Murder, Magic and Madness
09 Nov 05

A prediction. A pact with the Devil. A foul murder.
A trial, which caused a sensation in the newspapers of mid-Victorian England .

Victorian England was an age of great social and educational progress. Yet, beneath this veneer lurked a darker world, where medieval superstitions flourished, influencing the thoughts and actions of many people.

Painted by the press as one of the foulest murderers in the annals of crime, William Dove was the son of a respected Methodist merchant. After a visit to Leeds Wizard, Henry Harrison, Dove poisoned his wife. His trial sensationally exposed a world of popular magic that had remained largely hidden from middle-class Victorian eyes.

Dove felt he faced many challenges in his life, particularly the poor relations with his wife. He wrote several blood pacts with the devil to get what he wanted, but with little benefit. Then he met Henry Harrison. He believed that Harrison possessed great magical powers, obtained from the Lord of Darkness. When Harrison predicted he would marry a more attractive, richer woman, Dove decided to give Fate a helping hand by murdering his wife.

This grim and grimy case remains interesting for a number or reasons. Firstly it delved into the world of the occult as Dove’s lawyers tried to prove him insane (they failed and he went to the gallows). Secondly it is an early example of a “copy-cat” killing, as Dove got the idea for his crime from a report in The Times. Thirdly it is the first time that the English newspapers began show the strong influence they could have on government policies on crime.

Magic Murder and Madness explores the social and psychological world of Dove and the wizard, tragic consequences of their friendship.

	Murder, Magic and Madness: The Victorian Trials of Dove and The Wizard
	Author	Owen Davies
	Pub Date	10 November 2005
	Price	£19.99
	Publisher	Longman
	ISBN	0582894131
		Click here for further information or to purchase Murder, Magic and Madness.

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