The trial of William Palmer on the charge of poisoning John Parsons Cook
was resumed this morning. The court was quite as much crowded as during
the previous days. Among the gentlemen upon the bench were Mr. Horsman,
M.P., Sir J. Ramsden, M.P., and Sir John Wilson, Governor of Chelsea
Hospital.
The learned Judges, Lord Chief Justice Campbell, Mr. Baron Alderson, and
Mr. Justice Cresswell, accompanied by the Recorder, the Sheriffs,
Under-Sheriffs, and several members of the Court of Aldermen, came into
court shortly before 10 o’clock, and took their seats upon the bench.
The prisoner was immediately placed in the dock. His appearance and
demeanour were in no respect changed.
JOHN JACKSON, examined by Mr. JAMES: I am a member of the College of
Physicians. I have recently returned from India, where I have practised
for twenty-five years. During that practice I have had my attention
directed to cases of idiopathic and traumatic tetanus. In England
idiopathic tetanus appears to be rare. In India it is comparatively
frequent. The proportion of cases of idiopathic to traumatic tetanus is
about one-third. I have seen not less than forty cases in the hospital
at Calcutta. That disease is not considered to be so fatal as traumatic
tetanus, but I have found that it is equally so. It is commonly found in
children--both native and European. It takes place about the third day
after birth. It will also be occasioned by cold in the climate of India.
In infants there is a more marked symptom of lockjaw than in traumatic
tetanus. In adults there is no difference between the symptoms of the
two diseases. I have always seen idiopathic tetanus preceded by
premonitory symptoms. Those are a peculiar expression of the countenance
and stiffness in the muscles of the throat and of the jaw. The period
which usually elapses between the attack of idiopathic tetanus and the
fatal termination of the disease is in infants forty-eight hours; in
adults, if the disease arises from cold, it is longer, and may continue
many days, going through the same grades as the traumatic form of the
disease. I have not heard the evidence of the attacks of the deceased
Cook.
Cross-examined by Mr. Serjeant SHEE: In idiopathic tetanus the patient
is always uncomfortable for some time before the attack. The appetite is
not much affected. He complains more of the muscles of his neck. He may
within twelve hours of a serious attack preserve his relish for food. I
never heard a patient complain of want of appetite. I have known cases
of idiopathic tetanus in which the first paroxysm occurred in bed. I
have known this disease occur to women after confinement or miscarriage.
Sometimes one of the premonitory symptoms is a difficulty in swallowing.
Re-examined by the ATTORNEY-GENERAL: In an infant not more than six
hours will elapse between the premonitory symptoms and the commencement
of the tetanic paroxysm; in an adult the interval will be from twelve to
twenty-four, sometimes more than that. The interval from the
commencement of the tetanic convulsions to death will vary from three to
ten days. Sometimes death may occur in two days, but that is an early
termination. When the disease sets in the course of the symptoms is
alike in both forms of tetanus. Both forms are much more common in India
than in England. The symptoms in India are the same as in England. I
have never seen a case in which the disease ended in death in twenty
minutes or half an hour.
DANIEL SCULLY BERGEN, examined by the ATTORNEY-GENERAL: I am the chief
superintendent of police in Stafford. I attended the coroner’s inquest
on the body of Cook. After the verdict had been returned, I, on the
night of Saturday, December 15, searched the house of the prisoner
Palmer. I found a quantity of papers, the greater portion in the surgery
and drawing-room, but some in Palmer’s bedroom. I put them all into the
drawing-room, locked the door, and put the key into my pocket. On the
following day (Sunday) I endeavoured to make a selection of them in the
presence of Mr. George Palmer, the prisoner’s brother, an attorney at
Rugeley. Assisted by Inspector Crisp and Mr. Woollaston, I went through
all the papers. Eventually, on the Tuesday morning, I gave up the idea
of selection, and tied up all the papers, took them away in a black
leather bag, and conveyed them to Stafford, where I delivered them to
Mr. Hatton, the chief constable. Some days afterwards, I believe on the
24th December, the bag was opened in my presence, and the papers were
gone through minutely by Mr. Deane, solicitor, acting for the
prosecution. He classified them, and they were again tied up. Mr. Deane
copied a portion of them, but he kept none. They were all left at the
office of the chief constable. When I examined the papers I saw what
they were. I did not find a cheque on Messrs. Weatherby, purporting to
bear the signature of Cook, nor any paper purporting to bear his
signature respecting bills of exchange. Some of the papers were
afterwards returned to Mr. George Palmer. Mr. Deane selected a large
number of letters and documents, private accounts, private letters,
which were delivered to Inspector Crisp, with instructions to give them
to Mr. George Palmer. William Palmer was arrested on the night of the
15th December.
