The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-05-17 00:00:00

spinal cord. There was no disease in it. I generally
acquiesce in the statements of the last witness.
Mr. John Bycott, a clerk to Messrs. Gardner and Landor,
solicitors, at Rugeley, stated that on the 28th and 29th of
November he received certain jars from Mr. Devonshire,
surgeon, at Dr. Monckton's house, at Rageley. These jars
he took up to London, and delivered them to Dr. Alfred
Taylor, of Guy's Hospital.
James Myatt, the post boy at the Talbot Arms, at Rage-
ley, was next called. He knew the prisoner. On Monday
night, the 26th of November, I was ordered to get a car to
take Mr. Stevens. When going to tea before leaving, I
met Mr. Palmer, and he asked me if I was going to take
them to Stafford (meaning Mr. Stevens and the last wit-
ness), to which I said I was. He asked me. if they were
going to take the jars, and I said I believed they were. He
then asked me if I thought I could upset them, and I said
" no." He again asked me to do so, and said if I could
upset the fly there was a £lO note for me. I told him I
could not. I said I must go, for the horse was in the fly
ready for me to start, and that if I didn't go somebody
else would go. I said this b2cause he told me not to be in
a hurry, for if any ore else went he would pay me. I do
not recollect that he said anything more to me that night.
I saw him the next morning when I was going to my
breakfast. He spoke to me. He asked me who went in the
fly with me, and I said I
,believed it was Mr. Stevens, and
Mr. Garduen's clerk.

Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant Shee : Palmer
did not say in tl e conversation with me that he
would give £lO to break his (Mr. Stevens') neck
he did say was, that he would give me £lO if I could upset
them. Ile did not say to me that Stevens was a troublesome
suspicious fellow.

Samuel Cheshire, the late postmaster at Rugeley, was the
next witness called. On the witness's name being called
out by the officer, there was a most extraordinary sensation
produced in court, which lasted for several minutes, and
increased as the witness was brought through the dock into
the witness box, in charge of one of the gaolers. He had
been brought up to London from Stafford, under a habeas
corpus, in order to give evidence against the prisoner. The
witness was examined by Mr. Jams, Q.C., and commenced
his statement, by saying that he was for some years post-
master at Rugeley, and was now suffering imprisonment in
Stafford gaol, for having opened letters going through the
post-office. lie confessed to having done so. He deposed
I know the prisoner W. Palmer well. We were school-
fellows together. I have attended races with him on three
or four times. I never betted. I was very intimate with
him. In November, 1855, I went to Shrewsbury races with
him, and returned in the evening. On Saturday the 17th
I went with the prisoner to see Mr. Cook at the Talbot
Arms. He was in bed. I resided at the post-office, about
300 or 400 yards from Palmer. On Tuesday evening the
20th of November, I received a message from Palmer
between 6 and 7 o'clock. I was to come and bring a
receipt-stamp with me. I did so. I found Palmer in his
sitting-room; after a short time he said he wanted me to
write out a cheque, producing me a copy from which I
was to write. I copied it. He told me he wanted it, because
it was money Mr. Cook owed him. I wrote in his pre-
sence as near as I can remember-

By Lord Campbell : What you copied was it left in
Palmer's possession ? It was, my lord.
Examination continued : Before I commenced writing
it, he said he wante I me to do it because Cook was too
ill, and Weatherby would know his writing; he said he
was going to take it over for Cook's signature, after I had
written it.

Witness was then ordered to stand back, and

Mr. Weatherby was called into the box and sworn. He
said—l am secretary to the Jockey Club ;my establish.
ment is in Birmingham. I keep a banking account for
gentlemen by receiving and paying stakes for them. Cook
had an account with me. I know Palmer well. He had
no account with me at that time. On the 21st November
I received by post a cheque or order on me for £350. Two
days after, on the 23rd, I sent it back to Palmer, the
prisoner, at Rugeley.
Boycott was recalled, and proved he served a notice on
the prisoner in Stafford gaol, and another on his attorney,
to produce the document in question, which was said to be
in the writing of Cheshire, and purported to he in the
handwriting of John Parsons Cook. The document was
called for, but not produced. . _ _

Mr. Wetherby, in answer to Mr. Sergeant Shee, said he
believed the document was in the handwriting of Mr.
Cook.

Lord Campbell ruled the learned sergeant was out of
order in putting such a question, under the circumstances,
to the witness.

