The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-15 00:00:00

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SUN OFFICE, Seven o'Clock.

THE RUGELEY POISONINGS.

TRIAL OF WILLIAM PALMER.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT (THIS DAY).
SECOND DAT.

This morning at 10 o'clock the proceedings in this
remarkable case were resumed.

The interest taken by the public in the matter seems
to be rapidly upon the increase. Long before the usual
time for opening the court, a large crowd had assembled
to witness the arrival of the persons engaged in the
trial, and the greatest eagerness was evinced to learn
anything about what was taking placa in the court.
The court was filled at an early hour, and not any
inconvenience was this day felt in obtaining admission,
and increased accommodation was afforded to the press.
Upon the bench almo,t the first to arrive were Earls
Grey and Derby. In court there were a great many of
the leading members n the medical profession from the
midland counties. Mee era. Moseley and Minnely, the
two surgeons who gave the direct evidence of the poi.
Boning by strychnine of Mrs. Dove at Leeds, were also
present.

The jury having re-assembled and answered to their
names, and their lordships taken their seats, the pri-
soner entered the dock. He looked the same as yes-
terday, and, after bowing somewhat stiffly to the bench,
took his stand at the front of the dock, and did not
seem one of the most interested persons in the court.
The proceedings opened by Mr. Edwin James calling
Elizabeth Mills, for the purpose'of cross-examination by
Mr. Sergeant Shee.

Sergeant Shee—How long before Mr. Cook's death
had you lived at the Talbot Arras?
Witness Two years.

Lord Campbell--We have that already ; need I take
it down again I

Sergeant Shee—How long before Mr. Cook's death
had you seen him at the Talbot Arms ?
Witness—About three or four months. I first saw

him in May.

Sergeant Shee—Was he ailing at that time ?
Witnesi—He did not seem particularly so.
Sergeant Shee—Did you not hear him complain of
his throat !

Witness—l did.
Sergeant Shee—How long before his death ?
Witness—About three months.
Sergeant Shee—Did he complain frequently ?
Witness—No.
Sergeant Shee—Do you know if he took any medicine
for it ?

Witness—A. gargle, I believe. He took a good many
bottles, I believe. I never saw but one.
Sergeant Shee- Did you see that his mouth was sore!
Witness—l did not.

Sergeant Shee—Did he not appear to have a difficulty
in swallowing!
Witness—l never beard him complain.
Sergeant Shee—Have you not heard him complain
that his tongue was sore ?
Witness—l hue not. I have seen him with a loaded
tongue.

Sergeant Sliee—You mean foul ?
Witness—Yes. I do not know that caustic was ap
plied to it. f knew Dr. Thirlby attended him.
Sergeant Shee—How recently before his death did he
complain of his tongue
Witness—l do not know. I did not know that ho
took medicine'before his last illness.. I did not see any
pills before then. He had a slight cough when his
throat was sore. He was ailing when he came back
from Shrewsbury. After Mr. Cook's death I left the
Talbot and went home to my friends in the Potteries.
I have been in service sine?. I have been chambermaid
at Dolly's Chop-house. I have seen Mr. Stephens since
I came to London. I saw him at Dolly's I think about
6or 7 times. I will swear not 12. We did not talk
about Cook's death. He asked me how I liked London.
We did not have any private conversation about the
matter. I cannot recollect what else we talked about
excepting Cook's death.

Sergeant Shee—Did he ever give you any money ?
Witness—Never. '
Sergeant Shee—Or promise you any ?
Witness—No, never.
Sergeant Shee—When did you see him last 1
Witness—On Tuesday.
Sergeant Shee—What did he say, then ?
Witness—Merely asked me how I ww. lam not new
at Dolly's. It was there that Isa v him on Tuesday.
Sergeant Shee—What part of Dolly's did you sea him
in!

Witness—The sitting-roam. We were not alone.
Sergeant Shee—Who was there ?
Witness—Lavinia Barnes.
Sergeant Shee—Oh, Miss Barnes. Who else ?
Witness—Two gentlemen.
Sergeant Shee—Who were they?
Witness—Mr. Hatton and Mr. Gardner.
Sergeant Shoe— W hat, the chief constable of Stafford ?
. Witness—l do not know that he is chief constable.
Sergeant Shee—Will you swear that ?
Witness—l only know it from what I have heard.
Sergeant Shee—ls not Mr. Gardner an attorney ?
Witness—l think he
Sergeant Shee— What did you talk about ?
Witness—l cannot recollect.
Sergeant Shee—Did he ask you what evidence you
were going to give ?

Witness—He did not. He did not read anything to
me. I have seen Mr. Stephens. He did not read the
coroner's depositions to me, neither did he read them
from a newspaper.

Sergeant Sbee—How many times have you seen Hat-
ton at Dolly's Coffee-boue?

Witness—l am sure not half a dozen times. He might
hare spoken of Cook's death. I cannot remember or
recollect if he did. I have he ,a 1 Gardner three or four
tune?. I hare met him in the street and at Dolly's.
Not anyone else was present. I have not been to any
attorney's office with him.

