The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-18 00:00:00

BANKRUPTCY ANNULLED.

George Brown and William Busby, stone merchants,
Bankside.

BANKRITPTS.

Ann Sophia Poile, pawnbroker, Great Suffolk-street,
Southwark, to surrender, April 1, at half-past eleven, and.
April 29, at half-past twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy.
Stansfeld, official assignee; Laurance, Plows, and Boyar,
Old Jewry-chambers.
Charles Ford, tailor, late of 5, Great Marlborough-street,
March 29 and May 7, at eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy.
Pennell, official assignee, Guildhall-chambers ; Marshall,
Sion College-gardens, London-wall.
John Allin Jones, tailor and diaper, Birmingham,
March 29 and April 17, at eleven, at the Birmingham
District Court. Bittleston, official assignee, Birmingham ;
Webb, Birmingham.
Frederick Cook, machine maker Oldham, April 1 and
22, at twelve, at the Manchester District Court. Fraser,
official assignee, Manchester; Brooks and Marshall, Ash-
ton-under-Lyne.
Morton Muir and John Whitcomb, carpet• manufac-
turers, Kidderminster, March 29 and April 17, at eleven,
at the Birmingham District Court. Whitmore, official
assignee, Birmingham ; Boycot, Kidderminster ; Mot-
teram and Knight, Birmingham.
Charles Bowen, tailor, Cullum-street, City, March 27,
at twelve, and April 24, at one, at the Court of Bank-
ruptcy. Bell, official assignee, Coleman-street, buildings;
Hick, Old Jewry-chambers,
Peter Jackson, druggist, Deansgate, Manchester, Amid
3 and 24, at twelve, at the Manchester District Court.
Hernaman, official assignee, Manchester; Heath, Man-
chester.

Livian Benson Peen°, lime and cement merchant, York-
road, King's-eress, Middlesex, March 27, and April '27, at
twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Cannan, official
assignee, Aldermanbury ; Keighly, Basinghall-street.
SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS.

Angus Sutherland, farmer, Dunbras, Latheron, Caith-
ness-shire.

George Macfarlane, jun., commission agent, Glasgow.
Hugh Divine and Co., potters, Glasgow.
Dugald MThail and Co., cotton spinners, Glasgow.
John Watson, butcher, Edinburgh.
Macintyee and Mackay, wholesale stationers, Glasgow.

COURSE OF EXCI
Am5terdam............ 12 0%

:ANGE.—This DAT.

Ditto, three months .. 12 2:1;
Rotterdam ............ 12 VA
Antwerp •• •.•• •• •• •• •• 25 70
Brussels ........ 25 70
Hamburgh •• •• •• •• •• 13 12
Altona •• •• •• •• •• .• • • • •
PariS.. •• • • ••••• • • • • •• •• 25 4714
Ditto, three months .. 25 85
Marseilles ............. 25 85
Bourdeaux ...• ........
Frankfort-on Maine •• 121%
Berlin •. •• •• •• •• • • •• ••
Vienna •• .... 10 32
rrie5te........•••••... 10 31
Petersburg ............ 35
Madrid .........., 49% )
Barcelona •• •• •• •• •• ••
Beville.. •• .•

Gibraltar •••• .••••••• ••
Leghorn .• •••••••• •••• 3) 15
Genoa ..... ••••• 25 95
Milan
Venice........••

Naples .• • • .........• .- 43%
Palermo ....
Messina ...
Lisbon ..
Oporto ................
Rio Janeiro ..... .• • ....
Buenos Ayres.... • • ....
New York, GO days' sight
Philadelphia .... ......

PRICES OF BIILLICN, PER OZ.
Foreign Gold in Bars £3 17 9
Portugal Gold Coin .. 0 0 0
Mexican Dollars .... 0 0 0
New Dollars ...... 0 0 0
Silver in bars ...... 0 5 0%

TfIE roLTAIcBATTERY, AND

BLASTING.

A letter in a contemporary, signed "Galvanism,"
says :

