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Leader (1850-1860), 14th June 1856, Edition 1 of 2, Page 558

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      Untitled Article

      side of ta © -gateway . And -when- the chaplam shallhave pronounced-the awful warning " In » the midst of life we are in death , ? ' the bolt will-be drown , the drop will fall > aad ~ a ghastly corpse will be-all that remains of William Palmer * For thirty yards in every direction an- open spaee will be -barricaded of $ and--kept by police and iavelin-mea Within ten minutes- after the first- tollingof the beUr all will be oveifc An hour afterwards the body-will ' be cat down , and buried within- the prison w « U ^ enclosed neither in coffia nor sheik- A quantity of quietlinae and afew buckets of water will be thrown upon' the -felon ' -s corpse ; - the earth rapidly . shovelled : in , and-the place smoothed down to the ordinary level ^ so that , within a short time , not a vestige will remain of the- murderer Palmer . He will have been obliterated , physically annihilated .

      P . S . By order of the high sheriff and the chairman of the gaol-committee , the gallery intended for the representatives-of the Press has been countermanded , in spite of the remonstrances of Major Fulford and the kind interposition of Dr . Knight . Possibly some other arrangement may yet be made , or little chance will there be of witnessing . , the last moments of this consummate criminal .-

      Untitled Article

      THE CONVICT PALMER . By the time these lines are in the reader ' s hand , Palmer , in all probability , will be a corpse . The particulars of his last week , however , must be related . The convict clung to the hope of a commutation of his sentence ,-being encouraged in that anticipation by his brothers , who appeared confident that their exertions would end in success ; but the Rev . Mr . Goodacre , the chaplain of the gaol , and Major Fulford , the Governor , impressed on the condemned man the extreme improbability of his life being spared . He continued vehemently to deny his guilt , and was fond of arguing on the facts of the case , in > order to show that there was-really no proof against him , and that he had not been fairly dealt with .

      He persisted in charging the witness Newton with falsehood ; bur , on being reminded , a few days ago ,- that the fact of his having purchased strychnine was proved by another witness , he replied : — " Oh , I don ' t deny that 1 purchased six grains on the Tuesday ; but , if I had wished to kill Cooke with strychnine , there was no necessity for purchasing such a quantity as that , which would have been sufficient to kill half a dozen men . It is well known that I used the strychnine to poison dogs , and 1 could have proved it . " Immediately afterwards , he added that he could not prove his assertion , because the only witness he could have called for that purpose was his own groom , " aad he would not have been believed . "

      He is stated to have been mindful of his religious duties , and to have paid attention to the advice of the chaplain ; but it is also reported thatj after having exhibited great penitence and pious fervour ( though without any admission of the murder ) to Mr . Wright , a gentleman who is authorized by Government to visit the different gaols of the country , he resumed his usual manner on the departure of his visitor who had been greatly , impressed in his favour . To those about him , it wa » evident that he had merely been acting . Mn Thomas Wakley , the coroner , writes to the daily papers under date June 7 th : — " I tru 3 t you will allow me to state that a pamphlet entitled ^ ' The Cries of the Condemned , or Proofs of the Unfair Trial and { if executed ) Legal Murder of William Palmer , < fc , by Thomas Wakley , Esq ., Coroner , ' is a vile fabrication , and that ? I never saw a line of it until this day , when it was sent tome in print . "

      Mr . Charles Pooley , writing from Cirenceater , communicates to the ' Times the results of some important experiments he made with regard to the influence of antimony on strychnine ., He states : — " A day or two before the conclusion of Palmer ' s trial , it occurred to me that- the presence of antimony might possibly interfere with the detection of strychnine by the ordinary tests . The first experiment I made confirmed my suspicions . I found that the- existence of a fractional part of emetic tartar ( tartrate of antimony ) with a large amount of

      strychnine is sufficient to destroy the characteristic indications exhibited by that substance when treated with bichromate of potass and sulphuric acid . I repeated the experiment several times with invariably the like results . Sh 6 uld the inference I have thrown out ultimately , prove Id- be- true ,, namely > that the usual mode of finding strychnine is useless when antimony in present , the minds of the jury will be relieved from tho conflicting evidence of the chemical Professors , since it will account fovr- the- inability of Professor Taylor and Dr . Reos to dlMMKver fto presence in Cooke ' s body . "

