The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-14 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY 14, 1856.

which 500 Z. was advanced to Cook. This was paid in a

cheque for 3751., and a wine warrant for 651., and the
other was charged for discount and other expenses.
Palmer got the cheque and wine warrant, which should
have reached Cock, and forged the name of Cook
upon the back of the cheque, it being drawn by
Mr. Pratt upon his bankers in London. Prisoner
never intended the proceeds of this cheque should
find its way into the hands of Cook, and Cook
never got the money ; and about the time Cook
came to his end. His bill would be due in 10 days, and
that when it became duo to Palmer he had no money to
meet it. The learned cousel then went on to state that
the insurance upon the life of his brother not having
been paid, Palmer, who had raised money upon the
policy, in order to raise further sums, induced Cook to
represent Bates, who was a helper in Palmer's stables
at Rugeley, as a man of substance and respectability,
and thereby to get Bates to insure his life for 2,5001.
Palmer proposed this, to which Bates objected, but
Palmer pressed him, and Cook also persuaded him,
stating that he would be all right with Palmer.
Cook attested it, Palmer being named as sur-
geon, and the assistant as referee. This policy
was sent to the Solicitor-General's Office and
refused, and they then sent a proposal of a similar
character to the Midland for 16,0001., which was also
rejected. This failing, and it being finally settled that
the policy upon the brother's life would not be paid,
the prisoner was reduced to the most deperate straite.
The learned Attorney-General then read a number of
letters, written by Pratt to Palmer, to show that
prisoner was under the utmost pressure to meet his liabi-
lities, and also the bills bearing his mother's signature.
He bad the postmaster of Rugeley meet completely
under his control, and the letters to his mother were
intercepted, which accounted for these acceptances being
unknown to her, and enabled him to keep them from
her. The learned Attorney-General then read a letter,
dated 10th Oct., relative to those insurance applications,
and the inquiries making by the office, and which
stated that the acceptances then becoming due " must
be met," which was underlined in the letter in
question. On 18th October Pratt wrote to Palmer
stating how necessary it was that he and his
mother should prepare to meet the 4,0001. bills
then becoming due, because he could not give
further delay, and advised Palmer to keep his counsel
respecting the insurance affair. On the 27th October
Palmer called in London and paid Pratt an acceptance
for 2601., and on the 28th Pratt wrote to Palmer saying
that he had obtained terms relative to the service of
the writs, on him and his mother till a certain date,
which would enable him to send on tho 10th October
1,0001. anti 1,5001. with which to meet them. On the
Bth November two writs were issue]—one against
Palmer, and another against his mother, but before
doing so Palmer continued to send to Pratt and to pay
him 2001., 2501., and 3001., from which two months
discount was deducted, leaving a balance of about 7001.
on the 1,500/. bilL On the 13th November " Pole
Star" won at Shrewsbury, and then a letter passed be-
tween them, referring to the Prince of Wales' Office
and the insurance of Palmer's brother's life, and in
which Pratt asked him to make up the balance on
the bills. A t that time Pratt held bills amounting
to 12,5001 , of which but 7001. or 8001. had been
paid off. These bills had the forged acceptance
of his mother, and he was, of course, pecuniarily and
criminally responsible for them. The Prince of Wales
Office refusing to insure the brother's life, and Palmer
being unable to obtain money, Pratt considered it us-
ceseary to issue writs against him and his mother. At
the Shrewsbury races Mr. Cook's mare, " Pole Star,"
ran for the handicap, and there was every reason to
believe she would win, and Palmer betted heavily. The
result was that " Pole Star" was the winner, and
Cook was entitled to the stakes, amounting to 4241 ,
but which, after certain deductions, amounted to
3811. 193. His (Cook's) winning altogether, including
the stakes, was 2,0501., and he had in his pockets be-
tween 7001. and 8001. in notes. He would receive the
stakes through Messrs. Weatherby, the agents, and
he would draw on them an acceptance ; and, on
the ensuing Monday, he would have received his
bets at Tatter :all's, amounting to 1,0601., but
within a week after he died, at the ago of 28 years.
Cook was slightly disposed to pulmonary complaints,
and he had been in the habit of consulting Dr. Savage,
of London, who saw him in May, 1855. At that time
Cook was anxious about hie throat, and he had some
eruption about his mouth. He had been taking mercury
by mistake for his complaint. Dr. Savage prescribed
for him, and it had the effect of benehtting him. He
continued after that to see Dr. Savage, and did so about
a fortnight before his death, and Dr. Savage would say
that at that time the deceased had nothing the matter
with his general health. Dr. Savage took an interest
in him, and at the request of his :deeds wished bim to
leave the turf, and advised him to go abroad. His
friends also wished him to leave the turf, for there was
reason to believe that then Palmer premedi-
tated his death. At the Shrewsbury races Mr.
