Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-08-11

the crime mas been committed oy poison ard that poison
srychnine general attention Is ared on i,s de-
tails The effects therefore widespread and the
circumstances consequently demand notice which un.
necessary in the Of ordinary offences IL was though,
that the trial OF Dove would have striking feature
cept its resemblance that of William Palmer but thu
Recommendation Of the jury that the convcts life be spar-
ed, the ground OF bis defective intellect gives new
Importance TO the destined furnish precedent
in the administration o criminal justice The Judge and
jury will be doubted have done their duty but the
principle involved in tho Recommendation mercy cannot
be admitted without consideration than IL has vet
received As to the facts OF the uncertainty
sts murder OF the ioulest aud treacherous kind
has been committed by which sick and helpless woman
has been destroyed after suffering agonies mhich might
have moved TO pity the most csous heart The prisoner
is proved TO have been habtualy drunkard and brutal
husband. In his fits OF n,oxicaton he threatened his wife
repeatedly, and proceeded to which gave her lust
cause of fear for her lite. A scottish husband
becoming every day brutal and DEPRIVED telling his
wife, even when sober that he will do for her." calling
her opprobrious throwing her down. and standing
over her with carving knife. beating her with his hs
forcing her to seek refuge under the bed Is example Of
what we have learnt to consider vulgar crime So
Tar William Dove resembled only those ruians whose de-
hnquencies almost daily recorded in the police reports
of this capital But in this case the husband was actua.
ted not only by brutal temper but by settled wish
get rid OF his wife. ii will give YOU pill that will do
for you, he SAYS on occasion. She is sickiy she
costs money in doctors bills there had been talk of
separation and su allowance To be paid by him. The
crime OF Palmer Is the subject of Leeds
"a elsewhere Dove thinks proved that strychnia cannot
be discovered in the human frame any analysis For
many weeks before his wics death he is on posses
sing this poison. At last he buys to kill cats"
he says The circumstances again vulgar and ordna
~ enough coaise and malignant nature wishes
complsh it, objects and takes Just the which its
low cunning, mingled, such cunning often is with stu
pidty, points out Then 10 the of the drug
The pOisoner poons dogs and MICE and in tire last week
February commences the preparation of his potrcted
aud coiblooded crime On the 25th he gives his wife
trychnne in her breakfast aud the accession spasms
speculstcs her death, declaring that she would be
aversa from post norton examination. IL is evident
that he u imtator OF what call the style of
William Palmer. He writes To his motherin-aw in the
usual afectonate snd religious spirit His wife, he is
ry TO say, is very i'll. She had come down much better
than usual took such nice breakfast aud then began
To PLAY an the piano. She afterwards seized with
sudden illness; but, thank God shc il still alive Here
certsnly intellect not Mt all defective
for the purposes OF most elaborate crime. But Tuesday
the 25th passed the next day there must have been
more stychnine at breakfast for at o'clock the hus-
band sends to Mrs Withsm neighbor and begs her tn
come and see his wife who, he fears is very ILL., Speak
TO her about religious subect-about her soul biz
nest request Mrs Witham goes in and finds Mrs Dove
with her body arched aud her limbs rigid exhibiting all
those symptoms with which the public has now such
terrible familiarity Mrs. Withan would like further
medical advice. but Dove thinks il might offend Mr. Nor
ley, the present DOCTOR besides is he (Dove) always
at hand, night and day. give his wife medicine and
tend upon herg On Thursday the 2sth, he writes to Mr.
Morley that he has full confidence in him. and asks him
ito speak Mrs Dove morrow religion she feels
herself sinner" He also writes his mother that il his
wife has another shock it wl kill her. nearly worn
out, but shall not complain" e" will do for her what
"can until drop" Why should we go on Friday
the 2eth of February, is the fifth day Of the
stryrhnine doses He quite that his wife
recover. Did you notice, Mrs. William" he says show
was obliged TO go into the adjoining 'room and weep
could control myself" This day the drug appear.
