'lady than here and if she-did not mind he would give
her a pill that would do for her. He afterwards went out,
!and Mrs. Dove said' soinething to me. She afterwards
repeated it in thepteeenee of Mr. Dove, and
if afterwar I
should
ds
several times. Shee said to me, " Elizebeth,
die, and you are Away, from me at the time, mind
and tell my triends • that it is'! my wish that they
Amid have my body e x-arnind. This was said in
Mr. Dove's presence.- He said nothing to it. Before
I left, I saw some poison in the house at Leeds, on the
10th of February... Mr. Dove asked me tiaget him a plate.
He then had a paper in his band lalxileelopaieeto He
put the poison Ott sonse.mtat, and re.kert me where was the
best place to put it for killing cats ? I said in the I
os
kennel. He then put it there. I afterwarde saw 11'7
put
some poison on cheese. He put it on a candle stick, and
cheesy
took it up stairs. I afterwards fuund theand a
dead mouse upstairs. I swept, up elm cheese and put it
in the fire. I put the mouse in the naiddell. I afterwards
saw a dead cat near the dog kennel.
The prisoner said
he kept the poison in a razor case. In February, when I

f his wif

1-t he evidence which

THURSDAY.

at Woodho

Thornhill

went to Mr

surprise.

The deceas,

Dove's

She lived with her brother,

iven her, 1

objected

Coron

-using her.

the ha

That 18, tt

rive implicatir,g• a third party

accused before the(
Witness co

left them, Mrs. Dove was ill in bed. My mother went to I
Mr. Dove's after I left.
" • '

Cross-examined by Mr. Bliss : I was in their service
from June to February.
Mr. Bliss From what, you saw of the prisoner during
the time you resided with them between June and Febru-
ary, can you say that he was always sane?
Mr. Overend objected to the question, and his lordship
took the same v iew of the' case, that the question was
irrelevant."' After a conversation, in which Mr. Sergeant
Wilkins, Mr. Bliss, Mr. Overend, and his lordship took
part,
His Lordship left the court for the purpose of consulting
Mr. Justice Willes on the point. On his return into court,
his lordship said that Mr. Justice Willes agreed with him
that the question could not be put, but that such a clues
tion as the following might be put to the witness Did
you ever notice anything in the state of mind of the pri-
soner, and if so, what was it that you noticed ?"
By Mr. Bliss : Did you ever notice anything particular
in the prisoner's state of mind ? Witness : I never thought
anything about it. Mr. Blisi : Did "yon ever say that
you thought the prisoner something insane? : Witness : I
may have said that he was not sane when' he was drunk.
I believe he was not sane when he was drunk. Mrs. Dove
locked the prisoner out one night, and he made a row. I
assisted to lock him out, but Mrs. Wood, who was staying
in the house, interfered, and opened the door. I did not
hear him Say that • he could not bear it any longer, and
that he would sell all up, and go away On one occasion,
he went for some !medicine for Mrs. Dove, and when he
came back he asked me for a plate, "and said he had got
as much poison as would kill six people., He said he kept
it in his razor case. I never saw them playing together
like children. I never saw them caressing each other.
Never saw the prisoner carry her about in his' arms,
except once, when she fainted. I never saw him put her
under his arms, and run about with her. 1 never saw him
ness towards her. I will swear that. Once
I saw him wheel her in a barrow. I recollect

Jun once writing a letter to 'f The Wizard" (a person named
Harrison, at Leeds,) saying that Mrs. Dove was not a
right woman, and that be (she wizard) was to torment her.
When the prisoner was drunk, and had been abusing Mrs.
DOve and me, he used to mutter to him elf. I never saw
him ury but two or three times. I have seen him pretend
to cry. I never heard Mrs. Dove say he was very kiwi to
her. I have heard her say that he was sometimes kind to
her when he was sober.

med: lam a char-woman, and

k before she died

prisoner told me that he had been to a wise MAD, who
told him that his wife had not many days to live, and
tdat as soon as she died, he must make an offer to a lady
nex' door. Ile added that she had not many days to live,
T 1 I that the lady next d,,or was a very nice lady, and
hAd oinly one child, but that he was not going to marry
nr for what she had got, as he had a good home of his

pross examined by Mr. Bliss : I of course laughed at
him-when-he talked -in-that-way. - -I was engaged to go
to Mrs. Dove's house to a tend upon her, by Mrs. •Dove's
mother. I remember the prisoner
,calling out to his wife
to:play the tune that she played -when his father was
hOed. I have noticed the prisoner show a remarkable
kiiainess towards his wife. I never saw the prisoner
washing the floors. I have seen him black-lead the stove,
and also clean the shoes.
Re-examined : The servant was from home when the
Ptsoner blackleadrd. the fire grate: He also prepared
s. Dove's meals, and brought them up stairs
himself.
Ann Fisher examined:- My daughter, Elizabeth, lived
as servant with Mr. Dove and his wife. She came home
ill on the 19th of February, and on the Saturday follow-
ing, I went to the prisoner's to supply her place. When
I arrived there, Mrs. Dove was pretty well and in good
spirits. She went to church on the following day, Sun-
day. Slie was quite well during the whole of that day.
She dined with he husband that day. Oa the following
morning she got up between eight and nine o'clock. I
prepared breakfast and took it up to them. It
consisted of coffee, toast, and bacon. After
breakfast I went up stairs with Mrs. Dove. She
said she would help me to make beds. She did not then
seem well. She said she had a curious pain iii her legs.
When we had taken the bed clothes off sho appeared to
be much worse. I cau_tha, hir in my arms and laid her on
the bed, and ran and called Mr. Dove, who sent for Mrs.
Witham. We undressed her, and then she began to jump,
to twitch, and to start. Mr. Dove seat for Mr. Scaif;
Mr. Morley's -assistant* and he acme and ordered
her some medicine. She had spasms, which con.
tinued two boars, or two hours and a half. She
she was lying on her right side, and her breathing was
rather thick. She was bettor in •the afternoon, and the
next morning was pretty well. On the Wednesday she
had another attack, and complained of pains, in her legs
and her back. Her limbs were stiff and paralysed. I did
not notice her hands and feet. Her breathing was rather
better than when she was attacked before. She asked me
to give her the medicine, which I did,-and afterwards she
seemed better. I do not remember how she was on the
Thursday, but on Friday night she had another attack.
I went up stairs to her, and found her body arched. She
said to me, " Oh, dear, I thought it was all over with me."
I said, " I thought so, too." She was in great pain. The
attack last two or three hours.
This witness was under examination when our parcel
was despatched. The great probability is that the trial
will not terminate before Friday night. There are twenty-
five witnesses for the defence.

