The Sun.
London, England, 1856-06-07 00:00:00

THE PRISONER PALMER.

rAFFoIi

Since William Palmer has been in Stafford Urol, a
great many statements have been made public with regard
to his conduct that are entirely without foundation, antl

some of them, for the sake of the authorities of the pri-
son, require contradiction. Among these is one that
appeared originally in a provincial paper, in which it
was represented that some person bad obtained admis-
sion to the gaol, and that he raw the prisoner walking
in the gar3en, and that he offered him a cigar, and asked
him to have a glass of wine with him ; and it was repro,
seated that then some conversation took place with re
ference to Palmer not being able to name the winning-
horse for the Derby. To those who are acquainted with
the nature of the gaol regulations, and the manner in
which Major Fulford, the governor, performs the duties
1 that devolve upon him, such a story as this would not
require any observation ; but as many may not be aware
of these circumstances, it is adviseable to state that the

whole of this tale is an entire fabrication. Since be bag
been brought back to Stafford no one bas seen hiro--of

course with the exceptio❑ of Major FuHord, the gover-
nor, and the Rev. H. J. Goodacre, the chaplain—but
his three brothers and his sister. He has not even been

'seen by Mr. Smith, his attorney. According to the pro
visions of the Gaol Act every prisoner under sentence
of death is ordered to be placed in some secure place.of
confinement apart' from all other prisoners, and no one
is allowed to see him, except by an order of the visiting
justices. This rule has been most strictly enforced, and,
with the exception of those above mentioned, no person
Las been admitted to see the prisoner except Mr. Wright,
a gentleman who, from philanthropic motives, visits the
different prisons, and who has a special order from the
Secretary of State to visit every prison in the country.
Having referred to the number of false statements
that have been made public in reference to this notori-
ous culprit, it may be observed that the fActs about to
be stated were communicated to our reporter by Major
Fulford, the governor of Stafford gaol, personally, and
their authenticity may be fully relied on.
It would appear that ever since the prisoner has been
in the gaol, since his conviction, he has presented
the same cold and unmoved appearance that has charac-
terised him throughout the whole of the proceedings.
There appears to be good grounds for believing that
good deal of this has been assumed, and that those en'
trusted with his defence have instilled into him very
strongly the necessity of making as much show of indif
ference as possib!e, as being the most likely course to.as*
silt them in their endeavours to obtain a commutation
of the sentence. He has paid very little attention to the
exhortations of the worthy chaplain of the gaol ; and
although he seemed to be a little moved by the converse.
tion of Mr. Wright, who entreated him, in the most ear'
nest manner, to repent, and endeavour to make soon
atonement for his crimes by admitting the justice of hi
sentence, it was very evident that the effect soon wore
away, and he speedily resumed his callous and indifferen
appearance. Before his removal to London to take hi
trial he constantly attended divine service in the chapel;
a seat being provided for him, in which he was screened
from the observation of all the other prisoners, but since
his return he has never once visited the chapel. It alr
pears, however, that he devotes a good deal of his time
to reading the religious books that are provided for him,
and also the Holy Scriptures, in his cell.
Palmer very seldom alludes to his trial, and when he
does so he appears principally to complain of the such'
cuing up of the Lord Chief Justice. He has also state''
that he entertained the belief that he should he acquitted
all the time the jury were engaged in deliberation, but
that when they returned, and he observed the couaten'
once of the foreman, he was at once aware what the de'
vision was that they had arrived at. It would seem tbet
Palmer himself did not desire to have the case removed
out of the county of Stafford, but that be consented upon,
the representation that he would have a better chance 01
acquittal if the case was tried in London.
Major Fulford has received a number of letters in re'
ference to the prisoner, and some of them are of a tier/
extraordieary character. The following is a copy of one
received on Thursday. It was dated from Stafford, an
addressed to Major Fulford :
" Sir,—Let me acquaint you that it is the intention of
Paliner's relatives to get something conveyed to him ,stt:
destroy himself, and it is believed that his son wilt "-
the instrument for so doing. Should that not be accon3;
pushed, he will try thrr wing himself off the gallows. .1
believe his friends rely upon him,squaring' one or more
of his keepers."
This was signed "An Inhabitant of Rugeleh
posted at this town for fear of its being known." An nd.
"
ther communication of a curious kind has also been re'
ceived from a man at Newport, who expresses an anxiott
desire to be allowed to act as the executioner, and oh
stetes that he shall be "proud" of being the executioner
of Palmer.
The prisoner is never left a moment alone. Two of the
principal warders of the prison are engaged in watching
him alternately day and night, so that even if he ente;
tained any intention of destroying himself, or even ha:
the means, there would not be the slightest opportunity
for his carrying it into effect. A variety of absurd stir
gestions—such as his having poison concealed in his ear*
that, he had sharpened one of his nails sufficiently to open
a vein, and thus bleed to death—have been made to the
governor of the prison in reference to this subject.

