The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-02-22
Chief Justice Oockburn

London W -ad.
He was an admirable host, told stor-
les quietly, but with much dramatic
power in voice the musical qualities
Of which ! never heard equalled, and
possessed that rare quality in clever
man, the quality Of listening Hewas,
perhaps, seen Al his best when, most of
his guests having gone, he would adj
journ with two or three to his library,
and over his cigar would pour forth his
"reminiscences of personal history, in
which he, during his long and splendid
career, had played distinguished part.
There have listened TO his wonder
full story of the great Palmer trial,
from its commemorate its close; how
he, then attorney general, read the
notes of the case and Of the earlier cN-
aminationS, and became convinced not
merely of Palmer'S guilt, but of the
manner in which the crime was carried
out; how he worked night and day in
studying the effects of various poisons,
and finally submitted himself to an eX-
animation by friendly experts to prove
TO himself that he had mastered the
subject; how he had elected to have
the prisoner tried on Cooks case,
though it was the weakest of the sever
al indictments which he could have
brought forward, feeling certain that if
he failed to hang Palmer for the murder
of Cook, he would Individually convict
him for the murder OF his wife. |
remember his telling me how, having
been called away by his duties as at
torney general to Westminster, he re-
turned to the old Bailey as Lord Camp
bell was summing up, and looking
down from the gallery into the court,
II knew" said he, "by the look of
john CampbellS face, that Palmer was
a dead man
1t was in connection with the Palmer
trial that he told me he experienced
what he considered the greatest com
plimcnt ever paid to him. Palmer was
in the habit, a. he stood in the dock, of
writing Instructions or suggestions to
his attorney, Mr.. Smith, screwing them
up into little pellets, and tossing them
over to their destination One of these
which he wrote Immediately after the
verdict Of guilty had been pronounced
by the jury, was afterwards handed to
Sir Alexander Cockburn. 1t merely con-
tanned these words: Its the riding
that has done it, conveying thereby,
in sporting metaphor, which Palmer
was constantly using, the prisoner
opinion that it was solely due to the at.
torney generals conduct Of the case
that the verdict against him had been
obtained.
He was paSSionately fond of music
and the leading musicians Of the day
were constant visitors at his house
notably Herr Joachim, who always paiC
one of his first visits in Hartford stree
after his annual arrival in England, ant
who was to be found there constantly
during his stay. The late Mrs. Satori'
adelaide Kemble) was also one of SiI
Alexander's favorite guests; and The
sympathetic qualities of her lovely vote,
never seem to have lost their effect OF
him. At one time he was constan
attendant at the Monday popular con
certs; hut of late years he had given VI
going there.
His devotion to work may be cstimat
ed by the fact that, after medical
consultation, held nearly two years ago
he was plainly informed that his disease
had reached such point that he might
die at any time without moments no
tice. His retirement from the bencl
was advised by his friends and his med
ical man; and it was suggested, as al
alternative, that he might prolong lf,
by devoting himself to his favorit,
amusement of yachting and mil,
course of literary labor for the purpose
of putting into shape his legal, political
literary, and social "reminiscences. TIL,
Chief Justice, however, would not hea
of retirement, and on each of three oc
casons on which he was seized with
disease OF the heart returned to worl
without the noodful rest for recupera