The Express.
London, England, 1856-06-16 00:00:00

EXECUTION OF PALMER.

William Palmer was executed on Saturday morn-
ire at eight o'clock, in frost of the county geol.
Ever sines Palmer has been in Stafford Gaol, his brothers
Thomas and Os orge, and his sister, ham constantly visited
him, and they have been in the prison almost every day.
Hs hes mot/ er brother, and ft wee stated
that the mann le has not been to see the
pri-
scner is, that he I. suff.ring from some severe
mina' or rheumatic affection, which prevents him going
abroad. A gentleman mama Haywood, who it related to
Palmer by marriage, also whited him once or twice during
the week, and it spectra that doting all the interviews
that took place the prieoner inysrlab'y twisted that be wet
isnot/in of the crime alleged against him. sod that he bad
been unjettly enovived of the murder of Mr. Co ,k. At the
eery lot meeting between Palmer and Mr Haywo'd, the
latter exhorted the t Imam to relieve his mind if he were
guilty, adding, " Palmer, you know there i. no necessity to
make aloes statement, hot if your 'entente is sleet one, you
should say so " The prisoner replied," It is not." One of
the officers of the gaol then said to the prisoner, " Lo you
mean to say that yea are no, justly 0011,iC,Pti?" Palmer
erawered, "I do ray en." H. then gam Mr. Haywood •
rel•gir us book that be bad lent him, and they parted. Ti'.
Rev. Mr. Goodscre, the chaplain, why has aster before
' had under hischante a espltally coovieted criminal, ha. bees
most unresittirg in his rtitati,os to the primer. Hs has
also been assisted by the Rev. Mr. Sneyd, a eleygyiran
residing nest Stafked, and both Vesta rev. gentle
men liam made the most earnest endeavour, to brieg
the trimmer to the sense of hi. onhaopy poction, sad it we.
frequerVy impressed upon him that he could give no
treater sign of real penitence than admitting his guilt if he
F had really committed the crime imputed to him. The pri-
mmer lietaned to these exhortations with calmness and at-
tention, bat he always eabib.ted the beeriest and manner of
a man who had determined upon the course he should take,
end be never, however mash pressed, refrained from de-
eming that be had been unjustly c%nvicted of the murder
of Creek by strychnim. Whether titers really w. 5 any
real rvatioe fa the priannee's mind as t 4 the actual mum of
death it not course impossible to know, but it notelets
that he would give any direct sumer to the question
whether Cook was murdered or Dot.
Daring the whole time Palmer has been in Stafford Gaol
he has worn the prison dream, which is of the most vanes
and ordloary deserip.ion. It consists of a jacket, nommen,
and waistcoat, all composed of a coarse prey cloth, the make
of the garments and the materiel being of the same cha-
racter. It is customary with movie.. capitally convicted ty
allow them on the morning of ext out to resume their
son garments ; but as the drew worn by Palmer during his
sojourn in Newest' was taken from him after the tried, sad
was never sent for by the prisceer or his friend., this course
could not be taken in the present case, end the prisoner was
commeently executed Is the prison dress. At his own
rattan% also, hit hair was cot quits close to his head Imme-
diately he arrived at Staff rd, sed this, added to his miser-
able clothing, very toatetislly slotted his appearance, and
gave him the look of a coarse, common man.
Os Friday morning. Palmer, for the dent Vim, expensed
a desire to see Me Smith, hi. attorney, aad Major Fultard,
the governor of the gaol. immediately directed a telegraphic
menage to be sent to London, informing that emptiness' of
the prismer's wish. An answer was returned that Mr.
Smith weld certainly ceme to Seafited, but that it would be
'erosible for him et, do sows til late in the day. The psi
•ftner was visited on Friary by Me. Haywood, his
brother in-law, and his brothers Thomas and demos,
and hie Meter. Mr. Haywood lon in the anemone,
hat hie brothers sod sister remaised tae greater
portion of the evening; but it need not be stated
lint two officers of the prison were present the whole
time. An issorrtsnt incident took plan• shout balflisat
ten o'clock. Major Falford, the governor of the gaol, being
ewers that Mr. Smith, the prisoner's attorney, wag shortly
expected to arrive. went to the prisoner's cell, accompanied
by the Rey. Mr. Goodscre. and he addressed the prisoner,
and said that if he wished to make any family on m0i1.14,1041
.14,1041 rommuniettione to Mr. Smith, he might rely that
they would not be divulged, and that they should be kept
a professed secret. Palmer immediately replied, " What
I hate to say to Mr. Smith I do not wish to be kept
secret; hut I hope, on the contrary, that you will take
um to let it he made as petite se possible. I have
my to say that I em very grateful to Mr. Smith
fir his stertions of my behalf, and I also thank
the officers r f this gaol for their Madness to me," He this
finished the sentence by using this remarkable esprestdoes,
" I also wish to say that Cook did not die from atryebnit"
Major Falford, up n his saying this, addreemed Palmer and
said, " Mr. Palmer, I hop* that at this awful mouton' you
are not quibbling as to the coon of Cook's death? The
question is not whether C. ok was reordered by atmehnia,
but whether be was killed by you OT Dot " Palmer re-
joined, " Why, Lord Campbell summed up the owe as see
of murder by stryebnia." Major Falford emits said,
" That is not the question—the point, is whether Cook
was murdered by yeti or not." Palmer the said, " I bays
enthhg mere to say than this-1 sin quite tansy fa my eon.
mimeo and happy in my Wad." Mr. Smith arrived at the
prisms soon after this moseyed, and be was immedi-
ately *dented to the prisoner's Pll. 'The prisoner's broth en
tad sitter were present during the interview. It was anti.
elpated that the primmer was about to make loss ise-
rrttet rommonicttion to t.ie attorney, hat it turned out
that his chief ohjset was to thank him personally for the
great pains he had taken in preparing his defense, and
also to contradict a rumour which it seemed he imagined
had got abroad, that be had made a confession in London,
either to Serjeant She., or to note of the moth,
rides of the gaol of Newest,. He wished Mr Smith
to do all In his power to get the statement contradiated if
it had hem mad*, and he elm pressed atm him, for the
make as be said, of his family sod his "poor boy," that
the sake,
of Cook should he again *thorned, and satmitted
to etamitation, with a view to show that it did not coot do
lany stryeknis. Mr. Smith promised 'o do all in his power
to comply with Palmer's moon. Before he loft, Palmer
' gave him a religious tract entitled " The Sinner's Feinsrl,"
and just before be banded it to him he wrote on the fleet
lento in a firm bold band, William Palmer, Jane 13,
1856." The Seal parting of the primmer and his relatives
was very arteriole. 'They did not leave the mot until pat
12 at night. Mr. Smith accompanied them, and he left by
ones of the early morning trains to go to Birmingham.
Palmer retired to rest soon after his relatives and Mr. Smith
had left. . . . .

