The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-21 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, JANUARY 21, 1856.

LINES LEASED A T FIXED RENTALS.

MARKET NEWS.—(This Day.)

PADWICK v. PALMER.

CORN EXCHANGE.

The whole of the country markets held on Saturday,
owing to the peace runaonrs, were excessively dull for all
kinds of produce, but more especially for wheat, and to
have effected sales a considerable reduction in prices must
have been submitted to.

Court of Queen's Bench.--(This Day.)

(Before Mr. Justice Erie and a Common Jury.)

This was an action for the recovery of 2,000/. on a bill
of exchange, alleged to have been accepted by Mrs.
Palmer, of Rageley, mother of William Palmer, charged
with the murder of his wife and Mr. J. P. Cook, but
which she pleaded was a forgery. In consequence of a
rumour being prevalent that the prisoner would be
brought up by habeas corpus from Stafford gaol to give
evidence in the case the most intense interest and ex-
citement prevailed, and for upwards of an hour and a
half before the commencement of the trial the avenues

The continental markets bave been very dull and droop-
ing, although the supplies of grain brought forward have
not been large. Full average shipments of grain and flour
continue to be made from the United States.

Very moderato supplies of English produce arrived np
to our market last week. The imports were 11,958 qrs
of wheat, 11,023 oats, 950 beans, 40 tares, 7,208 linseed,
16,406 rapeseed, 35 mustard seed, 456 sundry seeds, 675
sacks and 6,275 barrels of flour.
The peace prospects had a most depressing influence
upon our market generally to-day, and a serious fall has
taken place in the quotations.

leading to the court were densely crowded by persons
anxious to obtain a glance of the prisoner, who has be-
eome one of the celebrities of the day in consequence of
his former position in life, and the heinous nature of the
offences with which he stands charged. The prisoner,
we understand, was brought up from Stafford gaol on
Saturday, and lodged in the House of Detention, from
whence he was removed to the court in a cab, at an
earlier hour this morning than was expected, when many
were deprived of gratifying their morbid curiosity by
obtaining a glimpse of him.
A body of the A division of the police was in attend-
ance, and preserved order at the doors and in the outer
Hall.
The trial took place in the Lord Chancellor's Court,
a confined' area, which was very speedily filled after
the opening of the doors, and continued so throughout
the trial. We have to express our thanks to the officers
of the Court for the facilities of egress and ingress to it
which they rendered the representatives of Tho Sun.
Mr. Edwin James, Q.C., and Mr. M‘Namara were
counsel for the plaintiff, and Mr. Sergeant Wilkins and
Mr. Gray were for the defendant.
The witnesses on each side were ordered out of Court.
Mr. M'Namara opened the pleading. This was an
action brought by the plaintiff, endorsee of a bill of ex-
change for 2,0001. for three months, and the defendant,
Mrs. Sarah Palmer, was the acceptor. There was also
a count for money due, and an account stated. The
defendant pleaded that she did not accept the bill, and
secondly, that she was "Lever indebted as alleged.
Mr. James, in addressing the jury, said this bill was
given to the plaintiff, a gentleman of considerable pro-
perty, by Wm. Palmer, a person who had lately obtained
an unfortunate notoriety. Palmer being in want of money
was introduced to Mr. Padwick for an advance on a
bill of exchange, andthe action was brought by the plain-
against the defendant (the mother of William Palmer),
the acceptor of the bill in question. The bill was dated
ngeley, July 3, 1854, for three months, and was drawn
by William Palmer on his mother, a lady of pry•
perty, possessed of at least 50,000/., whose in-
dorsement it purported to bear, payable at the
London and Westminster Bank, Lothbury, Lon
don. The plaintiff, under all the circumstances at-
tending the case, had brought this action before a jury
for investigation, in order that the matter might be
strictly inquired into. Mr. Palmer was the owner of
a considerable number of race-horses, and getting into
embarrassments, made an application, as he (the learned
counsel) had stated to plaintiff, foran advance of money,
which was given him on the bill in question. Oa
the 28th November last Palmer gave the plaintiff a check
on the National Provincial Bank for 1,0001., which was
dishonoured, and en Bth Dec. a second check on the
same bank for 800/., which wa■ also dishonoured. Pad-
wick, holding a power of attorney against Palmer as a
collateral security, issued a writ of execution against
him, and he was taken into custody on the 12th Dec.
for the amount remaining due on the bill. During the
time Palmer was in custody the investigations oc-
curred which had attracted the attention not only of
every person in England but almost the whole of the
world, and the plaintiff was anxious that it should be
known that these proceedings had Rot been instituted
since the investigation of the coroner's jury, but that
Palmer was in his custody before that took place. When
the coroner's jury returned a ♦erdict of guilty, Palmer
was taken from the custody of the sheriff end lodged in
gaol on the criminal charge.
Mr. Sergeant Wilkins said at present it was not his
intention to call Wm. Palmer as a witness.
Mr. James said that was a question which must rest
with the discretion of the learned counsel, but it should
be known the defendant applied for the habeas corpus to
bring up the prisoner Palmer as her witness. Mr. Pad-
wick was anxious it should be known that in this pro-
ceeding he was not oppressing a man abiding the fear-
ful results of the charges now laid against him, but to
ascertain whether or not this was a forgery, and that he
had instituted proceedings against him before the coro-
ner's inquests were held. If the defendant's case proved
true, he was afraid Palmer would be found to have
added forgery to the other crimes with which he stood
oba.Qo A Sinn on ma fercher remarks the learned coun-
sel called the following evidence :
Mr. Fred. Crabb, clerk to the magistrates at Rugeley,
was then called, who stated that he had known Mrs.
Palmer 12 or 13 years. She was a lady of property, re-
siding at Rugeley. He was aequainted with her hand-
writing, and he believed the bill he held in his hand was
in her handwriting. On the 3d of July some inquiry
relative to the bill was made to' him, and he wrote the
letter produced.
Mr. Sergeant Wilkins—Did you ever see her write

