The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-06-06 00:00:00

THE CONVICT PALMER.

Starroun, Wednesday.—A great deal of excitement
has been occasioned here by an announcement which was
received to the effect that her Majesty's government had
ordered a respite of Palmer's sentence, with a view to
a further examination of the circumstances connected
with this remarkable case. Upon enquiry at the gaol it
was ascertained that no official communication of the
sort had been received by the governor, and it it believed
that there was no foundation for the rumour beyond a
paragraph which appeared iu one of the:London morning
papers. It is stated confidently here, that Sir George
Grey, her Majesty's Principal:Secretary of State for the
Home Department, has laid the question of Palmer's
respite before Lord Campbell, and that the answer
returned by the Lord Chief Justice is to the effect that he
perfectly concurs with the verdict of the jury, and that he
sees no reason why the law should not take its course.
If this statement be true, no further communication
will take place between the High Sheriff of Staffordshire
and the government, and that high functionary will
be compelled to carry out the execution according
to the instructions he has already received. A circum-
stance which will perhaps throw some additional light on
this painful case may be mentioned here. An elder brother
of William Palmer, the convict, the Rev. Thomas Palmer,
ALA., a clergyman of the Church of England, residing at
Coton Hall, Staffordshire, has visited the prisoner several
times during the last few days, and has collected some
extraordinary facts in relation to the case, which he
intends publishing forthwith, in the form of a pamphlet,
which he hopes may have some effect in arresting the
execution, for the purpose of further enquiry. William
Palmer, himself, is very anxious that ho should be put upon
his trial for the murder of his wife, whose death it has
been freely alleged was caused by the administration of
poison
.by his hands. That request it is not likely the
government will grant, unless some strong and, at
present, unforeseen confirmation of the evidence given for
the defence by the medical witnesses should transpire. It
seems to be the general opinion in this part of the country,
that the death of Palmer next Saturday week (if the
execution as at present purposed be carried out) will
not tend to unravel the remarkable medical mysteries
which the late trial developed. if he should confess
that he administered strychnia to me. Cook, Dr. Tay-
lor's theory that it may be absorbed and all traces
of it lost will be established; but Palmer has assured his
brother, the governor of the gaol, and the chaplain, that
he has nothing to confess in reference to the crime, and
that he is as innocent of the murder of Cook as the child
unborn. In the event of his perseverance in this state-
ment, the discovery will have yet to be made whether the
evidence of the medical witnesses for the defence is cor-
rect, that strychnia may be found in the body after death,
no matter how long it may have been administered.
Palmer continues to complain bitterly of the partiality of
Lord Campbell's summing up, which he declares to be
more one-sided than even the speech of the Attorney-
General, who avowedly strove to obtain a conviction
against him.

Within the last day or two, an annonymous letter has
been received by one of the scientific witnesses called in
William Palmer's defence. It purports to be from a
female, resident, we believe, in the neighbourhood of
Liverpool. It sets forth the intimacy which had existed
between the writer and Cook, and alleges that the former,
in a fit of jealousy, touched Cook with a ring which con-
tained a deadly poison, a few days only prior to his
illness.

THE NEW CEMETERY FOR TOXTETH-PARK.—The con-
secration of that portion of this cemetery designed for
interments,) according to the rites of the Established
Church, will take place next Monday. The ceremony
will be performed by the Lord Bishop of Chester. In
the close of last year, the laying out of this beautiful
burial-ground was commenced, and the work has pro-
gressed with remarkable celerity. Situated as it is, in an
open and airy locality, the benefit which the completion
of this spot will confer upon the health of the community
in those districts whose crowded graveyards will hence-
forth be relieved, can hardly be over-estimated. In a far
less important point of view, but one not wholly unworthy
of attention, it may be stated that the new cemetery,
with its tastefully laid out walks, terraces, foliage, and
gracefully-designed sacred buildings, :will form hence-
forward one of the most remarkable ornaments of our

suburbs. No one can walk from the town through
Smithdown-lane, without being attracted by the beauty
of the spot, and struck by the change which its opening
and completion have made in the appearance of the whcle
locality.

