The Express.
London, England, 1856-05-16 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, MAY 16, 1856.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.

TRIAL OF WILLIAM PALMER.
(Concluded fray yesterday's Express.)

Charlie Haley said—l us • gardener at Rageley, end I
was oseeelloaally 'employed by the prisoner. I was at hie
house on the Busby before Mr. Cook's death, and he asked
me to take some broth over to him. The broth was le a
small sup with a *over to it. I took the broth to the Talbot
Arms, aid give it to one of the servant girls.
Sarah Hoed said—l was housekeeper at the Talbot Arms
at the time of Mr. Cook's death in November lest. I re-
m/attar the deorawd going to Shrewsbury rases, and I saw
him upon his raters, and be told me that he was very
poorly. I saw him about eight o'clock on the nada, of
the Sunday before he died, and be then said that he was
better. I saw the prisoner shortly afterwards, and asked
him what he thought of Mr. Cock, and he said he was bet-
ter, and that he did nut require soy one to sleep with him.
I had suggested that some one should do so, and the pit
sone said be was so mach better that it was sot necessary.
Os the Monday morning I saw Palmer is the kitchen el) at
seven o'clock, and he told me that Mr. Cook was better,
and he asked me to make him a cup of coffee.
He remained in the kitchen while I made the coffee, and he
took it from me to go to Mr. Cook with it. lie then said
that he wee going to Loans, aed that he had written to
Mr. Jones to some and stop with Mr. Cook. Between 11 sad
12 o'clock at night I heard that the deceased was very
and I went to his bedroom. He was sitting up, and he
appeared dfteppointed when I went in not to see the pri-
son/. Palmer came shortly afterwudr, and went into the
donned's room. He then bathed toms medicine, and
shortly afterwards I heard that Mr. Cook was very Wok,
and very ill, sad I bend him say that he thought he should
die. I was standing in the pangs whin this wound.
The prisoner appeared to cheer him up, and when be came
out of the room I asked him if Mr. Cook bad en relations,
and he said he had only a stepfather. Oa the following day
Mclean came,and hestaysd withthedemessitillliedesth.
Tine Wednesday morning after the doe* elf the Semen
I locked the door of Mr. Cook's bedroom mil blot the key
in my posesesiou. I afterwards gave it to the barber to
shave the deceased, sad subsequently to Lavish Baron.
The key was also given to the undertaker, and ultimately
I handed it to Mr. Steven, the father-in-law of Mr. Cook.
Cronexamined—l cannot say at what hour a passenger
by then express train to Stafford would arrive at Bugeley.
Mr. W. H. lons said—l am a surgeon, sad reside at
Luterworth. I was intimately emanated with the de-
scend, and he occadanally resided at my hoses. He woes
23 years old at the time of his daub. He was uasaanied.
He followed no profession, but latterly devoted his atten-
dee entirely to the turf, and kept racehorses and betted.
I de not know how loos he had been acquainted with the
prisoner, but they had been intimate more than a twelve-
month. The health of the boomed was generally good,
bat he was not a robust man. He needle hunt and play at
cricket. He invited me to Illmemelsesi to me !is horse rue,
and I spout the Tuesday, the 11th Nerentbsr, the day of the
nes, with him, and diced with him at the Raven Hotel
with several attar Mends. Then was • little extra sham
pipe, on wenn of the horse having won, bat the party
broke up between eight and nine o'clock. The deceased
aceompasied me on my way to the train, and we stopped at
the hone of Mr. Pull, the clerk of the course, and I saw
the diocesan produce his betting-book, and he made a state-
ment as to the amount of his winnings on the race. Mr.
Cook was not at all the worn for liquor on this day, and bel
appeared to be in perfect health when I left his On the
following Monday I received a letter from the prisoner,
informing me that Mr. Cook was taken ill at
Shrewsbury, and was then weaned to his bed at
Burley with a metre bilious attack accompanied by
dietitian. On the following day I proceeded to Bageley,
and visited Cook immediately, at the Talbot Anna.
He this told me that he felt comfortable, but that he had
been very ill at Shrewsbury, and that he was obliged to call
in a medial man. The prisoner rams shortly afterwards,
sad I swathed the deceased in his promos. His pulse
was natural and his tomes was clean, and I canned that
these appestats's did not eorrespond with • ease of bilious
diarrhoea, sad the prisoner said that I should have seen him
before. I did an preterites anything, bonne he was not
fa my heads at all, bat I visited him anent times, and he
appeared to be getting better. He vomited once after I had
u him sows tout and water that was is the room. Mr.
&retard arrived the same afternoon about seven o'clock,
and he Rieman his opiates that Mr. Cook was ping on
satisfactorily. Something was said about what Mr. Cook was
to have, and he objected to taking any more pill', and said
they hid made him ill the previous night. Palmer was present
when this took place. We all left the room, sad Palmer
proposed that Mr. Bamford should make up some morphtne
pale, as he did before, and the prisoner told me not to tell
