The court was quite as full at the commencement of the proceedings this morning as it had been on either of the preceding days. The Earl of Derby, Earl Grey, and other noble lords were again present.
The jury took their seats shortly before ten o’clock. The learned judges, Lord Chief Justice Campbell, Mr. Baron Alderson, and Mr. Justice Cresswell, soon afterwards entered the court, accompanied by the Recorder and Sheriffs, and the prisoner was then placed at the bar. He appeared rather more anxious than on the two previous days, but was still calm and collected, and paid the greatest attention to the evidence.
Counsel for the Crown: The Attorney-General, Mr. E. James, Q.C., Mr. Bodkin, Mr. Welsby, and Mr. Huddleston. For the prisoner:—Mr. Serjeant Shee, Mr. Grove, Q.C., Mr. Gray, and Mr. Kenealy.
The next witness for the prosecution was Charles Joseph Roberts, examined by Mr. E. James: In November last I was apprentice to Mr. Hawkins, a druggist, at Rugeley. I know Palmer. On Tuesday, November the 20th, between eleven and twelve in the day, he came into Mr. Hawkins’s shop. He first asked for two drachms of prussic acid, for which he had brought a bottle. I was putting it up when Newton, the assistant of Salt, came in. Palmer told him he wanted to speak to him, and they went out of the shop together. I then saw Brassington, the cooper, take Newton away from Palmer, and enter into conversation with him. Palmer then came back into the shop and asked me for six grains of strychnine and two drachms of Batley’s solution of opium (commonly called Batley’s sedative). I had put up the prussic acid, which was lying upon the counter. He stood at the counter when he ordered the things, and while I was preparing them behind the counter he stood at the shop door, with his back to me, looking into the street. I was about five minutes preparing them. He stood at the door till they were ready, when I delivered them to him—the prussic acid in the bottle he had brought, the strychnine in a paper, and the opium in a bottle. He paid me for them and took them away. No one else was in the shop from the time when Palmer and Newton went out till I delivered the things to him. When Palmer had left, Newton came in, and we had some conversation. I had at that time been six years in Mr. Hawkins’s employment. Palmer had not bought any drugs at the shop for about two years. I know Thirlby, Palmer’s assistant. He had started a shop about two years before.
By Lord Campbell: Thirlby was carrying on business as a druggist at the time.
Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant Shee.—I did not make entries of any of these things in the books.
Re-examined: When articles are paid for across the counter I am not in the habit of making entries of them in the books.
The Attorney-General stated that Dr. Bamford was seriously ill, and unable to attend, but his depositions would be read.
Mr. William Stevens, examined by the Attorney-General: I have been a merchant in the city, but am now out of business. Was stepfather to the deceased Mr. Cook. I married his father’s widow 15 (or 18) years ago, and have known him intimately ever since. I was made executor to his grandfather’s will. I was always on friendly terms with him, and constantly had the care of him. He had property worth altogether about £12,000. He was articled to a solicitor at Worthing, in Sussex, but he did not follow the profession. He had been connected with the turf about three or four years—perhaps not so much. I did everything in my power to withdraw him from that pursuit.
Lord Campbell: But you still remained on friendly terms?