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54 THE LEAD'E B > [No. 304, Saturday
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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The Rugeley Poisonings. {From Our Sjwial...
the « ame reason as the detective police ; though . perhaps an exchange -would not be altogether amiss , for no one could misunderstand the detective envelop * and adhesive police , when either a secret was to be discovered , or a . glass of brandy administered . The Postmaster of Rugeley observed the tempting missive . He extracted the contents , read , and inwardly digested them , re-fastened the letter , and then hurried off to Mr . Palmer with the news , who was at that time ill in bed . Nor was that the first illegal communication between these two , but of that hereafter . On hearing these glad tidings , Palmer sends for George Bate , Esq ., « knd bids him carry three letters to Stafford . The Esquire does as he is bid . He delivers one epistle to Mr . Glover , who collects Palmer ' s rents , and leceives
from him £ 12 in silver . Then he goes to Mr . Frantz , ' tie dealer in game , who says that he is a pheasant « 3 H > rt of the order , bat will send the other things to < aeorge -Bate , Esq ., at the Junction Hotel , close to the railway . The illustrious George re-directs the parcel , and gives a lad 3 d . to carry it to Mr . Ward ' s office . He nest goes ia search of this Mr . Ward ,-who is no other tlan William Webb Ward , Esq ., coroner for this division of the county , a legal gentleman of considerable slrewdness , but bad memory—at least so say witnesses who expect 2 s . 6 d . per diem for their attendanceat inquests . The coroner was unearthed in the smoking-room of the Dol phin Inn , which owns the only billiard-room in Stafford . George having " tipped him a knowing wink , " William Webb Ward , Esq ., caine out to the foot of the billiard
Stairs , and there received the said lette . r . This was en Saturday , the 8 th of December . On the following Thars day , George -was again wanted to carry a letter to William Web Ward . But by this titiie he began to open his eyes , and to think that tlie secret service fund was probably ^ it a low ebb . At all events , he demurred j but eventually complied with all Palmer ' s instructions . In the first instance , having opened a drawer , he found there only a i £ 50 Bank of England note . This , William Palmer said , ^ as t oo much- —in which he probably differed from William Webb Ward—and desired him to step over and borrow £ 6 from . " Ben "—our " Ben , " him of the rupture bandages and broken poppyheads . " Ben" sent him a £ 5 note of the- Bridgworth Bank . Palmer enclosed the same in an envelope ,-and sent it by George Bate , Esq ., to the
aforesaid coroner . This time * he caught William Web "Ward in the road between the station and the Junction Hotel , and there silly slipped the note into his hand . Subsequently , he saw him ia the smoking-room at the last aaamed hotel . What does all this mean ? To-morrow , perhaps , wilt explain , as a formal inquiry is to be instituted into the conduct of both the coroner and the postanaster . A fearful thing , indeed , is it to be at the mercy « f the post-office . Dr . Taylor stated that he himself received annual h ' and reported upon , from one hundred to a hundred and fifty confidential cases . He has actually gone into' 580 cases . And this is our boasted Christianity , ourrefined civilisation ia the purest and most Protestant country in Europe , at the middle of the nineteenth -century . But , all this time , your correspondent lert his rench traveller at tho
aas F ' entrance of the town , watching the exhumation of two coffins * om a vault , commanded by the windows of a certain red-brick house . Let us rejoin- him , and follow those coffins to the back entrance of the Talbot Inn , through a short straight passage , and into the very smallest room of a small road-side public-house . The first OOffin opened was that of Mrs . Win . Palmer . The coffin being made of wood , the gases had escaped ; consequentlv there was little or no effluvium . The fine delicate features still retained their symmetry . The post-mortem examination being made , it was evident that death had not been caused by organic disease , and that English cholera had ao more to do with it than small-pox or typhus . The intestines and other parts were then carefully put into jars , labelled 1 , 2 , and 3 and sent off to Dr . Taylor .
, So far , so well . But no pen can describe the horrors of opening the second coffin , which , being marie of lead , had confined the gases , and thus produced a more rapid decomposition . Owing to the stupidity pf the police in chooaing snch a cabin , tho sufferings of the jurors were intense pome fainted , others retched violently , all were prostrated lor the remainder of that day . From the post-mortom examination it appeared that Walter Palmer , at tho time of his death , was . suffering from congoation of the kidmoys , and a diseased liver . He miuht or might not , iave died of apoplexy . While Dr . Taylor is pursuing lus analysis , let us strolr toeethcr intn thn Uwn .