TIIE NEW CONCERT ROOlll IN Sr. GEORGE'S HALL.—
In a few days, the opening of this beautiful room will be

formally inaugurated by a concert. Not even the great

hall itself deserves more admiration than this much
smaller, but not inferior, ornament of the. building. The
new concert room is nearly circular in shape, the only
interruption to its outline being the platform destined for
the orchestra. The ceiling is concave. From the
singularly well proportioned structure of the room, a
visitor can scarcely at first believe that it is capable of
affording at all the amount of accommodation it is
designed to give. A thousand persons can with ease and
comfort occupy the room, each having a separately
numbered seat. Considerable space will still be left,
after providing for this number, into which chairs might
be introduced for additional occupants. The pillars and
mouldings are of white and gold, the pannelling of maple,
and thus a general effect of lightness is presented, while
any deficiency in warmth of colouring is supplied by the
rich crimson fittings of the gallery which runs around the
room. A magnificent gasalier, the work of the same
artificers who constructed the famous Crystal Fountain
of the Great Exhibition, hangs from the ceiling. An
enormous sheet of mirror-glass, behind the orchestra,
repeats thelustre of the lights and the crystal, and gives an
additional charm to the general effect. Large female figures,
draped in graceful Thessalian robes, support the gallery
at intervals. If the impression of the visitor, on entering,
be one of general admiration for the beautiful proportions
of the room, and the harmony of colours, its more minute
adornments will, on closer examination, heighten, rather
than take from, the warm feelings of surprise and pleasure
which are called up by the first sight of the whole. It
may be safely affirmed, that nowhere in this country
can there be found a room combining more fully a perfect
capacity and suitability for the purposes to which it is
dedicated, with the attributes of ornamental and artistic
effect.

CONFESSION OF A MURDER.—PLYMOUTH, WEDNESD.tY.—
In 1852 an old woman, named Mary White, residing alone
in the village of Milton, in the parish of Buckland Mona-
chorum, about five miles from Plymouth, was murdered in
her bed, by her throat being cut. At first suspicion fell on
her grandson, who, with his father, lived in a mill adjoining
the old woman's cottage ; but after a long and impatient
enquiry before the coroner, a man named Thomas
Corber, a butcher, was committed on the charge of wilful
murder. Curber was known to have borrowed money
of Mrs. White, and made several payments about the time
of her death. The grand jury at the Devon County
assizes ignored the bill, and Corber was discharged, and has
since returned to Milton, where he still resides. Yesterday
a rumour went abroad that a Marine in the military prison,
Devonport, had confessed to having taken part with Corber
in the murder of Mary White. The man in question is
named James Craze, and he has been confined in the mili-
tary prison for several weeks, having enlisted into the
Marines, and being recognised, was apprehended as a
deserter from the Royal Artillery. There has been a pecu-
liarity about his manner ever since his incarceration,
he apparently having something upon his mind. Yester-
day morning he burst into tears, and desired to see the
governor of the prison, who accordingly visited him, and
to whom he stated that he participated with the man
Corber in the commission of the murder. His statement
was to the effect that he was about that time a slate
dresser, residing at Tavistock, and made the acquaintance
of the former by his coming to the Tavistock market.
The murder was planned between them and took place,
Craze holding the old woman while Corber cut her
throat. They then divided the money the old lady pos-
sessed, the precise amount of which he did not recollect,
but he believed it was nearly £5O, and upon his half of
which he lived until it was all spent, when he enlisted in
the Artillery, from which he subsequently deserted and
listed in the Marines. This statement of course created
the greatest sensation, and was immediately reported to
General Eden and the police authorities, and we understand
steps will be taken to procure an investigation into the
truth of the statement. Ever since makingt he confession
the man has evinced the deepest signs of grief, the tears
rolling down his cheeks incessantly the whole of the day.