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    -May~24 > 1856,] THE LEA I> EK. 435

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    TRIAL OF WILLIAM PALMER. »—The first "wi...

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    -May~24 > 1856,] The Lea I> Ek. 435

    -May ~ 24 > 1856 , ] THE LEA I > EK . 435

    Trial Of William Palmer. »—The First "Wi...

    TRIAL OF WILLIAM PALMER . »—The first "witness examined last Saturday was the celebrated George Bates , -whose life Palmer wished to insure . His testimony had reference to Palmer ' s bribing the coroner , "Mr . Ward , first by sending him game , and afterwards ( as it would seem from the statements made by the witness ) by transmitting to him in a letter a 5 / . note . ' Mr . Thomas Blizzard Curlincr , surcreon at the London

    The trial was resumed at ten o ' clock on Monday morning . _ Palmer , when placed at the bar , exhibited a very anxious and careworn appearance . A chair was set for him , but he did not avail himself of the accomodation , and during the whole of the day remained standing and leaning on the front of the dock . Dr . Alfred Swaine Taylor , fellow of the College of Physicians , was then examined , and entered into very elaborate particulars with respect to the operation of strychnine on animal life . He had made experiments on various quadrupeds , and had always found that the effect of the poison wa 3 to throw the animal into convulsions . Generally , it took about five or six minutes to ODerate . The snasms t . hen pomo r \ n the lam ara

    portion might pass from the stomach , and some might have been absorbed in the system . I think I web quite justified iu coming to the conclusion that antimony was the cause of death . " Dr . Taylor was rather sharply cross-examined with reference to certain communications he- had made to some newspapers . He said , with respect to * letter he had written to the Lancet , that his evidence before the coroner had been misrepresented by the prisoner ' s * solicitor , and that he felt compelled to contradict the statements that had been made . He swore positively that he did not sanction the publication of his portrait in an illustrated newspaper . He considered it was a c & ricaf * . llTC > / TWV SiArionnt filioa nKonmnul + tlat-. liA flinn « Vk * i U AV

    Hospital , was the next witness . He deposed simply to matters of science , and stated that there are two kinds of trrie tetanus—idiopathic and traumatic ; that there are some other diseases producing contraction of the muscles , but not properly called tetanus ; that traumatic tetanus'may arise from a wound or other disturbing cause ; that he had never known tetanus produced by sore throat Or syphilis ; that the disease , when once commenced , is continuous , and not intermittent , as in the case of Mr . Cooke ; that the symptoms described in that caSe are not those either of idiopathic or traumatic tetanus ; and that nux ' vomica , prussic acid , and strychnine will produce the disorders in question . He had known spasms to arise from disease of the spinal cord . A case of traumatic tetanus was recently brought into the London Hospital : it came on so suddenly that strychnine was suspected ; but , on examination of the body after death , no traces of that poison were found . Several old ¦ syphilitic sores , however , were discovered on the body ; but the witness did not think that death could have thns resulted in the case of Mr . Cooke , because the sores in question were , with him , in the throat , and therefore protected from friction , which would be necessary to the production of tetanus under such

    circumstretched out , and the head and tail drawn back , so as to give the body the appearance of a bow ; and the slightest noise or touch brings on the convulsions again , if they should for a time have ceased . There is some-I times a scream or shriek , as if the animal were in severe pain ; but it would appear as if there were some remission of pain before death . Immediately after death , the body is generally rigid . In opening the bodies of animals thus destroyed , he had never discovered any injury to the stomach or the intestines . " In one or two cases , " added Dr . Taylor , " I have found congestion of the vessels of the membranes of the spinal cord and brain more than would be accounted for by the gravitation of the blood ; in others I have not found the spinal cord in any way affected . I ascribe the congestion to the succession of fits the animal has had before death . In a majority of instances , I have failed to discover an }' abnormal condition of the brain and spinal cord . All that I have observed about the heart in such cases is , that it has been congested , and the right side especially . 1 have not had much experience of cases of tetanus in the human subject . I saw one on Thursday the 8 th inst . i in St . Thomas's Hospital . The patient recovered . I agree with the other medical centlemen who have