Cross-examined by Mr. Serjeant SHEE: The inquest was held at the Talbot
Arms. It continued several days. The first meeting was merely to
empannel the jury. The inquest lasted more than a fortnight. The
prisoner was arrested by the sheriff on a civil process a day or two
before the verdict was delivered. From the commencement of the inquest
until that time he was at his house at Rugeley. He was never present at
the inquest, nor did any one act professionally for him. Some time
before the death of Cook I heard of an Inspector Field, who I believe is
not now a police-officer, being at Rugeley. I know that there are such
persons as the Duttons, but do not know anything about them, or their
mother.
HENRY AUGUSTUS DEANE, examined by Mr. JAMES: I am an attorney, and a
member of the firm of Chubb, Deane, and Chubb, Gray’s-inn. I attended
the inquest on the body of Walter Palmer, but not that on the body of
Cook. On the 24th of December I saw Palmer’s papers at Stafford. They
were in the custody of the last witness. The papers were in a black bag,
which was unsealed in my presence. Bergen, Mr. Hatton, the
chief-constable, and myself were the persons present. I carefully
examined all the papers, for the purpose of selecting those which it was
necessary should be kept. I returned a considerable number of immaterial
papers to George Palmer. Among the papers I found no check upon Messrs.
Weatherby, purporting to be signed by the deceased Cook, nor any paper
like that which the witness Cheshire stated that Palmer asked him to
attest--an acknowledgment purporting to be signed by Cook that bills to
the amount of some thousands had been accepted by Palmer for Cook’s
benefit. I saw George Palmer, the solicitor, after the papers which I
had selected were returned to him.
Cross-examined by Mr. Serjeant SHEE: I know Field, the detective
officer. We were solicitors to the Prince of Wales Insurance-office. It
was in our employment that Field went to Rugeley. He was at Rugeley only
a part of one day. He was at Stafford for three or four days altogether.
He did not see the prisoner Palmer. His visit had been preceded by that
of another officer, named Simpson. Simpson went from Stafford to Rugeley
with myself and Field. He told me he had seen Palmer. I think he went
into Staffordshire in the first week in October.
Re-examined by Mr. JAMES.--Field was sent down to make inquiries as to
the habits of life of Mr. Walter Palmer, of whose death the office had
shortly before received notice, and also to inquire into the
circumstances of a person named Bates, with reference to a proposal for
an insurance of £25,000 upon his life.
JOHN ESPIN, examined by MR. JAMES.--I am a solicitor practising in
Davies-street, Berkeley-square. I am solicitor to Mr. Padwick. I produce
a bill for £2,000 which was placed in my hands to enforce payment from
the prisoner.
MR. STRAWBRIDGE, manager of the bank at Rugeley, was called and proved
that the drawing and endorsement of this bill--a bill at three months
for £2,000, drawn by William Palmer, and purporting to be accepted by
Sarah Palmer--were in the handwriting of the prisoner, and that the
acceptance was not in that of his mother.
JOHN ESPIN continued.--This bill would be due on the 6th of October,
1854. £1,000 had been paid off it. Judgment was signed on the 12th of
December, and I had then had the bill only a day or two. The execution
was issued on the 12th of December. I have here a letter from William
Palmer addressed to Mr. Padwick on the 12th of November, and enclosing a
cheque, and requesting that it should not be presented until the 28th of
November. I produce the cheque for £1,000 enclosed in this letter of the
12th. The cheque is dated the 28th. That cheque was not paid. I produce
another cheque, dated the 8th of December, 1855, payable to Mr. Padwick
or bearer, for the sum of £600. [Mr. Strawbridge proved that the
signature to this cheque was in the handwriting of the prisoner.] That
was not paid. It was received a few days after the check for £1,000 was
dishonoured. £1,000 still remained due. We issued a ca. sa. against the
prisoner’s person. Upon that Palmer was arrested.
Cross-examined by Mr. Serjeant SHEE.--I believe all the documents were
placed in my hands together about the 12th of December.
WILLIAM BAMFORD, examined by the ATTORNEY-GENERAL: I am a surgeon and
apothecary at Rugeley, in Staffordshire. I first saw the deceased, John
Parsons Cook, on Saturday, the 17th of November. Palmer, the prisoner,
asked me to visit him. Palmer said that Cook had been dining with him
the day before, and had taken too much champagne. I went with Palmer to
see Cook. I asked if he had taken too much wine the day before, and he
assured me that he took but two glasses. I found no appearance of bile
about Cook, but there was constant vomiting. I prescribed for him a
saline effervescing draught, and a six-ounce mixture. I never saw Cook
take any of the pills which I had prescribed. After I had prepared the
pills on the Monday evening I took them to the Talbot Arms, and gave
them to a servant maid, who took them upstairs. On the Saturday, Sunday,
and Monday, I prepared the same pills. I saw Palmer on the Tuesday
morning. I was going to see Cook when he met me. I asked him if he had
seen Cook the night before. He said that he saw him between nine and ten
o’clock, and was with him for half an hour. He requested that I would
not disturb Cook, and I went home without seeing him. Between twelve and
one o’clock Palmer met me again. I was going to see Cook, and Palmer
begged I would not go, because he was still and quiet, and he did not
wish him to be disturbed. At seven o’clock in the evening Palmer came to
my house, and requested me to go and see Cook again. I went and saw him.
