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

Mr. James—That's not down in the depositions.

Witness continued—l am unable to say what brought
it to my mind afterwards, but I think some one men-
tioned it to me first ; perhaps a week after I was ex-
amined by the coroner. I think it was one of my fellow-
servants. It is a fact that I was ill after taking the
broth, and Lavinia Barnes was aware of it. Coook said
" the pills Palmer gave me after half-past 10 o'clock
made me ill." A person now in Court came to me
and represented himself as a solicitor for the Crown,
and asked me questions relative to this occurrence.
He came to naa about a month after the inquest. He
wrote down some of the statements I made to him, and
tank ft spay with him. I was not asked by the gentle-
man [supposed to be stated by the counsel to be Dr.
Collyer] to sign what he wrote. I don't think he read
it over to me. Other persons were with him. The
broth had no particular flavour with it. I have never
tasted tartar emetic. I have lived at the Talbot Arms
for two years. Cook had often gargled his throat in her
presence. The gargle he got from T►sirlby, who succeeded
to Palmer's business. I am engaged to be married to one
of the Duttons, in whose family I am now staying.
Mr. Sergeant S.hee mposed to pot a question to the
witness relative to Dr. Collyer's statement.

Mr. Baron Alderson said thtdbefors it was put Dr.
Collyer Ought to leave the court. In fact he ought not
to have been present.

Mr. Sergeant Shoe then asked her if Dr. CoMyer did
not say he was not-for the Crown nor the defence, nor
for any party, but for the truth ?

Witness replied—He said, "I am for the Crown, but
I want no favour or affection ; all I want is the truth.
Will you answer me some questions ?" I replied, "Cer-
tainly."

Mr. Gardner, solicitor, agent for the attorneys of Mr.
Stevens, step-father of the deceased, examined by the
Attorney• General—l attended the inquest on Cook and
put questions occasionally to the witnesses. The coroner
also put questions, and his clerk wrote down the an-
swers. I had to expostulate with the coroner on several
occasions on the manner in which he conducted the in-
quest ; he omitted on several occasions in the course of
each day to put cartaia questions to the witnesses under
examination, but not as to the particular case or words
used.

Mr. Sergeant Shea took an objection to this course
of examination.

Lord Campbell said that the Court ought, under the
circumstances, to know how the inquast was conducted
by the COroner.

Mr. Sergeant Shee said he could not see how anything
the Coroner said could affect the prisoner.
The Attorney-General said it was only to rebut the
effect of the evidence which the learned sergeant had
introduced.

Lord Campbell said he thought the question should be
put.

The Attorney-General—l will pat this question to the
witness. —Did you expostulate with the Coroner on hiis
conduct generally ?
Mr. Sergeant Shee objected to the question.

The Attorney-General then varied the question,
but Sergeant Shee still objected on the ground that it
was not evidence.

The question was not put.

Witness continued—l don't recollect Dr. Taylor ex-
postulating with the Coroner at certain questions not
having been put to him.

The Attorney-General renewed his application to put
the above question to the witness to show'- that the evi•
deuce which the last witness had given here being diffe-
rent from that before the Coroner was not a contradic-
tion, but an addition to her evidence under certain cir-
cumstances. T.,he object of the evidence he now proposed
to give was twofold ; first, to show that questions were
not put to the witnesses that should have been put, and
ought to have been put ; and, secondly, that when the
questions were pet and answered the answers were not
taken down.

After some consultation their lordships ruled that the
question could not be put to show generally the manner
in which the coroner conducted the inquest.

Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant Shee—The jury put
many questions to the witnesses.

By the Attorney-General—The jury made very strong
objections on the coroner not putting certain questions
to the witnesses.

The Attorney-General—What were they ?
Mr. Sergeant Shee—l object to the question.
Lori Campbell—That is a part of the proceedings at
the inquisition.
The Attorney-General varied his question.

Mr. Sergeant Shee again objected. The jury being
at liberty to put questiong, it was not competent for the
Prosecutor to put the question proposed to the witness
under examination.
Lord Campbell said that the judges were of opinion
the question could not be put to the witness.
.Mrs. Anti Brooks, examined by the Attorney-General,
stated she resided at Manchester. She was at Shrews-
bury in Nov., 1855, and she knew Palmer was at the
races, as she saw him there. She spoke to him on the
14th. She met him in the street, and she bad a con-
versation with him. She asked him what horse was '1
to win, and he said Chicken. Palmer desired her to
Ualt at the Raven the next day, about a horse called
Lord Derby. , She accordingly went to the Raven
that evening, about half-past ten, and her friends,
which she had with her, waited below. She was posi-
tive as to the hour, as she passed a clock, and had it
been later she should not have gone. As she was going up
.4tairs she met a servant, and asked her to tell Mr. Palmer
he was there. When she got up stairs she turned to
the left, as she knew what room Palmer occupied, as
she had called frequently at the hotel. The servant

