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    772 T H B Ii EADEI , [No. 334, Saturday,

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    OUR CIVILIZATION.. ' —: ¦ » . ¦ THBBE EX...

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    772 T H B Ii Eadei , [No. 334, Saturday,

    772 T H B Ii EADEI , [ No . 334 , Saturday ,

    Our Civilization.. ' —: ¦ » . ¦ Thbbe Ex...

    OUR CIVILIZATION . . ' — : ¦ » . ¦ THBBE EXECUTIONS . ' . WILXiAM DOVE . At noon last Saturday , William Dove , the lieeds poisoner , ' was hung in front of York Castle . From ten thousand to fifteen thousand spectators assembled to see the sight , and no doubt went away duly edified and softened . The criminal took the sacrament , according to the Wesleyan forms , on the previous evening , in the course of which he frequently engaged in prayer and in reading from the Bible . The Rev . J . Hartley , Wesleyan ministerand Mr . Wright , the prison philanthropist ,

    re-, mained with him during the night . Shortly after twelve o ' clock , Dove lay down on his pallet , and slept in a disturbed manner for rather less than an hour . Waking in trepidation , he demanded , in an excited manner , what he could do , over and above what he had already done , to save bis souL He was answered by various references to Scripture ; and shortly afterwards he engaged in a Wesleyan hymn in conjunction with Mr . Hartley , Mr . Wright , and the officers of the prison . At eleven o'clock , on Saturday , he wrote down a reference to the texts in the' Bible which had given him most comfort . His manner was calm and collected , and his face looked quite

    healthy . Saturday morning was rainy , but this did not hinder the people from collecting to the number already indicated . The gallows was erected at daybreak , and at about six o ' clock the grave-digger arrived , and . at once commenced making the grave for the yet-living man . Mr . Barret , Dove ' s solicitor , was with the convict while he was being pinioned ; and during this operation Dove held him by the hand . At this juncture , Mr . Barret availed himself of an opportunity of asking Dove if there was anything in the statement he had made on the previous Thursday which he wished to alter or correct . Dove replied , " Not a word ; it is strictly true . " Subsequently he turned to Mr . Barret and said , " Mr . Barret , tell my poor mother I die happy . " These were the last words he uttered , except in prayer .

    The hanging process was performed by a debtor in the prison , ^ who , being a novice , acted with great deliberation ; bat he appears to have acquitted himself with more completeness than is often exhibited by Calcraft , for'death ensued very speedily . The reporters on the spot record that , up to the moment of drawing the bolt , Dove had remained with his hands clasped , and that they remained , clasped , for a second after he fell . The hands then relaxed , the legs were drawn up , and tii ' e body swung to and fro : this continued for about a minute , at' the end of which' time the hands were again clasped , the legs dropped ,. and all was over .

    On the afternoon of Thursday week , Dove made a confession to his solicitor . He stated that his first idea of poisoning his wife was derived from conversations he had with " a third person , " apparently alluding to the man whom he regarded as a wizard . He did not , however , directly implicate this person . He added that , on the day when the fatal dose ( admitting there were several ) was administered , he was in a state of semi-intoxication . The precise moment when the strychnine was put into his sick wife ' s medicine glass was after Mrs . Witham had given her a draught at mid-day . The glass remained upon the washhand-stand until eight o ' clock in the evening , when the culprit says he was

    asked to give his wife her medicine . He adds that he did so' by pouring the draught into the wine-glass containing the strychnine , and . that , as soon as his wife had drunk it off , ^ Ti dhe eaw her dreadful sufferings , the thought flashed across his " muddled" brain that he had giwSQ her strychnine , and that she would die . He declares that , had the medical man been present at the moment , his contrition was such that he should have confessed his crime , and implored him to save his victim . A $ it was . he ran ' out of the house , and when he returned with the doctor his wife was dead . He admits that he was in a dreadful state of mind for several days lest a post mortem examination should have been made , and he says he was immensely relieved when the period had expired within which Professor Taylor had declared in Palmer ' s case it was alone possible to discover the

    existence of strychnine in the human subject . This narration was commenced at the moment when a violent thunderstorm burst over the city , and the convict's feelings ' are said to have been painfully excited as the darkness of his cell was illuminated by flashes of forked lightning ! Dove remarked to Mr . Barret , " Is it not strange'that this terrible stonh should commence just as I' am " about to unburden' my conscience by making a fctgtement to you ?" " )¦ AtiMjber and very long statement was mado by Dovo to JfoJtBtoret , just after his attempt to send out ; , by a 'tiBaqliH UMftfr ; tttultlamah , a letter addressed to Harrison , but whUhwis Intercepted . If the statements in this flo ^ ri ^ tnuyjbtt . depended ? n , the criminal must have been In a atfto bf th ^ inost lamentable subjection to the so-called M wtte tnta ) , » to whose repeated assertions that h « CDove ) _ would nAver be happy while his wife lived , couple with hints th » t . he woald dlo in February , and With suggestions as to the seoret operation of certain K 5 ?^ PiL t ho morder » PP *» r « io t > e attributable . In this MMemYttt there la no cbhfetftiUm of the murder , though

