The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-25 00:00:00

NEWOATE AND LEADENIIALL.

The supplies of meat were good, and the trade ruled
heavy, as follows :
Per 81bs by the carcase.
s. d. s. d. e. d. s.
Beef, interior 2 8 3 2' Mutton Inferior 2 8 3 2
Do., middling 3 4 3 6 Do., middling 3 4 3 8
Do. prime large.. 3 8 3 10 ; Do., prime 3 10 4 4
De , do. small ....4 0 4 2 Veal 4 0 5 6
Purk, large 3 4 4 0 1 Pork, small 4 2 4 10

THE LUGELEY POISONING CASES.

RUGELEY, THURSDAY.

This inquiry was continued after our report was de-
spatched last night ; George Whyman, assistant to
Messrs. Mude and Weaver, of Wolverhampton, being then
under examination. The witness swore positively that he
sold the prussic acid to Wm. Palmer at the time stated.
A. customer named Hill was present at the time the
purchase was made.

By Mr. Smith—l knew Palmer by having seen him in
London. I saw him for ten minutes at the latter end of
1851 or 1852. I saw him again last August, but did not
see him in the interval. I had no conversation with him,
but he was pointed out to me as Mr. Wm. Palmer, of
Rugeley. I was told this by Mr. Gadsby, of the Punch
Tavern ; a Mr. Nattall was present, who was staying
there. I saw him six months afterwards in Fleet-street,
and asked him if it was Mr. Win. Palmer ; he replied that
it was. I do not know where Mr. Nattall is ; but Mr.
Hill, of Kidderminster was in the shop when Mr. Pal-
mer came in. The hour might have been a qnarter to 12,
or a quarter past; it would not exceed that for a few
minutes either way. It would take from a half to three-
quarters of an hour to reach Wolverhampton from Staf-
ford. I sold him the prussic acid before 12 o'clock.
Mr. Smith said that he should be able to show from
the hour named by this witness that his statement was
a gross fabrication.

By Mr. Deane—l am confident that I sold Mr. Win.
Palmer the prussic acid, as I have stated.
Mr. Samuel Hill, confectioner, of Kidderminster, was
seat called. He said—l recollect the 14th of August
last year. I was at Messrs. Maude and Weaver's, at
Wolverhampton, between 12 and 1 o'clock. A gentle.
man came in whilst my order was being made up, and I
was asked to wait a little. I can't say what the gentle-
man wore, whether a white or black hat, or whether he
was a black or an Albanian.

Mr. Weaver, of Wolverhampton, sworn.—l don't be-
lieve that we ever had Mr. Palmer's name on our books.
By Mr. Smith—lf my young man hai stated that this
William Palmer had an account with us it is incorrect--
it is another William Palmer. I have had some conver-
sation with Whyman about this matter. It was about
the time there was so much talk about Cook's case. I
asked him if he had sold any .strychnine to anybody, and
he replied, that he had sold au ounce of prussic acid to
Mr. Palmer.

Mr. Charles Vitter, appraiser and general dealer, of
Stafford, was then called. He said—l knew Mr. Wal-
ter Palmer by sight. I was sent for after his death by
Walkeelea to the house of the deceased ; it was between
2 and 3 o'clock. I found the body of Walter Palmer
on a couch. He was apparently asleep. His legs were
on the sofa. His eyes were a little open. I helped to
take him up-stairs, and place him on the bed, and then
I measured bim for the coffin. His brother William
said of him, "Poor fellow !" Walkedenlhad suggested
that I should make the coffin, and make it quick.
The shell was sent home on that night, but I did
not go to the house again until Friday night ; then
there was nobody there but Walkeden and his wife, and
the only orders I received were to bring men to carry
out the funeral. The shell and lead coffin were both
sealed up on the Saturday. The lead coffin was put
into the oak coffin on Monday and screwed down.

By Mr. Deane—There was no reason given me by
anybody for having a leaden ooffin. The body was not
at all decomposed when the coffins were closed.
Mr. John Burgess, spirit merchant, of Dudley
Port, spoke to the fact of his having sold Mr. Walter
Palmer brandy, wine, gin, ale, and porter. The trans.
actions commenced on the 13th of February, 1855, and
continued up to the 30th of J uly. During that time he
supplied the deceased with 19 gallons of spirits. They
were ordered by Walkeden • part of the amount being
paid by Walter Palmer, and by Wm. Palmer, whom
he sued for the balance.

Mr. am. John Gill, Secretary to the Solicitors and
General Life Assurance Office, produced two proposals
for life insu►ance. The letter from Mr. Wm. Palmer
was received by post ; it was for 13,0001., and was dated
Dec. 9, 1854. The proposal was declined. A second pro-
posal, with the same object, came through Mr. Pratt, a
solicitor, of May-fair.
Mr. Thomas Pratt, solicitor, of Queen-street, May-
fair, London, was next called. He said—l did not know
the decea,ed Walter Palmer, but I did know Mr. Wm.
Palmer.

The Coroner—Have you a policy in your hands on the
fe of Wm. Palmer !

Mr. Lewis objected tothe question. This isnot-, he said,
an inquiry into the holding of a policy, but an inquiry
into the death of Walter Palmer. Mr. Deane is here in
the joint capacity of solicitor for the Crown and for the
insurance offices, and it appears to me now that his ob-
ject is to obtain evidence from Mr. Pratt for ulterior
proceedings.
The Coroner—lt is due to Mr. Deane to state that
he did not summon Mr. Pratt; it was the jury who
wished that this question should be asked.
Mr. Lewis—l hare no objection to Mr. Pratt answer-
ing as to whether he has the policy in his possession.
Mr. Pratt —I am the holder of the policy as the soli-
citor of Mr. Palmer.