Palmer, se above-o•ted, went to bed shoat twelve o'eloek.
He slept soundly until half--ast two, when he meek., and
shortly after three the Rev. Me. Ci^odscre, the ehaploin,
was admitted to his roll, sod hi remelted with the rieseer
until the last moment. Palmer remains I in his bed eon
vetoing with the chaplain until eye o'clock, when he it,t
up and washed end dressed himself, and he then had a cup
of tee brought to him, bat be Aid not eat anythiug with it.
One of the turnkey' naked ties bow he was, and he replied
that he felt very comfortable and happy, sad wag quits
pry and,
About half-most 'eves o'clock, Colorer! Drott, the high
sheriff of the ciurty, aecomneried by Mr. Head, the
under sheriff, and rime of his officer., arrived at the
OWL and they proceeded to the primroses cell, sr-
immpanied by Major Talked, the governor, and
the Rev. Mr. Goodson". The prisoner shook beads
with them, and retained thanks to the g. vern, r
for the k .loess he bad received at his hands
Shortly afterwards CcionelDyott ached the preens whether
Ins did not think that the time had strived whet he oeght
to ate it the justice of his enterer? Palmer immediately,
and with great earnestness, exclaimed—. No." Then,
one of his "ems dons, end with great 'merry, he
added—. They are my murderers." He did not mention
whom he meant by "they," but be again repeated the es.
premien, .1 am murdered ; they ere my murderers." The
• coti ger was 'Pont, after thts brought into the cell en
perform the neormary operations upon the primmer. He
woe demoted in a very cleats white mock beets, end was
apparently *tarot fifty veire old, and a tall'hale loan. His
MUM, it sower., ins J, Ito Smith, sod he earries on some
little trade to the town of Dudley, whore he resides.
Although it eppeare that he ha• only bees enraged
is the rams capacity a few times, the last occasion
holes Bye yesn ago, when a men named Charles
Moore wee exemsted r what was then brown a. the
Aels Flats murder, he yet about his work of pinioning the
sews end wihts of Palmer, rsmoviao his aeckeloth, Ae.,
with the u.nvet mitoses'. Daring the a/meson' oft Inim.ire
P.lm.r did rot soy a word, and when it was concluded he
est down upon • berth awaiting the fetal signal to proceed
en she doe= that awaited him. The high she ref end t •
elseplain left the rem for • wiriest, mid alt., a abort time
the latter mid he thought it weld be adviaable, now that
the les• moment had shook orriyed, eosin to esk the t ti-
nnier whether he would make soy admiseon of hi. guilt,
sod they both returned to the ell, and the Rev. Mr. Good-
am again for the lest time melted the Walser whether he
would admit rho justice of hie sentence' Palmer replied
in • am, composed toes, "It is no. a jest resteser." To
t hie, the the plain, imparted, almost ievoluatarily, rejoined,
"Then your bleed be upon your own head "
At this moment the prima bell gave forth Its mounsful
send. Palmer beard it quite unmoved, and it b lag now
Asses up n eight o'clock, a signal was givea for the proofs-
Woe be be formed. It was headed by tho chaplain, who
commenced reedier the burial 'ethics ; be was followed by
memo officers of the sheriff ; then gime the prisoner, doss to
eh, m was the hangman sad his assistant. The high oh. rif
wad hie deputy and a few of the county =moistest,* who are
visiting justices of the peel, and Mejwitalford, the warmer,
dosed ties procession. The roll is which the "releaser lad
teem conlinsel was a scot of geßry, and be had to deinoni
an fret 'abeam He desseaded at a quick pato, and sot-
widotooolog his arse sad hands being *tossed Inv
faltered, but exhibited a most ortroordicay impost.
one. of samara sad, Mud, iodtflovoses. He stab