Standing m tlie rond between " Win ; Palmer ' s houao and tho lalhot Arms , and looking straight forward , the eye falls upon tho Town Hall , an inconvenient little bnild-• ing ,. intended to take up room in tho market-place , but not to find any within for any rationnl purposo whatsoever . A : httle to tho right stands a small pot-hona * having ovor tho door a daub , euppoacd to reprosent a anoulderof mutton pendant between two yellow cabbages . Within , there is a pleaeanter view of two very imbntantifll hams suspended from tho kitchen cieling . ¦ Avoiding this public room , you turn sharp off to tho -eft , and discover a tiny bar in the reacaa of n bay winaow . Hero you will find a garrulous dame , by no means averae to toll you all that she thinks , and a good S . E Or J r ? Bho lmow 8 < Sho will toll you , that one ' wS § ' ? ' v ° * almw * tho solicitor , called with nn infill pQTBOn , " 0 Unb . onioU 8 lv atvlnd n nnmmArxinl «« n .
a S ^ fc i Si ^ « Wat the country peopled 1 iSown > J ™! \ ^ itlnorfl » t dealer In shawls , ' s ^ rfe , C p . ffikt ¦ eta you pleaac . For thia worthy , Mr SSof . MrJOl » r POlt ? ^ UPP ° r ' b 0 < 1 » md hroahA for tSSSd SSL ^^ ^^ but oftw o Bhort intorvAl ho as ft issaas ? ¦ Er & 's & rst-E
almer called and intimated tliat he was no longer answerab le for Hr . Duffy ' s expenses . On this hint the dame spake , and asked that gentleman if he could oblige her by settling his little account . He would on the morrow with pleasure , for he expected a large sum of money . It is not possible that he did receive some , as he suddenly disappeared , leaviug behind him an old carpet tag full of letters and papers now ia the hands of the police . At least one packet of letters was , however , first inspected by mine hostess , who thus discovered that her lodger had long kept up an affectionate correspondence with old Mrs . Palmer , some of whose amatory effusions were rather forcible than elegant . Ia short , Venus Victrix had degenerated into Venus Circumvaga . At first , the sons were willing to connive at their mother ' s exuberance of animal spirits , but when Duffy presumed to aspire to connubial love , they not only turned liim the cold shoulder , but caused him to be turned out of the Shoulder of Mutton . But as this Messulina in bombazine had tastes like Hamlet ' s mother , it was deemed advisable to find her a facile helpmate of proper proportions , under their own eye . As the present locum tenens is not only an attorney without practice , but also a big powerful fellow—it may be more prudent to suppress his name ; j'our correspondent respectfully declining the honour of being eow-hided . It may not be improper here to remark , that Mrs . Palmer declares that the l » ills discounted through Mr . Pratt , and purporting to be accepted by herself , are arrant forgeries . Their amount is said to exceed . £ 10 , 000 . Mr . Pratt protests that he has been grossly deceived , and that he frequently communicated with the acceptrix on the subject of these bills . The vulgar explanation of the mystery . , that these letters were intercepted by Mr . Cheshire , the postmaster , and by him delivered to William Palmer . As this individual is to be examined to-morrow and Pratt next Tuesday , that matter also may be cleared up . Let us now enter the inquest room . At the further end of the table sits the ferrety little Coroner , sharp and shrewd , but a slow penman . Ori his left sit the jurymen , with open countenances and lips well apart , of average provincial misunderstanding , and no doubt as weighty as any twenty-three men in the kingdom chosen at random . Round the centre table sit the lawyers . The solicitor lor the prosecution , well-meaning and honest , but impar congressus yLchilli . Achilles shows a strong physique , somg Immour , and abundant shrewdness . When he cannot bully the jurors he makes them laugh , and opposition ceases . By his side behold , a well-known barrister of the Oxford Circuit , his hair in front bristling up like a cockatoo ' s crest , that behind tvondrously short and curiously cropped ; over-all boots not too polished , coming up above the knee ; a grey coat demanding nerve to wear ; barnacles on nose ; a square grin-taking liberties with the lips , and exhibiting mossgrown teeth ; and a very plain face under & - very rough bat . The police stand about the witness-box , pompous and fussy , and looking as if they wero about to burst out of their uniforms . At the table on the coroner ' s right hand , Sit the reporters , busily plying the pen , and feeding the insatiate maw of the public . Those gentlemen near them , in rusty black or brown , ¦ with bundles of papers in their hands , represen t various in surance offices . They are very indignant about this case , tliough they must always know that when a man insures his neighbour ' s