You will have observed the statements of Sir De
L. Evans on the Government foresight and arrange-
ments as to telegraphic communications with the Cri-
mea ; as also, more recently, as a sort of corollary, the
remarks of the Commander-in-Chief, Gen. Codringteo,
in one of his late despatches, on the subject of blow-
ing up the docks at Sebastopol—" The voltaic battery,
he says, v., must confess, did not sways succeed ; it
seems to require great nicety in preparation ; bat in
those cases in which I saw it succeed the effect was
perfect !" The enclosure from Lieut. Col. Loyd, coin-
mending Royal Engineers, isstill more evident, like most
else in the Crimea, that the right man is not always in the
right place. After recording his indebtedness to sundry
lookers-on, he states that"' was extremely anxious that
the facilities afforded by her Majesty's Governmentfor the
employment of voltaic batteries on a large scale, as sent
out by the Admiralty under Mr. Deane, should be fairly
tested under the most favourable circumstances
and this gentleman had every assistance in skilled labour
afforded him from the Royal Sappers and Miners. Many
failures having taken place in firing the charges of elec.
tricity, owing to different causes, I am inclined to doubt
its advantages as applicable generally to military pur-
poses !!" Poor man, how easily he seems to have been
imposed upon ; but no wonder, it being pretty evident
from his own showing that he himself knew little about
the matter. Those versant with the subject may well blush
for their country's credit on reading the above. It only
shows, although John Bull patiently and perseveringly
pays his taxes, what rapid progress our Royal Engineers
have made in ♦oltaic blasting, since the encampment of
Chabham ; when, as you may remember, to show what
could be done by electricity, and to astonish the natives,
a fort was to have been blown up—nay, further, her Ma-
jesty was to connect the wires; when, lo! after the breath-
less expectation of the troops and bystanders, kept at a re-
spectful distance to be out ofdanger,there was no result,and
her Majesty thus made to look ridiculous bythe excessively
vvell.arringed theatrical entertainment of the War Depart-
ment ; at the saws time showing the Czar, and all else
whom it might concern, how little they bad to fear from
such ignorance and bungling; and yet it is not to be
wondered at when we see the dicta of the powers that
be, as to men being required to know, by intuition, as
it were, the whole subject and practice of electro-
dynamics.
Voltaic blasting, besides being certain in its effect,
has many other great advantages ; as 10, 20, or 30
mines can be fired instantaneously, with the same cer-
tainty as one ; and with hut common place astuteness
in the practice of such electrical operations.—See the
late accounts of the blasting and its effects at Holyhead,
as also the report, some years ago, to the Woods and
Forests on the blasting operations is the formation of the
Queen's Drive around Arthur's Seat, near Edinburgh.

Sporting Intelligence.

TATTERS ALL'S-YESTERDAY.

The settlement of the accounts connected with the
recent events at W.q.wick and Salisbury occupied most
of the afternoon. Very little time was given t betting.
For some minutes business was tolerably brisk on
Earl Spencer's Plate, Flaciow at 10 to 1 holding the
position of first favourite. At the commencement 500
to 25 was betted against Berezina, but at the close only
.100 to 7 was laid. Posthorse was repeatedly backed at
100 to 6, acd is likely to advance a stage or two in
favour. The same was taken about King of Trumps.
In betting on this race it was expressly stipulated that
the transactions should be considered P.P., and booked
accordingly—a stipulation rendered necessary by the
P.P. boundary line, recently marked out by the respec-
tive committees of Tattersall's and the Subscription-
room at'Newmarket.

The bets on the City and Sabur4an were merely to
small surns.

For the Two Thousand YellowJaek slightly improved ;
100 to 40 was taken three or lour times ; 300 to 100
was, however, also laid ; 7 to 4 offered against Fly-by-
Night (2 to 1 taken) ; 1.400 to 200 taken about him for
the Derby—odds wlach were, nevertheless, currently,
offered against him at the close, Went worth was evi-
dently under sndpicion.

CLOSING PRICES.

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE STAKES.
Bto 1 agst Winkfield
10 to 1 agst Paletot (12 to 1 taken)
14 to 1 agst Besika (taken)
15 to 1 agst Little Davie (taken)

EARL SPENCER'S PLATE.
10 to 1 agst Flacrow (taken)
100 to 7 agst Berezina, (taken)
100 to 6 agst Posthorse (taken)
100 to 6 agst King of Trumps (taken)

CITY AND SUBURBAN HANDICAP.
6to 1 agst Fieherma
9to 1 agst Boer (take)
100 to 7 agst St. Ilubert(takes)
100 to 6 agst Ellermire (Liken)
20 to 1 agst Posthorse ca en)
TWO THOUSAND GUINEA STAKES.
7to 4 agst Fly-by-Night ( to 1 taken)
sto 2 agst Yellow Jack (taken) (3 to 1 also
laid)
CHESTER CUP.
12 to 1 apt Yellow Jack (taken to 50/.)

DERBY.
7to l agst Fly-by-Night (taken and offered)
3to 1 agst Wentworth (taken and off.)
100 to 6 agst Coroner (taken)
1000 to 35 agst Bird in nand (taken)
1000 to 20 agst Enchanter (taken)
1000 to 15 apt Barbarioa Colt (taken)
1000 to 15 agst Bonnie Scotland (taken)
1000 to 10 agst Ringdropper (taken)
100 even between Fly-by-Night and Ellington (t)

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

OXFORD CIRCUIT.
STAFFORD, March 15.
CIVIL SlDS.—(Before Mr. Justice Cresswell and a

Special Jury.)
SIVINFEN V. SvilN/PBN.