The witness, in answer to further questions, Said she
was now living with her mother at Rugeley, and had
been there about three weeks. She had been living with
her friends. She knew a man of the name of Dutton,
as he waa a friend of hers. There was a Mrs. Dutton,
his mother. Ile was a labouring man, and she had
known him about two years. The residence was a cot-
tage. There were four rooms—two bed-rooms and two
sitting-rooms ; and on all occasions she slept with Dut-
ton's mother, who had a weekly income. She had also
been staying with her cousin in the Potteries. She left
Doily's about a month ago, of her own accord, as she
did not like the place. She had not read the case of
Mrs. Dove, who was poisoned at Leeds. She had heard
it read, but not by any person connected with the trial.
She never heard the symptoms of strychnine mentioned,
but there was a remark made that that was another
strychnine ease. She could not say when she first used
the word twitching. She thought it was first mentioned
bait conversation with her mother. The word " jJrk-
log " had never been mentioned to her by any.
body ; she was quite positive as to that. The
broth she mentioned yesterday, which made her
sick twenty times, she never mentioned to the
Coroner. It did not occur to her when ohe was being
examined, but she thought of it three days after. She
did mention, that the broth had a liecular taste to
the Coroner when she was recalled. She had been exa-
mined twice before' the Coroner. Oa one occasion her
attention was called to the broth, and she then stated
that the broth was very g„d.,
It never occurred to her
to mention that the broth made her sick. She did not
think at the time the sickness was card by the broth.
She had bilious atticks, but not &trout ones. She did
not mention the fact of her being sick, because she
could net account for it. The sickness came on
about half an hour after she had taken the broth. 0„
Saturday morning Cook had coffee for breakfast,
but she did not recollect who recommended the coffee
to Cock. She could not remember whether Palmer
ordered the breakfast. She stated it yesterday
that Palmer ordered the coffee, but at that exact
moment she could not recollect that she mentioned the
bject yesterday. If she stated it yesterday, it was
Correct, but she could not recollect so well to-day as yes-
terday. She could remember whether she stated any•
thing about the coffee to the coroner. The pill-box
mentioned in evidence yesterday as being sent over
about 5 o'clock, and that she saw Palmer in the room
about 8 o'clock, she did not remember to have mentioned
to the coroner. Sho might not have been asked the
Uestion. She would swear Palmer was there between
*line and ten, as he brought a pot of jelly, and she.opened
it. It 'was nearer ten than nine. She did not recollect,
when she left Cook about half-past ten that evening,
whether Palmer was with him. She did not know
.when Cook took the pills. It was Tuesday morning
when she asked Cook how he felt after taking the pill:,
She asked what was the cause of his illness,
and. he.said the pills which Palmer gave him, but she

aid not mention that Ci7cumstance before the Coroner.

She had been questioned about what she said about the
pills. It was at Fletchingly by Dr. Collier. She did
not tell him a gentleman altered her evidence. Dr.
Collyer said "The coroner has not got down what you
mentioned about the pills," and she said "No," but she
thought it was down somewhere, as she had mentioned
it to somebody. The evidence had been altered by her
since it was given. She could not tell who the gentle.
man was to whom she mentioned about the pills, be-
cause she did not know. She made the statement in
question at Dolly's. She was positive she could not tcll
the name of the gentleman. He came to her at Dolly's,
and asked her if she would answer a few questions. The
interview lasted about half an hour, and he was
writing as she was answering the questions.
He did not tell her his name. Mr. Stevens was with
him. She did not mention that before because she was
❑ever asked the question. All she stated was taken
down. She did not recollect whether she mentioned
anything to the coroner about Cook being unable to lay
down. She mentioned something about Cook throwing
himself about, but she could not say that she used the
word "jerking," but she might have said the body was
"jumping about ;9 neither could she remember stating
that the fingers would not move. She did not remem-
ber saying she saw Cook " twitch." She did not recol-
lect exactly what she said now before the coroner, but
she answered every question that was put to her. She
(lid not tell the coroner that Cook snapped at the spoon
when she gave him the toast water, so OmM-was diffi-
cult to get it out of his mouth.

Lord Campbell thought the questions were upneoes-
sary, as the coroner's depositions must be read.
Mr. Sergeant Shee said the depositions were put in.

The Attorney-General said he was prepared to have
the depositions read, but he was also in a position to pruve
that there were several omissions in the depositions which
called for some remonstrance on the part of the prose-
cution.

Cross-examination continued—When I first was exa-
mined, I was not required to disclose the symptoms to
Dr. Taylor. On the night when I rung for Palmer, he
had a cap on. That was on the Monday. I don't recol-
lect how Palmer was dressed on the Tuesday. I don't
know whether he had his night or day shirt on or whe-
ther he wore slippers. The witness then stated that it
was not 10 minutes after Jones left the room that she
saw Palmer searching for Cook's coat, but it was 10
minutes after she herself left the room. She stated to
the Coroner that she saw Palmer searching the bed-
clothes as if he was looking for a watch. He remembered
the room in which the examinations of Cook's body took
place [a model of the Talbot Hotel, and Palmer's house
was here placed before the jury.]

The witness here described pointed to a door which
the doctors' entered at. She thought the people also
came in by the door. Another door led to a bedroom,
and the other door led to the landing. There was a gas
lamp over the door of the Talbot. She did not know
the exact distance between Palmer's house and the
Talbot.

Mr. Sergeant Shea said he Row prop osed that the de-
positions should be read.
The Clerk then read the evidence given by the wit-
ness before the coroner.

Re-examined by Mr. James—She was before the co-
roner, and was examined several days. She was not
then examined on el the symptoms she noticed in the
deceased. The questions were then put to her by the
coroner, and her answers were written down by the
coroner's clerk. What questions the coroner put to
her she answered, but made no statem eut.
By Lord Campbell—The coroner asked if the broth
had any effect on me, and I said not that I was aware
of.