The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-19 00:00:00

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.—May 17.

THE RUGELEY POISONINGS.

[et. part of the following appeared in our impression of
Saturday.]
This morning the court was more crowded than upon
any previous day, there being an immense number of
the medical profession present.
Earl Grey was again present, arriving before the
court opened. Mr. Dallas, the American Minister,
was amongst those upon the bench.
The first witness called was—
George Bates, examined by Mr. Edwin James.—l
was once a farmer. lam nothing now. I have known
Palmer eight or nine years. In October and Novem-
ber last year I used to look after his horses and boys. I
had no stipulated salary ; some weeks I had two
sovereigns, sometimes one. I lodged in Rugeley, and
paid 6s. 6d. a-week. I knew deceased. I saw him
at prisoner's house in September. I cannot recollect
the date. I dined there with them. After dinner
the subject of insuring my life was brought up.
Mr. Sergeant Bhee objected to this course of exa-
mination,
Mr. Edwin James and the Attorney-General having
said a few words as to the purport of the evidence to
be given, the objection was allowed.
Witness in continuation—l recollect Cook's death. I
remember the inquest. I know Ward, the coroner. I
saw prisoner upon the Bth of December. He gave me a
letter. I think this is it. He also gave me one to
France, a dealer in game at Stafford. I was to get some
game from France. It was a basket. I did so, and
according to prisoner's orders I directed it to Ward, the
coroner. I gave a man threepence to take the game.
I went to the Dolphin at Stafford, where I saw Ward.
He was in the smoke-room. He came out into the yard,
and I gave it to him. I called him out because there
were others in the room. I came back to Stafford and
saw Palmer and told him what I had done. About 12
upon the morning of the 13th December I was sent for
to the prisoner's house. I found him in bed. He said
he wanted me to take a letter to Ward, and I was rot
to let any one see me give it to him. He said, "Go
to Ben and tell him that I want 51., that he had no
small change."
Mr. Edwin James—Who is Ben
Witness—Mr. Palmer's assistant, Thurlby.
The witness, in answer to further question', sal
Palmer told me to look into a drawer and see the
amount of a bill there. I did so, and saw the amount
of the hill. ft was a fifty-pound Bank of England note.
-I left it there. It was before I took the letter to Ward.
After finding the note I went t Thurlby's to borrow the
five pounds, and I got a note on the Bridgnorth Bank,
which I took to Mr. Palmer. Atter that I went de..yn
stairs from Palmer's room ; he was sitting up in bed,
• with the writing materials beside him. I remained do .vn
stairs about half an hour in the yard or kitchen. When T.
wont LIP again Palmer asked me what was the amount
of the bill in the drawer I took, and I believe it
was the amount I have mentioned. Then he gave me
' the letter to take to Stafford. I delivered the letter in
Stafford, near the railway station. I gave it to Ward,
and he crumpled it up and put it in his pocket ; he did
not read it in my pre-,enee. I think I told Ward from
whom f bad brought it, and then I returned to Rigelee,
and saw the prisoner the same evening. I told him I
had given Ward the letter, and he did not make aey
remark.
Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant Shee—Palmer
four brood mares asrl four yearlings, and a three-ya -
old. I cannot tell their value. I heard that one eel 1
for 800 guineas. I cannot say whether any we're in
foal in Novemb'r. The stables were at the back of !lei
house, and the pad look wee also there. The stab' 's
were in it. it ceinpriseel about 20 acres, and was fen" I
in with hawthorn. I remember a mare called the
Duchess of Kent slipping her foal, which could not he fan e 1.
Goldfieder's dam was there. On one occasion I made a re-
mark to Harry the groom about the state of the turf. I
never saw dogs in the padlocks. I attribute the cutti >ye
up of the turf to the galloping of the horses. I have
seen a gun where the corn was kept. I have not use 1
it. I know now the person who came to me in Se--
Umber is Inspector Field. I cannot tell whether he
saw Palen?r. He was a stranger to me at first. I neeer
saw him but once, and I don't know him now. I re-
member seeing Gillard, a sheriff's officer, in the y arc: of
Palmer's house whea I went down after looking et
money in the drawer.
Re-examined by the Attorney-General—The tine
the turf was cut up, was after hay harvest. I
cannot say how long it was before Cook's death that
I made the remark about the turf being cut up.
Mr. Thomas Curling said—l am a surgeon at the L on-
don Hospital. I have turned my attention particularly
to tetanus. I have published a work on that subject.
Tetanus causes a spasmodic affection of the voluntary
muscles of motion. There are only two sorts of disease,
idiopathic and traumatic. There are ethers, but not true,
tetanus. The idiopathic is a primary disease. Traumatic
tetanus arises from injuries. Idiopathic tetanus arises
often from cold or exposure. I never saw a case of
idiopathic tetanus. I have seen 20 cases of traumatic
te-
tanus. The disease first manifests itself by stiffness about
the jaws or neck, and a clagging pain at the pit of the
stomach ; in many cases the muscles of the back are
affected. The patient isoliable to paroxysms, and as the
disease goes on those paroxysms become more frequent
and more severe. When this occurs the body is dra en
back—in some instances forward, then there is a diffi-
culty in swallowing and breathing during the paroxysms.
The disease may end two waye—the patient may die
somewhat suddenly from suffocation, or enclosure of
the windpipe or glotis, or the patient might be worn
out with the paroxysms and then he would gradually
sink and die. Theca are the general symptoms,
The locking of the jaw is constant from tetanus from
wounds—it is almost constant. I may say a constant
consequence. It shows itself early. There is also a
peculiar expression of the countenance—generally
throughout, which is not peculiar in idiopathic
or traumatic tetanus. My observations are with
reference to the latter. There is a contracted con-
dition of the eye-lids—the rising of the angle of the
mouth, and there is acentraction of the bowels. The lower
extremities are affected, and sometimes, but rarely, tho
upper extremities. The muscles mostly affected are
those of the trunk. The muscles of the extremities are.
- affected et various periods of the disease, but generally
at an advanced period. I have never known or read of
tetanus being produced by sore throat, nor from a cer-
tain disease.
Lord Campbell asked whether it was necessary to
proceed with that investigation
The Attorney-General said yes. The prisoner has
given us notice that that would be one of his defences.
Mr. Sergeant Shoe explained.
The Attorney-General said he could only anticipate
that course.