Cook was naturally excited and partook of some
wine with Palmer and others, but ho was generally an
abstemious man. He went to bed perfectly well that
night, and on the following morning ho went on the
course. On that day, 11th Nov., a remarkable in-
cident happened. A friend of deceased, Mr. Herriels,
occupied a room in the hotel near him and Mr. Fisher,
deceased's agent. Fisher in the course of the evening
went into the room at the hotel at Shrewsbury, where
Palmer and Cook were drinking. Fishee was asked to
partake of some refreshment, and Cook said to Palmer
"You'll have something more." Palmer replied, " Not
unless you finish your glass." Cook said, "That's easily
done," and took up the glass and tossed it off, leaving a
tea-spoonful in the glass. Immediately after drinking he
said, " Good God, there is something in it." Palmer
said, " Nonsense," and tasted it and then asked Fisher
and also a Mr. Reed, who had come in, to do so ; but
as there was none left in
tthheeygslaasids. C it woaosk,linhpiboowsseyleer, left the room, and was
very ill. He continued ill, and a medical man was sent
for, and attended to him. He got better, and give
Fisher his money, amounting to between 708/. and 8001.
in notes. Cook on Thursday morning was better, had
his money from Fisher, and went on the course. Pal-
mer had no money that day, having to borrow 251.
His horse " Chicken," ran there, and lost, and Palmer,
consequently, lost some heavy bets. On Thursday
night Palmer and Cook returned to the Raven, at
Rugeley. The previous night a woman called at the
hotel at Shrewsbury, to see Palmer. She was a re-
markable woman, havine connection with the turf.
She went there, and:in the lobby upstairs she saw Palmer
looking at a glass he hal in his hand, and which he was
holding up to the gas, and he afterwards went back to the
room where Cook drank the brandy and water, of
which he complained. The learned Attoraey-General
then proceeded to say that from that time up to
Cook's death Palmer was c )nitently with Lim, aid
gave him things to take. The learned gentleman then
proceeded to state the death of Cook, the post snortein
examination, and the poison found in the body, and in
doing so said that strychnine was a most subtle
poison, the most minute quantity being fatal to human
life—from half a grain to three-quarters of a grain de•
straying life, and it had this pecaliar effect, that it
acted immediately on the nervous muscles of the hu.
man body. The nervous system was divided into two
parts—that of sensation, by which consciousness of ex-
ternals were conveyed to the brain and nerves of mo-
tion, and was the intermediate agent, as it were, of the
intellectual powers of man and the physical ac-
tion arising from organisation. These two main
branches had their origin in the immediate
vicinity of man's intellectual existence, and this
poison affected one set of nerves, whilst the others were
not affected. It affected voluntarily the muscles of the
body, leaving unimpaired consciousness, whilst at the
same time it produced intense excitement of the muscu-
lar system. The learned counsel proceeded to point out
the effect of strychnine on the system, producing teanus,
but of a different character to that tetanus produced
from other oauses. 2d. He should be able to lay befOre
them abundance of evidence on this point, and that the
symptoms and appearances that were produced by strych-
nine having distinctive characteristics from any other
poison. After adverting to the prisoner being a medical
man, and having a knowledge of poison, he referred to
Palmer and the deceased being at Rugeley, Cook's dining
with Palmer, his return to his inn sober, and his retiring
to bed with nothing the matter with him to all appear-
ances. On the following day and Sunday Palmer was
with Cook. On the Saturday morning Palmer was with
him early, and in the morning asked for some coffee, and
gave it to Cook. From that time Cook displayed
suffering from similar symptoms to those at Shrewsbury.
Palmer sent him from his house toast and water and
soup, but there might be nothing in that. Palmer's
servant, however, put the soup on the fire to warm ;
but whilst she left the room Palmer poured it into the
basin and desired the servant to take it to Cook at the
Talbot. She did so. It was given to him, and he ate
a spoonful, but it produced sickness, and he refused to
take more. Palmer afterwards came in and asked if
Cook had eaten the soup. He was told no, on which
he said he must, and it was given to him, and produced
great suffering. Before Palmer came to the inn the
soup had been taken down to the hotel kitchen, and
one of the servants, thinking it looked like good soup,

ate a spoonful, which caused vomiting, and she had to
go to bed, and in the course of the afternoon she vomited
at least 20 times. In the afternoon a medical man
was called in, and Palmer represented to him as he
had to others on other occasions that Cook was
suffering from bilious diarrhcea, and that he had drank
freely the previous night, having dined with him. The
medical man found none of those symptoms in his pa-
tient, and on his asking him if he had taken an excess
of champagne the previous day Cook said he had not,
but had taken only two glasses. The medical man saw
him again that day, and he was still ill. He had coffee,
and arrowroot, and barley water in the course of the
day, and when the deceased took anything when Palmer
was present he vomited after it. That might not be a
singular coincidence, but so it was. At the close of
Saturday deceased suffered from vomiting. He had
taken medicine prescribed by the medical man, and on
the Sunday morning he saw deceased again, who was
still suffering from sickness, but no fever, and the skin
was moist, and the excretions were natural. The vo-
mitings were not at all like those of a person suffer-
ing from bile. The medical man then changed
the medicine, and from that time the deceased
improved, and on Monday Palmer was ab-
sent from Rugeley, having gone to London. De-
ceased was so much better that he got up
comparatively well, and was visited by his trainer and
two jockeys. He continued well during that day, but
Palmer returned again on Monday evening to Rugeley.
