The Sun.
London, England, 1856-07-18 00:00:00

THE LEEDS POISONING CASE.

TRIAL OF WILLIAM DOVE.
SECOND DAY.
The trial of Dove was resumed yesterday morning
(Thursday), at nine o'clock, at which hour Mr. Baron
Bramwell took his seat on the bench. The court was again
crowded, and the approaches to the Castle were thronged
throughout the day by parties anxious to bear how the
trial progressed, who were unable to obtain admission to
the court. There was nothing particular in the appear-
ance of the prisoner from the account given, yesterday.
The trial is not expected to finish before to-morrow (Fri-
slay) night.
Mary Wood, examined bylifr. Overeud—l live on Kirk-
nearßurley. On Monday, the 25th of February,
I went to Mrs. Dove's. "I found her in bed. T,aece was no
one with her but Mrs. Fisher. I went again on Saturday
evening, at 20 minutes to eight o'clock. She was sitting in
bed, in good health and spirits. At eight o'clock Mrs.
Dove, addressing her husband, said, " Will you be so kind
as to give me my medicine ?—it is time, love." He went
behind me, and gave her the medicine in about a minute.
She complained of it being nasty and bitter. The husband
went out, and said she thought she should get better if the
attack did not come again. About a quarter of an hour
afterwards she began to be ill. She said to Mrs. Witham,
" The gird is coming on, will you come to my back ?" She
was propped up in bed with pillows, and three times called
out " Off the bed." She died about 20 minutes to eleven
o'clock. What she said afterwards we could not tell. She
appeared to suffer great pains. Mr. Dove came in before
her death, and went out to fetch a doctor, but on his re-

turn she was dead. I went along with Hannah Paley to
clean Dove's house on the Saturday after the funeral. We
had a little dog with us. There was a little blood in Mrs.
Dove's bedroom, and I pushed the dog from it with a
brush. About ten minutes afterwards the dog fell on its
back and died.

Cross-examined by Mr. Bliss—Mr. Dove had had a little
drink on the night of his wife's death. He always seemel
to treat his wife kindly. I was in Dove's house on one
occasion when the servant refused to get him his supper or
to get him a glass of beer. I interfered, and the supper and
beer were got' for him. I was also present one night when
Mr. Dove went out at the back door, which was imme-
diately locked. Mr. Dove went round to the front door,
which had been also locked. I went and opened the door,
and the prisoner came in. He said it was too bad to be
locked out of his own house, took up his supper, and went
into the front room and locked himself in. The door was
soon afterwards opened, and Mr. and Mrs. Dove seemed
reconciled. The blood in the bed room was dried up,
and was not larger than a half-crown piece. I lived in the
prisoner's father's service 15 years, and consequently knew
the prisoner well.
Mr. Bliss—What is your opinion as to his state of mind ?
Mr. Overend objected to the question.
His lordship, having consulted an authority, said he was
of opinion that the question might be put to a scientific
person, but not to an unscientific person. •
Mr. Bliss was beard in support of the question, when the
learned judge requested to have the proposed question re-
peated to him.

Mr. Bliss—From your observation of the prisoner's con-
duct, conversation, and behaviour, during the 15 years you
were in the family, did he appear to you, or not, to be of
sane mind ?

Mr. Hall then argued •in favour of .the evidence pro-
posed to be submitted as ground-work for the defence of
insanity.
Sergeant Wilkins followed on the same side, and argued
in favour of the admissibility of the evidence.
Mr. Overend, in support of his objection, said the ques-
tion was one of science, and it was irregular to put it to an
unscientific witness.

The Judge said if his opinion was asked as to a strict
point of law, he should rule in favour of the objection ; but,
at the same time, he would leave it to lir. Overend as to
the course he would take.

Mr. Overend would waive his objection in a case of so
serious a nature.

Cross-examination resumed—l never thought the pri-
soner right in his wind.
Mr. Bliss—On occasion of the child's being corrected
have you interfered, and said, "You did not think him
(the prisoner) of right mind
The Judge said he could not allow tho question to be
asked.

Mr. Bliss—Can you tell us of any act he did when you
have put him to bed.
Witness—Yes, he has placed his back against the bed-
room door and kept me waiting for half an hour. He used
to grin at 'me. On one occasion he placed a lighted candle
in a basket, and then put both into a closet. On another
occasion he put some candles and salt into a coffee-
mill, He once hung a cat by the tail out of the window,
and set lire to the window curtains. When he was 17
years of age he had the misfortune to fall. He cut himself,
and when the wound had healed be cut it open with a
knife, thinking it had not healed properly. I also know
him prick himself with a knife point to write his name in
blood. The prisoner's father was a pious man, but the pri-
soner could not be readily taught his religious.lessons and
duties. That is one of the reasons for Loy forming the
opinion as to his state of mind.
_ _ _

Re-examined—When the prisoner placed the lighted
candle in the basket he was seven years of age. The pri-
soner was 17 years of age when he set fire to the curtains.
Hannah Paley examined by Mr. Bayley—l am a servant
residing with the prisoner's mother. On Good Friday I
went to the prisoner's house for a dog. O❑ the Batnrday I
went with Mrs. Wood to the prisoner's house. The dog
went with us. Thera was blood on the floor. It died
about ten minutes afterwards.