This was an issue by direction of the Master of the
Roils to try the validity of the will of Samuel Swinfen,
Esq., of Swinfen Hall, in the county of Stafford. The
writ stated that Samuel Swinfen was at the time of his
death seised in fee of a certain estate at Swinfen ; that
he died on the 26th of July, 1854, leaving John Swinfen,
his brother, and heir-at-law, who afterwards died in
April, 1855, whereupon Frederick Hay Swinfen, the
eldest son of Francis Swinfen, who was the eldest
brother of the half-blood of Samuel Swinfen, became
and was the heir-at-law of Samuel and John Swinfen
respectively, and Patience Swinfen affirms, and Frederick
Hay Swinfen denies, that the said Samuel Swinfen did,
by a certain writing, bearing date the 7th of July, 1854,
purporting to be his last will, devise the said estate, and
that the Master of the Rolls was desirous of ascertain-
ing the truth by the verdict of a jury.
Sir F. Thesiger (Specially retained), Mr. Alexander,
Q.C., !Mr. Whitmore, Q. 0., and Mr. Gray, for the
plaintiff; the Attorney-General, Mr. Whateley, Q.C.,
Mr. Keating, Q.C., and Mr. V. Richards for the de-
endant.

The witnesses on both sides were ordered out of court.
Sir F. Thesiger proceeded to state the case for the
plaintiff. He said it was an issue directed by the
Master of the Rolls for the purpose of ascertaining
whether an instrument executed by Mr. Samuel Swin-
fen, on the 7th of July, 1854, was a valid will. The
plaintiff was the widow of the only son of the testator.
The defendant was bis heir-at-law, being his nephew by
half blood. Under the will the bulk of his property was
left to the plaintiff, and the defendant disputes the will,
on the ground that the testator was not of sound or dis-
posing mind. Swinfen Hall, the property in dispute, is
about two miles from Lichfield, and came to the testa-
tor's father under a marriage settlement. The mother of •
the testator died young ; his father married again, and had
a large family by his second wife. They almost entirely
engrossed his father's affections, and the testator na-
turally entertained no very affectionate feeling towards
his relatives of the half-blood. He married a daughter
of Sir Thomas Durant, and the only offspring of that
marriage were Henry Swinfen, husband of the plaintiff,
and a daughter who died in infancy. The, testator be-
°erne embarrassed in his circumstances, and received no
assistance from his family, and on the peace in 1815, be
went abroad with his wife and child. He returned in
1828 on his father's death, when he became owner of
Swinfen Hall, but it was stripped of its furniture, which,
with everything moveable, had been left to the members
of the second family. He and his wife determined on
living a life of rigid economy, the wife, the daughter of
a baronet, managing the household affairs, and they
lived in two rooms in the mansion, shutting up the rest
of it. In 1830 the son, the plaintiff's husband, joined
his father in cutting off the entail of the estate, and the
ultimate remainder was limited to the father. A rent-
charge was granted to the son, who married in 1831.
The plaintiff was in a humbler condition of life than her
husband's family, and it was said they were dissatisfied.
But the testator certainly became reconciled to this
match. Henry Swinfen went with his wife to Italy
for some years, and when they returned they had no
settled residence. The testator and his wife living as
efore until the year 1848, when the latter was taken
dangerously ill, and before the son and his wife could
arrive she was dead. They were kindly received by
the testator ; he was anxious the plaintiff should have
mourning at his expense. He presented her with his
miniature and a diamond ring. There being no accom-
modation at the hall, they lived at first at the George, at
Lichfield, but the testator had a room fitted up for them,
and he increased the son's allowance. For nine months
they resided at the hall. The testator was now 74 years
of age, in perfect health, except a severe chronic rheu-
matism in his limbs ; hut a few years before his death he
was attacked with a painful disease—hydrocele. His
bodily infirmities were great, but his faculties were only
subject to the decay incidental to advancing years. A
person named Elizabeth Martin was employed to attend
upon him. At the 'end of nine months the plaintiff and
her husband thought he was so well they might leave
him and they went into Wales. While they were away
important letters were written by the testator to his
solicitor in London. In consequence of his inability to
superintend what was going on, a system of waste en-
sued a' the hall, and Dr. Rowley, an old friend of the
testator, thought it his duty to write to the eon to come
to the hall, and accordingly, in 1851, he and his wife
came there, and there they continued until the death of
the son, and then the son's widow resided there until
the testator's death in July, 1854. The testator told his
son to look after his affairs, and the son did so, from
time to time consulting his father. He felt it his duty
t s dismiss the Martins and one or two other persons.
There were two tenants, Stanley and Gibson, who had
notice to quit given at the suggestion of the son. In
March, 1852, the testator was desirous of making his
will in his son's favour. Mr. Simpson, solicitor, town
clerk of Lichfield, had been employed by the testator
before, and he was requested to attend at the hall, and
went on the 26th of March. He saw the present plain-
tiff and the testator ; the latter said he wanted to find
some title-deeds and an old will, which he wished to
destroy. The son produced a will, giving the whole of
the property to him. This will was discussed, adopted
and signed by the testator, and also by the attesting
witnesses. After this a low pony phaeton was got for
he testator, who had become very infirm in body.
About six menthe before his death he fell down stairs,
which considerably alarrned him, and from that time he
confined himself to his bed-room. Atter the dircharge of
the Martins a Mrs. Taylor was employed to attend on
him. His bodily infirmities rendered it necessary to feed
him, hut his memory as to the past remained clear. On
the 15th of June, 1854, however, his only son died sud-
denly. It was a great shock to the father, and for
'everal days he was overwhelmed ; he, cleaving more
to his RCM's widow, said he would take care of her.
On the 20th of June, Mr. Charles Swinfen and hie
wife and daughter came, at the request of the plaintiff,
to attend the funeral, and remained at the ball for a
month. They expressed their conviction of the testator's
soundness of mind. Ire repeatedly said to Mrs. Charles
Swinfen and others that he intended is leave Swinfen
Hell to the plaintiff, his son's widow. She sent to Mr.
Simpson to inquire as to her position since her husband's
death, and he, under a mistaken belief that it was neces-
sary, recommended, together with Mr. C. Swinfen, that
an application should he made to the Lord Chancellor,
in lunacy, to appoint a person to take care of the estate.
It was necessary to have a medical certifiente, and on
the 2d of July, 1854, Dr. Rowley and Dr. Evans went
there. They saw him, but only for a short time. Dr.
Evans was abrupt, and did not altogether please Mr.
Swinfen, and he, it is believed, is of opinion that the
testator was of unsound mind, but Dr. Rowley, who knew
bim much hotter, was of a contrary opinion. On the 4th
of July the testator was desirous of making a will in the
plaintiff's favour, and on that clay the two doctors again
saw him. Mr. Simpson was ready to go to him, and
Dr. Evans said he thought the instructions for making a
will ought to be postponed, and thereupon Mr. Simp-
son abstained from seeing him on that day. At the
testator's request he went to him on the sth of July,
Dr. Rowley was then present. On the 6th he wont
over again, and took with him the will of 1852, in faveer '
of the testator's son. The testator read it, and,, then
said, "He wished Mrs. Swinfen to stand son's
place, and to have Swinfen as her property."On the
7th the will in question was executed, and attested by
Mr. Simpson, Dr. Rowley, and Air . C. Swinfen, all cf
whom would be c died, and sh..ow that the testator was
in a fit state to execute His death did not occur
until the 26th of that rr...„th,
Several witneese, having been examined the Court
wan adjourned Monday.
This case. came to a sudden termination this morning.
At the sitting of the court, while the special jurymen
we'ee being called over, the counsel on both sides were
eeen engaged in conversation, and after the lapse of
nearly an hour, occupied in negotiatiolis, the Attorney-
General announced that an arrangement had keen ef-
fected, which would save his lordship and the jury any
further trouble, and he trusted that as the cause was
settled, so also would be any differences among the
family.

