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

COUNTY COURT.-YESTERDAY.

(BEFORE JOSEPH POLLOCK, ESQ., J 111)".)
BENDALE V. WILLIAMS.—This was an action brO at:r.
to recover £l. 10s. 111 r. Grey appeared for the pia% in
It appeared that the plaintiff had constructed a dra'ogb
Bostock-street, under a contract with the bfrn°olo-
engineer, Mr. Newl'inds, on the part of the Walt:: b-oase
mittee. He sued the defendant for having Put
fonvertio
for
drain into the street drain, and used the
twelve months. His Honour, after hearing the Plin joy
evidence, said if the defendant had done anythinF_ he
proper in putting his drain pipe into the street drag,
was liable to those whose property he inverfdedd'er the.
might proceed against him for the trespass. un—coar
provisions of the Public Health Act, the geaith
mittee had a right to compel the defendant to PA3Yused•
due proportion of the expense of the drain be half Of
His Honour added, that he should be very sorry, ht to,
remarks of his led to the idea that parties had a r.,lg Aetr
use drains provided under the Public Health ibis'
without paying their proportion of the expense.
of actioe,
plaintiff
case, however, the had no ground for 07
the drain was not his, and the verdict must be
defendant, but without costs.

ECCLESIASTICAL INTELLIGENCE. —The Lord "*" II
bster
$I
noP °.
Manchester, on Tuesday, licensed the Rev John "e new
Parker, M.A., to the perpetual curacy
of St. Alban, Rochdale, of the.
Ii- of
church nava'.
the Rev. Dr. Molesworth, vicar of Rochdale, the Y 500 e
The Paris correspondent of the Times enters oP°ll„yeee
e, on the nom
9eaculations as to the existence of a secret treaty be`bole
Frnce, England, and Austria, and of its Pr° hti
thotig.,„
objects, but his conjectures end in nothing,
may refer Orli:
surmise is entertained that the treaty
surrender of Lombardy, by Austria,in exchange fo
Da •
nublan Principalities, s. ia..ed et.
A lucrative •
piece of patronage has just been P,-" sir
. of
the disposalof
the government by the demise day
Edward ' Tierney,
•, ' Bart., which took place on °fib id
afternoonor at his hous in Dublin. The deeeege" 0" reth-
f many years the office of crownsolicitor for the °lwo
westt circuit, comprising six countie#,, the einolliwoo,
peranling to which are little short of-X3,000 per anneal,
The office is virtually in the gift of the A.ttornerge., also
The office of clerk of assigns, in the Rolls' Court' ls
vacant by the death of Sir Edward Tierney• inatio
ea 46'
ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS.—The following gfor the
men, having undergone the necessary examinations meet-
diploma, were admitted members of the college at the 5311.
o
ing of the court of examiners the 12th inst. "-NleGreen,
Christopher Wragg, Manchester
er ; Samuel flenrY -riursr*
New Garratt, Manchester ; William Clare Nigher ...--,00
Ashton-under..l4yne; and Robert Fryer, Clare,
following gentlemen, having undergone th necessary exts
the
nations, were admitted licentiates in midwifery 9 jowl
meetinga of the board on the 13th inst.:--bleeerl•Bdwis
Eaters, Manchester ; Robert Frier, Liverpool ; and
• Fionage, Wrexham, North Wales. has beer!.
WAR DEPARTMENT, May 10.—The Queen nt 01
graciously pleased toy give orders for the appove
, the
Lieut. John Archibald Ballard, Lieut.-Colonel jir jot,
service of his Imperial Majesty the Sultan ; " the
Christopher Charles Teasdale, Lieut.-Colonel jucipt,
service of his Imperial Majesty the Sultan ; and 00114
Henry Langhorne Thompson, Major in the service bers
Imperial Majesty the Sultan, to be Honorary Mell&10-
of the Military Division of the Third Class, or and
panions of the most honourable Order of the Bath ;1
of
of Dr. Humphrey Sandwith, late Inspector-Genera the
hospitals in the service of his imperial ltiniestY.ion
Sultan, to be an Honorary Member of the Civil
said t
of the Third Class or companions of the said i" s
honourable order.

THE
RUGELEY POISONINGS.

IIAL OF PALMER AT THE CENTRAL
CRIMINAL COURT.

