Cook, John Parsons, -1855; Palmer, William, 1824-1856 -- Trials, litigation, etc.; Trials (Murder) -- England -- London
do that he said, “Oh! I can make myself sick without an emetic; I will
put my tooth-brush down my throat; I can be sick without your emetic.”
He took a pill when it was recommended to him and a black draught, and
the moment he laid his head on his pillow he was perfectly free from any
alarm, and he got up the next morning perfectly well. Gentlemen, that is
really too ludicrous to be worthy of a moment’s consideration. Now, let
us go to certain other matters, and more particularly to the conduct of
the prisoner himself. I would just mention that there was a person there
of the name of Myatt in the room at the time they say the brandy and
water was drugged. Why was he not called? The others came in just before
going to bed, but Myatt had been there the whole evening, and was not a
mere accidental visitor in the room. You will hear his version so far as
it is necessary. They have now got back to Rugeley, and then the history
of the slow poisoning continues. Cook and Palmer go back together, and
probably they talk all the way about Pratt and their difficulties, and
the way of getting out of them, and of the small way that the winnings
of Shrewsbury will go to effect the object. They both see ruin staring
them in the face unless the Prince of Wales office can be forced to pay
the money due upon the policy of insurance, and they can remain free
from all suspicion of insolvency or misconduct in the meantime. When
they get to Rugeley, by sending up the £200 to Pratt, they provide for
the temporary difficulty. They are on friendly terms, Palmer making use
of Cook’s things, and probably both attaining their own objects, as it
would appear that Palmer said directly Cook died that he had some
interest in bills which were outstanding; and that might well have been,
considering they were engaged in racing transactions; that they were
joint owners of one horse; that they had the same trainer, betted for
each other at races, and that they were confederates and friends on the
turf, in that sort of relation to each other which gave them a joint
interest in the same ventures. Cook sat at the table of Palmer on the
16th, and wrote up that night to Pratt. Cook goes to bed late on that
evening, well enough, not so drunk as to prevent his asking the
chambermaid to give him a longer candle, in order that he might read in
bed. He seems to have had a little champagne, not so much as to have
made him drunk, yet perhaps too much for a stomach weakened by the
excess, if it was excess, at Shrewsbury, or by the vomiting which was
occasioned by the illness there, and the hot water which he had taken.
He gets up the next morning poorly; he eats nothing that day; ails
enough for Mr. Bamford to be called in by Palmer, and Palmer is
unremitting in his attention to him on that day and the Sunday
following.
[Sidenote: Serjeant Shee]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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