• bow to the governor of the gut, Melee Pafford, who
wan @tending at the bottom id the itaircase, and
shook batch with one of the efflets's of the prison,
and th n with great con p^sure titillated his place in the
procession. The &stems frow this soot to the enve .execu-
tion is considerable, and Pewee,. nave aid the whole of it
with a firm, light 'op, ioippiag, as it wire, along the ground.
He did not evince the least apourante of Werra when be
nine suddenly upon the ladder leading op to the ecoffeld,
bat at once mounted it npidij, and haying looked up and
observed the spot where the r tie was t engine, he, of his
own aecud, placed himself under it, and the elocution(' at
once placed the noose round his neck Thi. er. a the only
moment when he appeared in loony see emotion, but the
moment the rope touched his fit so he turned deadly pale.
Contrary to general exneciatioc, the crowd did not
evince say manifestsiion against tte prisoner epos'
Ws raking his opt en the scoff dd. There
was • slight yell from one portt a of the crowd,
bat the niej 'city t f trose truest gave no esprit-ion
of feelieg, end, Indeed, Unseat p, "het stiquese prevailed.
The hangman Mettle dr wa the ca, over the fin of the
prisoner retired from the scat Id, and wither w the bolt
that secured the drop, which at once tell, and Palmer ap-
peared to die about issunteneously. Ti ere was not a
single convulsive effort ebs.ryable, his pinioned hands
gradually dropped, and he ceased to rent apparently with-
out a pang.
After banging an hour the body was cut clown and earr:ed
10 the interior of the gaol, where • omit of the head was
accurately taken by a gentlemen named B•ideer, who is
connected with the Liverpool Phrenological Pociety, who
bed a special authority from the ei-stieg pierce. far that
purpose. The couctenance of the prisoner did cot exhibit
any indication of his having tuff-red a violent death, and •
sort of contemptuous smile appeared upon the face.
In connection with this port of the tironedirgs, the
Lterrpool Albion of this day reports that Mr. Bridge wee
permitted to enter the pall at six o'clock in the mornicg,
for the purpou of having en ot p riunily of carefully not-
ing all the proceedings. Co the cell chew being opened, he
was particularly struck with Palmer's demeanour, which
was that of a man fleshly arranging his toilet previously to
a morning visit rather that of a criminel &soot to termi-
ate his existerce under the felon's basso. There w.e no
tremor, no anxiety, no aterm—nothing but the meet per-
fect calm. Alter the body bad been cut ''ova, and
before entering tat on opined ino, Mr. Bridges ex-
plained to the high-sheriff, under-sher tf, eland in, gunner
and a number of the medical profesoos who had bees
admitted, the penalise type of the murderer's hood, point-
leg out the extreme predominance f seer rimer's;
his utter went of conscientiousness; and his deb et in
the higher Flitches pow. re. Udine, the se:fi .11
propeneities predominsted to en surto hi (Mr.
Bridges bad never Were seen in any other criminell.
The head, he explained, was cot 01 tee Rush or
Oleeson Wilson type, which impel. the individual to
the commission of outrageous and violent molder, bat
the real type of the secret and subtle to toner. A heel of
this class would needle* family, friend., end indeed a emote
kingdom, to nth fy orjecee ; and one may readily
understand tie low moral stat- of te e turf, when heads of
this t3p t can mix freely with the noble of the lend. All
protestations of innocence no the port of Palmer were, he
asserted, mote than c .uoterhalseced by the criminal t e-
nemies of tre head; and he deemed it a motor of Irratula-
ties that the prooreas of such a outs had been effectually
arrested. Mr. Bridges then proceeded to tyke • east, first
shaving the hand and pro cent gin the weal mode of ope-
ravens. He succeeded in obtaining a good cwt. The face,
in its general foratatina and reprisal's, is very much like
that of Rush. Histractivenen is large, hut tura •
tiveness appears to be the greet pivot on which the
whole action of the brain worked. The emit will be ex-
, hihited at Mr. Bridge's roams, and the proceeds will be
banded by him to Mr. Wright of Menclsecer, the prints
philanthropist, who is the founder of the institu'ion for
eduestice end meictsiaing the thilde n of coudemned
criminal. We are also informed that a lecture on Pansy
will be delivered by Mr. Bridges, the peon eds to be dewed
to the same ohjset.
In the worse of the day the body was tended within the
manias of tte
The f intern Palmer wee thus brought to • • -o-
ctanes on the eceffo'd. Coon the subj et of his guilt is
r feline+ to the crime for which he seff.red, notwithstand-
ing his qualified deniels there can be no few onable doubt ;
and, indeed, he himself, when the question use put to
him, attempted to contradict the fete that Cook ere,
I. p tint of fact, men aced. With regard to his supposed de-
sist of the crime, it should be reneuniw re t that Palmer
was not only • cunning and a hai mu, bat be was also a
bold man, possessing estraordinary nerve, which enabled
Ms to beer up when many o her men under similar cir-
cumstances would bays yielded. He was awe that one of
his brothers, a clergy's an. lied expensed • solemn belief
in his innocence, that all the other members c-f his family
professed to entertain the same belief, and he had the
couture to adopt a course that wee critcu'ated to justify their
avowed ophsies, or one which at ell events would rot cap
indict them. He did not succeed, however, in imposing
upon those who bad ample opportunities of eesi eying him,
end whose opinion to the last wan that he was merely sating
• part, and eadeavourine to swats • sh w
The remembrance of the Rangeley peientlege will not
speedily pass army, but all tete, on:ie....au with the evi-
dence cannot fail to entertain 0 • opinion that jiotiee over-
took the man who was really guilty of the dreadful crime,
and that every material fact in the ease excluded in the
clearest manner the possibility of his innooenct.