Fitol%l OUR OWN REPORTER.)

THIRD DAY

The trt • LONDON, FRIDAY NIGHT.
al was resumed this morning at ten o'clock, at
Which hour their lordships entered the court, which was
Za. la crowded in every part. Many of the same distin-
"bed individuals who have been present since the com-
entent of the investigation was again in court. Earl
Grey
DWas the first to arrive. He entered the court nearly
e bear before the arrival of the judges. The Earl of
Y came upon the bench about half past nine o'clock,
—cum
,„„ Panted by the Earl of Denbigh. These noblemen
,4t, re_ .
wanted m court during the entire day.
hope Tile prisoner, on being placed in the dock, respectfully
_,d to the court, and then looked round with an air of
e.,alta but confident indifference, evincing not the slightest
'motion.
blackAs on the previous days he was attired :in
^earl Throughout the day he appeared with black gloves,
left tdhe left glove, and holding Um right glove in his
*videll • He paid the most minute attention to the
it "s", and frequently wrote on slips to his attorney as
proceeded, Whilst the medical evidence respecting the
going form appearances of the body of the deceased was
bn -"ward, the attention of the prisoner was fixed
2,11-11 the testimony given, and when the result of the
tt:dtr°;tenz examination (to which the signatures of the
bein,..eat men engaged in the operation were affixed) was
Karla-.5
read, he kept his eyes steadfastly fixed upon Dr.
in contents
Intp,„,"eres., ; who read it, and appeared to show the most
th*-°e Interest of the document. During
,
medical testimony which followed upon it, thprisoner
nodded as if in assent of the various opinions

