The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-13 00:00:00

THE POISONING BY STRYCILYIA AT
LEtiDS.

LIMDS, Wednemday.

The inquest on the body of Mrs. Harriett Dore, sup-
posed to have been poisoned by her husband, was re-
sumed this morning, in the Court House, at Leeds.
The accused, Mr. William Dore, was present, accom-
panied by his solicitor, Mr. J. M. Barrett.
Mr. Morley and Mr. Nunneley, the surgeons, were
again in attendance'. . _ _

Mrs. W'rzitbarn re-examined. She said—l cannot
remember how often during the week the medicine was
administered by Mr. Dove. I remember it on the
Saturday night clearly. I do not remember it before,
except the draught that was given her by Mr. Scarf.
I had a conversation with Mr. Dove about poison.
He said he had purchased some poison to kill cats.
On the morning of the 16th of February, between
six and seven o'clock, Mr. Dora asked me to go
to his wife. On that occasion 1 said to him, " Mr.
Dove, I think your poison has not taken effect,
for I saw the grey and white cat on Thursday." Mr.
Dove sail, "You are mistaken ; the cat died last night,
as I gave it another dose on the Thursday or the Friday."
I do not know that anything was said by him about any
other cat. I do not remember anything more beieg said.
I saw Mr. Dove administer the medicine to Mrs. Dove
on Saturday, at eight o'clock at night. That was the
night she died. After administering the medicine he left
the house, returning after ten o'clock. Ido not know
whether he was drunk or sober when be returned. After
the death of Mrs. Dove I left the house at eleven o'clock.
Mrs. Dove died about 20 minutes to elev.'. He was out
of the house at the time. As soon as the doctor had left,
Mr. Dove left the house. Nothing was said about the
Leeds newspaper in Mr. Dove's presence. Since I was
last examined I can state that it was on the Thureday
night Mrs. Dove had one of the paroxysms. That would
be the 28th of February. I went into the house about
seven, or perhaps a little before. I saw Mrs. Dove in bed,
and I believe she was in the spasm when I went into the
house. There were the same twitching. then to be ob-
served as in the other instances. She said they were
like galvanic shocks. She could not otherwise describe
them. There was also twitchings of the hands. She
was perfeotly sensible. I did not see any medicine given
to her that night. Sue did not say that night when the
twitching came on. I stayed with her until about
eight o'clock. She was better when I left. She took
a draught that Mr. Morley had sent. I believe Mr.
Scarf was present when it was given to her. On Friday
morning I was in again about ten o'clock. She was
better when I went in than she had been the night pre-
vious. Mr. Dove was there when I went in, and after-
wards went out to Leeds. I stayed with her until
about half-past twelve o'clock. She had a very slight
attack of spasms during that time. I think
that attack would be between eleven and twelve. I
took tea on the Saturday. I went in about half-past
2 o'clock. I was away for about an hour. It was from
half-past six to after seven that I went out. Front half-
past two to half-past six I never left the room. Mrs.
Dove had sone gelatine jelly that I teok in, and that
she ate directly I went in. I gave her the mould on the
bed, and Mr. Dove gave her a teaspoon to eat it with.
She ate several epoonsful of it, and she let me taste it,
too. She asked me if I would taste it, and I said " No,"
but she gave me some, There was nothing peculiar in
the taste. It was the jelly I had made. She had no-
thing after that until the medicine at half past three
o'clock. That was the dark-cAoured medicine. The
bottle was upon the wash-mood. I should think there
would be two doses left in it. I took the bottle (there
sae no glass) and held it before Mrs. Dove, and she told
me when to stop. I left, I should say, about double the
quantity in that I had given her. I left the bottle upon
the wash-stand. The dose of medicine produced no bad
effect upon her. She seemed quite as well as she was
before. Mr. Morley came in about four o'clock, and he
said she was better. She took nothing more until tea
time, at half-past five o'clock. She bad a little mutton
chop, and two pieces of toast, and two cups of tea, and
she eat up on the hearth to eat sad drink them. The tea
did not seem to do her any harm. I took the same as
she took. It would be nearly six o'clock when we
finished tea. I left the house at half-past six o'clock,
and returned about half-past seven o'clock. When I
went into her room again she had got back to bed. She
was then nicely, and as well as when I left her. After I
went in the second time, and until she took the medi-
cine, I de mot know that anything was given to her.
do not recollect that anything was. I feet quite sure
that nothing was given to her until Mr. Dove gave her
medicine about eight o'clock. He was not there when
I left at half-past seven ; he had laid dowa in bed. If
anything hail been given to her betweee half-past seven
and eight o'clock I must have seen it, or if she had taken
anything I must have seen it. The last medicine she
took was not an effervescing medicine.
By Mr. Barrett—Will yeu explain your first answer,
that you did not know or recollect whether anything
was taken by Mrs. Dove between half-past seven and
eight o'clock.
The Coroner—Mr. Barrett, I put it to your better
judgment whether in a solemn inquiry like this, that is
a question which ought to be put to the witness, who
has given her evidence in a most faithful and creditable
manner. She has stated that she does not know, and
after having had time to reflect, she has given her
second answer. I think it is hardly fair to press her in
this way.
ity Mr. Barratt—l feel sure that Mrs. Dove had no-
thing between half-past seven and eight o'clock. Mr.
Dove !mensal of porter about five o'clock, and said he
was going to bed. He was not drunk. In the evening
at ei;,;ht o'clock he went to the washstand for the mech•
eine. I had seen the paper which contained the poison
en the 18th of February. I did not see the word
"Poison" written on the paper. I did not have it in
my hands. I felt very much alarmed about the poison,
and I said so to Mrs. Dove, and she said, " You need
not be alarmed." The medicine given at eight o'clock
was the same in appearance as that given at half-past
three.
By the Coroner—lt canes out of the same bottle for
anything I know.
By Mr. Barrett.—l do not remember who first men-
tioned the medicine at eight o'clock, but I remember
Mr. Dove taking out his watch and saying it was eight
o'clock, and that if Ars_ Dove had her medicine at half-
past three o'clock, it was half an hour beyond the time
she should have taken it. Mrs. Dove said nothing to
that. He took the glass after she had taken the medi-
cine, and antehed it, saying, "I always wash out the
glass, for the medicine is such nasty stuff." He rubbed
her legs about a quarter of en hour before that, and it
was then he kissed her. When Mr. Dove came home,
about five o'clock, she then remarked hew long he had
beer, and he said, " I cannot go down to Leeds and
back in five minutes. You know lam a quick walker,
and put upon me." And when he came into the room
he raid, " Mrs. Whitham, I thought you were going
away at five o'clock," which [ thought was very unkind
of him. I said I was going, but that when Mr. !tforley
came in and said Mrs. Dove might get up to tea she
asked me to stay'with her, as she would make a better
tea if shelled company. He said this to Inc before his
wife spoke to him. He first asked by whose orders
she was up, and she said " Mr. Morley gave me
leave." He turned to me, and sail, "Did he ?" And I
answered him, " Yes, and she is to have a mutton chop."
From tea time to hie leaving at eight o'clock I heard no
unkind remarks, but he wise not in the room. He did
not take tea with us. He left the room, but before
doing so be lay down on the rug in Mrs. Dove's room,
which I thought a strange thing. He remained so