Cook what the pals were composed of, as he objected to the
morphine so much. I woe le the disoused's noon several
times durieg the evening, and the deceased appeared very
comfortable, and I did not observe any vomiting. I did not
observe any bilious symptoms whatever about him, nor wee
there any appearance of his having recently suffered from
such an attack. About eight o'clock, the premier left to go
to his own house, sad when he returned he brought a box
of pills with him, and he opened the direction in my
presents, and directed my attention to the head-
writing, and said that it was very *inlaid for se
old man of eighty. It was very good writing in-
deed. The prisoner then proposed to Mr. Cook to
take the pille' and he protested very mesh against
doing so, on the ground that they had made hi. so ill on the
previous eight. Palmer premed kim very much, and at
last Cook complied, and after he had taken the pills he
vomited has the utensil, but did not bring up the pi.ls.
After he had vomited he lay down and remained perfectly
quiet. Hs had become much stronger before he took the
pillr, and got up and sat in a chair, and was in very good
spirits and laughed and joked shoat what he was going to do
during the winter. I went down stairs and bad my supper,
ad as he had requested I should sleep in his room, a bed
was prepared for me I went to bed about twelve o'clock,
having previoualy conversed fa a fewjainutes with the de-
ceased. He appeared sleepy, but there was nothing about
him to suite apprehension. After I bad been in bed
about ten minute., the deceased suddenly raised himself on
his bed, and celled out, " Doctor, get op, I am going to be
ill" and he added, " Bing the bell and send for Palmer."
I rang the boll and the chambermaid cameo
and he again sailed out to send for Mr. Palmer.
The bosun theta asked me to give him something to re
hive him, end I told him Palmer would be there directly.
Hs thee asked me to rub big neck, and I dtd so, end I ob-
w reed a gnat stiffens about the mantes of the newt.
Palmer Cent, into the room almost immediately, sad he
made the remark that he did not think he hod ever dressed
so quickly ia hie life. He brought some ammonia pills with
him, and Oink swallowed them, and elvectly afterwards
stared visited screams threw himself bask is the bed, and
wee driegfolly meneleed. Ammons pills could not have
ben Lila Ulna el *is. The deceased then said, "Raise me
ups an I shell be suffewated." The convulsions extended
sue ell the muscular fibres of the body--every muds was
annalied, and there was s stoffsaing of the limbs. I en-
deavoured be raise the deceased with the asafteance of Mr.
Palmer, but it was quite impossible to do so, from the rigi-
dity of the limbs. He then asked me to tarn him over,
and we did so. At this time he was quit* sensible. I then
listened to the sedan of the he art, and found it to gradually
makes, aid I asked the primmer to latch some spirits of
ammonia as a stimulant, and he left for that purpose, and
returned is two or three minutes, and at this time the bad
was gradually sinking la its make, and life was Rosily satinet.
Tbs deceased died almost imniniately after Pelmet returned
with the ammonia. Nut more than an minutes or a quarter
of an hour elapsed from the time the deemed drat called
out to me nail his death. The immediate eases of death,
in my opinion, was tetanus. By that expressioa is and' r-
stood a op...soda affection of the whole of the mud« of
the body, leading to • etoppage of respiration, and ulti-
mately suffoostioa. When death took place the deCeased was
lying on his side, and both hands wen tightly clenched,
and the had and seek were bent back leto quite an
unnatural potitlos and the body was twisted beck
infact it was quiabowed, sad if the body bad been pined
on the back it would have reeled on the heed sad heels.
The Frisson remained in the roam for some time after the
dosemed died, and I saw dm upon my return after I had
been absent • short time, with the deceased'. eat in his
bead, sad he said as I was his nearest friend I had better
take penessise of his effects, aed I took his se etch and his
puree, which contained lye aorarisse and five shillings.
There was no other many. I sow nothing of his betting.
book. Before I left the prisoner said it was a bat thong foe
him that Mr. Cook had died, for he was responsble ice bin
for threes/ bur thousand posadr, and he hoped Mr. Cook's
frauds went sot let him lose it, sad if they did not assist him
all his hens. would be seised. I was present when /dr. Ste-
ven, the slopfether of the deemed, arrived at Riageley, and
I bard the psbeser say that if Mr. Steven would sot bury the
deceased, he shesild. Mr. Stevens, the primrose, I, and Mr.
Bamford dined together on this day, and Mr. Stavin asked
me to ink for Cook's betting-book ad papers. Palmer
sad I meal eats( the room together ; be followed me es I
was gibe* kat he the pspen and the betting-book. I had
bolted he th• bosh bares, and the prisoner then told ow
that it was of leo ase to on but he bad so doubt that it'
he wieldfond. When went to search for it the second
time I could not find it, and I informed Mr. Stevens of this
in Pelisses presence, but I do no: recollect whet he said in
reply