In following up Palmer's motions he must refer to Her-
ring's meeting Palmer this day at a house in Beaufort-
buildings, where a female resided whom Palmer visited.
On his first seeing Palmer he asked "how Cook was."
Palmer replied he was well enough ; his doctor at
Rugeley bad given him a dose of calomel, and as it was
wet he could not come out. He had come to settle his
account. Palmer was a defaulter, and could not show
at Tattersall's ; and Herring, knowing Fisher was Cook's
agent, was surprised he should have to settle Cooke's
accounts. Palmer produced a paper purporting to be
the account. Herring wished to take it, but Palmer
refused to give it up, and at his desire Herring mode
out the list and said it amounted to 1,0201., and after
some further conversation Herring made up the account
to a certain amount, after deducting 61. for himself, and
other matters, Palmer saying the balance was the same
as that which Cook had made it. Out of the proceeds
of Cook's debts Palmer paid two debts of his own.
That was the way the money was disposed of received
by Palmer at Tattersall's on Monday. Palmer also sent
letters to the different persons owing Cook money,
requesting to have the amount sent to himself, saying
that it was all the same whether him or Cook received
the amount. He should also prove that Cook's letters
were intercepted ay Cheshire, the postmaster. Palmer
received several sums of money due to Cook, which be
disposed of, so as to stop for a moment the pressure
that was being made upon him. On Palmer's return to
Rugeley, he went to a surgeon's at Rugeley, and asked
the man to give him some strychnine. Newton gave
him the strychnine, attaching no importance to the fact,
as he (Palmer) was a medical man. Some plils were
also sent by Cook's medical attendant, Mr. Bam-
ford, and they were placed in the usual place
where Mr. Cook's medicine was found. It would be for
the jury to say whether Cook those pills or some other
concoction by Palmer. On the next morning, after the
pills had been taken, -the servants wore alarmed by
hearing loud screening proceeding from Cook's room.
Conk was beating the bed, and calling out for Christ to
save his soul. Palmer was sent for, and on his arrival
Cook told him he would die. Palmer said, "No my
boy, you won't." :Some time after medicine was adminis-
tered, and Cook became more composed, but certain
symptoms showed which the medical witness would prove,
wore the effects produced by strychnine. On Tuesday,
the 20th, Cook died, and on that morning a circum.
stance occurred to which he directed particular
attention. t Palmer went to Mr. Hawkin's who
Palmer was in the habit of providing anything
in consequence of some difference. He purchased some
prussic acid, which was served him by the assist-
ant. While in the shop, a man came in whom
Palmer knew, named Newton, and Palmer took him
into the street, and entered into some trifling conversa-
tion. A man named Brassington, a friend of Newton's,
then came up and entered into conversation with New-
ton, and during that time prisoner left and returned
into the shop, and had six grains of strychnine and
sonic opium. The circumstance of Palmer entering the
shop after the difference which was known to exist be-
tween the tradesman and himself, attracted the atten-
tion of Newton, and after Palmer had left Newton
went into the shop and inquired what Palmer had
purchased, and was told six grains of strychnine and
some opium ; and shortly after that purchase had been
made by Palmer Cook died. It would be for the jury
to say what importance the would attach to the evi-
dence of Newton. He should now return to some
circumstances previous to the death of Cook. Oa
Sunday Palmer, with a person named Jones,
Jones was a medical man, in whose house, when at
home, Cook resided. On Sunday the ISth. Palmer wrote
a letter to him stating that Cook had been taken ill
with diarrhoea, and wishing Jones to come and see him,
Jones being a medical man might be the strongest proof
of the prisoner's innocence, but whether his visit was
to be connected with other commications which the pri-
soner had taken such a step to disarm suspicion, it would
be for tae jury to decide. The statements is the letter
was perfectly true, as was suffering from a bilious com-
plaint. On the arrivul ofJ ones he made an examination
of Cook, in presence of Palmer. On seeing Cook he
remarked that he apparently was not suffering the usual
effects of a bilious attack. Dr. Banford arrived, and
then a consultation took place with Dr. Jones, Dr. Ban.
