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Leader (1850-1860), 15th March 1856, Edition 1 of 2, Page 247

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      at the last alterations to a greater extent than was f supposed / demands a flat contradiction , as I not only did not insert a single inch of bond timber , but extracted the whole tiers of bond timber which had originally been inserted in the main walls . So strongly did I feel on this point , that I considered it to be a duty to give the profession the benefit of my experience on the danger of using this material . I addressed a paper to the Institution of Civil Engineers , with a drawing of the main -wall as constructed , and specimens of the bond timber , which was read at one of the meetings in May , 1847 , in proof of which I beg to extract a few lines . I Btated that the bond timber had failed , and that in taking down the old vaults at thirteen feet from the foundation , I found a tier of Jtfemel bond timber ; 12 x 6 had been introduced

      Into the main walla all round , which externally appeared mere ly to have shrunk , but on examination proved to be not only useless , but perfectly decayed . Of this there were five tiers up to the level of the ceiling , the whole of w hich , amounting to above 2 , 000 feet , I directed to be removed in small lengths , as the work progressed , and filled nip with brick and Roman cement to consolidate the wall . I found , also , that the timber lintels above the doors were rotten , and I had recourse to York stone lintels ; and flat arches , with relieving arches above them , were necessary , ¦ which was a work of great extra labour and expense . I may add , to strengthen the work , and as a precaution against fire , as far as practicable , I introduced in its construction above 2 , 000 ewt . of cast and wroughtiron . "

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      body . She could not bear touching , for , even if I touched the bedclothes , she quite jumped and started . Even walking across the floor would sometimes cause her to jump and start . The twitches were interrupted by brief intervals of quiet , and then recommenced , particularly when ehe offered to stir , or when we were walking about the room or touching the bed . " When first apprised of the attack , Mr . Dove asked a neighbour , Mrs . Wxtnam , to come in ; which she did . She witnessed all the symptoms described by Mrs . Fisher , and assiste d in applying remedies to the sufferer . Mrs . Dove refused to drink anything cold , and putting any cold liquid to her mouth brought on the twitches . When these ensued , she

      threw back her head , and grasped the hands of her attendants convulsively . Mr . Dove went for medical assistance , and returned with a gentleman , who found the sufferer still in great pain , but not so bad as- she had been , and in about two or three hours the fit left her . On Tuesday , the 23 th ult ., she was better ; on Wednesday , she was again attacked with twitches , and was ill for eight or nine hours . On Thursday and Friday , the fits recurred , with greater intensity each time . On all these occasions , it appeared that Mrs . Fisher and Mrs . Witham were present , with the consent and at the desire of Mr . Dove . " The attack was so severe / ' according to the testimony of Mrs . Fisher , " . that hep body was frequently lifted up from the bed . Her inside at that time made a very peculiar noise , and her breathing was also very bad . I did not

      pressed surprise at the length of time ho had been goae , to which he replied , "I can't go to Leeds and back in five minutes . ' * She remarked , " You might have been quicker . You shall not fetch my medicine to-night / ' He answered , "I shall . " Afterwards , he observed to Mrs . Witham , "I thought you were going at five o ' clock . " Mr . Morley bad been attending Mrs . Dove since the ^ th of last December , and referred the spasmodic jerkings which he observed to hysteria j but they did not give way to the medicines he administered , as they would have done had his conjecture been right . On Wednesday , the 27 th of February , he suggested a consultation with some other medical man ; " partly , " as he stated at the inquest , "because the ease seemed anomalous , and partly because M > . Dove expressed a fear that his wife would not reco-ver . " To this suggestion he received a reply contained in the subjoined note : —

      " Dear Sir , —Mrs . Dove tells rne she ha ^ entire confidence in you , and she thinks thiat it would be going to needless expense to have any one else- Don't ho deceived—I have entire confidence . Will you be kind enough to speak to Mis . Dove to-morrow on religion ? for she says she wants some person to take her by the hand , as she feels herself a sinner . " I am , dear Sir , yours respectfully , " William Dove . " Mr . Morley subsequently susp-ected the presence of strychnine , but did not feel assured of it .

      Previous to the violent attacks , a suspicious incident occurred . On ' Saturday , the 23 rd of February , either Mr . Dove or his sister , Miss Dove , brought Mrs . Dove some jelly , which ehe said was nasty stuff , and tasted bitter . She asked her husband if he had put anything into the jelly ; and he answered , " Yes , I have put some of the medicine in it , " to which she rejoined that it was very unkind of him to do so . She was sucking an orange , to take the flavour out of her mouth , and she said that that was bitter too . " You

      don't think , " said her husband , "that I lave put anything in the orange too ¦ •?" ¦ She replied , " I do not think you have . " Mrs . Witham and Mrs . Fisher were present on this occasion , and the latter , having tasted the jelly , said it was as bitter as aloes . Mr . Dove subsequently said he had put in the medicine for . a joke . AJfter Mrs . Dove ' s death , her husband was seen to empty down the sink the remains of the medicine which his wife had been taking . In the course of the iliUf-SB * some effervescing powder was put by him into the medicine . Mr . Morley desired to see the body

