Witness: I cannot remember what they were. I don’t know whether we talked about the trial. They did not ask me what I could prove. My deposition was not read over to me, and Mr. Stevens did not talk to me about the symptoms that were exhibited by Mr. Cook before his death. I had seen Mr. Hatton a few times before. I once saw him at Dolly’s. He merely dined there. I cannot remember whether he spoke to me about Cook’s death. He might have done so. I cannot remember whether he did or not. I know he asked me how I did. (A laugh.) I saw Mr. Gardner once at Dolly’s, and once in the street, and I swear these were the only occasions I ever saw him. I never went with him to a solicitor’s office. At present I am living with my mother at Rugeley. Before that I had been living among my friends. I know a man named Dutton. He is a friend of mine. I have been staying at his house. His mother lives in the same house. He is a labouring man. I used to sleep with Dutton’s mother. I swear that I slept with his mother. I have also been staying with a cousin of mine in the Potteries. I left Dolly’s of my own accord, because I did not like the place. I can read, and I read the newspapers. I have heard of the case of a person named Dove, who was supposed to have murdered his wife at Leeds. I merely heard that it was another strychnine case, but the symptoms of strychnine were not mentioned. I will swear that I mentioned “twitching” to the coroner. If I did not use the exact word, I said something to the same effect. I will swear that I have used the word “twitching” before I came to London. The words “twitching” and “jerking” were not first suggested to me. I did not say anything about the broth having made me sick before the coroner, because it did not occur to me. I did tell the coroner that I tasted the broth, and that I did not observe anything particular about it. I was examined several times, and I was questioned particularly upon the subject of the broth, and I said on one occasion that I thought the broth was very good. I did not at the time think it was the broth that had caused the sickness. I was so ill that I was obliged to go to bed; but I could not at all account for it. I only took two table-spoonfuls, and the sickness came on in about half an hour. I never knew of Mr. Cook taking coffee in bed before those occasions. If I have said that Mr. Palmer ordered coffee for Cook, I have no doubt that it is correct. I cannot remember so well to day as I did yesterday. I cannot remember whether I told the coroner that I had not seen Mr. Palmer when I gave the deceased the coffee. I don’t remember whether I said anything before the coroner about seeing a box of pills in the deceased’s bedroom on the Monday night, and that Palmer was in the room at the time. Perhaps I was not asked the question. I did nothing but answer questions that were put to me. I am sure that Palmer was in the room on that night. I remember that he brought a jar of jelly, and I opened it. I swear that the deceased told me that the pills Palmer had given him had made him ill. I did not say this before the coroner. I was asked some questions by Dr. Collier with regard to what I had stated to the coroner, and I said that my evidence had been altered, as some things had occurred to me since, and I had made another statement to a gentleman. I gave this additional statement to a gentleman at Dolly’s. I don’t know who the gentleman was. I did not ask him, and he did not tell me. He did not ask me many questions. He put a few to me and wrote down my answers. He mentioned Mr. Stevens’ name. Mr. Stevens was there.
Serjeant Shee: Why did not you tell me that?—Because you did not ask me. (A laugh.)
Cross-examination continued: I did not tell the coroner that Mr. Cook was beating the bedclothes on the Monday night. I did say that he sometimes threw his head back, and then would raise himself up again, and I believe I also said that he could hardly speak for shortness of breath. I did not say that he called “Murder!” twice, and I do not remember saying that he “twitched” while I was rubbing his hands. I did not say anything about toast-and-water being given to Mr. Cook, by order of Palmer, in a spoon; or that he snapped at the spoon and bit it so hard that it was difficult to get it out of his mouth.
The Lord Chief Justice here interposed and intimated his opinion that it would be a fairer course to read the witness’s depositions.
The other judges concurred.
The Attorney-General said, he should have interposed, but it was his intention to adduce evidence to show the manner in which the case was conducted by the coroner, and that he was expostulated with upon omitting to put proper questions, and also omitting to take down the answers that were given.
Cross-examination continued: I should have answered all those questions if they had been put to me. I was not purposely recalled to state the symptoms of the deceased in the presence of Dr. Taylor. When the prisoner came to the Talbot on the Tuesday night he had a plaid dressing-gown on, but I cannot say whether he had a cap or not. I did not observe that the prisoner appeared at all confused at the time he was examining the clothes and the bed of the deceased.
A model of the prisoner’s house and of the hotel was here produced. The deposition of the witness was put in and read, for the purpose of showing that the statements made by her in her examination on Wednesday were omitted when she was examined by the coroner.
The witness was re-examined by Mr. E. James: I was examined on a great many different days by the coroner. I was not asked to describe all the symptoms I saw. The coroner himself put the questions to me, and his clerk took down the answers. I merely answered the questions, and I was not told to describe all I saw. The coroner asked me if the broth had any effect upon me; and I said, “Not that I was aware of.” I don’t know what brought the sickness to my mind afterwards, but I think that some one else in the house brought the fact to my memory. I certainly did vomit after I took the broth, and was obliged to go to bed. I am quite sure the deceased told me that it was the pills Palmer had given him that had made him ill. When Mr. Collier came to me he said that he was for the Crown, and he then asked me questions about the inquest and the death of Mr. Cook. I answered all the questions he put to me, and he took them down in writing and carried the statement away with him. Two other persons waited outside the house. I am engaged to be married to one of the Duttons.
Serjeant Shee: Did not Dr. Collier tell you that he was neither for the Crown nor for the defence, but for the truth?