ford and Palmer. Palmer insisted that pills should
be taken, but Cook said that he would not take any
more physic that night. It was arranged that Cook
should have some pills, and Dr. Barford made some at
his surgery and gave them to Palmer. On receiving the
pills by the desire of Palmer he, but not without some
surprise, as Palmer war a medical man. He (Dr. Bar-
ford) wrote the directions how the pills were to be taken,
but Palmer did not arrive home until half an hour after
the time he should have done, and on his arrival there
he particularly directed the attention of Jones to the
fact of the handwriting of Dr. Barford, the prisoner
evidently wishing to have the pill-box identified. He
remarked that the handwriting was particularly firm for
a person of the age of Dr. B .1-ford. Cook eventually
took the pills, and Jones, as he was a friend of Cook's,
said he would sleep in the same room. After he had
been in bed but a short time Cook jumped up and said
for God's sake send for the doctor, I am going to
he ill. Palmer was sent for from the opposite
side of the way, and his arrival was so quick that it was
simply impossible for him to have dressed himself in the
time. On his arrival Cook prayed him to give the same
medicine as had before relieved him. Palmer said he
would, and he made up some pills which he said were
composed of ammonia. Cook swallowed the pills, and
immediately the stiffening of the body commenced, and
it wa*imposale to move Cook, although he implored
them to do so. On being told it was impossible, he
then asked to be turned over on his other side ; this was
done, and shortly after Cook breathed his last. The
medical evidence he should call would prove that the
death was caused by strychnine. The breath was hardly
out of Cook's body, when Palmer took steps for the
burial. Two women were sent for to lay out the body.
When the womep went in the room they saw Palmer
searching: Cook's pockets, and also turning over the
bed. He also took eome papers from Cuok, and it
was supposed the betting book was amongst those
papers. That book had never been found. He sheould
be able to prove that the betting book was in the pos-
session of Cook a day or two before he died. The book
was certainly there, as one of the servants took a stamp
from it and gave it to Cook. That book had never been
discovered. On the day following Cook's death a letter
was written by Palmer to Mr. Pratt, stating that Mr.
Cook was dead, and making arrangements about Cook's
horses, but particularly stating that he (Palmer) must
have Pole Star, and directing him to answer no money
questions about the affairs of Cook. A communication
took place between Palmer and the Messrs. Wetherby,
but in consequence of certain directions they refused to
pay the moneys of Cook to Palmer. Shortly after, on
the 24th of Nov., Palmer paid upwards of 1001. to
Pratt, although the prisoner a short time before was in
embarrassed circumstances. Two days afterwards Pal-
mer wished Cheshire to write Cook's signature to a cer-

tain document respecting a large amount of bills which
Palmer said had been in circulation for Cook's
benefit, but Cheshire declined to do so, as
Palmer said it was no matter. Mr. Stevens,
the father-in-law of Cook arriving in a day or two after
the death, and was very much dissatisfied with the ap-
pearance of the body. He inquired of Palmer whether
be knew anything of Cook's affairs. Palmer stated that
bills were out to the amount of 4,0001., and that as he
(Palmer) was responsible for the sum, he should look to
Cook's estate for the money. Mr. Stevens told him he
would not get it—if he did he would get it from tho
Court of Chancery. A conversation then ensued as to
the burial of Cook, and Palmer said he could be buried
at Rugeley, and he thought it would be better to have
him screwed down as soon as possible. In this arrange-
, went Mr. Stevens did not consent, and on his
asking if an undertaker could be found, Palmer
strongsai said
he had already ordered a shell and a
oak coffin. Stevens expressed his surprise, but after-
wards he gave directions that his son-in-laws betting-book
and papers should be given up to him: Palmer said it
could not be found, but Mr. Stevens said it must be
found, but Palmer again said it would be of no use as
the bete were paid by the death of Cook. A. short time
before Mr Stevens left Rugely he went to take a last
look at his unfortunate relative, but instead of finding
the corpse in the state he expected, be found it in such
a state that he immediately determined to have a post
mortem examination, at which the prisoner seemed
annoyed. Palmer, a short time after began to talk
about the bills. Palmer afterwards applied to I'r.
Bamford for his certificate as to the death of Cook, but
Dr. Bamford refused, stating that Cook was his patient.
Eventually Dr. Bamford gave the required certificate,
which stated that Cook died of apoplexy. On the day
before the post mortent examination of Cook, Palmer sent
for Newton, and after some drinking Palmer asked
Newton how much strychnine would kill a dog, and
Newton told him about half a grain. Palmer saw seve-
ral medical persons before the post mortent examination
took place, and gave to each of them different accounts
of the causes of the death of Cook. The post mortem,
examination was then proceeded with, and the result
was that, from all the outward appearances, death had
4 been caused by strychnine. The brain was perfectly