The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-01-22 00:00:00

ANOTHER PHASE

IN THE
RUGELEY POISONING CASE

s
COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH. Y— _ ESTE RDAY

lof the existence of the bill before that day. No application
bad ever been made to her before this for the payment of
the bill. She never gave any one authority to sign her
name to it. About three years ago she accepted two bills
for about 7001. far her son, but she had security for it. She
ver accepted a bill for 1,0001. from him.
Cross examined—She had accepted one drawn by a person
_ _
xton ; that is one with my signature, not one like
fiery ; that was accepted for his accommodation,
she did not then think she would have to pay it. Bux-
ton's bill was accepted about seven or eight months ago.
She had not a fresh security for that bill ; she had security
r son on real property at Stafford to the amount of
r 6,0001. It was for advances made at different
The whole of the money, 5,0001. or 6,000/., she
for her son William, came out of the Lichfield
Palmer and Green, who had now failed.

namal

from I
5,0001.

esgrs

continued.—She might have paid £2OO
s ago. Her son William was still in her
rty as security. She could
lot transact her business, but
r knew or heard that a claim
When she paid the
of a bill drawn
e could not say that she had not advanced
The bill in her hand at that moment

much as she d

throu,;h a solicitor

had been made upon her for £l,OOO
£260 she did not know it was on accout

was not in her handwriting.
The learned counsel then placed some papers in the
witness's hand, and she selected three as genuine signatures.
Mr. G. Palmer, solicitor, son of the last witness, was then
called, and examined by Mr. Grey. He was sure the bill
1 by his mother.
need that the signature on the bill
s not in her mother's hand-writing.
liev. Thomas Palmer, brother of the accused, of Coulton
ed that the signature to the bill in
ther's handwriting.
ager of the Rugeley Bank, deposed
i,znature to the bill for £2,000 was not in defen-
lant's handwriting; he should not pay a cheque on that
signature without confirmation.
Mr_ Lander, solicitor, Rugeley, of the firm of Lander,
Gardiner, and Co. deposed that he believed the signature
was not in the defendant's handwriting..
Mr. James Gardiner of the above firm gave similar
evidence, as did Mr. Joseph Cope, clerk to Mr. George

in questio❑

3drah Palm

q nestiir

Darbvshire,

Palmer, and Mr. William. Barnett, of Pames, near
Bir-
mingham.
Mr. Nethercliffe deposed he had compared genuine sig-
natures of the defendant's with the one in dispute, and said

it was not Mrs. Palmer's handwriting. There was a simi-
larity about the capital letters to her writing, but the S was
rather carefully and slowly done. The P was a little
shakey. The' r" in " Sarah" and also the "r" in "Palmer"
were not the running-hand " r" like Mrs. Palmer's but the
round text schoolboy-hand. This was written slowly, with
the pen frequently taken off in the word Palmer no less than
five times, and not joined again ; in all the genuine ones the
letters " almer" show no join between any of the letters
It wanted also the freedom of a genuine signature. It was
close, compact, and slowly done.
This was the defendant's case.
The plaintiff then called
William Palmer, who, amidst much excitement, entered
the court in custody of an officer. The prisoner is a person
of ordinary height, and rather corpulent. Ho has round
and rather expressive features, with a light complexion. He
wears little whiskers, and hair which is of a very light
aubnrn. His eyes are also of a light colour, but very ex-
pressive. He entered the witness box in a perfectly cool
and collected manner, surveyed leisurely the crowded
audience, to some of whom he nodded in a familiar manner,
appeared to fix his attention on some person located near
thee learned counsel who conducted the plaintiff's case. The
prisoner was then sworn, and answered the following ques-
tions put to him by the learned counsel in a low, yet -firm
and distinct voice, betraying not the least hesitation or
trepidation, or at all moved by the gaz3 of the audience
collected together to obtain a glimpse of an individual who
has so lately obtained so much notoriety.
Mr. Edwin James, to the witness, handing him the bill of
exchange—ls the signature " William Palmer," as the
chewer of that bill, in your handwriting ?
Palmer—Yes.
Mr. E. James—And you applied to Padwick to advance

you money on it ?
Prisoner—l did.
Mr. E. James—Who wrote Sarah Palmer's acceptance

on it ?

Anne Palmer

Mr. E. James—Who is she