Sir. Frederick Thosiger said all he would say was that
the cause had been settled.

It is understood that the terms of settlement are
these :—The will to stand, but the plaintiff to assign the
estate of Swinfen Hall to the heir-at-law, he paying her
out of the rents such a sum by way of annuity as will,
with her present jointure of 300/. a year, make up a clear
income of 1,0001. a year. The plaintiff to have mesne
profits (i.e., the rents since the testator's death) down to
tha last half-year, and the defendant to pay the costs as
between attorney and client, not to exceed, however,
1,2501.

in the register of the parish of Churcheaton, on the 3d
of November, 1855.

Mr. Scotland appeared for the prosecution ; and Mr.
Kettle defended the prisoner.
This indictment was framed on the SOth section of the
11th Geo. IV. and let Will. IV., c. 66, and charged
that the prisoner feloniously caused a false entry to be
made in the register of baptisms of the parish of Church-
eaten, the said entry being false in that the prisoner was
therein described to be the wife of one William BallaS,
she not being his wife.
The chief witness for the prosecution was the Rev. R.
R. Duke, the curate of Churcheaton, who stated that on
the 28th of October last he called upon the prisoner, and
told her that he understood she wanted her infant to be
baptised and herself to be churched on the following day.
He said that if it washer wish it should be done, and that,
as it would be necessary for him to make an entry in the
registrar, ho would take down the particulars at the time.
He asked what was to be the name of the child, and on
being informed that that was not yet settled, he said it
would be sufficient if he were told that at the time of the
baptism. Re then asked the prisoner what her name
was, and she said "Mary Ann Bellas." She also said,
is answer to questions, that her husband's name was
" William Belies," and that he was a farmer and cattle-
dealer, of Horton, in Shropshire. The next day the pri-
soner and other persons attended at church, and the
chili was baptised with the name of Elizr.beth. Before
making any entry in the register the curate ascertained
from the Clergy List that there was no parish of " Hor-•
ton" in Shropshire, and he also beard that the prisoner
was not married, but was a single woman. He in con-
sequence called upon the prisoner on the following
Thursday, the lit of November, and told her that there
was some error, and he asked her whether she was sure
Horton was a parish. She then said it was a farm or
hamlet in Wellington. The curate told her he must put
down the exact truth, and be then wrote down on a slip
of paper the particulars which she gave him in answer
to his questions—viz., that her name was Mary Ann
Belles, and that she was the wife of Win. Bella., a
farmer and cattle-dealer, of Wellington, Salop. In a
day or two afterwards the curate made the entry in
the register. The witness, in cross•examination, stated
that, though he suspected that the prisoner was not
married, he pave her no caution.
William Bellas was them called, and proved that
the prisoner had once lived as servant in his house,
but he was not married to her, and she had never passed
as his wife.