told her Palmer was there (nodding her bead towards
the door.) She saw Palmer standing in the room be-
side a table. He bad a tumbler in his Laud with a
small quantity of liquid in it, which appeared to be
water. She did not see him put anything into it ; but
he was shaking it round and round. There was a light
near him. He held the glass up to the light, and said
he would be with her directly. Palmer first saw her
the moment she got to the top of the stairs.
He staid a minute or two longer at the table
with the glass in his hand. He held it up to
the light once or twice. Between the intervals she ob-
served him shaking it. While he was standing with the
glass she said to Palmer, " What very fine weather,"
and shortly after this, there being a door partially open
adjoining his, he carried the glass into that room, but
she beard no one speak to him. He stood there two or
three minutes and then returned with the glass in his
hand ; it had still the liquid in it. He then took the
glass into his own sitting•room. In three or four minutes
he again returned. She shut the door after him. He
returned with a glass like the one he had in his hand ;
it bad brandy and water in it. She was certain it
was not the same colour of the liquid she first saw.
He then entered into conversation with her
about the races, and that he should back Chicken.
She was present at the races, and Chicken lost.
Crosa-examined by Sergeant Shee--Her name was
Brooks. She was a married woman, and attended the
races, but her husband never went with her. Her hus-
band had a very high appointment, and he did not sane•
tion her going. She saw Herring for the first time at
Shrewsbury races. There was a good number of racing
men taken ill at Shrewsbury—one of her company was
dreadfully so. They thought the water had been
poisoned at Shrewsbury. The persons suffered from
sickness and were purged. A lady who met me at
Shrewsbury, and Mao another whom she knew, suffered
in that way. Palmer held the glass between his eyes
and the gas as if to see if anything was in it. The pas-
sage led to many rooms. He said, " I'll be with you
presently," as he held the glass to the light. There was
nothing suspicious about his conduct then. I thought
it might have been a cooling draught. I was not exa-
mined before the Coroner.

By the Attorney-General—T .e brandy and water he
gave me was cold. I have been on friendly terms with
Palmer fora number of years.

Lavinia Barnes, waitress at the Talbot, examined by
Mr. James.--In November, 1855, I was waitress at the
Talbot Arms. I knew both Palmer and Cook, and saw
Cook on the 12th, before he went to the Shrews•
bury races ; he appeared very well, in much his usual
health. I saw him on the Thursday following on his
return from Shrewsbury. I remember his retiring to
the Talbot Arms between 9 and 10 o'clock, after he
dined with Palmer on the Friday night. He was sober
and spoke to me. Elizabeth Mills attended him to his
room. I. saw him twice on Saturday. I remem-
ber on that day some broth was sent to the
Talbot for Cook. I took it up to him. He
said he could not take it, because he was too sick. I
brought it down stairs and put it in the kitchen. After
that I saw Palmer, and told him Cook could not take it
because he was too sick. Palmer replied, "He must
take it." It was afterwards taken to the deceased by
Elizabeth Mills. On the Sunday I did not see any
more broth sent to Cook. On the Sunday Elizabeth Mills
was taken ill betwen 12 and 1 o'clock. She was taken
ill with vomiting. She went to bed. I saw her
vomiting violently. She remained in bed till between
4.and 5 o'clock. She complained of sickness to me. I

saw some broth in the kitchen on that Sunday, but
am unable to say where it was made, or where it came
from. On Monday morning I saw Palmer at the Talbot.
Arms, between 7 and 8 o'clock. He told Elizabeth
Mills, in my presence, he was going to London. The
broth was in a sick cup in the. kitchen ; it had two
handles ; it did not belong to the Talbot Arms.
The cup afterwards went back to Palmer's house.
During the Monday I saw Cook, but not till after din-
ner. Mr. Saunders, the trainer, came and saw him, and
I took brandy and water to him in Caok's room. I