about five minutes, until Mrs. Fisher came in, when she
suggested to him to go to bed, and be went away, as I
believed, for that purpose.
By a Juror—l believe he gave her medicine before
Thursday, but I cannot remember any particular occa-
sion.

By the Coroner.— He said he always washed the gla,s
out, because the medicine was nasty stuff.
At thin stage of the proceedings Mr. Morley and Mr.
Nunneley were incidentally examined.
Mr. Morley (by the Coroner)—lf strychnia had been
put into the medicine at eight o'clock it would not have
altered the appearance of the medicine in any way—
neither the colour nor the consistence. It would have
altered the taste.

By Mr. Barrett—Half a grain or less would materi-
ally alter the taste. It would make it a pure bitter.
One 40-1000th part in water would produce a bitter taste.
The conversation I had with Mr. Dove as to the poison
he purchased was on the sth of March, according to a
memorandum I made at the time.
The Coroner here corrected an error which had been
made in some of the new papers as to Mrs. Dove being
enceinte at the time of her death. No such evidence had
been given, and he understood it was not the fact.
Mr. Barrett—Mr. Morley, was Mrs. Dove in a state
of pregnancy I
Mr. Morley—No, certainly not.
Mrs. Ann Fisher was next re-examined. She said—l
took some toast and frizzled bacon to Mrs. Dove for
breakfast on the Monday preceding her death, but I did
not see her take any part (If it. I saw Mr. Dove give
her medicine more than once or twice during that week.
Ho generally washed tit° glass out. I hare seen him do
that frequently. I cannot say how often. He has had
the medicine in one band, and I have held a tumbler
with water for her to drink. I saw him put a "sup" of
water in the glass and then throw it into the hand basin.
I hare no doubt about that. I cannot say that Mrs.
Dove was taken poorly after the medicine was given
her. She was taken bad .n the Fridny night. I recol-
lect Mrs. Dove having spasms during the week. I
cannot recollect whether she had them shortly after
taking the medicine. I was not always in the room. I
remember it was on Wednesday er Thursday morning
Mr. Dove called me up to her. I gave her medicine
once. It was on Tuesday or Wednesday. The spasms
were on her at the time. I cannot remember what colour
it was, whether it was brown or what. It was thick. All
ker medicine was. A draught was taken on Friday
night. I cannot say what time it was. It might be
ten o'clock. Mr. Dore gave it to her. It was rather a
lighter colour than her medicine had been. Ido not re-
collect whether ho washed that glass out. Mrs. Dove
did not, that I recollect, say anything. As far as I can
recollect it was an hour and a half after that Mrs. Dove
was taken ill. It was about half-past eleven she was
taken ill.

The Coroner hers referred to the evidence given by this
witness on a former day, from which it appeared that she
had stated that Mr. Dove called her up earlier. She now
said I was called up about ten o'clock. Mrs. Dove was
taken bad about half an hour atter she had taken the
medicine. Mr. Dove left the house soon after Mrs.
Dove was taken ill. He said he was going to Mr. Mor-
ley's for some medicine. I was not in the room when
Mrs. Dove was taksa ill. I think Mr. Dove left the
house about eight o'clock. I believe that was the hour
because he has said so himself since Mrs. D4ve's death.
He was in liquor all the eveninz. When I went up-
stairs about half-past eight Mrs, Dove was attacked with
spasms, azyl Mr. pots might thitk hArt Ittion gone out