Samuel Cheshire, formerly postmaster at Rugeley, who has been sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for tampering with letters in connexion with this affair, was brought up in custody, and examined by Mr. James. He is an extremely respectable looking man, above the middle age, and was dressed in black. He deposed as follows:—I was for upward of eight years postmaster at Rugeley. I come now from Newgate, where I am under sentence for having “read” a letter. [The question was “opened” a letter.] I “confessed” to having done so. [The question was, “Did you plead guilty to that charge?”] I knew the prisoner William Palmer very well—we were schoolfellows together; and I have been three or four times in my life at races with him. I never made a bet but once in my life; but I was very intimate with Palmer. I accompanied him to Shrewsbury Races in November, 1855. I returned to Rugeley on Tuesday, the 13th, the same day on which Polestar won the handicap. On Saturday, the 17th, I went to see Mr. Cook, who was in bed at the Talbot Arms, at Rugeley. I lived at the post-office, which was 300 or 400 yards from Palmer’s house. On the Tuesday evening, the 20th, I received a message from Palmer, asking me to go over to him, and to take a receipt stamp with me. In consequence of that message, I went to Palmer’s house, and took a receipt stamp, as requested. When I reached Palmer’s, I found him in his sitting-room. He said that he wanted me to write out a cheque, and he produced a copy, from which he said I was to write. I copied the document which he produced. He said that it related to money which Mr. Cook owed him; and he asked me to write it, because, he said, Cook was too ill to do it, and Weatherby would know his (Palmer’s) handwriting. He said that when I had written it he would take it over to Mr. Cook to sign. I then wrote as he requested me, and I left the paper with Palmer.
Mr. Weatherby was here called, in order to trace this document. In answer to Mr. James, he said: I am secretary to the Jockey Club, and my establishment is at Birmingham. I keep a sort of banking account, and receive stakes for gentlemen who own racers and bet. I knew the deceased, John Parsons Cook, who had an account of that nature with me. I knew Palmer slightly; he had no such account with me. On the 21st of November I received a cheque or order upon our house for £350. It came by post. I sent it back two days afterwards—on Friday, the 23rd. I sent it back by post to Palmer, the prisoner, at Rugeley.
Boycott was recalled, and proved that he had served notices upon the prisoner, and upon Mr. Smith, his attorney, to produce the “cheque or order” referred to; and that it had not been produced in pursuance of those notices.
Prisoner’s counsel did not now produce it.
Examination of Samuel Cheshire continued: As far as I can remember, what I wrote was, “Pay to Mr. William Palmer the sum of £350, and place it to my account.” I do not remember whether I put any date to it. I left it with Palmer, and went away. That was on Tuesday. On the Thursday or Friday following Palmer sent again for me. I do not remember what day it was, but it was after I had heard of the death of Mr. Cook at the Talbot Arms. I went to Palmer in the evening, between six and seven o’clock, in consequence of his having sent for me. When I arrived I found him in the kitchen, and he immediately went out, and shortly after returned with a quarto sheet of paper in his hand. He gave me a pen, and asked me to sign something. I asked what it was, and he replied, “You know that Cook and I have had dealings together; and this is a document which he gave me some days ago, and I want you to witness it.” I said, “What is it about?” He said, “Some business that I have joined him in, and which was all for Mr. Cook’s benefit; and this is the document stating so.” I just cast my eye over the paper. It was a quarto post paper of a yellow description. I looked at the writing, and I believed that it was Mr. Palmer’s. When he asked me to sign it I told him that I could not, as I might perhaps be called upon to give evidence on the matter at some future day. I told him that I had not seen Mr. Cook sign it, and I also said that I thought the Post-office authorities would not approve my mixing myself up in a matter which might occasion my absence from my duties to give evidence. In fact, I did not give any exact reasons for refusing to sign it. Palmer said it did not much matter, as he dared say they would not object to Mr. Cook’s signature. I left the paper with Palmer, and went away. I believe there was a stamp upon it. I did not read it all, but I cast my eye down it. [Notices had also been served upon the prisoner and his attorney to produce this document, but it had not been produced.]
Witness continued: I remember the effect of it—it was that certain bills—the dates and amounts of which were quoted, although I cannot recollect them now—were all for Mr. Cook’s benefit and not for Mr. Palmer’s. Those were not the exact words, but that was the purport of them. I know that the amounts were large, although I do not remember them all. I remember, however, that one was for £1,000 and another for £500. There was a signature to that document. It was either “I. P.” or “J. P. Cook.” I don’t think the word “Parsons” was written, but either “I. P.” or “J. P. Cook.” Palmer was in the habit of calling at the post-office for letters addressed to his mother, who resided at Rugeley. I cannot remember that during the months of October and November, 1855, I gave him any letters addressed to his mother; nor can I say whether in those months I gave him any letters addressed to Mr. Cook; but Cook has taken Palmer’s letters, and Palmer has taken Cook’s letters. I remember the inquest upon Cook. I saw Palmer frequently while that inquest was going on. He came down to me on the Sunday evening previous to the 5th of December—the date to which the inquest was adjourned—and asked me if I saw or heard of anything fresh to let him know. I guessed what he wanted, and thought that he wanted to tempt me to open a letter. I therefore told him that I could not open a letter. He said that he did not want me to do anything to injure myself. I believe that was all that passed on that occasion. The letter for reading which I am now under sentence of punishment was from Dr. Alfred Taylor, of London, to Mr. Gardner, the solicitor of Rugeley. I read part of the letter, and told Palmer as much as I remembered of it. This took place on the morning of the 5th of December. I told Palmer that the letter mentioned that no traces of strychnine were to be found. I can’t call to mind what else I told him. He said he knew there would be no traces of poison, for he was perfectly innocent. The letter I hold in hand, signed “W. P.” and addressed to “W. Ward, Esq., Coroner,” I believe to be in the prisoner’s handwriting.
Captain Hatton, examined by Mr. James: I am chief constable of Stafford. The letter now produced I obtained from the coroner.
The Clerk of Arraigns read the letter in question. It bore no date, and was to the following effect:—
“My dear Sir,—I am sorry to tell you that I am still confined to my bed. I don’t think it was mentioned at the inquest yesterday that Cook was taken ill on Sunday and Monday night, in the same way as he was on the Tuesday, when he died. The chambermaid at the Crown Hotel (Masters’s) can prove this. I also believe that a man by the name of Fisher is coming down to prove he received some money at Shrewsbury. Now, here he could only pay Smith £10 out of £41 he owed him. Had you not better call Smith to prove this? And again, whatever Professor Taylor may say to-morrow, he wrote from London last Tuesday night to Gardner to say, ‘We (and Dr. Rees) have this day finished our analysis, and find no traces of either strychnia, prussic acid, or opium.’ What can beat this from a man like Taylor, if he says what he has already said, and Dr. Harland’s evidence? Mind you, I know and saw it in black and white what Taylor said to Gardner; but this is strictly private and confidential, but it is true. As regards his betting-book, I know nothing of it, and it is of no good to any one. I hope the verdict to-morrow will be that he died of natural causes, and thus end it.
“Ever yours,
“W.P.”