New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-06-28

pOlrODer Wainwright, as pio nv ihtBc W A"a"A'
in bis Life VI Charles Lamb, confirmed the horrible
truth of bis limitations And the trial OF WilliAn
Palmer, which has 20 recently taken the place
the Russisn War aid Peace in the interest OF tn
English people, has judicially proved that they ar
but too possible.
This case has excited quite sc much interest il
Eng and as that of DR.. Webster did in this country
The crime was, in both caser, of peculiarly horrit
and cold bloOded type. In both cases the motive
was to be found in tae pecuniary embarrassment
Of the murderer. Both parties were men of med
cal education and Of respectable status 10 life
The evidence, on the one trial as On the other, was
necessarily Of q circumstantial nature; yet Of SO
strong character as to leave no doubt in the gen.
ersl mind of the guilt of both parties, but with
margin of uncertainty sufficient to found a sect
upon, maintaining that whether the prisoner were
guilty or not the guilt had not been brought homo
to BIN. In both cases there were popular rumors
of other crimes of equal or deeper dye,-or which,
il the case Of Palmer, at least there seems to have
been but too much foundation. In both cases the
chain of cause and effect seems to lead to the con.
clusion that the verdict of guilty was righteous
one. For the motive Palmer was, like DIR. Webster,
at the very lat extremity ofpecuniary distress, and
bad ruin and infamy just before him. He had
raised large sums Of money by forged acceptances
of bis mother, q person Of considerable wealth.
These he had met for time and delayed tho evil
day by renew ais at most extortonate rates Of usury
But proportion of them, entirely beyond his power
to meet, would mature almost immediately and dis
grace could only be avoided or postponed by imme-
date ready money.
So much for the motive. For the proof of the
crime it appeared that the horse of Cook, the MUIR
dered man, had won at the Shrewsbury Races. He
had eco or $500 in bis pocket of his winnings,
beside other unknown sums unpaid, due to him
and recorded in bis betting bOok. The next day
Cook was taken violently ill at Shrewsbury, Palmer
being in bis company. OF this sickness he recov-
cred partially and proceeded to Rugeley, where
Palmer lived. There he was taken Ill again, and
it was proved that Palmer administered certain
pills. and afer a certain time he died, with all the
symptoms of strychnine poison. This was in the
middle of the night, yet, when Palmer was SUM-
moned from his house oppost to, he came almost im-
mediately, dressed, though he pretended to have
been in bed. 1t was further proved that he had
bought six grains Of strychnia at two different
druggists shops for which the defense did not pre-
tend to account Cooks betting book, which wa,
in his room when he died. was missing after
Palmer had been there, and Palmer was proved to
have had money after the death, when he was re-
duced to great straits before. He also endeavored
to hurry the funeral, and, when post morton ex.
animation was insisted on, he tempered with one of
the jars containing the riseera, and tried to bride
the post.boy who was 10 take them to London for
chemical anslys to upset them on the way.
TIE s'rong point of defense was that no trace of
stry chime was to be found in the body. But emf
nent to1ologists testified that where the dose was
exactly enough to destroy life 1t frequently hap.
peped that no trace was left. There was good
deal of discrepancy among the medical witnesses;
but the weight of the evidence was sufficient to sat-
tfy the Court and Jury that the prisoner was
guilty. and the steamer which arrived yesterday
brings the new that he has suffered execution at
Stafford, whittier he was remanded for that pur-
pose. He died without making any confession.
This trial al-o resembled that of DR.. Webster in
it's length. 1t lasted for twelve days-a duration
entirely unprecedented we believe, in any ordinary
crimnsl trial in Epgland. This shows the greater
regard now paid to human life than in the good old
times. Forty years ego single day would be all
that would have been allowed to it. A whole day
used to be thought very extraordinary allowance
for settling capital case. Half dozen would Of
ten be ratified of in day at the Asszes, and the
next Monday at farthest all left for execution were
dispatched. Considering how much the fairness Of
Epglish criminal trials has always been the SUBJ
ject Of Boosting, some of our readers may be sur.
prised to hear that prisoners were not allowed
council, excepting to argue law points to tho
Judges in cases ofreasOD, until the last century, nor
in any other csses till the present one. The pris.
oner was allowed to speak for himself; bu.of course
the number of persons competent to do this effect
pally was very tmsll And it il modern reform,
within the last century, which authorized the wit
nesees for the prisoner to be examined under OATH
They might testify, but had none of the sanction of
on oath to give weight to their testimony
Now al this is changed. We presume there is
no country in the world where criminal justice
is administered with such impartiahty and hnman-
ity ss in England at this day. In this case, the
trial was removed from stafordshie, where the
excitement against Palmer was intense, TO London,
to secure jury above the suspicion of bs'. To
feet this it was necessary to pass special act Of
Parliswent authorizing this change of renss. The
Attorney General, Sir Alexander COckburn, con-
Quoted the prosecution; the prisoner had the aid of
the NEST eminent counsel to be procured, and the
Lord ChiefJustice of England, Lord Campbell,