    Dove admits that he purchased strychnine ; out this , he says , was to poison cats . Dove became acquainted with Harrison through hearing of him from a working man , who alleged that he knew of several wonderful feats performed by him . Dove , therefore , sought him out ; and here we may repeat the abstract of the criminal's statement presented in a leading article of the Times : — "Of course , there is a good deal of drinking , for which Dove pays , and then the future murderer gives Harrison the date of his birth , that his * nativity' may be calculated . The precise object of this horoscope doea not appear , but it is connected with the renewal of the lease of Dove ' s farm , which a Mr . King , the steward , was unwilling to grant .

    Harrison , by his spells , is to force the steward to let Dove have the farm on his own terras . We now come to the details of magical conjuration as practised in Yorkshire at the present day . The ' wise man' comes to the farm to bewitch it . He takes out a mariner ' s compass to learn the points of the horizon ; then , producing some little pieces of copper , like halfpence , with mystic marks upon them , he begins the spell . The copper-pieces are buried with ceremony in various spots—in the barn , the yard , and the cowhouse . Each entrance to the premises is similarly laid under the spell . The enchanter then begins to pray aloud , invoking the power of the seven wise men , of whom he himself is one , to free Dove and his farm from hurt . ' No one can pass this gate to do

    you harm' is his promise . Next he demands pens and paper , writes something in hieroglyphical signs , and gives it to Dove . * If you want to retake the farm , put this in your pocket and go to King , who will let you it , only you must tell me beforehand when you are going . ' We may as well pursue this incident to the end at once . Dove goes to the steward with the talisman in his pocket , but it is of no use . King is inexorable , and Dove goes back , somewhat shaken , to his mentor . ' Never mind , ' says Harrison , ' he has the spell upon him ; he is an Irishman , and will take a good deal of working upon . ' Dove is quite satisfied with this philosophical explanation , and his faith in the wizard suffers no diminution . " Dove continued in constant communication with " the

    wise man" up to the time of his being taken into custody ; and , as the reader has seen , it was owing to his suggestions , according to the murderer ' s statement , that the poisoning was committed . In his final confession , Dove says : — " I continued to believe in Harrison ' s power for some weeks after I was committed to prison . I believed that he had the power to save me until June or July . On the day when I wrote the letter commencing Dear Devil , ' I was in a low , desponding , and queer state . \ can't describe my feelings . I during that day thought of committing suicide The instrument which was found upon me on the search made that day would

    have been probably used for that purpose . In the evening of that day , I wrote that letter , but I cannot tell you my feelings at that time . I did feel certain that the devil would come to me that night according to my request . I wrote that letter , but never intended it to be seen by any person . " The concluding portion of a letter addressed by Dove to Mr . Barret on Friday week was as follows : —« ' I would wish to remark , that I committed the crime through the instigation of that bad man , Hemy Harrison , of the South-market , Leeds . Had it not been for him , I never should have been in these circumstances . " Statements of this nature coming from a man like Dove must of course be received with the utmost caution .

    In answer to a question from Mr . Wright , who wished to know whether Dove poisoned his wife because he wanted to marry Mrs . Witham , the culprit declared solemnly that such was not tho case ; but in his confession he says he did think that he should have been able , on his wife ' s death , to make tho lady in question an offer of marriage , though this did not prompt him to' the crime . The motive still remains a mystery , but it seema probable that the means were suggested by the murder of Cooko by Palmer . In the course of the Friday preceding the day of execution , Dove said he had no feeling of resentment against tho judge who tried him , tho jury who found him guilty , or the witnesses who appeared against him . On the previous Tuesday , he wrote to Mr . Wright a letter which exhibits tho singular condition of egotism and diseased self-satisfaction to which criminals are often brought by the woll-meaning efforts of professional religious advisers . It runs thus : —

    " York Castle , Condemned . Cell , August 4 . " Mr . Wright . —Dear Sir , —I take this opportunity of writing to you . You told me that at any time that I wrote to you , and requested you to come , you would . Dear Sir , I shall he very glad to see you on Wednesday or Thursday at tho latest , for I feel my time is short . I cannot sufficiently thank you for your kindness to me while you were at this place . I cannot reward you , but my God and Father will roward you . Dear Sir , while I wn ' a meditating on tho goodness of God , and thinking

    of my past sins , and wickedness , all at a moment a thought flashed across my mind that there was a reprieve for me . And what do you think that ropriovo was ? Well , bless God , it was this—' Thy sins , which were many , are all forgiven you . ' It was no delusion , for it was so impressed on my mind that I could not help but mako tho remark , and tell my fiullow-priaonera and the officer that was thero . Dear Sir , I do not intend to stop thoro ; but I intend to ' proBS forward to tho mark for my high calling which is of God , by Christ Jesus . '