The Coroner—Was it in your possession previously to
;he 16th of August last ?

Witness—ltwas.

Mr. Lewin—Have you any objection to state what
your lues will be by your transactions with William
Palmer

Witness—About 4,0001. in hard cash.
Mr. Deane said that if Mr. Lewis was to ask these
questions, he had better pursue his inquiry a little fur-
ther, for Mr. Pratt oould throw much light on these
insurance transactions. As to his getting up a case for
the insurance offices, that was not so ; they had case
enough already.
Mr. Lewis (to witness)—Havo you any lien on the
policy for costs ?

.4: Witness— I have nothing to say about costs ; there is
no lien of any kind.
The Coroner inquired whether the witness would suffer
any loss if he were paid the whole amount of the policies ?
Witness—Pray do not ask me that question. lam a
young professional wan with three children, and have
been nearly ruined by this man. How can yuu ask me
that question ?
Foreman of the Jury—l am sure we do not wish to
implicate Mr. Pratt.
Witness—Good God, I should think not. _ _

Mr. Lewis remarked that as many statements had
gone forth to the prejudice of Mr. Pratt, he hoped
that observation would go forth to the world.
Mr. Pratt said he was quite willing to tell all he knew.
Mr. Deane—l do not wish to hear privately what
Mr. Pratt has to say ; if he wishes to make a statement,
let hire do it to the jury.
The Coroner said that that was not the place to make
any such statement ; and after one or two other re-
marks on this subject from Mr. Lewis, this protracted
inquiry closed.
After a brief adjournment the coroner proceeded to
sum up the evidence, which he did fairly and carefully.
He began by cautioning the jury to dismiss from their
minds all the reports which had reached them relative
to this most fearful and distressing case, and to take into
their consideration only the evidence which had beers
adduced. They must be aware (he said) that many un-
founded statements had gone forth to the world, state-
ments which showed very much ill-feeling on the part of
those who published them. The first point for them to
consider was how Walter Palmer came by his death, and
whether it was by unfair means. They had abundant evi-
dence to show that deceased had been addicted to exces-
sive drinking, and of the eightmedical witnesses examined
not one would say positively that death had been caused
by poison, but several of them had declared their opinion
that death might have been produced by apoplexy, brought
on by excessivedrinking. Dr. Campbell, who had attended
the deceased the year before his death, had stated that
the state of Walter Palmer's health was such that he was
in no way surprised at his sudden death ; he had, in
fact, looked upon it as a probable occurrence. Dr.
Taylor had told them that death might have been pro-
duced by prussic acid ; but the only evidence as to the
purchase of any was by the witness Whyman, who gave
the day of the month the purchase was made, and said
that he sold to William Palmer one ounce ; be spoke,
however, of the bottle being coloured ; and of the two
bottles seen by the boots at the Junction Hotel, at Staf-
ford, neither was coloured. It should not be lost sight
of, too, that Palmer made no secret about the bottles at
Mr. Lloyd's, and Walkeden swore that the deceased
took nothing for more than half an hour before his
death, whereas Professor Taylor, in his evidence, said
that, in cases of poison from prussic acid, death would
ensue in half an hour. That opinion was corroborated,
too, by the other medical witnesses. It was not true,
either, that William Palmer had an interest of 83,000/.
on his brother's death ; the amount was 13,000/., and
the policies of insurance for this amount were in the
possession of Pratt. As to the general symptoms prior
to the death of the deceased, and the appearance at the
post mortera examination, there was no contradiction
whatever. The Coroner then went through all the
principal evidence minutely, and at a quarter past six
o'clock in the evening the jury retired to a private room.
They were enclosed about two hours and a quarter.
On their return the Coroner put the final question as to
whether they were agreed ?
Foreman—We are not.
Coroner—Have the majority agreed ?
Foreman—Twenty two have agreed to a verdict.
Coroner—What do you find to be the cause of the
death of Walter Palmer ?
Fm We find that he died from the effects of
prussic acid, that such prussic acid was wilfully ad-
William Palmer."
ad-
ministered eaecdaildi by ----4
Coroner—That, I take it, is a verdict of wilful murder.
Foreman—Yes ; and we also desire to append an ex-
pression of our strong disapprobation of the manner in
which Thomas Walkeden gave his evidence.
After a pause, the foreman added that the jury wished
it to be understood that they thought great credit was
due to the chief constable and the county constabulary
for bringing these two cases before them, although they
had been of such a painful character. They thought,
too, that application should be made iu the proper quar-
ter for compensating Mr. Willis, of the Talbot inn, for
the loss be had sustained, the corpse being opened at
his house.
Mr. Burgen, superintendent of police at Lichfield
(whose improper demeanour and conduct had excited so
much observation in the afternoon), said a few words of
acknowledgment for the constabulary, in the absence of
Capt. Hatton. With reference to compensation to Mr.
Willis, he added it had already been thought of, and
that a public dinner was contemplated.
With this singular remark, indicative of a purpose so
inappropriate in existing circumstances, the court broke
up.
It is understood-that Mr. John Smith, the prisoner's
attorney, is preparing immediate application for trial