      Dr . Letheby writes to the- same paper to discredit this opinion ; and Messrs . J . E . D . Rogers , Lecturer on Chemistry at ttm > St . George's School of Medicine , and G . Pitmt Gbdwwody Assistant Surgeon , Grenadier Guards , emphatically ; contradict it . On the other hand , Mr . Henry Anoell , formerly leoturer on Forensic Medicine at the School of Anatomy and Mediclno adjoining St . Geoqgp t s ! Hospital ; agrees with Dr . Taylor in thinking that strychnine may be absorbed and he * remarks : — " Tkefs . wiho take exception to tho conviction in thin cMe > say , : First prove that a homicide has taken place , '

      and ' the deteotion-ofthe poison isessential to"the proof . i There are many vegetable poisons - as powerful and as = portable as strychnine , for'the detection of which , in the animal body , no tests have yet been discovered . Would it not be monstrous if our Legislature- or our Courts were to adopt such a principle ? The murderer need only select one of these in order to murder with impunity . In Cooke r s- case , the proofs of the poisoning and the conviction of the prisoner developed themselves part passu from the beginning-to the end of the trial . " A memorial to the Borne Secretary for signature by the medical profession of Leeds ' , praying for a respite or " reprieve for Palmer on the ground that the medical evidence was unsatisfactory : and inconclusive , was recently laid on the table of the Leeds School of Medicine . Out of thirty-four medical -gentlemen ; , thirty-one refused to sign the document .

      A meeting infavour of staying the execution of Palmer until further investigations should be made , was held on Tuesday evening- in St . Martin ' s Hall , Long Acre ,. and was very numerously attended . A petition in accordance with the objects of the meeting lay outside in the lobby , and was signed by several persons , though many others passed it by without attaching their names . In the Hall itself , the proceedings wfere rather riotous . A man named Bridd w ' ould insist on addressing the meeting on the side of immediate execution , while another person was still speaking ; but the distxirber was at length quelled by a policeman . Mr . P . Edwards was called to the chair , and in the course of his address remarked that an important fact bearing on the case had been made

      known within the last few days . Professor Rogers , an analytical chemist in London , had this week dug up a dog which was poisoned by strychnine fourteen months ago , and , though the body of the animal was- completely rotten , he found strychnine in its stomach , its tissues , and its skin , at this day . Mr . Rogers had communicated the fact to Sir George Grey , by whom he did not doubt it would receive the consideration it deserved . The other speakers were—Mr . Baxter Langley , Mr . H . Hart , Mr . T . Ball , Mr . H . Harris , Mr . Bridd , and the Rev . Mr . Pope , the last two in favour of amendments on the resolutions proposed . These amendments , however , were lost ; the resolutions , affirming that the execution should be stayed , were carried by large mnjorities ; and the meeting separated .

      Sir George Grey on Wednesday was waited upon at the Home-office by some of the persons who promoted the meeting , who requested him to name the time when he would receive the deputation . The Home Secretary , however , refused to receive any deputation on the subject , but safd he -would carefully peruse any documents that might be forwarded to him , and that an immediate answer should be returned if one was necessary or requested . Sir George Grey has refused to grant the prayer contained in the petition of Mr . John Smith , Palmer ' s solicitor , for staying the execution .

      Untitled Article

      MR . ROEBUCK ON ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM . The ! member for Sheffield having been appointed Chairman to the Administrative Reform Association , has addressed the body in a letter containing some admirable suggestions , and written throughout in an excellent spirit and with great force and clearness ; He observes : — " Hitherto , although the efforts of the association have been strenuous and earnest , I am induced to believe that the success of thoae efforts has not been equal to the expectations of those by whom they have been made . I do not mean to say that the association has done nothing during the year of its existence ; but I do mean to assert that the members of the association are not satisfied with the result of their labours ; and that , therefore , they have determined to adopt a new plan—to pnrsne a different course from that which they have hitherto followed . "

      The causes of the comparative failure of tho body are thus pointed out : — " ' There are three way ' s by which political power may bo obtained in this country—viz ., by military , legal , and Parliamentary renown or influence . The first two means you cannot obtain , and tho third , which lie within your grasp , you voluntarily relinquished . These 'fact * , then , —firat < that you were a body not belonging to the governing class ; and next , that } 'ou resolved to work out of doors , and not in tho House of Commons , —were tho first circumstances ' that brought about your want of adcquato success .

      " Tho next important circumstance that contributed to make y 6 ur success partial and incomplete was tho peculiar situation hold by the House of Commons in this country . The House of Commons i »; in faet , > tho so » - vorelgn- power of the State ; by ita determinations it governs tho land ; rtnd , aB every resolve is followed by 1 a practical result , its- deliberations overpower and snper - aede all others . No rival deliberative body can stand in opposition to it ; and you , who wore , iu fact , a rivalbody , were absolutely put out by tho IIouho of Commons . This fact iu so incontestable that I'need only to point it out—any further illustration is unnecessary . " Tho " now plan" vrt ^ pto' is stigg « sted' 1 b " to adopt a m ' odo of proceeding which' shall ^ ivo" tho association power in the llouao of Commons . Mr . Roebuck adds : —

      " Now , then , comes the inquiry—What are the means by which this-Parliamentary power can be obtained ? lir order to explain my views upon this most important point , I will describe the constitution that I should propose for your association . The association , then , in . my judgment , ought to be governed by the following responsible officers : —1 ; a chairman ; 2 , a finance secretary ; 3 , a- corresponding secretao '; 4 , a . statistical secretary ; and 5 , a general secretary . These , to compa re small things with great , would constitute your ministry The constituent body , to whom these officers should be responsible , ought to be the whole bod y of the subscribers to the association , acting by means of the general committee , the constitution of which I propose to leave as it at present exists , and -which will exercise its power , as it now does , from time to time iu general meeting .