TO have been thrice administered for the unfortunate lady
had three separate and violent attacks. Dove is telling
everybody that his wife very weak and die every
it, he thinks must be the last Saturday the of March
arrives. Mrs. Dove is much better But her husband
has no hope Of her recovery. He asks II there is burial
ground attached Burey Churchill they bury in the
eemetAry at Leeds As usual he is anxious about spr
itual condition But to-day Mrs Dove well enough
and drink, and her husbands astonishment il
He however, kisses her aectonately, and goes away
When he comes back It Is evident that he has been drink
ing He is 1.-THE worse for liquor, and very much
ted Then comes the catastrophe No small dose given
this time When Dove hands her the medicine the nya
lid complains how btert is, and the prisoner haseus
wash DOT tile glass Drink and the deed he has perpe
traed now increased the prisoners excitement that he
Is hardly master Of himself He goes again. and the
last struggles of his victim begin Her heard
IN every part of the house After three hours OF agony
she expires Her husband sits the side the he'd aad
imprints kiss on her inanimate body
Now, think that readers will have little trouble
in making mp their minds about William Dove. Here is
man who gets drunk, abuses threatens and beats his
wife, aud finally takes advantage OF her feeble health aud
the "edge he has obtained of deadly drug destroy
her, with cruelty and hypocrisy unsurpassed in the annals
OF wckeduess The defence is that he is insane What
evidence is produced No has heard that
William Dove was mad His neighbours before he com.
mtted his crime and his gaoers afterwards depoe
no acts of insanity He married, candidate for a
parochia office, and fvedlike the Of the world But
tue history OF his life is ansacked for evidence and
have schoomasters and farmers coming forward prove
what We might easily have guessedthat he always
brutal, mischevous aud Algnant lie believed in for
tune telling in infancy he frightened his nurse in boy
hood he was stupid obstinate, got pistol with which he
talked Of shooting his father expelled from school
When gro~ing up to manhood he tortured aminals put
vro OIL cows hoisted their legs beams burnt fence
blinded cat told lies about his exploits ia Canads and
wanouly pointed guns at people On these grounds ac-
quital vas demanded. With our experience of modern
trials we must award praise the jury who rejected
such miserable plea. IL there crime perpe-
Tated with circumstances Indicative OF the perfect
sanity 1t IS that of William Dove. Acts Of brutality and
wanton mischief, ncDrrigble temper, perversenes-
maudn hts IN the intervals of drunkenness superstition
aud stupidity might necessary be proved halt the ruff
mans VINO cut The thoa aud break the ribs OF their wives
In WhitechhpeL The jury, however recommended the
prisoner to mercy the ground Of defective intellect
IL l. THIS Distinction involving kind of modified respon-
sloiy against which We must protest We need not say
1t was totally the practice OF criminal Law until
something like it lately accepted by the Secctiry Of
State in the OF a named Corrgan declared by
jury to We predisposed to insanity. IL will be somewhat
dangerous precedent If these refnements ia mental
pathology allowed to influence Jurisprudence
mnu spends six days in poisoning his vito with drug
which he believes cannot be traced in the hu-
man remains he accomplishes the deed with
the consummsie art and hypocrisy; aud merely be-
cause" like Palmer himself lac buyr the poison
ncauousy and asks questions about it oo,hly because
n
tyran to his we-because he would Learn Scripture
history at school aud farming aterwas he il to be held
deserving Of merely secondary punishment. Ar. We
then 70 discuss the intellectual qualities Of mur,lercr.
aud ~ hang only those distinguished for diligence aud
ability There certainly theory very difficult Ia con.
test logic dy,-ha human action be either praise
worthy or bimeabe since every only according
to his organization, for which he cannot be responsible
but tue world has decided admit such nece-an
principles Free will is part aud parcel Of the law Of Eng.
land, ~ OF every other county, IL Ice held that
every man conscious Of right aud wrong-tat IT, Who
not actually in-ane has sufficient intellect enable him
20 resist the desire 10 destroy his eowcreatures To say
that mln il naturally stupid aud cruel is ouy say that
he IL likely man So be murderer The evidence pro-
duced for the defence very good evidence show that
Dove just the poison his wife and in some for.
egn countries would have been sought for and brought
forward by the prosecution but how bc held To
tlb-h his claim 70 mercy cannot There IL a &C.
es oi pictures by Hogarth called he Progress, Of Cruel
ty, b. which l. exhibited a begun by tine ortnrng
Of animals aud ended the giOws aud IN the dssecug
room There j. supposed 20 be moral in this but Il
the principle rnnncitted by the Yorkshire jury be estab
i'he W. must expect 70 have the fighting Of cocks aud
the sknning u cats attested by sympathzng friends a.
claims IN much hnbtua good coudttet bs.