Fresh up, both by land and water carriage, we had an
increased supply of English wheat, chiefly in wretched
condition. Even the finest samples met an exceedingly
depressed trade ; indeed, it would appear a matter of ex-
treme difficulty to give the exact changes in price. The
quotations, however, were certainly from 6s. to Bs. per
quarter lower than on Monday last.
With foreign wheat we were fairly supplied. In this
article scarcely a transactimi took place, and the currencies
were nominally unaltered.

There was scarcely any inquiry for floating cargoes.
The show of barley was but moderate, yet the trade
ruled heavy, and all kinds gave way in price 2s. to
3s. per quarter.
Malt moved off heavily, and the currencies had a down-
ward tendency, although the arrivals were small.

The oat trade was very dull, at is per quart''r beneath
last Monday's rates.

There was scarcely any business doing in beam, the
prices of which gave way 2s per quarter. All kinds of
peas moved off heavily at 2s per quarter less money.
The flour trade was very dull on lower terms—the fall
upon all kinds being 2s per sack.

CURRENCY PER IMPERIAL MEASURE
Wheat—Esser is Rent. !Malt—Chevalier .... 80s to 81s
Rod .• ~ new 58s to 765 'Oats Yorkshire and
Ditto .••• .. .. old 685 815 Lincolnsk.,Feed 25s 29s
Ditto, Whit° new 56s 60s Potato ...... .. • . 27s 33s
Ditto...• .... old 713 85s Yonghal and Cork
Norfolk and Lin- 81ack....... 24s 285
coin, Red, old 70$ 803 Cork, White .•• .. 2615 295
Ditto new ••• • .• 58s 78s Scotch, Feed. 275 335
ayo—Old ..•• •••••• •• —s —s Beaus—Tick ......... 36s 393
Mery •... „ ...... 50s 52s Pige0n5.......... 385 435
Barley—Grinding..... 24s 373 Peas—Grey .......... 365 39s
Maltint .••••• • • • 3" 3831 Map1e........... 36s 38s
White....... ... 44s 46s
5..0
r.. 38s 40s
Boilers ......... 4Ss 50s
748 81s Flour—Town-made... 68s 703
. 64s 703 Suffolk .......... 54s 56s
m c
tC:ht
:e
guy:
ratio:
le: ra.a
Btooktn 8c Norfolk 54s 56s
n.nd.d.Wara 78 s 80s