By the Lord Chief Jasties—Nothiag wee nu cm the
Tusday sight at the essassitadon at which the primer
was present stoat the sperms of the previous night.
• - -

Crose-esaained—Tbe dastard lived a good deal at .y
bons. aid hie 'health was penally god. I do sot kaow
that he bad bees treated arterially, but not to any
gnat ntauL He had suffered fro. a slightly Serrated
throat. I kaow also that he had found it neasaary to
apply autos to hie toupee, but he bad sued to do so for
two seethe Wan his death. I believe be bad offend
fres a aside lase, sad that he was spy,. blames of
sesedary symptom He had been in radioed esuastaates,
bit I adesimed that hie condition wee improving at this
time. I /sew that he had several rushorsee, aid that
Falser wisktut unser of oe• of them. He was very
wise sheet the nee at Shrewsbury, sad the result wee a
natter °ripest larortaaes to him. He was very ealeil ex-
alted far two se three matte, after the nee, sad Gould set
speak, het he eta recovered. The primmer ham very well
whe I was, aad that I was in pumice at Lutterworth. The
temased told ma that Dr. Savage bad advised Ms net to
take calomel or opiva. When he flat saw the primmer
after the leak he said to his, " Palmer, give ma the re-
ady you did last night." He died quite quietly after he
was tweed our on his ed.. I stated at the sass's Is.
squest my **is that the diseased died of akar sad
avaleitme.
The Altsmay•Geaeral produced tie &pees, aid say

It wee dear that the sleek did net understand what be wa
deist. He ibet wrote tle word " empeession," this
teams," sad them both time words were seretebed oat,
sad "violent convulsions" written is their plea. (,b
The &peados made by the 'tribute arm pet in end nod
et fell bias*.

