The Duke of Buckingham has returned again to public life
after a re- tirement of some years. The occasion which gave rise to his reappear- ance is a split among the Buckinghamshire notables as to the extent and objects of the Royal Bucks Agricultural Association. The resources of this body have been lately much reduced by the secession of members sdverse to the contracted and political character of the Association. The seceders talked of founding an improved society ; and the supporters of the ancient body met yesterday week to devise means for effecting what the reformers propose to effect by a new association. After they had transacted business, they dined together ; and it was in replying to the toast of his health as President of the Association that the Duke of Buck-. ingham reappeared in public.
"It has been my Loodlot and fortune' " he said, "to live in this country for many years. I have been associated with you from my earliest days : Thrive seen this association spring up amongst you ; I have witnessed its mirly prosperity, and I am here today to lend my humble aid towards its ultimate triumph. But, proud as I am, gentlemen, of my former days, what must I feel when! see inthis room those old friends, those landassociates, those familiar faces cheering me on as I appear again amongst you. When I look back on the happy days passed in the society of many now assembled here— when I revert to the cheerful hours spent in their society—when I think of the kindness I have received from you, even to the warm reception of the honest labourer,—when I think of all these things as memory bears me to the past, then do I feel proud indeed; that I then obtained your good opinion, and that, in spite of circumstances, I still retain it. When I see around this board many old and familiar faces—when I see-one iiearest con-
nected with me by blood and affection [Lord Chandos] cheering moon by a kind and warm approval—how can I express my grateful thanks I wished to retire into private life : by your desire have I come amongst you, grateful indeed for the reception you have this day accorded me—what can I say more ? "
A letter from Mr. Disraeli to "Dear Duke of Buckingham" was read at an early stage, apologizing for his absence, on the ground that the Government had fixed important business for Friday night.
At 3faidstene Assizes, Mr. Richard Bourehier, master of the Mangerton steamer, was tried for manslaughter in causing the collision with the Josephine Willis and the consequent drowning of numbers of persons. The evidence was similar to what had been elicited in previous inquiries, and, like it, of an unsatisfactory nature in proving explicitly where the blame lay : but it was so evident that no case of criminal neglect could be made out against Mr. Bourchier, that, after several witnesses for the defence had been examined, Mr. Justice Coleridge stopped the case and directed an ac- quittal.
Serious defalcations have been discovered in the accounts of Mr. Thomas Garrard, the Chamberlain and Treasurer of Bristol Corporation.
The inquest into the circumstances attending the death of Mrs. Dove, at Burley, near Leeds, has not yet been concluded. At the sitting of the Coroner on Monday, Mr. Morley and Mr. Nunneley, the surgeons who per- formed the post-mortem examination of Mrs. Dove's body, gave their evi- dence in great detail, and described the tests they had applied to the stomach and its contents. The result of the analysis was the discovery of strych- nine by nine different methods : the test of taste, "almost of equal import- ance with the direct chemical tests" ; the test of nitric acid ; that of acetic acid and chloride of gold ; that of concentrated sulphuric acid and bichro- mate of potash. Every test was applied separately, repeated many times, and varied ; but the result was always the same—strychnine. 'Without any doubt whatever, both the surgeons emphatically pronounced strychnine the cause of death. Mr. Morley deposed, that in conversation with. him, Mr. Dove had shown great anxiety as to the result of the in- quiry, and had stated that he had only obtained strychnine once from the surgery ; whereas the evidence of Mr. Morley's pupil, who had supplied the poison, proved that Dove had obtained it twice—one. packet of ten grains, one of five. [On both occasions, he said the poison was wanted for killing cats.] Coming into the surgery, Dove had mentioned' Palmer's case, and remarked that he supposed "they can't test strychnine." Elletson the.pupil, and Peacock the surgery boy, told him that "they could " ; and the boy named a case in which Mr. 1.1orley had discovered strychnine in the body of a girl. On the evening of Mrs. Dove's death, Mr. Searth, another of lllorley's pupils, met him on the way to the surgery, when he used words to this effect—" If my wife were to die, would there be a coroner's in- quest, or would the coroner require an examination ? " Searth said there would at least be an examination by Mr. Morley : whereupon Dove said, that neither himself, his wife, nor his family, would like one. Evidence was also taken to show that Mr. Dove did not conceal the fact that he had strychnine in the house. In a conversation with Mr. Morley he asked, "Can you sus- pect me ? " Mr. Morley said, "How could I? I do suspect an accident might happen." He then said, " Should I have done it openly if I meant to poison ? should I have come to your surgery for poison ? should! have talked about it to others ? " It was proved that on the day of her death he gave his wife her "medicine" at eight o'clock ; she died before eleven. Elizabeth Maher, the housemaid, gave evidence showing that Dove fre- quently came home drunk and ill-treated his wife. On one occasion she heard Mrs. Dove scream out ; and, running into the room, she found Dove holding his wife with his left hand, while he was flourishing a carving- knife over her with the other. On another occasion he struck her over the head, and she went up-stairs and fainted ; and a few days afterwards, on her requesting him not to go out, he told her to mind her own business, or he would give her a pill that would do for her. In consequence of these threats, Fisher was requested by Mrs. Dove to urge her friends, in the event of her death, to insist on a .post-mortem examination, as " she was sure her husband would do something to her."
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