Cheshire recalled, said, as well as he recollected, the
writing he copied was an order on Mr. Wetherby to pay
Mr. W. Palmer £350. On the Thursday or Friday follow-
ing I saw Palmer again. I had heard in the meantime of
the death of Cook at the Talbot Arms. He sent for me
between six and seven o'clock in the evening. I went to
him and saw him come out of the kitchen. He went back
and returned with a quarto sheet of paper. lle gave me
a pen, and asked me to sign it.
By Lord Campbell ; Was anything written on it ?
Yes.
Examination continued : Told him it was. Palmer said
you know that Cook and I have had dealings together,
and this is a document he gave me a few days ago, and I
want you to witness it. I said what is it about? He

replied some business that I have joined with Cook,
which was all for his benefit, and there is a document
stating so. I just cast my eye over it then. It was a
quarto post sheet of paper of the usual description. I
thought the writing on it was Palmer's writing. I told
Palmer I could not sign it because I might be called on
at some future day to give evidence on the matter. I told
him I had not seen Cook sign it, and also that [ thought

the post-office authorities would not like me to be called
on to give evidence as it would necessitate them placing
some one in my place during my absence. I did not, in
fact, give my exact reason for refusing to sign it. He
said he thought " it would be no matter; he thought
they would not object to Mr. Cook's signature.' I gave
back the paper to Palmer. I left it with him.

Arr. JariieS said notice had been served oa the prisoner
and his attorney to produce the document, and called for,
but it was not produced.
Examination continued : I believe there was a stamp
on the paper. I did not read it over ; I merely cast: my
eye over it. It was to the effect that certain bills, the
date of which, with the amounts, were quoted, were all
for Mr. Cook's benefit and not for Mr. Palmer's.
The amounts were rather large. I recollect one was for
&1,000 and another for .t'soo. It had a signature of
T. or J. P. Cook. I was in the habit of giving Palmer
letters addressed to his mother residing at Rugeley.
During the months of October and November—l can't
recollect which—l gave him any letters addressed to
his mother. Palmer has taken Cook's letters, and Co3k
has taken Palmer's letters. I remember the inquest
being held On Cook, and seeing Palmer during the time.
He came to me on a Sunday evening previous to the sth
December, and ho asked me if I saw or heard any thing
fresh to let him know, and hinted at my opening a letter.
I told him I could not do so. He said he did not wish
me to do any thing to injure myself. I don't recollect
him coming to me again. I am suffering punish-
ment from reading a letter from pr. Taylor to Mr.
Gardner,
When did you read that letter ?
T did not read more than part of the letter, and told
Palmer what I recollected of it. It was on the sth
December. I told Palmer that no traces of strychnine
were to be found mentioned in Dr. Taylor's letter. Ido
not know what else. Palmer said he knew there would
not, as he was perfectly innocent.
Captain Hatton, senior chief constable of Stafford,
produced a letter addressed to Mr. Ward, coroner. The
letter was read by the clerk of the court. It was as
follows
My Dear Sir,--I am sorrry to tell you that lam still con-
fined to my bed. I don't think it was mentioned yesterday
at the inquest that Cook was taken on Sunday and
Monday nights, the same as on Tuesday night, when he
died, The chambermaid at the Crown Hotel (Masters)
can prove this. I also believe that a man by the name of
Fisher is corning down to prove he received some money
at Shrewsbury, but there he could only pay £lO out of £4
he owed him. Had you not better call Smith to prove this,
and whatever Professor Taylor might state to-morrow he
wrote last Tuesday night to Gardiner, that " we"' that is
Professor Taylor and Dr. Rees, have this day finished the
analysis, and find no traces of strychnine, prussic acid or
opium. What can beat this from a man like Professor
Taylor, after what he has stated before, or of Dr. Bamford's
evidenoe. Mind, I know it, for I saw it in black and white.
This is strictly confidential. It is true that, as regerds his
betting-book, it is no good to any one. I hope the verdict
to-morrow will be that be died of natural causes, and thus
end it.—Yours, War. PAL*EII.
Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant Shee : I knew COok
well, but do not know his handwriting. Palmer said "He
did not suppose they would object 10 Cook's signature,"
Palmer afterwards said, Have you seen or heard any-
thing ?" I told him I had seen something, and h 3 said
that he was as innocent as a baby. Palma told me upon
the Saturday before Cook's death that he was not well. He
was in bed, and vomited. He was to have been one of the
party. He saw Palmer at Rugeley upon the second day of
Shrewsbury races. I did not see him there upon Tuesday.
EMS Crisp, inspector of police at Rugeley, examined by
Mr. James : Upon the 17th December I assisted in searching
prisoner's house. There was a sale of his effects to pay his
creditors. I took this book away,
Mr. Sergeant Shee : It was not ac,ncealed. The book was
produce]. It was a Manuel of Chemistry, and in Palmer's
writing was a note against the word strychnine. " Strych-
nine kills by causing fixture of the respiratory organs."