      " The chief great end of all the labours of this executive body should be to form an efficient Parliamentary party . To this end , three separate means conduce : 1 , tb obtain influence with the separate constituencies ; 2 , to correspond and act with such representatives of the people as may be willing to act with you ; and , 3 , to employ the powers of the associatiou in gathering together such information as may be useful to these friendly and co-operating representatives . " The gentlemen who have consented to act with Mr . Roebuck in the capacities abovo indicated are : —Mr . Travers , as finance secretary ; Mr . Morley , as corresponding secretary ; Mr . Gassiot , as statistical secretary ; and Mr . Revans , as general secretary .

      Untitled Article

      AMERICA . Tiie alleged dismissal of Mr . Crampton still remains in doubt . The intelligence received by the Asia brings dates from New York to the 28 th ult . ; and , although the impression of the passengers is that the dismissal has taken place , there is no certain information to that effect . Captain Lott , of the Asia , was in conversation with the British Consul half an hour before his departure from New York ; but the Consul had not at that time received any intimation of Mr ; Crampton's dismissal . In reply to a telegraphic message he had despatched to Washington for information , he was informed that there was none to send by the steamer . On the other hand , the Washington correspondent of the New York Herald , writing on the 28 th ult ., asserts the fact with the utmost confidence , and so does the London Monday Post , adding that the dismissal of Mr . Dallas must follow .

      A Committee of Investigation appointed by the House of Representatives has waited on one of the members , Mr . Sunnier , and taken bis testimony with regard to an assault committed on him in the Senate . He was in bed during the examination , and was in a very weak state . His account of the outrage , given on oatli , is aa follows : — " I was addressed [ -while writing in the Senate-chamber ] by a person who approached the front of my desk ; I was so entirely absorbed " that I was not aware of his presence until I heard my name pronounced . As I looked up , with pen in hand , I saw a tull man , whose countenance was not familiar , standing directly over me , and at the same moment caught these words' I have read your speech twice over , carefully ; it is a libel on South Carolina , and on Mr . Butler , who is a relative of mine . ' While these words were still passing from his lips , he commenced a succession of blows -with a heavy cane on my bare head , by the first of which I was stunned so as to lose' my sight . I saw no longer

      my assailant , nor any other ' person or object in the room . What I did afterwards was done almost unconsciously , acting under the instincts of self-defence . With head already bent down , I rose from my . sent—wrenching up my desk , which wus screwed to the lloor—and then pressed forward , while my assailant continued his blows . 1 had no other consciousness until I found myself ten feet forward in front of my desk , lying <> n tho lloor of the Senate , with my bleeding head supported on the kneo of a gentleman avIioiu 1 soon recognized by voice and manner as Mr . Morgan , of Now York . "' Mr . Sumncr is an anti-slavery advocate ; Mr . Brooks , the assailant , lias been

      belongs to tho opposite party . The . subject discussed in the Senate , when . several members strongly condemned tho assault . Mr . Wilson , while remarking thut Mr . Sumncr had been stricken down by a brutal , murderous , and cowardly assault , w « . i interrupted by Mr . Butler with the exclamation " You are a liar . ii > o conversation was stinintirrily arrested by the ; idinomtion of tho Speaker . The MasmichuHetts House oi Kcprefientatives has passed , by 187 against - > : $ , resolutions denouncing tho attack , and demanding tho expulsion from tho Senate of Mr . Brooks , and of any membors concerned with him . The Htudonts and professor * oi Amhnrst College have met and passed some strong resolutions respecting tho outrage , uftcrwniftfl hanging ami burning Mr . Brook * in efligy . On tho other Imnd , tno Richmond Whir / » trusts that tho bull may be : kept m motion , " and thinks that " Sdward and others sliouia catch it next"

      . Civil war lifts begun in Kansas . Tho town of Lawrence is destroyed . Onernl Pomoroy has surrendered 'into thto hands of tho uluvc-phrty all tho arms in IiIh possession , without resistance , and irf now at liDert ) at Lawrence ; according to ono account , though , uecor - ing to others , fours uro ontortainod that ho in inordorou .

      Untitled Article

      ^ gg , TBB Ii E A D E R . [ No . 325 , Saturday ,.

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), June 14, 1856, page 558, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2145/page/6/