life , he is laying the odds on that neighbour ' s death . However , they do not tliirst for Palmer ' s blood— -his life is insured for £ 5 , 000 , and , as it has been duly assigned , to secure a loan , the policy roust be paid at his death . The further end of the room is filled with the local chuw-bacons , who stand for hours in " obstruction ' s apathy , " occasionally snoring on their legs , laughing consuincctly when Mr . Lawyer pokes fun at a witness , cheering riotously when the jurymen splutter out noiay nonsense about their impartiality and fearlessness in the cause of justice , but looking blank and chop-fallen whenever a hitch occurs in tho prosecution . Imagine our Frenchman in such « n assembty as this . Truly , ho will deem himself a Rip "Van Winklo alooping backwards . He will seem to himself to have-gonebacU four centwrics , and to have awakened up among tho manants of 1450 . As ho listens to tlie evidence , lie may perchance marvel to hear that deaf old crone swear to tlie seiiHeof the beautiful prnj'er the minister of God oflVrod up at the bedside of tho dying woman . The reverend gentleman denies that he ever prayed at all , and it ia proved that Mrs . William Palmar was too feeble to converse with any one . Did tho old beldame mistake her own stcntoroua breathing for the " sough " of the divine us lie wrestled in prayer with , the Angel of Donth ? No ' mutt or . Bm mark how still is tho room , how anxious each face , how subdued tho breathing , as that tiill , intollactunl man , with geniua in h | a oyo , and knowledge of mankind on that mocking lip ! rises to rood hia TOport . How chill and dread grows every heart as hq tolls tliom that the body of . tho deceased lady wns saturated with antimony ; that thoao efflorvrscing draughts sho ao much relished when offered by her kind , attentive husband , contained antimony ; that the ton was poiBoned with antimony ; that everything she took during that illness waa impregnated with antimony ; that , day by dny , the poison was ntoadily , unremittingly lulminiutored in small , small doses , gradually wasting' nwny the strength , and inducing death from alieor oxhuuotion . Who can be asiPa , -when " a nice , pleasant Bort of gontlomnn , " tfaroly thirty yeara of ago , can go on thua deli bora ttily protendhif ? love and preferring poison ? And yet liow niuoli is this worse than tho iilying a brother with ardent spirits , hooping him in a constant state of brutal intoxication , nnd finally upsetting tho equilibrium of tho Byatom , ami causing a sudden and horrible death ? William Palmer ia cloarly proved to have < : <> i » imitlo < l tho former crime . Thoio in every ronaon to bcliuvo Hint 1 ) 0 lias also committed the latter—not impossibly aKffruvat « d by pottitivo poisoningnt tho last . It In shown that ho purchased symo priiBaio ncid at Wolvurltumpton on
< be first Tuesday in August . He had no patients out of his own family , and could not have wanted an ounce of such deadly poison for his private practice . However all this will probably transpiro at the adjourned inquest , ' and speculation will then give place to positive knowledge ' . But , mark all the incidents of this case . A sawyer and timber-merchant amassing a large fortune , no one knows liow , and then suddenly dying of apopj ' exy : his widow surviving her chastity ; one daughter drinking herself to death : one son either doing the same , or poisoned by his own brother ; Lt .-Col . Brookes found dead , but no proof that he shot himself : hi * t mistress probably poisoned by her son-inlaw : their daughter certainly poisoned b 3 her husband , the sawyer ' s son : perhaps four legitimate children hastened out of the world by their father : perhaps three il legitimate children similarly treated : probably a friend poisoned by this same man five years ago ; certainly an intimate ally poisoned two months ago : the coroner compromised : the postmaster suspended : the telegraph clerk committing an irregularity : the chaplain oftlie gaol completely fascinated by the poisoner ; a nurse dreaming of pra \ -er , or a clergyman forgetting his own fervour : and last , though uot least , Rugelcy discovered fliid handed down to posterity in the annals of crime . By this time our domestic Frenchman must be preparing 1 o return to the rattling dominoes , the eternal chatter , and the saunter on tlie boulevards , quite ready to renounce English comfort and an English home provide 1 he niav be allowed to finish his useless but harmless existence in his beloved Paris ; and there , having lived without regret , die without pleasure . Rugkuey , January 17 , 1856 . P . S . —A few last words . At oiie o ' clock this afternoon the magistrates met at the Talbot Arms , to prosecute the inquiry into the post-office delinquency . The Coroner was not present , but sent an apoUjgy , pleading