Cross-examination continued—l think it very un-
likely tetanus should arise from that. I know of no
such a case. In a rtes of traumatic tetanus, after the
disease has taken a fatal turn, death ensues from 24
hours to 3or 4 days. The shortest period might b
8 to 10 hours. The exact time cannot be
precisely ascertained. The disease is continu•
ous. I have never known an interval of 21
hours between the attacks. From the description
of Mr. Jones, the symptoms in the deceased were dif-
ferent from traumatic tetanus I have ever seen. There
was here a sudden onset of the fatal symptoms. In
all cues the disease would be preceded by the min r'r
symptoms of tetanus, which gradually develop(' them•
selves into the more serious and fatal symptoms. 0
the Monday night I shr,uld think there were no symp
tome in the deceased of either idiopathic or
traumatic tetanus. There is 'also hysteric tetanu.,
hysteria combined with spasms, hut I know of en
instance of its being fatal, or of a. male suffvrin
front it. Nux vonoica, in its tvo forms, will
_produce tetanus. No other poisons will produce it.
j have never seen any cases of tetanus resulting from

poison. •
Cross-examined by Sergeant Shee---I have known
spasms arise from a disease of the spinal cord. Al disease of
the nerves proceeding the spinal cord might prodac?
tetanus. I agree with Dr. Watson that in four
cases out of five traumatic tetanus begins with
lock-jaw, and that it frequently arises from
causes, such as a blow from the lash of a wh;i,
under the eye, though the skin was not broken—thu
Gutting, a corn, bite of the finer, &c. Traumatic totanu•,
I don't think could occur within a quarter of an hour
after an injury. I know of' no such a case.
Lord Campbell objected to the cross•examinatiot,
being conducted from printed books.
Cross•examination continued--I know of a case where

a body being opened after death from tetanus, and sy-
philitic symptoms were discovered. It was not my
pm The man was out of the hospital half an hots.
1-Tdon't think it likely that a syphilitic sore, even if ex
posed to wet or cold, would produce tetanus; neither
do I think any excitement would produce it. The con
tractions of epilepsy arc got continuous for five minutes
together. Ido not know of a case of convulsions attri-
butable to no particular cause, but occurring violently
produce tetanus. In respect of general convulsions not
absolutely tetanic (without premonitory symptoms) but
producing sickness and vomiting, would not, I think,
end in tetanus. Ido not know if convulsive shrieking
would produce tetanus.
Dr. Todd, examined by the AttorneyGenoral, said—