SUNDAY Music IN Matcuagraa.—The attempts
made to orgeolre an aseneiatton to p•ovide epprot riate mu-
sical performasees in places of rUNIIC se.ort s- Hanchreter
on Sundays have been crowned with enemas, and a commit-
tee he. been appointed, whi,h include. IRMA of the meet
eminent news in the ommaiseien or the peace. in the cor.
poratlon, and among the merchants of Manche/me.
Amongst the boat known are Aldeirneo W B. Wstkite,
J. Showeroar. Wilier?, as d Hereto. J. A. T (President
of the Commercial Association), it. N. Philip , Edmund
Potter, T. B. Potter, T. &bun. k, Martin Scsanck, C. I
Sehlottner, G. and T. Cooke, James end J •ho llegdsle,
Jos. Ewart, J. E. Teylor, and Jet, Gernett (proprietors);
and H. H. Acton (vile of the editor. of h.. ginmeAmerre
Guardian), Thomas Fairbairn,C.E , J. bialer, H. J.
Leppoo, Edmund Grundy. Alhany Fonblenesee, Tromso
Aches, Jchn Broadbent, Ellis Cualiffir, and J. H. Brooks.
Here.. Cmiliffe, Brooks, end Co , bankers, nave undertaken
to moire subscriptions toward. expense..
The Scotsman announce* that a great meeting is
to be held at &Whop on the 24th inst.—the annivenary of
the Bottle of Bstinrckhurn—hr the purpose of adoptiog
evolution. for the erection of a monument to W.llate, Scot-
land's favoasite hero. Invitations to the noblity and gentry
of the whole country, sod to ill the public i Hotels in Scot-
land, have been Issued by the committee. The ch-ice of a
nobleman so popular, so ameraplished, and, we may add,
so eloquent a. the Eon of Blips to preside over the meet-
ing is esorediogly happy, and will sot be wit .out it. at-
tractions for attendee.