    w ^* A ^ rm X * ¦ ' * ¦ ^^^ 1 ^«* A * V i « S ** W ^ rf V ^^ # * JV * W ^ JK ^ V ** ** V AAV VUVUKU W 4 W very like—a remark which caused some laughter . ) Mr . Henry Ma 3 'hew , of the Illustrated Times , called , upon him with a letter of introduction from Professor Faraday , and obtained from him certain particulars with reference to the analyses . he had made , w . iich were published in the journal in question under the head of " Our Interview , with Dr . Taylor . " When he gave those particulars , he did hot , know ., they were for publication ; indeed , he was told Mr . Mayhew had called simply with reference to a Life Insurance Office ; but he called again on a subsequent day with the proof of the article which was to appear in the paper , and everything relating to the Rugeley cases was struck out by him ( Dr . Taylor ) . Some things , however , appeared which he did not authorize , and he wrote to the proprietor of the journal , complaining of what had , been done . He was of opinion that a very gross deception and cheat had been practised on him , and that it was most dishonourable and disgraceful . He would not swear that , to the best of his judgment and belief , he did not see the proof slip headed " Our Interview with Dr . Taylor ; " but he thought he did not . Those portions not relating to the Rugeley case he allowed to pass , though he remarked , " I do not like this mode of putting the

    stances . —Dr . Todd , of King ' s College Hospital , agreed With what Mr . Curling had stated , and asserted that syphilis or its : consequences could not produce tetanus . Epilepsy might produce tetanic symptoms , but not tetanus ; and the . same with apoplex } -, if there were effusion of , blood on the brain . He believed that Mr . Coo ^ b '« rdaivth waa from tetanus caused by strychnine . - JTiie-evidence of fSir Benjamin Brodie was . singularly emphatic . After giving some scientific details , he observed : — " I do not believe that death in the case of Mr . Cooke arose from what we ordinarily call tetanuseither idiopathic or traumatic . I never knew tetanus ¦ —^ *~ « ^ ¦ ^ ^ F * m J ^ mf ^^ £ > ^ fe * A ^^ ^^^ fc « M ^^ ^^ ^ ^^ u ^ p ¦¦ s ^ ¦ wk ^ k ^^ v ^ ^^ v ^ «* w *^^ ^* fe ¦¦ » fc fc

    been examined that the symptoms of Mr . Cooke were similar to those in the case of strychnine poisoning , and to those I observed in all the animals to Whom I have administered that poison . " Strychnine could be extracted from the stomach by chemical analysis ; but be thought this could only be done when there is an excess of what is required to destroy life . If a minimum dose for that purpose were administered , the whole would be absorbed and have its effect , and none wouldjje discovered in the body . There life no processes for ascertaining the existence of strychnine in the tissues of the body . Half a grain of strychnine has destroyed life . " After the post A * l A *>/ jtJH S \^^ A W »» M M ^« ^ v * - « 4 t ^ 4 T- » *« s \^ k- ^ l A AS ** 4 ** W ^^»^ V ^ V * V Jt ^ ljt # 7 1 ¦ *» T ^ A w

    matter . I cannot , however , interfere with what you put into your journal . " The reason that he suggested questions at the coroner ' s inquest , was , that the coroner did not put any questions that would enable him to form , an opinion . He thought that this was owing , not to unwillingness , but to ignorance of the points that were necessary , to be inquired into . , The coroner did not . take down a good many of the answers that were given , , but be ( Dr . Taylor ) did not complain , as he had obtained . the information he required to enable him to form fin opinion . Some laughter was caused in the cross-exanjination of Dr . Taylor by his saying that he thought , a