1 Cromexamiaatlon eastinued—l could not sa.isfy my
mind at the time ea to the ewe of death. 'the uffair was so
sudden, that I could not oome to any satisfactory coaciasion
upon the subject. I brought a letter for Mr. Cook that was
sent by Mr. Pratt to him at Lutterworth. He did not read
it, but said its knew what it woe about, and he should leave
it to the nest rearming.
Re-examiasd—l heard that the prisoner sad Cook had
kneed op for the man in 'which they had a joint interest,
and that Palmer Iron her. I have only seen one other ease
of tetanus arising from a voted. In that cao tie patient
lived for three days, and the eonvnisicnt were rot nearly
so violent as in the case of Mr. Cook. In cote of epilepsy
the 'whine is unconscious, and the caber symptoms are
totally different.
Lavinia Barns woe here re-nAlled, and Serjeant She*
inquired of her whether Mr. Cook did not tell nee, on the
Monday morning, that he bed been taken very 111 on the
Sunday night, just before twelve o'clock, and that he should
have rung the bell for some one to come bat he thought
they were all gone to bed ?
The witness replied that he did lay so to her.
Elisabeth Mills was re-called by the Attorney-General,
and she said that on the Monday looming Mr. Cook told
her that be bad been "jest mad" to two minutes on the
Sandey sight, but be did not say from wlat cause, except
that he thought he was disturbed by hearing a quarrel in
the street

Dr. Soup said—l am • physkdan and reticle in Gloom-
tar-pion I have known the dethand for four veers, and
I was is the habit of attesting ht.. professionally. His
general health was good, but he was not a robust man. In
consequence of his cimplaining of his throat, I fancied he
was suffering from some pulmonary affenioa In the spring
of 1865 he 'applied to me en aecount of his stiff, rir g from
indigestion, sad he was also alarmed upon the satjeet of
aeons sores that appeared on his arm and other put, of his
body. There were some slight Cc• rs on him toogim. He
ireoined these spots wire of a syphilitic character, but I
woof a different 'piano. He said he had been under •
mild mereetiel loolnent, and I recommended him to dia.
atatianeita cad peestribsd quints* as a tonic, and crease of
tartar, sulphur. old mignon, *os an aperient. I at
any time eilonislared antinomy n him, and under my treat
meat thesseeimege quite well la May. I had seine doubts as
to the coneelmou of my nutmeat, and I silted him to call
upon sae Itlbes wave any fresh umptoms. He came to
me in Jam sad afterwards, and I slways 'omitted him
carefully. Mie throat was slightly inflamed, but there was
nothing .1. syphithieehannese in the inflammation. I
was andeeete gat kin esweep Iron his associations, and
advised Um es p oboed her two wears. I attended upon
hire down le the moth of Nountur, and at that period
I was of tonne there sou nothing of the character of a
venereal nom about bin.
Be 80**119 Shea—He was a weak-Waded man, and was
easily persuaded to take medicines for the disorder under
whim he knegiaset be was labogetem. I do not think he
would bats boa weak *sough to take quail medicines.
(A laugh.)
Charlm Nowise said—l en assistant to Mr. Salt, a sur-
geon, at Hurley. I know the prisoner. Oa Monday, the
19th of November, in the evens", he came to the surgery.
I eras alone in toe pat the time. He asked me for three
grains of strychato, and I weighed it athurately, sad gave
It to him in a mar. Stylobate' is a white powder. He
said good night, and took it away with him. The stria-
ting was not sold, but of knew him to be a medical man I
made no charge. The prisoner was not in the shop more
thee two WORMS. I saw him agsia on the following day'
is Mr. Hawkins's sbo . Mr. Hawkins is a druggist, and
we cc ationally punks. drags from him. When the
penman saw me be asked no how I was, sad pot Ms hand
apes my shoulder, as though he wonted to speak to me, sod
I went with him to the door. He then asked me whoa my
master's ma was going to his firm. Palmer had nothing to
do with this matter, sad I could not tell what he meant ;
and while we were studies together a pen= named
Brossiegton eine up and spoke to me, and Palmer
then willed away back to Hawkios's shop, and in a short
time be came out again, and I was still talking to Evening-
ten He did not speak tome, hut went away at woo to
• his own house. I thee went into Hawkins's shop
myself, and I and Roberts, the assistant, had some cover-
tenon together about Palmer. I know a porton named
Tbtrlby at Hooky. He also deals is drugs, and generally
disposed Palmer's medicines at this time. On the Sunday
after this I was sat for to the prisoner's house about seven
in the moraing, and I found him sitting by the Ara reading.
He inked me to have soma brandy and water, and I cork
some, and he the malted se, what dose of strych-
nine would kill a dog. I told him a grain, and
he the &eked me whether it would be found in
the stomach, and what would be the appearsno of the sto-
ma* after data. I told bin there would be no inhuma-
tion, and I did not think 'geoid be found. The prisoner
then snapped his Bogen, and exclaimed to himself, " All
right." The nest day I heard that there lams to be s post-
mortem exemlooks of Cook's body, and I went to
Dr. Banford's to ink his consent to be present,
sad I found Pelmet at his house. He was
in the study, and when he saw me he asked
as what I wanted, sad I said I was gong to the post-
mortem, as Mr. Gait was engaged and could not go. I then
went to the Talbot ArvasAacoompanied by Dr. Harland end
another surgeon named Freer. Palmer was there also, and
while we were standing together ha said it would be
a dirty job, sod be should go and have • little brandy. Be
thee went to his own bones, and I went with Ms, and he
guts me two wine glares of neat brandy and drank two
glans" himself. He then said, alluding to Cook, "You
will Sad this fellow suff.r.ng from dimmed throat ; be has
had syphilis, and he has taken a great deal of mercury."
We thou went over to the Talbot Lieu to be present at the
post-mortem, and while It was going on be stood by the
ad. of Dr. Baselord and did not my • mat. I was eon
mined before the sore nor, but I did not say a word then
about having sold the strychnine to the prisoner oa the 19th
November. I first stated the fact to Cheshire, the poste
master.