When the case had been opened,
Mr. Kettle, on behalf of the prisoner, objected that
the fact., if preyed, would not support the charge.
Mr. Baron Bramwell said he would not stop the cage;
but when it was concluded his lordship said he should
hold, upon the authority of some cases which had been
decided, that the offence of causing a false entry to be made
had been committed, if the prisoner made the false state-
ment with a view to get the false entry made. But it
seemed to him (Mr. Baron Bramwell) that the object of
the prisoner was to get her baby baptised and herself
churched, and that she probably cared very little whe-
ther the baptism was registered or not. There could
be no doubt on the evidence of the curate that she had
made the false statement ; but if the ,jury thought her
object was not to cause a false entry a be made in the
register, but to procure the offices of religion for herself
and child, his (Mr. Baron Bramwell's) opinion was that
the offence charged in the indictment, of causing the
entry to be made, was not proved.
The jury expressed their opinion that the prisoner had
made the false statement, but not with the view of get-
ting a false entry made in the register, and accordingly
found her not guilty.

POISONING BY STRYCIINIA AT LEEDS.

VERDICT OF WILFUL MURDER.

LEEDS, Monday.—The adjourned inquest on the body
of Mrs. Dove was held this morning at 10 o'clock, when
the court was again most inconveniently crowded in
every part. Se intense was the excitement caused by
the case that as early as 8 o'clock the various approaches
to the court were besieged by a multitude of persons de.
sirous of gaining admission ; and on the doors being
opened the rush was tremendous, and the court became
almost instantly crowded in every part. The audience
consisted of a great number of ladies, who were content
to stand in the dock and any other part of the court.
The bench was also fully occupied with the magistrates.
Mr. Morley and Mr. Nunneley, the surgeons, were also
again present. The priaoner was brought into court in
the custody of the superintendent of police, and took his
seat under the bench close to Mr. Barrett, his attorney,
with whom he was in frequent conversation daring the
progress of the case.
It will be seen from the coroner's summing up, which
was exceedingly lengthy, and of which an outline is sub.
joined, that that functionary made a rather pointed allu-
sion to the difference in opinion amongst medical men as
to the discovery of strychnia after death. It will be at
once perceived that the comparison he made as to the
analysis of Mr. Morley and Mr. Nunneley had reference
to the analysis by Dr. Taylor and Dr. Rees, in connec-
tion with the charge against William Palmer for the mur-
der of Mr. Cook, which is now exciting such intense in-
terest throughout the country.
The proceedingsthis rnoraingcommenced by Mr. Num-
neley beginning to read a very lengthy report of some
further experiments which had been made by 1_ iniself and
Mr. Morley ; but after some conversation with the core-
ne,-, it was agreed that they should draw up a condensed
report in order to save time.
Mr. Nunneley remarked that the longerdocument was
necessary, in order to a full explanation of tlseir experi•
meats ; bat eventually the following report was sub-
witted :
"ADDITIONAL REFORT ON THE ANALYSIS OF THE STOMACH.
" As a further test of the presence of poison in the sto-
mach, and ono which, as nearly as possible' would Amount
to demonstration, we determined to try whether the spi-
rituous extract obtained from the contents of the stomach.
already shown by chemical tests to contain strychnia, pos-
sessed really the poisonous properties of that substance.
" We selected for experirneut 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 ap-
plied it by inoculation through small openings either into
the cellular tissue between the skin, or into one of the 'e-
mus cavities of the body. Also in one of the mice giving
a portion by the mouth.
" In each of these five animals thus submitted to experi-
ment the characteristic effects of poisoning by strychnia
were produced. In three of them (the two mice and a
vigorous rabbit) death ensued respectively in 2 minutes,
12 minutes, and :10 minutes from the first introduction
of the poison. The symptoms preceding death were dis-
turbed respiration, general distress, convulsive twitchings,
outstretching of the legs, and general rigidity of the body
—symptoms which are exactly those commonly produced
by stryohnia. In the fourth animal, the rabbit, the symp-
toms were equally well marked and decisive; but although
the animal lay for a time nearly dead it afterwards re-
vived, and eventually recovered. Iu the guinea pig the ef-
fects at first were much more slight. Tho spasms were aot
so strong as to throw it down, or entirely disable it ; but
on the following day it also 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 produced in the five acted on
by the poison extracted from the body of Mrs. Dove. They
were, as a Belies, not more severe, and met inure rapidly
fatal.

