“I am obliged to come to Tattersall’s on Monday to the settling, so
that I shall not call and see you before Monday, but a friend of
mine will call and leave you £200, to-morrow, and I will give you
the remainder on Monday.”
On the Saturday (Nov. 17) some one came from Palmer, and gave me a
cheque of a Mr. Fisher for £200. On the 19th Mr. Palmer wrote to me:--
“All being well, I shall be with you to-morrow (Monday), but cannot
say what time now. Fisher left the £200 for me.”
On Monday, the 19th, which was the settling day at Tattersall’s, Palmer
called on me after 3 o’clock. This paper (produced) was then drawn up,
and he signed it:--
“You will place the £50 which I have just paid you and the £450 you
will receive by Mr. Herring--together £500, and the £200 you
received on Saturday towards payment of my mother’s acceptance for
£2,000, due on the 25th of October, making paid to this day the sum
of £1,300.”
He paid me £50 at the time, and said I should receive the £450 through
the post, by Mr. Herring. I afterwards received a cheque from him for
that amount, which was paid through my bankers. On the 21st of November
Palmer wrote to me:--
“Ever since I saw you I have been fully engaged with Cook, and not
able to leave home. I am sorry to say, after all, he died this day.
So you had better write to Saunders; but, mind you, I must have
Polestar, if it can be so arranged; and should any one call upon
you to know what money or moneys Cook ever had from you, don’t
answer the question till I have seen you.”
“I will send you the £75 to-morrow, and as soon as I have been to
Manchester you shall hear about other moneys. I sat up two full
nights with Cook, and am very much tired out.”
On the 22nd of November I wrote to Palmer:
“I have your note and am greatly disappointed at the non-receipt of
the money as promised, and at the vague assurances as to any money.
I can understand ’tis true, that your being detained by the illness
of your friend has been the cause of not sending up the larger
amount, but the smaller sum you ought to have sent. If anything
unpleasant occurs you must thank yourself.
“The death of Mr. Cook will now compel you to look about as to the
payment of the bill for £500, on the 2nd of December.
“I have written Saunders, informing him of my claim, and requesting
to know, by return, what claim he has for keep and training. I send
down copy of bill of sale to Crubble, to see it enforced.”
On the 23rd of November I received a note from Palmer, saying that
Messrs. Weatherby, of 6, Old Burlington-street, would forward a cheque
for £75 in the morning. On the 24th I received another note, saying that
he would come up either that day or Monday. I saw him on the 24th, when
he signed the following paper:--
“I have paid you this day £100. £75 you will pay for renewal of
£1,500, due on the 9th of November, for one month, and £25 on
account of the £2,000, due the 25th of October, making £1,325 paid
on that account.”
I had received a cheque for £75 on Messrs. Weatherby, but they refused
to pay it. On the 26th of November Palmer wrote to me:--
“(Strictly private and confidential.)
“My dear Sir,--Should any of Cook’s friends call upon you to know
what money Cook ever had from you, pray don’t answer that question
or any other about money matters until I have seen you.
“And oblige, yours faithfully,
“WILLIAM PALMER.”
There was a bill of sale on Polestar and another horse of Cook’s, called
Sirius. I did not know Cook. I never saw him. The bill of sale was
executed at the beginning of September. The prisoner had transacted the
loan. [The bill of sale was read.] On the 26th of August Palmer wrote to
me on the subject:--
“Now, I want, and must have it from somewhere, £1,000 clear by next
Saturday without fail, and you can raise it on the policy (viz. the
policy for £13,000 on the life of W. Palmer) if you like, and it
must be had at a much less rate of interest than I have hitherto
had, because the security is so very good; and if you cannot manage
it, you must let me have the policy, because you have plenty of
security for your money.”