      ai ' ter death , but was refusfcCl . A post-mortem examination has been ma . de by Messrs . Morley and Nunneley ; the result being the discovery of strychnine in sufficient quantities to cause death . The opinion of those gentlemen , emphatically expressed at the inquest , was that death resulted from that poison . It appears that . Mr * Dove obtained some strychnine from the surgery of Mr . Morley , under the pretext of poisoning a cat ; and a cat killed iu this manner was found at the house . About a month ago , Mr . Dove went to the surgery of Mr . Morley , and began talking about Palmer's case He said he believed strychnine could not be detected after death . Mr , Elletson , Mr . Morley ' s assistant ,

      said he thought it could ; and mentioned some of the tests . Mr . Dove then asked the effects of strychnine on man , and was shown a passage in Pereira ' s " Materia Medica , " describing those effects . He appeared to x'ead this , and afterwards eaid that his house was infeated with cats , aud asked for some strychnine to destroy them . Mr . Elleteon gave him about ten grains , wrapped up in white foolscap paper , on which the assistant wrote the word " poison , " adding a verbal caution not to let the packet lie about . Seeing a bottle of antimony , Mr . Dove remarked that tbat was the poison Palmer used . He called again in about a week ; said ho had killed one cat , and asked for some more poison to kill another 1 —a portion

      of that which he had previously bought having been washed away by the rain . Mr . Ellotaon supplied him with , about five grains more , and , at Mr . Dove ' s own request , wrote " poison " on the packet . To one of Mr . Morley ' a surgery boyo , Mr . Dovo obeorvod , ""I believe they can tost all minerals and vegetables but strychnine ; " and the youtb . replied , " They can tent that . Mr . Morley tested it in the stomach of a young woman . " On another ocon&ion , Mi \ Df" said , to < v pupil of Mr . Morloy , " If my wife wtsai to die , would thoro bo a coroner ' s inquoBt , or would the oox-onor require an examination ? " Mr . Morley had a conversation with the following the

      Mr . Dovo on Thursday wife ' s death , at the house of Mr . Dovo ' s mother , who > wftB present . Aooording to Mr . Morloy ' a statement to the ooroiior ' tj jury , " the acousod said , ' I wish to know Mr . Morloy , what you htvyo found V He alao mentioned poison , and I tbink Ue added , * Have you found poiaou if' but during the conversation ho mentioned poiaon . I roplied , ' Wo have wot jot flniehod oui analysis , and 1 cannot give iwu opinion , but I oanno Buy wo have found any natural difjoaoo to account foi death . Neither ho nor I mentioned strychnine , h ( having prooured Bome at ray surgery . ' Ho said , ' D < you , Mr , Morloy , nu » pect jno of poisoning t Do vox think 1 could bo bo oruol 2 ' I Haid . ' My HUHuioiom

      observe now her eyes appeared , She was quite sensible , and when she had . a little recovered ehe said , * I thought it was all over with me . ' I stayed in the room until two o ' clock : on Saturday morning . Mr . Dove was there all the time , appeared very , much frightened , and wished me to call in Mrs . Witham , but I could not make that lady hear . " ( Mrs . Witham had been present at an earlier part of the evening . ) "I only knocked at the chamber -wall , the houses of Mr . Dove and Mr . Witham adjoining each other . Mr . Dove appeared quite alarmed and frightened . He did not request me to go for Mrs . Witham , nor did he say any thing about going for Mr . Morley , the surgeon . About one o ' clock , the symptoms appeared to abate : I stayed with her until two o ' clock , and then went to bed ; She appeared sensible on that occasion , although she could not speak when the fits were on . "'

      SLOW POISONING NEAR LEEDS . If anyone were asked to mention the most prominent feature of the present times , he would be forced to answer " Slow Poisoning . ' That awful crime has developed itself within the last few mouths in various parts of the kingdom , showing that the disease 13 general , and not confined to particular localiti es ; and the neighbourhood of Leeds has now to be added to the catalogue . Mr . William Dove ia a gentleman of independent means living at Burley , near Leeds . He is eightTandtwecty years of age , and report Bays he has led an irregular life ; but , three years and a-half ago , he married . He is stated to have used his wife with great brutality ; often coming home drunk , beating

      Her , threatening to "do" for her , and on one occasion saying he would give her a pill that would settle her . Un another occasion , he menaced her with a carving Jmtfe , and once he beat her until she fainted . In consequence of these circumstances , Mrs . Dove requested her servant girl , in case of her death , to take steps towards having a post mortem examination made . xT" * I t month a 8 ° » hia wtfe fel 1 iH , and wa « attended by a medical man , who found her eufferang troin functional disorder of the Btomaoh and of the

      nervous system , of a slight character , but there was no organic disease . It was not long , however before more serious symptoms manifested themselves . On Saturday , the 28 rd of February , a Mrs . fisher went to Mrs . Dove ' s house to perform the domestic work . She arrived at the house about noon , and found Mrs . Dove apparently quite well ( though this was after ehe had been attended for nervous disorder ) , andoleaning the knob of the door . She wont to church on tno fol owing morning , and even on Mondav .

