PENAL SERVITUDE FOR LIFE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6362, 8 April 1882, Page 7

PENAL SERVITUDE FOR LIFE.

At the Leeds Assizes a young woman, 2~ years of age, named Felicia Dorothea Kate Dover, was charged with the wilful murder by poisoning of .Mr. .). Skinner, a Shetlield artist. The deceased obtained his livelihood by etching on the blades of razors and other articled of Shctlield manufacture. Ho was also an oil painter of considerable merit. Throughout ISSO the prisoner lived at Ileeley, near Siieliield, where she kept a small confectioner's shop in the London road. The deceased, who was about GO, lived in Gloverroad, Jlecley, and at that time lie had living with him ;i Mr. and Mrs. Jones. About August of that year the deceased formed the acquaintance of the prisoner, and shortly afterwards, in consequence of the nature of the connection that arose between them, Mr. and Mrs. Jones loft the deceased "a house'. An arrangement was then made by which the prisoner bueauie the deceased's housekeeper, she coming to his Jion.se every inorninj;, and doing household duties, and then leaving for her own home at night. J-Ycrjuont quarrels bad taken place between the prisoner and the deceased, the latter complaining bitterly of the prisoner having frequently taken things out of his house to pawn-shops, and on one occasion, during one of these disputes, the deceased had been

seen to strike her. On the evening of the /3th December, Mr.• skinner went to the Big Tree, apparently in his usual health,' and at half-past seven the same evening the prisoner went to the local chemist to purchase some arsenic, which she alleged she required for colouring some artificial ilowers. She purchased threepennyworth of that deadly poison, and then went to the Big Tree and accompanied Mr. Skinner to his homo. On the following day the prisoner expressed her fear that Mr. Skinner was going to die, although there was apparently no cans*; for the fear. That mornini; she purchased ,i fowl, and prepared it for dinner for Mr. Skinner and herself. She was the only person who hail anything to do with the preparation of the. fowl, which wasstulled with onions. Nome other (dulling was prepared by the prisoner and kept separate in another tin. During the day Mr. Skinner was heard to (rail out several times for his dinner, and he hims.-if sent out for some beer. Directly alter partaking of the fowl and the sluiling, however, Mr. Skinner exhibited signs of violent poisoning vomiting continuously, and being in the greatest bodily pain. A doctor was sent for, and he at once saw that Mr. Skinner was siuTerint; from arsenical poisoning. Kinetics were immediately employed, but without success, and the deceased died the same night. Directly after dinner the prisoner also feigned illness, but she did not vomit until after the application of an emetic, a somewhat singular fact seoiui' that in eases of arsenical poisoning, vomiting follows immediately. The fowl, shilling, Ac, were subjected to analysis, and it was found that the fowl and the stulling prepared inside it was perfectly free from poison, whilst the studiug separately prepared in another tin was absolutely loaded with arsenic. To the surprise of everyone, the jury found prisoner guilty of manslaughter only, and the judge sentenced her to penal servitude for life.