" These animal experiments, which aid the effect of
physiological effect to that of the chemical re-agent, de-
cidedly confirm our analyeis ; and, taking them in connec-
tion with the analysis, with the symptoms obzerved during
life, and with the appearance noted in the body after
death, they afford, in our opinion, the most complete proofthat the death of Mrs. Dove was from the poisonous effects
of the strychnia, and from ao other cause.
" GEORGE MORLEY.

" THOMAS NEINNELEY, F.R.C.S.E."
The Coroner—That is your joint opinion, gentlemen,
is it I

Mr. Nuane!ey—lt is our joint opinion.
The Coroner (to the jury)—Gentlemet, do you wish to
ask the medical gentlemen any questions on this further
evidence ?
The jury replied in the negative.
The Coroner—Mr. Barrett, do you wish to ask them
any questions !
Mr. Barrett—No; I have no questions to put to them.
It was here intimated that there was no further evi-
dence to be offered, on which
The Coroner, addressingethe accused, said—William
Dove, do you wish to say anything to the jury in reply
to the charge ?
The Accused—Nothing at all.
The Coroner then commenced his charge to the jury
amidst the most profound silence in all parts of the court.
He said—Gentlemen, in bringing you to a calm, dispas-
sionate, and impartial consideration of this important and
painful case, you must altogether disregard the various
observations and suggestions which Lave appeared in the
public prints respecting it, however trite, or plausible, or
disinterested they may be; and you must confine your at-
SENTENCE ON TH2 RUGELEY POITMASTER. tention to the evidence adduced before you, and upon that
only you must determine your verdict. I fear a very erro-
Samuel Cheshire, the postmaster of Rugeley, who had neoue isapression prevails relative to the nature of an in-
been convicted of a charge of unlawfully opening a post quiry like this; and modern practice having sanctioned the
letter, directed by Dr. Taylor to Mr. Gardner, a solicitor appearance of advocates, theimpression has thereby gained
at Rugeley, was this morning brought up to receive sen- ground. It seems to be thought that this is a court where
tense.
an accused person is on his trial ; that a charge is mule ;
Mr. Baron Bramwell said the prisoner had been con- and that there must of necessity be a defence. Now,
victed of an offence of a very serious character. It was nothing is more incorrect or further from the real nature
essential to the utility of the Post.office that its safety of a coroner's inquest. Our principal duty is to "inquire'
and security should he preserved, But,the prisoner had into and ascertain the cause of death ; and if in the pro. allowed himself to he tempted by a man whom he knew gross of the investigation it shall appear that it has arisen
to be labouring under a charge of a most heavy demerit). from violence offered by another, then the law says you
tion to pry into a communication which was of the shall find such a verdict as will send the party ceasing
deepest importance to the interests of public justice, death before another tribunal to answer the charge to be
It was therefore as had an offence of the kind as made against him. Your duty, therefore, in this case is
could well be. The jury had, however, recommended to determine the cause of the death of Mrs. Dove. If
him to mercy on account of his good character. the circumstances attending her death, and the results
His lordship thought that, as the jury bad manfully dis- of the examination of her body after death, satisfy you that
charged their duty in disregarding the appeals which she died from poison, it wiil be for you to say, upon the
had been made to them for pity, their recommenda- evidence before you, whether she took it herself to de-
tion was entitled to great respect. Taking all the sir- atroy life, or whether it was taken by accident or mis-
ellrllttanCOS of the cage into consideration, hie lordship take, or whether it was administered to her designedly
said it was still necessary to pass a severe sentence, in by some other person. Now, so far as the evidence
order'to show that such offences could tot be committed goes, there seems to be nothing from which you can for
with impunity.' The sentence was that he be imprisoned, a single moment believe that Mrs.-Dove destroyed her-
but without hard' labour, for one year. self. It has, however, been suggested by the evidence
SENTENCE ON ALICE GRAY. that it might have been . the result of accident ; that
At the sittings of the Court • this morning „Vice Gray, come of the poison which was known to have been in
who on Saturday last had been convicted of wilful and the house might have been spilled or got amongst the
corrupt perjury, was brought, up to receive sentence. I food taken by the deceased. The suggestion was made
Mr. Baron Bramwell said the offence was a very serious by Mr. Morley, as an inducement to the prisoner and
one, and it was necessary to meke an example, his mother to consent to an examination of the body,
The 'prisoner, with an impudent air, said she hoped and we may fairly infer that Mr. Morley's suspicions
his Lordship would pronounce sentence with as little ce- were aroused goon after the dente, but that being unwill-
rernony as he could. ing, and properly so, to believe there had been'any foul
Mr. Baron Bramwell said it was his intention to do so. play, he ventured upon this suggestion in order to arrive
the sentence was that she be kept in penal servitude for at a solution of the difficulty which presented itself to his
four year.
mind—viz., the cause of death. Besides, it appears the
The prisoner then left the dock, muttering that the poison was kept in the prisoner's razor-case, and that
learned judge eouli not make her live so long. upon Mrs. Whitliain expressing her alarm lest her little
Mary Ann,Bennett, a single woman, was charged with , dog should get to it, the deceased assured her that there
feleniouely causing a Mite entry of baptism to be wade was 40 caws for alaTßl—meaniog, no doubt, that it wan