slept that night in the next room to Cook's. I saw
Palmer at the Talbot Inn that night between eight am'
nine o'clock. I saw him go up stairs in the direction of
Cook's room. About 12 o'clock (I bad not gone to bed)
I was alarmed by Cook's bed-room bell ringing violently.
I was then in the kitchen. I went upstairs and found Cook
very ill ; he asked me to send for Palmer. Cook
screamed violently, and cried "murder," and said he.
was suffocating. His eyes had a very wild appearance,
standing a great way out of his head; he was beating
the bed with his hands. I left the room, and sent the
boots for Palmer. I then called up Elizabeth Mills.
Cook cried out " Murder," and " Christ have mercy
on my soul." I had never before seen any person •
in such a state. Palmer shortly after came to
the hotel and went up to Cook. I Saw him afterwards
when Palmer came ; he was then more composed. He
said, " Doctor, I shall die." Palmer replied, "Don't be
a►armed, my lad." I did not see any pills given him,
but I saw him drinking a darkish mixture he bad i❑ his
hand whilst Palmer was present. When he put the glass
to his mouth I heard him snap it with his teeth. I both
saw and heard the snapping of the glass with his teeth. H•
afterwards brought up the draught. She left him that
night between 12 and 1 o'clock. He was then more
composed. I saw him again on Tuesday morning.
asked-bum how he was, and he said " a little better." 1
sa,-.v him on several occasions on that day, and each
time he appeared better. On Tuesday night about 12
o'clock I was alarmed by the ringing of Cook'
bell. I was then in the kitchen. The chamber.
maid who was with me went up stairs anti
answered the bell. I followed her up. I did not
go into Cook's room, but I heard him screaming as
stood on the landing near the door. Elizabeth Mills
fetched Palmer, who came, and went to the deceased.
I saw Palmer, and said to him, "Mr. Cook isill again.'
Palmer said, "Ishe !" There was nothing particular
in his dress. Palmer wont into his room and came out
again, and said that Cook was not so bad by a fiftieth
part. Saw Jones ire Mr. Cook's room attending
to him. Cook asked b be turned over. Palmer
was in the room. I went into the room
and came out again, and did not see him die.
After Mr. Cook's death I saw Palmer looking at Mr
Cook's coat, and also under the bolster. I said, " Mr.
Cook can't be dead," and Palmer said, " Yes he is. I
knew he would be." He was then in the room witl
the body. Upon the Thursday following Palmer askee
me for the key of the room where the body lay, as he
wanted some books and paper. Palmer went into the room
with the body, and when I got in there he sent me to Miss
Bond to ask for some novels, which I got for him, an,
came back. Palmer was then looking upon the draw
ers, and said he could not find the paper-knife, which
he had asked for. Mr. Jones, about four o'clock opus,
the Friday, asked about Cook's betting book, and I
and Elizabeth Mills went to look for it. Jones said it
was of no use to any one but Cook. We came back
and said that we could not find it. Palmer said, Oh,
it will be found somew here."

Cross-examined by Sergeant Shee—When I told
Palmer Cook could not take the broth, Palmer said
he must take it. He did not say why. On that day
Cook had not had any solid food. I knew it war,
before the Monday night that Palmer was there.
I knew he had been to London. I do not know
what time the train from London comes in. The station
is about a mile. lam not certain about the time. I
think that some one wal holding the glass to Cook when
he was biting at it. I did not look for the betting-book
in the drawerF, because the undertakers were there.
The undertakers used to have the key given to them to
go into deceased's room, and the women used to go into
the room.

Re-examined by the Attorney. General—The women
used to be left in the room. We used to be in and out
at the time. I saw the betting-book in Cook's room
before his death, but not after.

At the conclusion of this witness's re-examination the
Court adjourned fur a short tirae.

The Court having resumed, the next witness calhd
was

Ann Rowley—Had been employed by Palmer as
charwoman. On the Saturday before Cook died Palmer
sent me to the Albion for some broth. I took it to
Palmer's house and then proceeded to do other work.
Palmer brought the broth in the broth,pot into the back
kitchen and told me to take it over to the Talbot Inn,
and say it was for Jeremiah Smith. He is a gentleman
residing in Ingeley, he is an attorney and a friend of
Mr. Paimer'd. 1 took the broth to the Talbot
Arms and gave it to Lavinia Barnes. I
did not at that time know anything about Cook.
The broth was made by the landlady of the Albion.

By Lord Campbell—lt was about five minutes between
the time when I first saw the broth in the saucepan and
the time it was brought to me.
Charles Ilorley, a gardener, residing at Rugeley—l
was occasionally employed by Palmer. He asked me
if I would, take some broth to Mr. Cook ; it wag be-
tween twelve and one. The broth was i❑ a small cup,
with a cover. Palmer told me to take it across to the
Talbot to Mr. Cook. I did so. I thought the broth
was hot, and I could not, say whether it was Mills or
Barnes I gave it to.
Sarah Bond was housekeeper at the Talbot, in Nov.
last. She knew Cook as he was in the habit of stopping
there. Cook went to the last Shrewsbury races. About
eight o'clock on Sunday evening I saw Cook and he said
he had been very poorly. I saw the prisoner en the same
evening. I asked him what be thought of Mr. Cook,
and Ihe said he was better, On Sunday Palmer said