Having seen Cook, I left the room with Jones and Palmer. Palmer said he
rather wished Cook to have his pills again, and that he would walk up
with me for them. He did so, and stood by while I prepared them in my
surgery. I had strychnia in a cupboard in my own private room. I put the
pills in a box, and addressed it, “Night pills. John Parsons Cook, Esq.”
I wrote that direction on all the four nights. On the Tuesday night
Palmer requested that I would put on a direction. After that I did not
again see Cook alive. Palmer took away the pills between seven and eight
o’clock. I had wrapped the box up in paper, and had sealed it. There was
no impression of a seal upon it. The direction was upon a separate
paper, which I placed under the box, and between it and the outside
paper. Nothing was written on the box or on the outside paper. It was as
near as could be twenty minutes past twelve at midnight when I saw Cook
dead. I understood he was alive when they came to me, and I could not
have been more than five or ten minutes in going up. I found the body
stretched out, resting on the heels and the back of the head, as
straight as possible, and stiff. The arms were extended down each side
of the body, and the hands were clinched. I filled up the certificate,
and gave it as my opinion that he died from apoplexy. Palmer asked me to
fill up the certificate. I had forms of certificates in my possession.
When Palmer asked me to fill up the certificate I told him that, as Cook
was his patient, it was his place to fill up the certificate. He said he
had much rather I did it, and I did so. I was present at the
_post-mortem_ examination. After it was over, Palmer said, “We ought not
to have let that jar go.” That was all he said.
Cross-examined by Mr. Serjeant SHEE: My house is about 200 yards from
that of the prisoner.
THOMAS PRATT, examined by Mr. JAMES: I am a solicitor, and practise in
Queen-street, Mayfair. I know the prisoner Palmer. My acquaintance with
him commenced at the end of November, 1853. I obtained for him a loan of
£1,000. That was repaid. In October, 1854. I was employed by him to make
a claim for two policies upon the life of Ann Palmer. I received, upon
the prisoner’s account, £5,000 from the Sun office, and £3,000 from the
Norwich Union. The money was applied in payment of, I think, three
bills, amounting to £3,500 or £4,000, which were due, and of loans
obtained after I had made the claims upon the policies. There was £1,500
not so applied. That was paid to Palmer, or applied to other purposes
under his direction. In April, 1855, Palmer applied to me for a loan of
£2,000. He did not state the purpose for which he required the loan. I
obtained it upon a bill for £2,000 drawn by himself, and purporting to
be accepted by Sarah Palmer. On the 28th of November of that year there
were eight bills held by clients of mine or by myself. [These bills were
produced and read; the total amount for which they were drawn was
£12,500.] Two bills, dated July 22 and July 24, for £2,000 each, were
the only bills which were overdue in November, 1855. Two bills, for £500
and £1,000 were held over from month to month. [These were bills dated
June 5 and August 2, 1854.] The interest was paid monthly. With two
exceptions, these bills were discounted at the rate of 60 per cent. On
the 9th of November the interest for holding over the two bills, dated
in 1854, was due. I remember the death of Walter Palmer. That occurred
in August, 1855. I was instructed by William Palmer to claim from the
Prince of Wales insurance office £13,000 due upon a policy upon his
life. The Sarah Palmer by whom these bills purport to be accepted is the
mother of the prisoner. While holding these bills I from time to time
addressed letters to her. I wrote to Palmer as follows:--
“If you are quite settled on your return from Doncaster, do pray
think about your three bills, so shortly coming due. If I do not
get a positive appointment from the office to pay, which I do not
expect, you must be prepared to meet them as agreed. You told me
your mother was coming up this month, and would settle them.”
About a week afterwards I wrote to him [This letter had no date, but
bore a postmark, Sept. 24]:--
“You are aware there are three bills, of £2,000 each, accepted by
your mother, Mrs. Sarah Palmer, falling due in a day or two. Now,
as the £13,000 cannot be received from the Prince of Wales
Insurance Office for three months, it will be necessary that those
bills should be renewed; I will therefore thank you to send me up
three new acceptances to meet those coming due, and which, when
they fall due, I presume the money will be ready to meet, which
will amount to £1,500 more than your mother has given acceptances
for.”