Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-06-18
THE WEEKLY STAR.
Conviction Of Palmer, the Poisoner.

The final scene In the trial of Palmer. the
goisoner, is thus described in the report Of the
Daily News:
The jury retired to consider their verdict,
at eighteen minutes past 2, the judges also re-
tired and the prisoner, who wore upon his
features an expression of mute despair was
then, according to such cases, taken down be-
low.
The crowds In the court broke up into noisy
conversational groups, as the nature of the
coming verdict, and as the news that the Jury
were celebrating Travelled fast and far, csus-
ing immense excitement outside the court,
sembled.
During the absence Of the jury, there was
one little incident full Of significant import,
which awakened marked attention, viz the
entrance into court of the Rev. Mr.. Davis,
chaplain of Newgate, who took his seat upon
the bench near the seats Of the judges, in full
canonicals, ready to pronounce the final
Amen, when sentence of death should be
pronounced, if the jury convicted the prisoner
The jury re-entered the court at twenty-five
minutes past three, having been absent one
hour and seventeen minutes.
Upon the appearance Of the jury every whis-
per ceased, and men seemed scarcely TO
breathe in the solemnity of the moment
The judges then resumed their seats, and
the prisoner was replaced at the bar, looking
calm and quiet.
The prisoner betrayed very little emotion
during the interval that elapsed while the
names of the jurors were being called over.
Mr.. Streight, the deputy clerk of Arraigns,
then inquired Of them whether they had
agreed upon their verdict?
The Foreman-We have
Mr.. Streight-Do you find the prisoner guilty
| or not guilty Of the felony and murder where
Of he stands accused?
The Foreman-We say that he is tyuiltv.
Mr.. Streight then addressed the prisoner.
and said Prisoner at the bar, you stand con-
| victed of the crime of Wilful murder Have
you, or know you, anything to urge why SEN
tence OF death should not be passed upon you,
according to law.
The prisoner made no reply, but his face
Redeemed, and there was evidently slight
convulsive twitching about his mouth.
Mr. Parker, the principal usher, then made
the usual proclamation for silence
The three judges then put on their black
black caps, and
The Lord Chief Justice proceeded to pass
sentence upon the prisoner in the following
terms: William Palmer after long and i'm.
partial trial, you have been convicted by
jury Of your country of the crime of wilful mur-
der. In that verdict my two learned brothers
(Mr. Baron Anderson and Mr. Justice Cross
well (who have so snxiously attended to every
circumstance ia at has been adducedin in evidence
and myself entirely cencur, and consider the
conviction altogether satisfactory Yourease
Is attended with such circumstances of agera-
walton that do not dare to touch upon them.
Whether the present is the first and onIy Of
fence that you have committed, is known only
to Tod and to your own conscience 1t Is
seldom that such familiarity with the means
OF death has appeared to have been ACQUIRED
without long experience; but for the Of
fence of which you have been found guilty,
your life is forfeited. You must prepare TO
10 II hot
mercy in this world, you will, by repenting Of
your crimes, seek to obtain pardon from Al
mighty God.
The act of Parliament under which you
have been tried, and under which you have
been brought to the bar Of this court, at your
own request, gives power to the court to direct
that the sentence shall be executed either
within the district of the central criminal
| court or in the county where the offence is
committed; and in your case it is our opinion
! that, for the sake Of example, the sentence
shall be carried into effect in the county of
Stafford. L hope that your terrible example
will have the effect Of deterring others from
the commission of such atrocious crimes, and
| that it will be seen that, whatever art or cum
| ming may be exercised to accomplish such a
crime, with whatever caution, detection is al
| most sure to follow; and however destructive
poisons may be in their effects, yet Providence,
caring for the safety of human life, has given
Its creatures the means of detecting and pun
lshIn5 the perpetrators Of such offences as these
Again entreat you prepare for the awful
change that awaits you. will not seek to
harrow up your feelings by dwelling upon the
circumstances Of this most foul and horrible
murder, but will at once proceed TO pass upon
you the sentence Of the law, which is, that
you be taken from the bar at which YOU now
stand, back to the Jail of Newgate, from
whence you came, and that you be afterwards
removed to the county Jail Of Stafford, that
being the county in which your offence was
committed, and that you be taken thence b.
| the place of execution, and hanged by the neck
until you be dead, and that your body be
afterwards buried within the precincts of the
prison where you were last confined, and may
the Almighty God have mercy on your soul
The chaplain said ''amen," and the res
ponse, in low tone, but audibly, was repeat
ed all over the court
The prisoner did not seem at all affected
while the awful sentence was being pro-
nounced; but, on the contrary, there was a
sort OF sneerlDg expression on bis countenance
The moment the Chief Justice had concluded,
the prisoner turned round and walked hastily
away from the dock, and descended the stair
case leading to the prison.
The Lord Chief Justice then addressed the
jury, and said he had TO tender them his most
warm thanks 70 the manner in which they
had performed the arduOus duty that had
been cast upon them. They were most of
them. no doubt, engaged in business, and the
long detention they had undergone must have
caused them very considerable Inconvenience,
if not loss. He could only hope that they
would be rewarded by the appreciation of their
own cOnsciences, and the approval of their
country.