    . ^^ ^^ rcQUU Alum quic tuiirat , ui iiuui a v ^ ixi & iiujic , vi iiuui any other form . ' of syphilitic disease . The symptoms were , not the result either of apoplexy or of epilepsy . Perhaps I had better Bay at once that I never saw a case in which the symptoms that I have heard described here arose from any disease . ( Sensation . ') When I say that , of course I refer , not to particular symptoms , but to the general course which the symptoms took . " In the course of cross-examination , he said : — "I never knew syphilitic poison produce tetanic convulsions , except in cases where there was disease of the bones of the head- " Dr . Daniels , of Bristol ; Mr . Solly , of St . Thomas ' s Hospital ; and Mr . Henry Lees , surgeon to the King ' s College Hospital and the Lock Hospital , gave testimony to the same effect as the foregoing . Dr . Corbell , Dr . Watson , Dr . Patterson , and Mary Kelly , of Glasgow , detailed the circumstances attending the death of a patient ia the Infirmary in that city , who took some strychnine p » Us in mistake . The symptoms were similar to those in the case of Mr . Cooke . Details of a case nf iUn aramft T » ntnr « ni > piirrin (» fit . TtnHinr » -nfnkf » . were then

    ** ^ SSfrV * 1 , ^ , 110 CAUlUlliaklUli UA IUC UCLCUilCU j JUU ^ CCUCU J-ri . X dJ ' - lor , " a portion of the contents of the stomach was delivered to me in a brown stone jar by Mr . Boycott . It was fastened down , covered with a bladder , and tied and sealed . The jar contained the stomach , and intestines of John Parsons Cooke . I experimented upon the contents of the jar to discover if they contained any poison . We sought for various poisons—prussic acid , oxalic acid , morphia , strychnine , venetia , oil of tobacco , arsenic , mercury , and other mineral poisons . We only found small traces of antimony . The circumstances under which the tests for the discovery of poison were made were the most unfavourable that could possibly be . The stomach had been cut from end to end ; all the contents were gone , and the fine mucous surface , on which any poison , if present , would be found , was lying in contact with the outside of the intestines , and all thrown together . There was also feculent matter on the surface of the mucous membrane . This was owing to the fuult or misfortune of the person who had made the dissection . If any poison existed , I should have expected to find it in the con tents of the stomach and in the mucous membrane . At mv request

    lUUUlb £ 1 VCi J idll cUIIUIUl IIS UA . ^ JCriIllCllL Ull , U 11 U L . UL < tl » UO was not inclined to try poison on dogs and cats , becinlse they are dangerous . From what he had seen of them , he was " not disposed to go on . " Dr . Rees , lecturer on matcria inedica at Guy ' s Hospital , who assisted Dr . Taylor in making the analyses and experiments , supported the testimony of the preceding witness . Professor Brande , of the Eoyal Institution , who also assisted at the investigations , and Professor Christison , of the University of Edinburgh , gave evidence with respect to several matters of medical science bearing on the question . The court then adjourned . Further medical testimony to the same effect ifus given , on the reassembling of the court on Tuesday , by Mr . John Jackson , of the College of Physicians . Dr . Bam ford afterwards deposed to the circumstances connected with his attendance on Mr . Cooke ; but his statements were merely confirmatory of the opening narrative of the Attorney-General . Mr . Burgin , chief Superintendent of Police at Stafford ; Mr . Henry Augustus Dcane . solicitor , who attended the inquest on Mrs . Ann

    given by other witnesses . In this case , death resulted from three , grains of atrychnino . A third case of death from strychnine was brought forward in the evidence of Mrs . Jane . Witham , who narrated the circumstances attending the last illness of " a lad } -, " whose name , Lord Campbell observed , need not be statod , but who was obviously Mrs- Dove , of Leeds . It will bo recollected that the husband is now awaiting his trial on a charge of having murdered his wife . The symptoms in thia case also were like those preceding the decease of Mr . Cooke . Mr . Morley , who made the post-mortem examination , obtained strychnine- from the body ; and he now gnvo evidence to that effect . Mr . Moore , a surgeon , then related that ho had given , several years ago , a draught containing a grain of strychnine to a pnticnt of his ; that in rather less than three quarters of an hour the patient was seized with stiffening of the limbs , and that ho screamed violently ,