The
first witness examined was
Cham
lkto es Joseph Roberts, who, in answer to Mr. James
ia; November I was an apprentice with Mr. Haw-
Toe:a'r Rugeley. I know the prisoner. I remember
tentouidayeivtehe 20th of November. On that day, between
Leven, I saw him in Mr. Hawkins's shop. Ho
Ada
bottle, and asked for two drachms of prussic
ae, e
•
While I was putting it up for him, Newton, Salt's
taille in and spoke to Palmer. They had a conver-
t. Logether.
I know a person of the name of Bras-
PaZa, a Cooper. I had a conversation with him after
eel et. and Newton left the shop. I can see from our
itip into the street. While I was putting up the prussic
Brains came came back to the shop, and asked for six
tiara of
of strychnine, and two drachms of Batley's solu.
ti °Plum. While I was preparing them, prisoner was
his ng at the shop door, looking into the street, with
Ne rueaelt. to me. I was five minutes in preparing them.
the Illained at the door until I was ready to give him
in rugs. I delivered them to him. The prussic acid
the thehottle he brought, the strychnine in a paper, and
thePlatn in a bottle which I found, and he paid me for
1110-"' and took them away. From the time he left the
the With Newton to the time he returned, there was no
evevedrugs,
Person in the shop. After Palmer went away with
n(irngs, Newton came into the shop, and we had some
..
'ersation about Palmer. Newton made some remarks
1.41 lt,hlin• Previous to November, I had been in Mr.
employment. Before the 20th of November, it
a 5 about two years since Palmer had bought any goods
ant 0111. shop. I know Thirlby, who was Palmer's assist-
lel. 'lvo years ago he opened a druggist shop in Ruge-
b' and from that time to the 20th of November, I had
evan er sold Palmer any drugs. I believe he also practised
Milli
apothecary in Palmer's name.
Burnley Stevens, examined by the Attorney-
wellea ral: I was stepfather of the deceased Mr. Cook.
to always on friendly terms with him. He was entitled
„,Property amounting to about £12,000. He was edu-
t7"d for the law, but some time before his death took to
that Pursuits. It was in ]852, for it was about that time
that first saw his betting books, but I know little about
t eln, for from the first day I set my face against his
it:Pf Pursuits, but we continued on most affectionate
irTha• The last time I saw him previous to his death
theon.the afternoon of Tuesday, the sth of November, at
railway station at Euston square. I have some
e
to that he said he was going to Rugeley.
vooked very well, and I said, " I am so gratified,now , my boy,
ON*
SO Well, you don't look anything like an invalidk
He replied that he was quite well, and struck
al elf on the chest in proof of it. He was not of robu
hePat,Peranee in complexion ; he was rather pale. I first
" his death from Mr. Jones, the surgeon, on the
foil next day I went to Lutterworth, and on the
With
day to Rugeley, and I went to the Talbot Arms
(1,11" Palmier to see the body. Mr. Jones was with us.
art: Witness here described the appearance of the body
ageor,,alt Was shown to him by Mr. Jones and Palmer. It
I art 4 with the description given by former witnesses.)
Affairs Wards made enquiries of Palmer about Mr. Cook's
tit,
I said, "I understand from Mr. Jones that you,
can "'liner, know something about my son's affairs ;
ther:On tell roe anything about them ?" He said, " Yes,
that amy •e 4,000 worth of bills out of his, and I am sorry
by "")r name is to them. I have got an account draw
that a,
lawyer, and signed by Cook, to show
knor have never got anything out of them,
very 'lever had the money." These were his
hat fl'°"(l3. I expressed great surprise, and said,
th,tl"'ere will not be 4,000 shillings to pay them with."l
4'4984 I
said' 1,
?"
14 " Has he no horses nor any other property
'e has some horses, but they are all mortgaged."
thin ' are there no sporting bets owing to him, or any-
*at gn°f,that sort ?" He mentioned one bet of £3OO that
the tiwmg to him. Is it material that I should mention
tee 'tile? for the man, I believe, is dying at the present
(The wi His name has nothing to do with the case
theto hews here wrote the name down, and
.handed it
Attor
„ neY-General.) He was not a sporting gentle-
evin "(1 has nothing to do with the case. (The witness
Palmereed great reluctance to state the name publicly.)
41)1144ttillastahidishe did not know of any other bills. I then
s
sporting creditors will have to take his
teelipaug effects, for that I would not pay them. I then
any Ci 4tad said, " Well, poor fellow, whether he has left
lab,t 11g or not he must be buried." Palmer at once said
4'l ea. 17:11, I will bury him myself, if that is all." f replied,
Qaprof
think of allowing you to do that." Palmer
4elay.esseL" a great wish to bury the deceased without
lees lobjected, and said, "I cannot have the funeral
his
miately+ because I intend to bury him in London in
°peoplt_"er's grave ; I am sorry to inconvenience the
soon uere at the inn, but I will get the body away as
s
taleaelts Possible." . Palmer said " that is of no cones.
reD,C' but the body ought to be fastened up at on ce
ulie
St is of and said, " so long as the body is fastened p
ivas-`, no consequence for a day or two." Whilst
404 i'ag,lking to deceased's brother-in-law, Palmer and.
Peon i.-est the house, and returned in about half an hour.
return, I expressed a wish to know from
Amer geleo.tb,e name of some responsible undertaker in
.
give di" in order that I might at once order a coffin, and
have .rrrthnis• Palmer said, " Oh, I have done that.
say
ofeL:l€:red a shell and a strong oak coffin." He did'not
ritY to ,"`°l3:l he had done so. I said I gave you no autho;
said, buto so, at the same time expressing. surprise..directions
rails shout r,.ranot see. the undertaker, to give three
ii:vv(lerttaie_4l. neral, I think he told me the name of the
I then ordered dinner for myself, my
sloVne-mal-1
41a41 Mr' Jones, and asked Palmer to Join us. d
that to
at the inn. I was going back to Luobneosnu
Nee:selling. Before I left, I desired Mr. Jones t
poeitt.. to __
go up stairs and get me his betting-book, or
cook :°°lt, or any books he might find. I had. seent.
It he with a betting-book, but I could not describe it.
In tea a claslx Jones left the room, and Palmer followed
ttot luutes. Jones was very sorry to say he could
sala, 114 any book or papers. Palmer was present. I
Warti:,Zl° betting-book, Mr. Jones ? " and, turning to-
Is ne en aliner, I said, " How is this ? " Palmer said, "
1 aril thenner of use if you find it." I said, " No use sir ?
ill() Inan best judge of that ; " and he again said, " It is of
"'al of
Tri." use,' I again said, " am the best judge of
"'al of ,_t of use. understand my ;son won a great
th 43
about it
e I. Shrewsbury, and I ought to know some'
3.110 en Palmer. " It is of no. use, I assure
said „ °0 man dies, his bets are done with. Besides,''
received a great quantity of money on the
°tinttat Skl°rekwsrece
oh,
it be round, I said, " Very well, sir, the book
and should be found." Palmer said,
ailaitt could be found, no doubt." I again said, "
be found,''hil4itttineg;reztt,t and I then went to the door of the
.ealling to the housekeeper, I
_desired
Lung in the bedroom might be locked up,