THE CHARGE OF MURDER AT TRANMERE

INQUEST ON THE BODY OF THE DECEASED
MRS. LOMAX.

Yesterday, a respectable jury met, by adjournment, at
the Queen's Arms Hotel, for the purpose of enquiring
into the cause of the death of Mary Jane Lomax, who
died on the Bth inst., at the house of her brother, Hugh
'arry, under circumstances which excited some. little
The coroner for the county, Mr. Charton,
conducted the investigation with his usual ability. Mr.
Bretherton appeared to watch the case on the part of the
accused, Hugh Parry, who, it was alleged, bad been in-
strumental to the death of, the deceased. _
Mrs. Elizabeth Barlow stated—She was the wife of
Robert Barlos, a tailor, living at North Birkenhead.
was ,a widow woman, and was my half

Hugh Parry, in the

Green-lane, Tranincre. Some short time since she sent
for me to attend her, and I went immediately. She was
in bed at 4.liat time, and complained of her throat and
having her jaw loc:ed. I persuaded her to let me go
for Mr. Macdougall, which she did, and I went for him.
He. saw her the same night. After I returned home my
little girl fetched me back again about two o'clock in
the morning, saying her aunt was choking, and 1 was to
directly. I went as quickly as I could, and found
ocr-very ill, and did not leave her until she died on the
ruesilay following. My daughter, who is about ten
years of age, lived with deceased, and did so before the
death of heibUsband. There was a brother and sister
-and -a lodger-lived in the house. The lodger's name was
Sar h Kaye. I was frequently in the habit of seeing her.
:Coroner : ',Did she live on good terms with her brother ?
Witness : I know nothing abort that ; they were both
very passionate, and had flying words often.
Coroner : Did you see any marks of violance or dis-
coloration on her person
Witness : No ; not until I applied three blisters by
the direetion of Mr. Maudougall—one on the left, and the
other on the nape of the neck. She had three large boils
on her legs, from which silo also sialdred.
Coroner : What' were her habits ? Was she tem-

perate ?
Witness : I don't know much about that. She used
to take a little gin before her husband's death, and after,
it, I suppose. I have seen her the worse for dank two
or three time'.
Coroner : Did you ever hear her say what gave rise to
the pain in her throat?
Witness : I did hear her say something, but could not
say what it was ;.she was talking to Mr. Macdougall, anct
could not tell what it was. She had been suffering
from a bad thiOat, and her mouth was bad inside fort
Weeks before.her jaw locked.
'By Mr. Bretherton t I have known the deceased all
her life.- She was exceedingly delicate in her health,
and, for the last six years, hid been very sickly. She
had a certain disease.solue time upon her before she
knew about it, and then she went to an old woman in
Liverpool. She was ill, fur some time with it. Her
mouth was very sore inside._ She wore high dresses and
a shawl. She did not see any discolouration in her neck.
When I have seen the deceased and her brother he has
always appeared kind to her, and they have been at my
house together frequently. Her husbanui was a sailor.
PoliceconStable Carr stated, that lie was on duty at
the Tranmere wakes, on the 12th of May last, between
9 and 10 o'clock ; he was in the Green-lane. He heard
the cry of police, and, seeing a number of persons at the
fiebse of the deceased, he went in. The deceased was
'sifting on the•chair crying. Her brother was on another
chai6 with his head down. I asked what was the mat.
ter. •''fbe deceased said her brother had been ill-treating
her, haul knocked her down, and struck her in the breast.
asked her to give him into custody,. but shedid not
make me any answer, and I left the.house.
By a Juryman : At the Traumere wakes there are
always a great number of persons ab6et,
Mr. -Macdougall, surgeon, of. Birkenhead, deposed that
be visited the deceased on the 3rd of July, and continued
to do so up to.'her death, which occurred on the B.h
inst. She was then suffering from lock jaw, but fluids
were administendito her through an aperture caused by
the loss of a tooth: He ordered her throat to be blistered
on the morning of the 4th. At that time he ha i not
seen any discolouration of the throat. On the sth of
Tuly, finding her•snnicwhat e +liner, from.an npiate I had
as t) whether she had received
about to

any injory to her throat, Wittiss
"epeat what thoideceaed had.said, when le4r..Brtherton
-ot 'the' objection • was • •overruled by. the
-1., ceased told the her brother had been in

Elect of taking such

It is the etfe-ct or not haying the person

ner,when.the case is heatd,
About -Christmas last, she sal('

her brother had grasped herby the throat, and held
until she was rieurly strangled:.but he Niqi3 in .a state of
intoxication at the time. The, next morning she spit