Ths Elgin Courier says:—The prospects of the
aportsmaa, at one time unusually fev.iur.ble, have been
h sited in this quarter,. circumstance which is nit so mock
the malt of the h.il se alb. torrents canoed by the late
rains, which carried away a limit essay eggs from the nests
of the birds—a fact demi nitrated by the numbers that are
to b. men to the varicose water ClUnet

THE CAPTURE OP THE SHIP HYMEN BY RIFF
PIZATIM,—Tbe Sultan (s. s) err Ted at Soe,tampto• from
Gibraltar, which place the lett on the 3rd if Joao, reports
that her Majesty's steamer Ariel had arrived there from the
ft,tf coast, with four of the crew of tie Hymen, of Liver-
toed, recently captured and plundere I by the Arch.; alto
that her Ms jetty's etramer R. triburion had 'termed off
Cape Tree Forme with some Meuri.h authqritiee on board,
end it eta hoped that the remaining sheen me. if :he
Hymen's crew would he recovered.
THIS INUNDATIONS IN FRANCE.—Tbe Mayor of
Binnirgham (T. K. I'. Eichlgson, Esc ) has intimated his
intention to call a town's meeting, with the view eo solicit
the cooperation of his fellow-town/melt is eff, rlirg roots
errbetential aid M the ',offerers by the great maguey which
her recently befallen Franca.
FIRES ON SATURDAY.—Between one and two
o'clock in the morning of Saturday a most instructive fire
broke out on the premium of Mr. J J. Knowlea,cu.ler,
41. Ball smut, Padding•on. The semen. effected their
escape with difficulty. and the fi.en. s were not eetinguielted
until the place was nearly destroyed. The erj letup houses
of Mr. W. Pool, furniture br.ker, and Mr. J. Stabr ick.
smith and iv manna's., were also cocci ferably dement&
Cases ephemera. Wh le this fire wee burning at Peel-
, dingten. sow her serious one broke rut on the priming of
Mr. J. Simons, g e I dealer, Regeneestreet, Md.-'mi-
ned, which was burnt to the ground, and the aej icing
Mese of Mr Tinley °or siderably damaged.
THE WAREHOUSEMEN AND CLERKS SCHOOLS.—
Yesterday (Sunday) morning the lest of a series of uni,c,u,
wee preached by the Rev. Thomas Blaney at the Weigk
House Chapel, City, a collection being made at the conclu-
sion of the service in aid of the funds of tt• Warehouse-
man and Clerks' School for Orphan and neeessitrus
children et New Crow. The design of the leatits•ios is
c'otbe, realatais, sad educate the children of warehoun-
see, sleeks, and orate of every wholesale trade whe had
bees engaged in warehouses or manalwitoriee In any pert of
the United Kingdom, without distisetios of sex or religioa.
the Only qualification being the stettesaitette circumstances
of the apOmant. The rev. gentleman delivered the die-
tomes with lh usual clearness and power, the oongrogittien
responding to hi. appeal on behalf of this reliable
sastitetle.
'tisane's* has reached England that the screw
stoma Warman, Argo, has barn run down by a French
newol-trer, use Ceastaattasple.

'be eXprefili4

liftetlimiststaisTisiir—..li;eWeTs7ll3;;S-6 Imbue's,.
wit le at Lis °1
M'III. Ileawriedinst.by Two Aka es the
41§, a pabliallsor

BIOS NAT'S AT LONDON DAMON
:sl.l. Oar -*.o.try. 1141..........A1tareeM 4016
To.iroaaaw—illonling. 1 Se.........Aftersoca. lb. 12.,

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