that nothing might be touched until I returned, or sent
some one to take care of the property, and authority to
take possession. After that, prior to leaving, I went to
take a last look at the deceased, and I saw some servants
in the room turning up the bed clothes to see if anything
was there. The undertaker was there. I had previously
given the undertaker instructions to send the body to
London, and I had also told him to put the body in a
coffin. The undertaker had just placed the body in a
shell. I went to the side of the shell, the body was un-
covered, and I knelt down by the side of the shell, and
taking the right hand of the corpse, I found it firmly
clenched. I looked across the body, and observed the
left hand was likewise clenched. I did not observe any-
thing else. I returned to London, and communicated with
the uncle of the deceased, and he gave me a letter to Mr.
Gardner, of Rugeley. I returned to Rugeley next day
(Saturday) about eight in the evening. On my arrival at
the platform at Euston-square, I saw Palmer as I was
leaving London, and he told me he had received a tele-
graphic message to "come to London after I had left
Rugeley, which brought him to London. I think I asked
him where Mr. Cook's horses were kept, and; he replied
at Exford. When I got to Wolverton, I again saw
Palmer in the refreshment room. I said, Mr.
Palmer, this is a very melancholy thing, the
death of my poor son, and dying so suddenly.
I think, for the sake of his brother and sister, it might be
desirable to know what his complaints were. I think it
might be desirable that the medical attendant should know
something of it, and I should like his body opened. Palmer
replied, " Oh, that can be easily done." Nothing more
passed, and then we went to our seats. He did not travel
in the same carriage. When we reached Rugeley, I saw
him in the refreshment room. He came to my side. I
cannot swear whether it was there or at Rugeley I said to
him—" I think I had better have a solicitor to look after
my interests." Palmer said, " Oh, yes, you can do that
—do you know any one at Rugeley ? " The bell then rang,
and I ran to get some refreshment. When I came back
to the carriage I found Palmer sitting there, but nothing
further took place until we got to Rugeley. There was
a lady and gentleman in the same carriage with us.
Soon after we reached Rugeley Palmer again asked if I
knew a solicitor in Rugeley. We came near the omnibus.
I said, " No, you know I am a perfect stranger." He
said, "I know them all; I'll introduce you to one. I'll
go home and get a cup of coffee, and then come over and
tell you all about it." I again said I would not trouble
him. He only wanted a cup of coffee; he would then
accompany me. He said we should not find one. I then
said to him, changing my voice, " Mr. Palmer, if I call in
a solicitor, I suppose you will have no objection to answer
him any question." I altered my voice purposely. He
replied, with a spasmodic movement in the throat, which
was perfectly evident, " Oh, no ; certainly not." When
I mentioned the post mortem examination, Palmer was
calm. After the conversation about a solicitor there was
a pause of three or four minutes. He then proposed to
come to me after he had had his coffee and tell me of a soli-
citor, but I begged him not to trouble himself. In the course
of the evening he came to the hotel and saw me. It
was after I had seen Mr. Gardner. He said, "It is a very
unpleasant affair for me these bills." I said, "It is right
I should tell you Mr. Palmer, since I saw you I have heard
rather a different account of Mr. Cook's affairs." He
repled, " Oh, indeed, I hope it will be settled pleasantly,"
I said, " It can only be settled, sir, in the Court of Chan-
cery." I think he said, " oh, indeed." I think, after a
short pause, he said, " what friends had Mr. cook to visit,
or who he visited, in the neighbourhood of London ? I
replied, " several." " Oh, but I mean," he said, " who
does he stay with when he goes there ? "