the necessity of holding two inquests elsewhere—although it was onlvlast night that he issued the precepts . His clerk , Thomas Addison , produced a letter which his employer received on the ' th' of December , from William Palmer , together with a basket of game . This witness subsequently assured your correspondent that Mr- Ward was ready to a wear that no other letter was ever delivered l 6 to him , and that the game had been ' promised some time before , as an acknowledgment of Mr . Ward ' s defence of a young man in the employment of Lord Paget . George li : » te positively swears that lie gave Mr . AVnrd two letters from William Palmer . The respective veracity of these witnesses will be tested hereafter . There is certainly an air of low cunning about George Bate , Esq ., which does not prepossess one in his favour . The Postmaster at once admitted his ¦ offence , lie isclearly a man of no decision , utterly destitute of . iinlividuali ' ty , anil satisfied with the last ¦ impression . He is m « ek ami gooil tempered . His nose descends in a straight line from the forehead , so that a plummet would rest along the bridge . His arms hang from liis shoulders in a helpless sort of way . Everybody speaks -well of him , iincl lias sonic obliging act to repeat . In the phrase of t / lic country-side , William Palmer used to make him " compliments . " He would ask him to dinner , or to fltep over in the evening and play a rubber . On Sunday his caniage was at Mr . Cheshire ' s disposal , to take bis wife out for an airing ; and he himself was often driven over U > races in the neighbourhood , and " put up to a thing or two . " 1 lo is much to be pitied—hia organism is chiefly in fault . Nevertheless , he has been bound over to appear lit tuo assizes , to take liis trial on a charge of misdemeanour . Conviction is curtain , Hero are a few waifs and strays gathered in this place , Since his wife ' s death , William l ' ulmer has liad two illegitimate children : Eliza Thtiriuu being coiifmed in liis own house . Ho has lost four legitimate and three illegitimate ^ children . A young woman ulso died , appealing to Heaven to avenge her wrongs—not a desirable frame of mind , but at least evincing heartiness . Miss Thornton waa not of ago when she married William' Palmer , contrary to her friends' wishes . Sho was a clevor , aminblo , pretty , and loveablo woman , having , moreover , a clear income of . £ 300 a-year : her mother guvo her besides a present of £ 700 . William Palmer at that , time was following his profession with some steadiness and pro . spi-ct of success , llisliouse was furnished with somu degree of elegance ; lie bad & handsome carriage , nml was not troubled in pecuniary matters . At that timo , he had 310 connection with tho turf , and , altofrolhor , wno unnieiv at of 0 " catch " in this dull neighbourhood . And Miss Thornton had aheaily been crossed in lo \ o , Ili .-i iViuiuI , John 3 * arsons' Cook , was also n groat fnvcmvite with all who eiune near him . He is described na a . very opcii-hcarted , un » uapecting , gentlpmanly young man . During Iiih last illness lie was continually naking after William Palmer , and , seemed to take grant pleasure in bin MucWUy . llo now rests in peace beneath , a aituple mourn ) , clora to two a-mall yow-tieca , at the principal entrance to tbochuruhyard ,, ond almost opposite old Mrs . Palmor ' t * windows , lliul it not been for tho loss of h \ a bolting-book , it is probable that no inquiry would ovor have taken place . IIi « Htop-failior , Mr . ( Stephens , on liia way down from town , mot William Palmer at Kugoloy , on bin avuv up . Tho laitur at onco took afrouh tickot , and roturnocl with him to ltugoluy . A mutual irlond having also arrived at the Talbot . Arum , Mr . Stephcnn Rent aenmn for Palmer to ( lino wit h thorn ami to toll them how their poor l ' riuud had died . It . wits not until ho had almost , reached the station that u Huspioion fluuhod acromt hin mind , nnd ho clotenninrd to huvc a . post ¦ mortem examination . But liowovor strong may be our moral conviction , ihotola ua yet no legal ovldu ' nco to condemn tho accused . It would probably go hard wllli him , indued , wore ho to Htand hit ) trial at tSUilluid , but . of ( hia tlioro in 11 . 1 t much danger . Hud the Html verdict dnpondod upon tho jurom at tho inqueat , ho would huvo boen han ^ ocl , diawn , mul qiiartorcd , boforu I ho inquiry wan hall ( niniluiitod . Fortun « t « ly , o \ ir IIvom ar « not wl . tho moroy of tho jiiiMrtionH and atu | . ) i < IHy of hucIi a court . No man would in tliatiW
54 The Lead'e B > [No. 304, Saturday
54 THE LEAD'E B > [ No . 304 , Saturday
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 19, 1856, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_19011856/page/6/
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