The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-01-21 00:00:00

.tip of Walter Palmer

presentation not being satisfactory,

Mr. Farren

resolved not to recommend the life for acceptance to his

board, unless upon certain conditions, and after a satis-

factory medical examination. An appointment was made
for Walter Palmer, in London, and he attended with his
brother. Mr. Alfred Smee, the medical officer of the
Society, then carefully examined Walter Palmer, and
reported that he could not detect any traces of organic
disease. Mr. Farren inquired of Walter what his inten-
tions were, and whether he really meant to abandon his
habits of intemperance, and lead a new life ? Walter
Palmer, who appeared to be in low spirits, said that such
was his desire, but that " drink was always ready -for
him," and that he conid not resist the temptation. He
also added that he was very unhappy, and that his
brother would not allow him any money unless he
insured his life. Mr. Farren told him that he had no
organic disease, and that if the office was convinced that
William Palmer sincerely desired ;to protect his brother
from the influences which appeared to surround him,
and that if he were placed in a comfortable home,
where his habits would be under some control, they
would not object to insure his life, on the condition that

they were not to pay if he died within five years from the
The office made this condition,

completion of the policy,

feeling assured, from the medical examination of Mr.
Smee, that if Walter Palmer resisted the temptation of
drink for five years, his natural constitution was so sound
and good that his life might then be fairly insuraVe.
William Palmer demurred to these terms, and asked
whether the life would not be accepted upon some more
favourable conditions, urging that his brother's life, now
that he was reformed, was as good a life as could be
found. Mr. Farren said that if that were so, and that
Mr. William Palmer was really going to take care of his
brother, and had such an excelleat opinion of his life, he
could not reasonably object to be his own insurer for five
years. William Palmer's reply was, " That would not
suit my book at all." Both brothers then left the offic:?,
and in a few days afterwards (less than a week) Walter
Palmer died.

THE TRANSACTIONS WITH MR. PRATT.-It will be re-
membered that the inquest on Walter Palmer stands adjourned
to Wednesday, in order that besides Dr. Taylor and others,
Mr. Pratt, of May Fair, the solicitor, may be produced as
witnesses. It is stated that Mr. Pratt disclaims all knowledge
of the extent of William Palmer's insurance transactions. He
states that he was introduced to Palmer two years ago by a per-
son named Holmes; and that, as he did not altogether like the
introduction, he declined to have anything to do with his new
client until he had given him an account of who and what he
was. Palmer described himself as a surgeon, residing at
Rugeley• with large expectations from his mother, to whom his
father had :eft all his property, and in want of money for
present emergencies. Upon this representation Mr. Pratt
states that he was induced to get him loans of money
from some of his clients—the loans being principally
secured upon bills of exchange, drawn upon, and accepted
by, Mrs. Palmer, and upon the deposit of conveyances of
land, in the neighbourhood of Rugeley, which Palmer had
purchased. A large proportion of the advances made by
Pratt were for the purchase of race horses, Palmer having
paid for Nettle and The Chicken upwards of £3,000. The
bills drawn upon Mrs. Palmer were for large sums—some of
them £2,000 and £1,300; and they were renewed from time
to time, Palmer sending up a portion of the amount on
account, and new bills for the balance. The whole amount of
the advances made by Mr. Pratt's clients amount to £11,200;
and of this sum be states upwards of £B,OOO was in cash. In
some instances Mr. Pratt threatened Mrs. Palmer with law
proceedings, and actually sent down writs to he served up,,n
her; lint the letters were all stopped in the Post-office; and
he declares that he never could
to Mr

rt reply to any of
ner except through - and tha
it down to Rugeley to see Mrs. Palmer, she Wa

represented as too ill to be seen, and that he was compelled to
return to London without the satisfaction of an interview. Mr.
Pratt further states, in his own justification, and as a reason for
his applications to have insurances effected on the life of 'Walter
Palmer, subsequently to the issue of the Prince of Wales'
policy for £13.000, that William Palmer repeatedly assured
him that the first policy was not sufficient to cover the
advances made by his mother and himself to Walter Palmer,
and that it would be absolutely necessary to have another
insurance effected to cover family advances. The only con-
sideration, however, which William Palmer himself admits
to have passed between himself and 'Walter, for the assign-
ment to the former of the Prince of Wales' policy, was £ 400,
and even this sum appears to have been considerably in excess
of the actual debt duo by Walter Palmer at the time of his
dea:h. Mrs. Palmer allowed Walter a stipend of £2 per
week, which seems to have been paid to him principally by
William Palmer. It should also be observed, that Mr. Pratt
stases that he refused to negotiate the policy at the Prince of
Wales office, until he had proof of the advances made by
William Palmer, and that when the latter instructed him to
ge: a further insurance effected upon Walter's life, he offered
it,in the first instance, to the Prince of Wales office, who

declined to increase their risk. Mr. Pratt also adds, that be
never saw Bates in his life, and that he withdrew the proposal
he had made to the Solicitors' and General Office, for assuring
the life of that individual for £25,000, whin he found that
Palmer could not satisfy him of his position in life. Mr.
Pratt expresses his perfect willingness to state every circurn-
stare° within his knowledge, tending to throw light upon the

inq airy,
r URTHER PARTICULA RS.—WalkedPn, the principal witness
who spoke to the state of health of Walter Palmer for the
appointedweekbefoarned paid
byWilliam Palmer to live with his brother,
decease, appears to have been a keeper
and supply him with immense quantities of ardent spirits. He'
was formerly Walter Palmer
a publican in Stafford, and