Cross-e zentined—l did net mention the purchase of this
strychnine until after the lagneet. I cannot say bow long
it was afterwards. It might be • weak or it 'Weathers been
two or three days only. I was eternised for the purpose of
giving evidence on behalf of tte crown. Irc ally cannot
my when I was examined. I die sot at first say anything
stoat the purchase et three paise of strychnine, but I dal
mention the Germination mimic g to the poisoning of a dog
by strychnine. I meatiesed thm first to Mr. Salt. I cam-
, not ray when. I WWI aware, when I was before the coroner,
that the prisoner was represented to have purchased stryeb-
nine at Mr. Hawkins's shop. I made a deposition before
the eeroser, sad signed it.
Tice deposition was pet ia sad read. It omitted all men-
tion of the fulsome &mooed to by the witness.

Ceemestainiantioa matiamd—l first gave this evidence
to the solicitor for the prosecution ma Teasley lest. I don't
Mink the risme/ mid " This post fellow," and aot " This
fellow." I do not remember poMting 'out some syphilitic
appearances as the mos of the deceased to the medical
men who wen perlerastes the tort-mortest szeminatims.
Re-exealsed—The room I did not mention what bad
occurred before woo that Ely meter and Mr. Palmer were
be sot friendly, sod I thooght would ham been Ropey if he
had known that I had supplied any thief to Palmer. There
was some disagreement upon the subject of Mr. Thirlby,
who was formerly Mr. Salt's assistant, beteg taken away
from his service by Palmer. I first stated the fiat to Mr.
Boyeett, the clerk to Mr. Gardiner, at the Regeley station.
AU the witnesses were mumbled for thy purpose of coming
to Loudon to attend tile Viol, cad I called Mr. Boycott
as one side and told him I wanted to see Mr. Gardiner, and
also what I weeded to see him for.

By Mr. Grove—l have also stated that the reason I did
not make the statement wee that I was afraid I should be
ind,oted for perjury.
By the AttornerGeraorel—l had heard that George
Palmer, the prima% brother, had (bre& aced to transport
WO Of the VINIMMIII ups the Inquest upon Walter Palmer,
bosun he had SWIM thet he had sold the prisoner prussic
acid, and had strewed It in his book, and could net
prove It. I had oisdo we entry of the sale of the strychnine
In Mr. Belt's book, sad what I heard glorified use.
The trial was the. again odjourned, the jury irting taken,
as on the previous day, to the Lode. Coffee house, in
charge of theoncers of Ike court.