Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-07-25
PALMER THE POTTER.
A Historic Case In Crimes An
nails.
CAREER OF A MONSTER POIsONER.
He Descended From Curates, Wears and
MISUNDERSTANDING Father and Wife to
Pay His Gambling Debts-Greatest I'm

Pay His Gambling Debts-Greatest I'M
postor Ia the English Criminal Calendar.
Among the many charming valleys of
England there Is none more beautiful and
peaceful than that Of the Trent. With
equal truth IL can be said that there is no
part of the Trent so calm and Edenlike,
particularly in early June. when even the
hedges are pillows of white and pink, as
the country about the exquisite little town
of Rudgeley.
The lines Of the people of Rudgeley have
1t was their boast that for two centuries no
resident Of the town had ever been charged
with "A criminal offcnsc
Next TO the hereditary mobiles, whom the
English middle and peasant classes regard
as heaven blessed superiors, the denizens
of Rudyelcy have regarded the clergymen
Of the established church.
For over 100 years the Palmer family
had been the cura;es, Wears and rectors of
Rudgclcy, 50 that succeeding generations
of worshipers came To regard succeeding
generations Of Palmers as clergyInen by
divine right, just as they regarded the
heirs To the great estates or to the throne
itself
The Palmcrs were fine tyres of that en-
inCntly respectable class known rs 1.-THE
gentry" The men who did not enter the
church became lawyers, doctors or profess
ors. Although near to- the great sporting
field of Derby, where even the royal family
set the example of annually tempting for
tune and even the servant girls save their
4 L
race. it was remarked that the Palmers
never attended u race or made bet
Forty years ago the Rev. Robert Palm
er, sixth Of the clerical line in that one
parish, was the vicar Of Rudgeicy. Mr..
Palmer had q large family-thrcc daugh-
tiers and FIVE sons. The youngest Of the sons
was william. He was intended for the
church; but, showing an early aptitude for
the sciences, his parents changed the plan
of his education.
After thorough training at home and
in u classic school at Kudgcley. William
Palmer, at the age of Is, was sent To Cam
bridge. where Lis studious habits made him
"A favoritc with the faculty of his college
and his genial disposition made him popu-
lar with his fellow students OF all ranks
After two years at Cambridge William
went to London. where for time the
great Michael Faraday was one of his in
structors. After four years in London he
graduated as a doctor OF chemistry and
sur'r'ry.
Young Palmer was now 25 He had a
mos; winning address and was remarkably
handsome. His kinsmen had reason to feel
| proud of him, and all his friends foresaw
| for him u brilliant future.
| lie tried to establish himself at I,ud yclcy
/ "a .ll. Il ND lac, ,it-li
have succeeded Ind his patience been com
mcnSuratc with his ambition and had h,
used his abundant spare time in perfectins
himself in his profession. But his manners
| and accomplishments rs well the un
questioned standing Of his family mad,
| him great social favorite and in time re
quirrd more money than his fees.
| He attended the races. consorted will
rich mems sons and displayed wonderful
skill ut the card table. At length the goot
i people began to shake their heads ant
whispered their fears that their beloved
Wears son was entering on the broad wa.
that leads to ruin in this life and perditiol
IN the next.
DIR. William Palmer was soon spendin,
more money than he earned, and it wa
well known that his father was in no con
dition 10 keep him in funds. As he pal,
his bills, the inference was that the car,
table was his principal source OF revenue
He soon became known as q country rover
but the well meaning people conspired Z
Keep the facts from their beloved old pas
tor.
After two years of this life Mt Rudgele
DIR. Palmer married the natural daughte
of Colonel Brooks. "A wealthy retired office
of the East India service.
Some time before his marriage Palme
became interested in the subject Of life in
suraucc. He prevailed on Colonel Brook:
then over 80 years of age--this was in 1S5
to insure his life for $50, 900, or 81, 0O(
= six months after the colonel died. froI
apoplcxy, his doctors said. In his will Il
left his son-in-law his life insurance an
TO his daughter life interest in his cstat,
which after her death was to pass to hs
children, II she left any.
St In this way, within a very few month
DIR. Palmcr's position changed from con
rarativc poverty To actual opulcnce, an
he soon regained his position at RudCelc,
the people believing that his short lap
from grace was due to his sowing Vel
small crop of wild oats, which even clcrg
mems sons sometimes do, but never befo
4. a Palmer of Rudgeley.
Mrs. Palmer was a most beautiful ar
accomplished woman. She loved her hu
band. and believing him capable of gre:
things she urged him to follow his profe
sion, in which she believed he would OF
y day bc the peer Of Sir Humphry Davy,
OF his illustrious prcceptor, the great Pr
fcssor Faraday, with whom he was
weekly correspondence
= But DIR. Palmer had been innoculat.
= with the virus of crime. He became g
Il owner Of fast horses and associated wi
3 the fast sporting set.
\ stories of his gambling ard of his loss
II found their way to London and becan
= the gossip Of the clubs. There could
4 but one end 10 this and all who discuss
10 felt that IL was fortunate for Mrs PAIL
z CT that her father will secured her
! life
& Mrs. Palmer's mother. a woman Of {
% farmer class but with few thousal
Z pounds in her own right, was still Twin
4 Up to this time Palmer. with the hea
y lessncss Of q beast, effected to despise l
= mothcr-in law, but as soon as his rea
"A money gave out he changed his mind a
insisted that the old woman should ma
her home with him