    Dear Sir , do not forget to pray for me , that I may not be ' weary in well doing , so that , in due time , I mav reap , if I faint not . ' And may the God of all grace bless you and yours is the fervent prayer of yours respectfully , " William Dove . "P . S . —I shall anxiously wait an answer . " A second letter to the same gentleman , written on Friday week , was as follows : " York Castle , Condemned Cell , August 8 " Respected Sir , — My time is short , my days are numbered , and soon I shall have to appear befor the judgment seat of Christ ; but I trust my Judcre is my advocate and friend , and that I shall meet His smiles , and be welcomed to mansions in the sky . I can truly say— ' I the chief of sinners am , But Jesus died for me . '

    Oh ! the consolation derived from this passage . I am saved through fire and by death ; ordinary means God had used , but they failed . He has , therefore , used extraordinary means , and blessed be His holy name . I believe it is in answer to the prayers of my dear mother and that I shall have reason to bless and praise Him through all eternity , that He checked me in my mad career , and adopted this plan to save me . " Oh ! my dear Sir , accept the thanks of a dying man for the kindness I have experienced at your hands . May that God , who is your Father and my Father , bless you both in this life and that which is to come , and may we meet in heaven , is the prayer of , respected Sir , yours affectionately , " William Dove . " Mr . T . Wright , York . "

    Shortly before death , Dove requested that a cast might not be made of his head : this was acceded to . The authorities have also determined , at the request of the relatives and friends , not to dispose of the criminal ' s clothes for the satisfaction of morbid curiosity .

    ELIZABETH MARTHA BKOWN . This woman , who was recently convicted of the murder of her husband , under peculiar circumstances ( see the Leader of July 26 th ) , was executed lost Saturday at Dorchester at eight o ' clock . She appeared resigned , penitent , and extremely calm , while her female attendants were overcome . On arriving at the place of execution , a cordial was administered to her , a part of which phe drank . Calcraft was the hangman , and , as usual , bungled . He forgot to tie the culprit's dress , and was obliged to return to the platform for that purpose . The bolt was then drawn , and a few struggles terminated the convict ' s existence . The woman was forty years of age ; the husband only twenty . The subjoined confession was made some time previous to the execution : —

    "My husband , John Anthony Brown , deceased , came home on Sunday morning , the 6 th of July , at two o ' clock , in liquor , and was sick . He had no hat on . I asked him what he had done with his hat . He abused me , and said : ' What is it to you , you ? " He then asked for some cold tea . I said that I had none , but would make some warm . He replied , ' Drink that yourself , and be . ' I then said , ' What makes you so cross ? Have you been at Mary Da vis's ? He then kicked out the bottom of the chair upon which I had been sitting . We continued quarrelling until three o ' clock , when he struck me a severe blow on the side of my head , which confused mo so much that I was obliged to sit down . Supper was on the table , and he said , ' Eat

    it yourself , and be . ' At the same time he reached down from the mantelpiece a heavy horsewhip with a plaid end , and struck me across the shoulders with it three times . Each time I screamed out . I said , If , you strike me again , I will cry , Murder ! ' He retorted' If you do , I will knock your brains out through the window . ' He also added— ' I hope I shall find you dead in tho morning . ' He then kicked me on the left Hide , which caused me much pain , and lie immediately stooped down to untie his boots . I was much enraged , and , in an ungovernable passion , on being so abused and struck ,

    I directly seized a hatchet . which was lying close to where I sat , and which I had been using to break coal with , to keep up the fire and keep his supper warm , and with it I struck him several violent blows on the head . I could not say how many . lie fell nt tho ilrA blow , on his head , with his face towards the fireplace . He never spoko or moved afterwards . As soon ns 1 had done it , 1 wished I had not , and would have given the world not to have done it , I had never struck him before , after nil his ill-troatinont ; but , when ho hit me so hard thia time , I w « a almost out of 1113 ' ncn . scs and hardly know what I was doin ^ .

    " ElA 7 . AUK . TU M / WtTHA BllOWN . ' If those allocutions could bo depended on , the puiii . ihmont surely ought to liavo been commuted , the olli'im being- more manslaughter than murder ; but the woman had previously mado Homo other oonfeHsioiiH of " different character , and this thrown Homo doubt over lh < ast .

    NKVAN , THIS . Novnn , tho marine who was convicted of shooting a scrgtmnt of tho Koyal Marine * on board her Majesty * ttliip liu nay mode , ( it Sultabh , in tho Hnmoa / . e , Plymouth , flutrored tho extreme penalty of tho law on Monday morning at Bodmin . Ho appeared to bo deeply an ' ectcd , and died struggling violently .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 16, 1856, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_16081856/page/4/