Lord Campbell intimated that that need not be gone

Examination continued : On Sunday evening, between
five and six o'clock, I saw him again at the Talbot Arms.
He said, " If I were you I would not take my solicitor to
Helsford." I said, " Why not, Mr. Palmer ?" He said,
" I should recommend or advise you not to." I said, " I
should use my own discretion about that." He said, " Oh,
of course, you will." After this Palmer came into the
room where I was writing, and approached me with a
piece of paper in his hand as if he would give it to me. I
did not take any notice of it, and I said " Pray, Mr.
Palmer, who is Mr. Smith, of this place ?" He said
" Mr. Smith" two or three times, as if he did not know
such a person. I said " The Mr. Smith who slept or sat
up with my son on Saturday." He replied, " Oh, he is a
solicitor of this town." I said, " I ask you a question,
sir, because, as a betting-book is lost, I should like to
know who sat up with my son." After a short pause I
said, " Pray, Mr. Palmer, did you attend my poor son in
a medical capacity ?" He said, "Oh dear, no." I said,
" I ask you the question, because I am determined to
have his body examined; and if you had attended him
medically, I suppose the gentlemen I shall call in would
think it proper you should be present." He then said,
" Can you tell me who is to make the post mortem exami-
nation ?" I said, " 1 can't, for I shall not know myself
until the morning. I think it right to tell you of it. I
shall have it done to my satisfaction ; and whether you
are present or not is a matter of indifference to me."
Palmer said, "So it is to me," I saw nothing in the
appearance of the body to require its speedy burial.
Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant Shee : Deceased resided
with me about a month in the beginning of 1855. He bad
then a slight sore throat. There appeared to be no difficulty
in his swallowing. I did not notice any ulcer ab )ut his
face then. I saw him twice or ttree times in the summer,
and in the month of October, previous to his death. He
looked much as usual, and not like an invalid. He had been
poorly in the early part of the year, and said his medical
man had advised him, if he did not get better, to go to a
warmer climate. His brother and sister were rather delicate.
His father, I believe, died at the age of 30 or 31, from
rapturing a blood vessel. I don't know if Cook attempted
to insure his life and failed. T. was much dissatisfied that
his betting-book could not be found, and therefore I desired
his room at Rugeley might be locked up. I saw Mr. Gardner
the following morning after my second arrival at Rugely. I
was once in communication with Inspector Field. I was
a fortnight or three weeks after my son's burial. Field
called on me, but for what cause I don't know. I never
applied to him, •

Mary Keeling, examined by Mr. Welsby lam a widow
living at Rugeley. On Wednesday morning, 21st Nov.
last, I laid out the deceased's body, in company with my
sister-in-law. I got to the Talbot Arms about ten o'clock
in the morning, The body was warm, bat the hands and
arms were cold. The body was lying on the back with the
arms crossed upon the chest, did pot observe anything
particular about the body; it was very stiff indeed. I have
laid out many corpses, but I never saw one so stiff before,
We had great difficulty in straightening the deceased's arms,
and I bad to draw a piece of tape from the wrist under his
back with which I fastened them down. His right foot
was turned on one side, outwards, and we were obliged t!
tie the two feet together to keep them in place. The eyes
were open, and we were a considerable time before we
could close them ; the eyelids were very stiff. The hands
were also very stiff, and clenched. 111 r. Palmer went
upstairs with us, and held a light to her whilst st.e took
two rings off the finger on Cook's hand. I hal great
difficulty in doing it, from his hand being so very stiff.
The hand then closed again, I did not see any book in
the room.

Cross-examined by Mr. Grove : It was not a usual thing
to tie the arms down in putting the body straight. I
never used tape before in laying out a dead body. I have
used it to tie the feet together and also for the toes. I
have never seen it used for the arms, but it is usual for
those who are present to tie the arms by the side, so soon
as a person dies. The arms remain in their position and
stiff if that is not done. Then there is frequently a diffi-
culty in keeping the eyelids of a corpse closed if they are
not closed immediately after death. The jaws are usually
tied after death.

By the Attorney General : She had laid out a great many
bodies of all ages, and never knew of the arms being tied
before. It was usual to lay the arms straight beside the
body a few minutes after death. She wai called to lay out
Mr. Cook's body at half past twelve. It was half past one
when she entered the room where the corpse was lying. It
was in consequence of the eyelids being so stiff that she
could not close the eyes. She bad never found that to be

the ease in other corpses.
Dr. Harland, of Stafford, examined by Mr. Bodkin : I

am a physician. On the 26:h November I made a post
mortem examination of the deceased's body at Rage-
Icy. I called on Mr. Bamford there, and, on my way,
I was joined by Palmer in the street. He said, " I