carefully secured by Mr. Dove. I think you will be of
opinion that the poison could not have been administered
or taken by accident or mistake. Then comes the third
proposition I have submitted to you—Was the poison
administered designedly or by some other person ; and, if
so, by whom ! If the evideoce irresistibly and conclu-
sively points out the person, it will be your duty to find
against that person a verdict of wilful murder. [The
coroner then at great length went through the whole of
the evidence which had been adduced, commenting upon
it as he went on.] Having gone through it, he said—As
I observed to you at the commencement of my remarks,
it is upon the evidence adduced before you that you are
to form your opinion as to the cause and manner of
death. You are not to ;supply the want of evidence by
any hypothesis of your own, and you are not to set up
the opinions of other men of science against the positive
evidence of Mr. Morley and Mr. Nunneley. For the
purposes of this inquiry you are bound to receive and ac
upon their testimony. It may be that other men of science
entertain different opinions. It may be that in other
cases where strychnia has been taken no trace of it could
be found after death. In this case the medical men have
been snore fortunate, and they tell us that the teats they
have applied satisfy them beyond any reasonable doubt
of the presence of strychnia. But if anything was
wanting to confirm opinions carefully, deliberately,
And imperially formed by men of competent skill,
and who have had previous experience in such cases, it
is the further evidence they have given this morning.
[The coroner here read over the further analysis as
given above This evidence (he said) is most valuable,
As determining the presence of strychnia in the body of
the deceased after death. From the symptoms, then,
before death—the appearances on the examination of
the body after death, and the analysis and its results
—you will,. I think, be constrain, el to say that the
cause of death was strychnia. I have alluded to the
possibiity of men of science differing upon the results
of analyses ; and where they do so, having had equal
oep attunities of forming a correct judgment, serious
difficulties will he created. It is, however, very satis-
factory to find that as regards poisoning by strychnia
there are some memietakestble and distinguishing fea-
tures upon which a►l men of science are agreed, and
these are the symptoms during life. It may be difficult
to say how little strychnia will cause death, what pre-
pertion will cause a defined amount of spasmodic action,
how soon after taking it the spasmodic action will come
on, and now long it will continue ; but its effects dur-
ing life are well marked and settled. After reading
further extracts from the evidence, the coroner reite
rated his impression that he thought the jury a 'rid
have no d, Wet that the death of the deceased was
caused ty strychnia, not taken accidently, but by de-
sigo and should they come to that conclusion, they
would they have to determine whether the evidence
made out satisfactorily to their minds the party
who administered it. It could not be suggested
that any of the witnesses who had been celled, and
who had waited upon the deceased during her illness
either as neighbours or attendants, had any hand
in her death, and he hoped lie was net pressing too hard
upon the prisoner, Mr. Dove, when he said that su-pi•
cion rested upon him, but suspicion was not guilt. The
coroner hero pointed out the various eu'picious circem-
stances against the prisoner as disclosed by the evidenee,
remarking that the jury would remember that the pri-
s mer declined to accede to Mr. Motley's wish for a con-
sultation with some other medical man, and they would
also bear in mind his great objection to a post•aeorterm
examination. On March 5, the Wednesday after his
wife's death, a farther conversation took place between
hint and Mr. Morley, and looking at that conversation,
and putting the most charitable construction upon the
wets and language of the prisoner, it seemed to be im-
possible to reconcile them, and particularly his anxiety
about knowing the result of the analysis, with entire in-
nocence on his part. On Thursday, March 6, the day after
this interview with Mr. Morley, the prisoner again met
Harrison at the New-cross, and on that occasion he ap-
peared very anxiens to know if strychnia could be dis-
covered after death, saying to Harrison, " Can they die-
cover a grain and a half or a grain ?" upon which Harrison
said, "Have you given your wife any ?" when the prisoner
replied, "No ; but I got some from Mr. Morley's man
to poison the cat with, and some might have been spilt,
and she (meaning his wife) may have got some." This
is substantially confirmed by the evi fence of the witness
Story. Part of what he said to Harrison was no doubt
true about poisoning the cats ; but, considering that the
prisoner had strychnia in his possession—that he knew
its effects both on Mal and the lower animals—drat he
knew it was deadly poison, he, of all others, should
have known beyond a doubt, having the custody of it,
whether any portion of it could by possibility have been
spilt, en .l spilt in such a way as to be accidents ly
mixed up with his wife's food or medicine. The suggestion
of such a thing by the prisoner, under the circumstances
of this case, raises the strong presumption of his guilt,
but is by no means conclusive evidence of it. I have
now, gentlemen, very imperfectly, perhaps, gorse through
all the material evidence brought before us. If you
are satisfied that strychnia was the cause of death, it
will be your duty to say that it was designedly
ad-ministered to her by some oue ; and considering the
fact of the prisoner being in possession of poison, and the
further fact that he must hare been present when the
poison was given, you will have to determine whether,
under all the circumstances of the case, you can have
any reasonable doubt that he administered it to his wife
on the night of her death. If he did not administer it,
can any other person be suggested ? If not, if all the
world be excluded except the prisoner, you must Ind a
verdict of wilful murder against him. If, after the fullest
deliberation you see reason to doubt, then yon must
give the prisoner the benefit of that doubt, and find a
verdict of wilful murder :Against some person unknown.
(The time occupied in the delivery of the charge was
upwards of three hours.)
The jury then retired to consider their verdict, and
was absent nearly an hour.
On their return into Court,
The Coroner said— Gentlemen, have you agreed upon
the verdi-t ?
The Foreman. —We have.
The Coroner.—What is year verdict ?