    other portions of the body were- sent up to mo—the liver , the spleen , and the two kidneys , and a small bottle of blood to be taken indiscriminately from any part of the body . We analyzed all these portions of the body . We searched the liver and kidney for mineral poison , nnd discovered antimony in one-eighth part of the liver , also in the kidney and in the spleen . They all yielded antimony , but there was less in proportion in the spleen . The blood also yielded antimony . 1 cannot form an opinion how shortly before death the antimony had been administered . Antimony is usually given in the form of an emetic . It acts as an irritant to the stomach , and produces vomiting ; and , if given in excess , it would find its way from the stomach to the Hj'stem . If its administration were continued until it produced certain symptoms , it -would undoubtedly destroy life . I hoard the account given by the female servant of the frequent vomitings of the deceased , and

    Palmer on the part of the Crown and the Insurance Companies ; Mr . Espin , solicitor to Mr . Padwick ; Mr . Thomas Pratt , Palmer ' s ordinary solicitor ; Mr . Stevens , Cooke ' s father-in-law ; Mr . Strawbridge , of the Rugeley bank ; William Cheshire , clerk at the National Prbvfcrfcial Bank , Rugeley ; John Armahaw , attorney ; Rugeley ; John Wallby , butcher at the same place ( from whom Palmer borrowed some money , which'he afterwards ropaid ); John Spillbury , farmer , near Stafford ( who had had dealings witli Palmer ); nnd Herbert Wright , solicitor at Birmingham , gave evidence with reHpect to Palmer ' s money liabilities nnd the various bills which were out against him . The facts havft already been detailed in tho speech for the prosecution . The bills which Pratt discounted for Palmer bore ( with only two exceptions ) tho enormous interest of sixty per cent . At tho close of this evidence , the court adjourned . Palmer was on this duy observed to look fatigued and AKottifi * rt / 1 rtnn sit * # wn nrtiutn wArp in pnnrt . nlcfiitrliinc ii «¦ «¦¦»• - —»« ,, -w--- _ . .. __

    ana begged Ins attendants to turn mm over ana ruo liim . ( This appears always to attend poisoning by strychnine ) . Ho recovered in about three hourn . After tho reception of this evidence , the court adjourned till Monday . Ou Sunday , tho jury , who since tho commencement of the trial have been ulmost completely isolated from tho rest of their fellow creatures , with tho exception of tne . ofHcora of the court , attended divine ncrvico in the chapel of Newgate . It was intended that they should take an excursion in the country ( in proper charge ) before dinner j but tho stute of tho weather , which was vexy rainy , provented thia arrangement , and they spent tho greater part of the day indoors .

    fllEJO {) 1 Ilia VDIIllllIILl Ut qiiiu VTOUUI Y y «**•» - » i / tiu 4 * vv >« -ru ** M uiaj'iiti ^ u . ^ r >* v v * . v . — — — _ j . . ..... ^ given of his symptoms by Dr . Jones . Vomiting of such the prisoner ' s portrait , and taking views of the place , u description Avould bo very likoly to produce the aymp- On Wednesday ( tho seventh day ) , tho court was even toina I have alluded to . " more crowded than on tho preceding occasions , owing In cross-examination , Dr . Taylor said , " After the to the Attorney-Generul having intimated , on tho prepost-mortem examination , I wrote u letter to Mr . Stevens vious evening , that he had very nearly closed the case for ( father-in-law to Mr . Cooke ) , in which I stated that wo tho prosecution , and to tho consequent anticipation of could not discover nnj- trace of strychnine or any other the speech for the defence . A fierce ruah was mode for poison , but that we had discovered antimony , and we in- plnces , and before ten o ' clock hundreds of persons were ferrod from all tho circumstances that it might have sent away for whom no accommodation could bo found , been tho cause of death . Although there was not auffi- Several noblemen and members of Parliament wore cient antimony found to destroy life , it did not follow present . Pulincr did not flecin * o fatigued na an the that thiu was all Mr . Cooko l > ad taken . Some of tho previous day . Tho remainder -of the evidence for the antimony might have been lost by vomiting , another prosecution was then taken . Mr . Charloa Wetherby ,

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), May 24, 1856, page 5, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_24051856/page/5/