Witness—He could not recollect.
Mr. Sergeant Wilkins—Upon your solemn oath, can
you swear you never saw her write ?
Witness—l cannot recollect.
Mr. Sergeant Wilkins—How have you become ac-
quainted with her handwriting ?
Witness—l have seen it attached to deeds.
Mr. Sergeant Wilkins—l submit that this witness is
not competent to speak to handwriting.
Mr. E. James—Have you acted upon the deed you
have seen the name of Mrs. Palmer attached to ?
Witness—Yes—The money was paid, and the deed
handed over.
Mr. Sergeant Wilkins—You spoke of some bills—are
they in the bands of your family ?
Witness—Yes.
Mr. Sergeant Wilkins—Do they not intend to act for
the recovery?
Witness—Certaiily.

Mr. Sergeant Wilkins—Have they not had a hint
given them that action would be brought agaim t
them ?
Witness—Certainly not.
Mr. Justice Erie said he could not see why Mrs. Pal-
mer's name should be attached to the deed.

Witness—lt was my usual practice to haze both
parties to the mortgage to sign the deed.
Mr. John Serjeant said he knew William Palmer and
had hail many money transactions with him. He intro-
laced Mr. Palmer to Mr. Pad wick. In 1852 witness
had a bill drawn by Palmer upon his mother for 1,0001.
The bill was paid and returned to William Palmer. It

was paid by a cheque from Mrs. Sarah Palmer.
Cross-examined by Sergeant Wilkins—The cheque was
forwarded to witness by Palmer from Rugeley.
By Mr. James—Witness paid the cheque to his
bankers, Messrs. Dixon, in Chancery-lane.
By the Judge—Witness advanced the money to Pal-
mer in the name of Mr. Padwick and through him, Mr.
Padwick being his solicitor at tie time.
By Mr. Sergeant Wilkins—He believed the cheque
was drawn in favour of Mr. Pad wick, but he could not
say with perfect certainty.
A discussion here arose as to the time as to which a

certain letter was sent to Mr. G. Palmer, asking him to
produce a certain cheque. The counsel for the defendant
stated that time sufficient had not been given them to
produce the cheque.
Mr. E. James submitted that enough had been done
to admit secondary evidence.
The evidence was then admitted, with leave to move.
Mr. Sergeant re-examined—The cheque in question
paid the bill of 1,0011. The bill was drawn by Mrs.
Palmer. At the time the bill was due some questions
arose upon it, and Palmer said he would see it made all
right. He was acquainted with the handwriting of
Mrs. Palmer ; but he could not take upon himself to
positively swear that the name on the bill in
question was in her handwriting as three years had
elapsed since the transaction which he had just men-
tioned had taken place.
Mr. Justice Erie said he thought that this was valid
evidence, as Mrs. Palmer made no objection to the sig-
nature, and the money was paid in the ordinary course.
Mr. Sergeant Wilkins—What makes you believe that
the signature on the bill in question is Mrs. Palmer's
handwriting
Witness—Ey the imitation of the writing. The money
had been paid on the one cheque, and he should thick
that money would also be paid on the other.
Mr. Sergeant Wilkins—l believe you /have correctly
designated the writing on the bill when you used the
word imitation.
Mr. E. James said with this witness, who really
thought that the signature was Mrs. Palmer's, his case
would close.
Mr. Sergeant Wilkins, in addressing the jury for the
defence, said that but for the wicked and unconstitu-
tional attempts that had been made by those who ought
to be the guardians of their liberties and rights—that
but for the most infamous accumulations of malignity
that had been heaped on the head of that man whos e