Our townsman, Mr. Thos. Wright, the prison philell:
thropist, went over to Stafford on Wednesday, for th'
purpose of obtaining an interview with William Palo3l
He remained n ith the prisoner nearly an hour, 01.1
atterwards had a further communication with-him,,i„
the course of the afternoon. Mr. Wright was forcinl
struck with the behaviour of Palmer, and the manner °
his reception, which was peculiarly indicative of
per sense of the awful situation in which he sten...,
Having read a portion of scripture—the &lst Psalo34l .
Mr. Wright proposed to offer up a prayer, to vtia,
there was no objection made, but, on the contrary,
mer, taking the hand of his visitor, desired that he Wpb
in in such prayer ask for a blessing upon his little boy,
we understand, is as yet ignorant of the fearful pea
tion in which his father is placed. Palmer also expreti
a hope that he might have the prayers of that portico:l;i
society who, in spite of his presumed guilt, can Yet aids
sympathy for him as a miserable man about to en de'
Being asked if a future visit would be acceptable, heL
Oared the consolation that it would afford him, and h'igt;
ther entreated that Mr. Wright would remain with "to
to the end. He also stated how grateful he felt to ,
governor and chaplain of the gaol for their humane 94i.
sideration and their general bearing towards him.
mer is younger than has been supposed, having 13°"er
reached his 29th year. We understand that the e%efc„b
Lion is to be undertaken by a man of the name of S 1011;
who had the office at the last fearful exhibition of to
same kind which took place in Stafford about five ye
ago.—Manchester Examiner.

EFFECTS OF STRYCHNINE.
TO THE EDITOR OP THE SUN. 10
SIR,—It may not be uninteresting to the pubojc
know that it is not uncommon for strychnine to pr°u°
inflammation and ulceration of the back part o'2o
tongue and throat ; and, in a case of poisoning suellia
Cook's, I should look for the ,spots of ulceration I'o
symptom that he had been so poisoned. At peg
of the catalogue of the anatomical preparations of 0
Boyal Westminster Opthalmic Hospital, and lidtiet,
bered 32 and 34, are two cases of death from str'd
nine with ulceration of the throat. The catalogue,,,,
written in 1830. One of the preparations is Wino;
the other is still in my possession. I have, also, 01" hfig
present time, a patient in the same hospital 11°;„ of
been taking, for 23 days, one-twelfth of a gray 9'
strychnine (bought at Apothecaries' H ill) three titneo
day, and has had, for the same period, half a gr 011
applied externally to each temple every morningLcs
a raw blistered surface. His tongue and throat Tor
been very sore ; but now that for the last three or J(10,
days be has had slight twitchings in his legs, his 04, n,O
&c., are better. I can safely ray that, for the I,'vol
years, strychnine has never been given at' the S°'i4
Westminster Ophthalmic Hospital without the Ot`eib4
being desired to leave it off at once, if either their rao",,
or throats became sore. Having the preparatioostbe
bottles before our eyes, we were not likely to forg4,lolo
action of such a medicine. I ought to mention ;00;
these two deaths were from having strychnine ad°3lcetio
tered carelessly—we then looking merely for the
vulsions, and not expecting the ulceration of the tbrup
I informed the Attorney-General of the aboceeol
not till after the defence was finished, when it coal"'
be used as evidence.-1 our obedient servant,
CHARLES G. GUTIOISI
18, Pall-Mall East, June 6, 1856.

Otl° 11
SHIPWRECKED MARINERS' SOCIETY..—The-
meeting of . this institution was held yesterdV:ijot,
Willis's Rooms, King-street, St. James's ; Lord too.
M.P., in the chair. There were also presen,t---jeott
Waldegrave, C.B. ; Admirals Sir E. Lyons, ",1,011
M.P., Knox, Bertie, C. Cator ; Captains Hen. -c.,,f,feef
Maude, R.N., Heaslop, R.N. ; Revs. R. W. jA"..4'
G. Smith, Dr. Spark, R.N.; Lieutenants POllOl6lOO
mons, R.N., Montagu Gore, R. C. Rowley, J. I"..r,e''
G. A. Brograve, W. Stuart, A. Ellis, R.N. ;B. the
and R. Brett, Esqrs. The noble chairman opal°, the
meeting in an able speech. The very naule,f*aog
society, " The Shipwrecked Mariners," he saluov
gesting, as it does, such an amount of suffering ti oi/t
minds, must appeal to the best sympathies 01,1
nature. His lordship then called on Mr. Franc 4 tkts°
R.N., the secretary, to read the report, which, 800
that no less than 3,085 vessels, wrecked, founocirnrieg
sea, or abandoned, had been reported at Lloyd's u'ati
the past year, and in consequence of which the °.°dovit
had relieved 5,900 persons, including 2,368 Wia oc°
orphans, and aged parents, and 3,622 noricerotb;
fishermen who had been assisted to replace their,e,66g
ing or boats, lost or damaged by storms ; in all DuTlis
persons since the foundation of the society in I.B39'foiag
average increase of subscribers r mongst the 50..; de;
classes at 2s. 61 each had been 4,0001. per anellioek,
ing the last five years ; making a total of 4%..„1,
Rewards for saving life on.the high seas and theli,
of the colonies have been given since January, lb over
the amount of 5771. 103., besides 10 gold and 47 Tbe
medals for assisting at the saving of 1,
circulation of the society's quarterly magazine,,,. Pe!
Shipwrecked Mariner," at 6d. per No. or 25. roc!
year through the post, had been productive 01, wit°,
good to the society. And the report conclude. of it!
696 lives 006,
thanksgiving to God for the rapid increase boto_its to,
funds and of its usefulness. Resolutions of tbst'oo]
the 500 honorary agents round the coasts, the larJother
gentlemen collectors, and the coast guard and a
public bodies, having been moved and secononefoo
Admiral Walcott, M.P., Rev. George Smith, 2",,ontslijo
Gore, Esq., Dr. Sparke, R.N., W. R. Payne, 1-'O:3-0r;
the Hon. F. Maude, R N., Mr. Smith, R.N., pr"
A. Brograve, Esq., and Sir Edmund Lyons, coo
G.C.8., the proceedings terminated with the Uflh"-
pliments to the chairman.