The Foreman—We find that Harriet Dote has died
from the effects of etrychnie, wilfully administered by
her husband, William Dove.

The Coroner—That is a verdict of wilful murder
agaisst William Dove.
The Foreman—Yes, that is our intention.
The delivery of the verdict caused a great sensation in
court.

The Coroner at once Figned the warrant for the pri-
soner's co:nnsittal to York Castle on the charge, and the
witnesses were all bound over to give evidence. at the
next assizes.

The prisoner received the announcement of the verdict
without manifesting the slightest emotion.
It is understood that the prisoner will not be brought
before the magistrates, but will remain committed on the
coroner's warrant.

ANOTHER BURGLARY IN YORKSHIRE. —On Saturday
morning a burgla,y of a most desperate character was
perpetrated at the nonce of Mr. Frederick Birtles, stone
merchant, Ilandswtrth Qsarries, near Sheffield. Mr.
Birtles occupies a lonely house near his quarries, and
Olout half-past 1 o'clock on Saturday morning his wife
was awoke by a noise of persons boring at the cellar
kitchen deur. She informed her husband, who sleeps in
the room over the cellar kitchen, and he instaetly jumped
out of bed. The robbers heard the noise and at once
took to their heels. Mr. Birtles slipped on his trousers
and ran after them, leaving the door' unfastened. He
caught one of them in a fie:d at a short distance, and the
men immediately called out for assistance. A second man
ran up, and the two threw Mr. Birtles down. One of them,
who was armed with a life preserver (a pliable stele, with
a large lump of lead at the end), placed his foot upon
Mr. Birtles throat, and said to the other, " We have
the -- fast now, you go and ran ask the house." The
second man left for the purpose, and Mr. Birtles made
an attempt to get upon his feet, upon which the man
who was keeping guard over kin struok him a violent
blo on the leg, and another on the side, with the life-
preserver. In the meaetime six men entered the bed-
room where Mrs. Birtles and the youngest child were
in bed, all wearing crape over their laces, and two of
them formidably armed, one with a sledgehammer and
the other with a spade. The two men who were armed
stood over Mrs. Birtles and demanded the keys. She
persisting in saying that she had not get them, one of
the nien was sent r• Mr. Birtles to demand them. He
said he had not got them, telling the man to search him.
Tue man did so, taking out of his pockets a puree con-
taining some silver, but not finding the keys. On this
man's return to the house the robbers threatened Mrs.
Birth's' life if she did not find the keys, and she was so
terrified that she got eutof bed and fetched them from her
dress pocket. The men then proceeded to ransack the
house, and found in the drawer of a box 201. in notes, 9/.
in gold, and & life policy for 2110/., of ail of which they at
once possessed themselves. While these proceedings
Were g', iug on Mrs. Birtles anxiously inquired whether
they had murdered her husband, and one of the villains
replied,—" No, we'll bring hi= back, and he shall
breakfast with ue off corns of this ham," pointing to
seine hams suspended from the top of the room. The
search was a prolonged one, and the moo keeping guard
over Mr. Birtles began to shiver with cold, and inquired
whether his prisoner would lie still if he tied his hands
fast f Mr. Birtles' answer was, "Yes, I. think you've
given me: enough to make ins do that." The mail
once proceeded to tie Mr. Reties' hands together ia
front of him with a piece of strong cord, and, having
done so, left him lying op the ground, Before the men
had got many yards away, Mr. Birtles had bit the
string in two, jumped upon his feet, and ran towards
the nearest houses, which were at the distance of 300
yards, and are occupied by his workmen, crying
" Murder" as he ran. The man ran after him for 100
yards. but 'finding Mr. Birtles too fleet of foot, gave up
the chase. Mr. Birtles'. cries were heard by the bur-
glars in the house; one of whom called out, "Off, lads !"
to the men in the house, and to a seventh man who had
been keeping watch at the door, and, in the'veords of
Mr. Birtlbs, Off they went like a shot." Mr. Birtles
found the house deserted by the thieves on returning
with some of his men. At a later period, twb of the
51. notes were found in a hedge bottom, about 50 yards
from the house. All the robbers—eight in number—
had their faces covered with crape.
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