Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1856-06-24

CRus n ExGLAxD-THE CASE OF Palmer
TIE PorsoseR-Thc trial of William Palmer,
charged with the murdero of John Parsons Cook,
by poisoning, was concluded on the 9th of Nay
It occupied fourteen days, and the verdict was
guilty. Lord Campbell, the Presiding judge
pronounced sentence as follows
William Palmer, after a long and impartial
trial, YOU have been convicted bya Jury Of Your
country Of the crime of wiltul murder. In
that verdict my two learned b1Dtl:cEs. who havc
50 anxiously watched the case, and myself en-
tirsly concur. Tie case Is attended with such
circumstances of aggFRVation that / dare not go
into them. Whether this be tbs first and only
crime of the sort which you have c0mLIitted is
only known to God and your own Conscience
It is seldom that such q familiarity with the
means Of death Is made the means of commit
ting crime. For the offence of which you have
been found guilty your life is forfeited; you
must prepare to die. l trust that, as You can
expect no mercy in this world, you will, by re-
|pentaucc of your crimes, seek to obtain mercy
of Almighty God. The act of Parliament un-
der which you have been tried, and under which
you have been brought to this Court gives leave
TO the Court to di 'ect that the sentence under
such circumstance shall be executed either with
in the jurisdiction of the Central Criminal Court
or in the county where the offence was commits.
ted. We think that for the 3 of example
that sentence. ought to be executed in the coun.
ty of Stafford I hope that this terrible case
Kin deter others from committing such atrocious
crimes. IL will be seen that whatever may be
the skin, science, or experience for accomplish
ing such an offence, it will be detected and pun
ished. However destructive poisons may be, it
is SO ordained by Providence that there are
means for detecting them and Furnishing those
who use them. implOre you to think andprc
pare for the awful fate which you will have to
meet. will not aggravatc your feelings by any
enumeration Of the circumstances of this foul
murder. I will content myself by passing upon
you the sentence of the law. which Is, that you
be taken hence to the jail at Ncwgatc, and thence
removed to the county of Stafford, being the
county in which the offence of which you stand
convicted was committed, and that you be taken
thence to the place of execution, and lc there
hanged by tho neck until you be dead that
your body be afterwards buried within the pre-
cinctS OF the prison III which you shall have
been last confined before the execution. And
may the Lord have mercy upon your soul
Amen.
During the entire address, the prisoner re-
mained calm and composed, and walked down
the stairs leading from the dock into the prison
with a firm step. He hal been removed to
Staffordsl,ire for execution, but his friends were
making cxertions for his respite until further in
quiry, which, they assert, is impcratively de-
mandcd This opinion, too, is sustained by
many of the leading medical men of the king
dom. Nay, the feeling upon the subject was so
strong, that it was thought the Government
would be compelled to yield.