      1 Ia m' "Tk PerJfoo « y well . After breakfast she and Mrs Fisher proceeded about some household work , when Mr * . Dove suddenly complained of fooling ill . She spoke of a strange ™ fttion in her legs , saymg " they folt very curious—she Boworfy know how they felt . " Rapidly sho grew worse ¦ her husband was called , and » ho was put to bod . Then ensued symptoms of « , very alarming and unusual character . " Sho appoared , " « aid Mrs . Flahor in . giving , hor ovidonoo boforo tho coroner , " to start , jump , and twitch about tho bed whilo tho attack was upon hor . Hor logs wore stiff , her head was thrown ovor , and thoro was n convulwivo motion of tho wholo

      These alarming attacks reached their climax on the night of Saturday , March 1 st , when iiie pnt-2 ?!!* died . In the middle of that day she appeared to be "better . Eeiween seven and eight o ' clock , Mr . Dove went in to Mrs . Witham , ana asked if she would stay with ilia wife while he went to Leeds . She consented . ; and , about eight o ' clock , in her presence , Mr . Dove gave his wife some medicine from a bottle which Mr . Morley , the surgeon , had sent . The medicine was of a dark colour . After it had been taken , Mr . Dove washed out the glass , saying , " I always wash it out , as the medicine is very nasty stuff . " It appears that at that time he was not quite sober . The medicines were generally administered by him . When Mrs . Dove

      had taken the draught , she obser ved , "Oh , dear , it is very disagreeable and veiy hot . " Shortly afterwards , she said , " It ' s very bitter . Have you anything in your pocket , Mrs . Witham , that you can give me t ' Mrs . Witham gave her a lozenge ; and , in about a quarter of an hour , Mr . Dove administered to his Wife , at her request , some peppermint water , and then left the house . Mrs . Dove exclaimed , in a few minutes , that she believed another attack was coming on , and she asked Mrs . Witham to hold her back . Her back was arched inwards , and the twitches again came on . She seized Mra . Witham with one hand , and Mrs . Wood , another attendant , with the other , grasping tho hand of eac h so tightly that they t

      found it impossible o withdraw from the grip . Hex eyes were contracted ; she could not see ; and her features wore distorted . The feet were arched outwards , and a rattling aa of mucus was heard in the throat . She made a noise so dreadful and loud , that , according to Mrs . Fisher , she could be hoard in the farthest part of the house . " The screams were lite a child ' s screams . '' She appeared desirous of swallowing liquid , Tmt could not , her teeth beiug clenched together . In the midst of these convulsions ske exclaimed , Off tho bed "! " and the women , who wero sitting on the bed , got off ; but , on finding the ejaculation repeated , they understood her to wish that they would lift her off . This , however , they found they oould not do , owing to hex * weight . About

      ten o ' clock , Mr . Dovo came iu , but went out again for medical assistance . To Mr . Morloy ho oxproaeed < i wish for further medical advice ; and that goiitleman therefore brought Dr . Hobson . Before leaving for the sick house , tho two medical gontlemen had a conversation with Mr . Dovo at Mr . Morloy ' a house , when Mr . Dovo said , " Mr . Morley , if jny wife nhould dio , Hbo Una a particular objection to being dissected . Sho htiB a vory strong objectiou { ho ropo «< tod thi « i » different fowna ) to being diaaootod , and it muat wot be done . " On arriving at tho houau , Mra . Dovo wim no more Hor husband entered tho room au < l But on tho bad . Ho was oxoited , and was ovyitxg , and lio ojcolaimoa , " Oh , Mra . Witham , what muwt I do I " On Mr . Dovo ' h return from Loodw , hia wifo had ox

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      March 15 , 1866 . ] TH 1 LIADE B . n »

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      OUR CIVILISATION .

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      S ^ bb Ai ? Drttby-lane Thea . tbe . —A fire was discovered in Drury-lane Theatre on the evening of Friday week during the performances . The locality was precisely the same as that where the conflagration which has destroyed Co vent-garden , was first discovered ; but the flames , were speedily extinguished , without the audience knowing of their existence . An mquiry was instituted by Mr . B . T . Smith , with the assistance of Mr . Braidwood j but the result has not been made public . It is stated , however , that the cause of the fire was the lodging of a piece of lighted wadding , discharged from a gun in the first piece , among the " flies "—a fruitful cause of fires at theatres , having led to the destruction of the former Cfoventgarden , and of the famous " Globe Theatre " of the reign of James I . The conflagration which destroyed the ktt ?? building was caused , according to the statement of Sir Stlirj Wctooh , oy tilS TTaCt ding from the cannon discharged in " Henry VIII . " supposed to be Shakspeare ' s play of that name .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), March 15, 1856, page 247, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2132/page/7/