Cook, John Parsons, -1855; Palmer, William, 1824-1856 -- Trials, litigation, etc.; Trials (Murder) -- England -- London
an opportunity of looking at all these letters--but it seems to me as
clear as anything can be, that it was the manifest interest of Palmer
that Cook should live. But, in addition to its being his interest that
he should live, was it safe for him that he should die? Palmer was a man
who added to a shrewd knowledge of the world a knowledge of his
profession, and, among other things, a knowledge of chemistry. Palmer
knew perfectly well, and he had studied his profession sufficiently when
he was a young man to know perfectly well, that, if strychnia was
administered, it would in all probability throw the victim into horrible
convulsions in a very short time, and in a way so striking as to be the
talk of a small neighbourhood like Rugeley for a month or two, which
would be time enough to alarm everybody, and to provoke inquiries into
the circumstances of the death, which must certainly end, or in all
probability end, if he was guilty, in his conviction. If that was so,
was he so circumstanced at that time as to make it safe for him to run
the risk of such suspicions? His brother, Walter Palmer, had died in the
month of August, and his only hope, unless his mother forgave him or
recognised those acceptances, his only hope of extrication from his
difficulties was the getting the amount due by the Prince of Wales
Insurance Company to him as the assignee of the policy on Walter
Palmer’s life; that was his only chance. He had a chance that way, and
it is plain that it was so good a chance, as I will show you presently,
that he refused an offer of return of premium from the company; it does
not appear what the amount was--and Pratt, who was his attorney,
believed the chance to be so good that he had actually got the discounts
of these large sums of money upon it, and had resolved, under the
directions of Palmer, to put it in suit. It was really the only
unpledged property he had, and how was he situated respecting it? It is
plain from the letters which were put in yesterday, and it is further
plain from a piece of evidence to which you will, I am sure, find it
worth your while to pay great attention. We had Mr. Deane called
yesterday, who is the attorney to the Prince of Wales insurance office;
and for some time--though it had ceased just at that time--but for some
time previously to this month of November, the insurance company, which,
I believe, is not a very old insurance company, were annoyed at being
called upon to pay so large a sum, and they determined to do all they
could to resist it. They accordingly sent down Inspector Field to
Stafford and his man Simpson to make inquiries, which he could not do
without talking and insinuating suspicions and raising a cloud of doubt
and conjecture about Palmer, and this had been going on for some
considerable time. Now, observe the evidence of Deane, and you will see
if it is not so. He says, “The name of my firm is Chubb, Deane & Chubb.
I had been to Rugeley some time previously to the inquest. I know Field,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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