Cross-examined by Mr. Bliss—l cannot say the dog
touched the blood.

Mary Hicks, examined by Mr. Hardy—l had known
Mr. and Mrs. Dove about four months after their marriage.
On the Wednesday preceding her death the prisoner came
for we. He said he was very much fatigued. He wished me
to speak to his wife about religious matters. He said she
WAS very ill. The prisoner took tea with me and Mrs.
Dove. I afterwards said I would go home, as I had found
Mrs. Dove better than I expected. The prisoner said I
had not seen her at the worst. He was sure she would not
get bettor, and wished to have more advice. I,was at the
house on Friday, when I saw prisoner give his wile her
medicine. Mrs. Dove complained of a peculiar sensation
in her feet and jaws. Mrs. Dove complained of the strength
of the medicine, and prisoner said Mr. Morley had made it
three times stronger, to keep off the attacks. After admi-
nistering the medicine Dove washed out the glass, which
he said he always did, the medicine being so nauseous.
He said shout this time that his wife would never get bet-
ter, and Mr. Morley would want a post-mortem examina-
tion, but he would never consent to it. He also talked about
marrying again. When I went home he accompanied me
some distance. I wished him to return home, lest Mrs. Dove
should have another attack. He said she would not have
one before half-past 10 o'clock. I saw the prisoner on Sun-
day morning. He was very tipsy, and said, " She's gone."
When the inquest was being held, the' prisoner said it was
held because they lived in a queer neighbourhood, and
people knew they did not live happily together ; but it was
all moonshine.

Oross-examined by Hr. Bliss—The first day I was at
Dove's I saw the medicine given to her. She said it was
very bitter. very nanse ,us, and the worst she htd ever
tasted. When he talked about marrying again, I thought
ho had no affection for his wife.

Maria Kilham was called, when Mr. Overend said he
would leave the witness to his learned friend (Mr. Bliss), as
he did not propose to ask the witness any question.
Mrs. Kilham was then subjected to cross-examination by
Mr. Bliss—l ate sister to the last witness, and accompanied
her to Dove's at the time referred to by her. Mr. Dove said
he was very glad to see us, and appealed to treat his wife
with kindness. On one of the days I was there Dove gave
his wife the medicine. She said it was very nasty, Dove
asked me to taste it, and I did. It was not very bitter, but
particularly disagreeable. Mrs. Dove repeated that it was
very nasty. Prisoner talked of Mrs. Witham's kindness
to his wife, and he said he should make her a present for
it. After death I did not bear prisoner express great
agony at her death.
By Mr. Overend—The prisoner, in my hearing, said
" The shock will not come on yet." I believe that was on
Friday, about eight o clock.
John Wood examined by Mr. Overend—l live at Burley.
On the Ist of March I saw the prisoner, and in conversa-
tion he several times said he had an income of 901, a-year.
Ho said, on account of his wife's illness it laid very hard
upon him, as be had to sit up night and day. In the
evening I told him his wife was very ill, and he ran to
Leeds for a doctor. I saw him again about eleven o'clock,
when he said his wife was dead. He appeared to be agi-
tated, and I think he was crying. I saw him again be-
tween 12 and 1 o'clock, when he was drunk He previ-
ously told me to take a coffin board for his wife.
Cross-examined by Mr. Bliss—One Sunday evening after
the Doves had lived in Cardigan-place, he appeared de-
jected, and said he thought it was necessary he and his
wife should be parted, or something of that sort. I cheered
him up and pacified him, and then he said he would go
and take his wife to chapel. After that Mr. and Mrs.
Dove came several times to our house, and they appeared
to live comfortably together at times. On the 26th of
January prisoner received 51. from his executors, and after
that he was drunk almost every day. I expostulated with
him for spending his money in drink instead of giving it
to his wife. He complained of his wife's conduct, and I
told him that all women were talkative when their hus-
bands got drunk, and he must put up with it.
The Rev. Thomas Sturgeon, examined by Mr. Bayley.—
lam incumbent of Burley. On the 29th of February the
prisoner came to me and told me his wife was very ill, and
asked me to visit her. He urged me to come soon, as his
wife was dangerously ill, and ho thought she had not
many days to live. I asked him why he had not come
sooner to me, and he said though his wife was delicate she
only became seriously ill recently from what he called
" spasms on the nerves." I afterwards visited Mrs. Dove
and was introduced by Mr. Dove, "My dear, I have
brought Mr. Sturgeon to see thee." She appeared to be in
a nervous, excitable state. I endeavoured to calm her,
and read to and prayed with her. I expected to find her
dying, but her voice was tolerably strong. I told the
prisoner I was glad to find her better than I expected, and
he replied "she was tolerably well when the spasms were
off." He asked me to come next morning, and I said I
did not see any danger, but he said she might go off in a
moment in one of her attacks. I went next morning and
Amid her bettor, but oho said she had had a SOTOZO attack