| 1855. |
| August. | | Walter Palmer, William Palmer’s brother, dies. Payment of policy on his life for £13,000 assigned to William Palmer, and held by Pratt, moneylender, as security, refused by insurance office. Negotiations about it continue up to Cook’s death. |
| Nov. | 6. | Writs issued by Pratt against Palmer and his mother for £4000, Mrs. Palmer’s acceptance being forged. Writs not served, for Palmer to have opportunity of raising instalments. |
| “ | 13. | (Tuesday) Palmer and Cook go together from Rugeley to Shrewsbury Races. Cook’s mare, “Polestar,” wins Shrewsbury Handicap, and he has in his possession, in consequence, £700 or £800, and is entitled to stakes of £350 and bets, to be paid at Tattersall’s the Monday following, of over £1000. |
| “ | 14. | (Wednesday night) Cook ill at the Raven, Shrewsbury, where he and Palmer stayed. Palmer is alleged to have dosed his drink. |
| “ | 15. | Palmer’s horse, “Chicken,” beaten in his race, and Palmer loses heavily. |
| | | Cook and Palmer return to Rugeley, and Cook puts up at the Talbot. |
| “ | 16. | Cook dines with Palmer and Jeremiah Smith. Cook apparently in usual health. |
| “ | 17. | (Saturday) Cook ill in bed, with the same symptoms as at Shrewsbury. |
| “ | 18. | (Sunday) His illness continues, and during the two days Palmer is in constant attendance, and orders and administers food, drink, and medicine. Dr. Bamford called in. |
| “ | 19. | (Monday) Palmer goes to London and arranges with Herring to draw Cook’s bets at Tattersalls and make payments to Pratt and Padwick, the moneylenders. |
| | | Cook is better all the Monday while Palmer is away. |
| Nov. | 19. | Palmer returns in the evening. Goes to Newton, the assistant of Mr. Salt, surgeon at Rugeley, and purchases 3 grains of strychnia. Is in and out of Cook’s room up to eleven o’clock. Gives Cook pills, and leaves about eleven o’clock. These pills were professedly those sent by Dr. Bamford, but were alleged by the prosecution to have been substituted by Palmer with others containing strychnia. Jeremiah Smith gave evidence that Cook had taken Dr. Bamford’s pills before Palmer’s arrival. |
| | | About twelve o’clock Cook is taken ill with violent spasms, and awakens household with violent screaming. Palmer is sent for. |
| “ | 20. | (Tuesday) Cook “comparatively comfortable” in the morning. |
| | | Palmer during the day purchases from Roberts, the assistant at the shop of Mr. Hawkins, druggist at Rugeley, prussic acid, 6 grains of strychnia, and liquor of opium. |
| | | Palmer requests Cheshire, the Rugeley postmaster, to fill up cheque on Wetherby for Cook’s stakes won at Shrewsbury. |
| | | Mr. Jones, surgeon, of Lutterworth, Cook’s most intimate friend, comes, at Palmer’s request, to stay with Cook. |
| | | Pills again made up by Dr. Bamford at his house and taken away by Palmer. Pills administered by Palmer at 10.30. Jones sleeps in Cook’s room. Cook taken ill again as on Monday, about twelve o’clock, and in a few minutes dies. Palmer had been sent for, and was present at the death. |
| “ | 21. | (Wednesday) Wetherby declines to pay £350 cheque, as the stakes were not received from Shrewsbury. |
| | | Palmer writes to Pratt that he must have “Polestar.” |
| “ | 22. | Palmer goes to London and pays Pratt £100; he had no money at Shrewsbury, and lost on the races. |
| “ | 23. | Palmer at Rugeley again; sees Cheshire, and desires him to witness a document purporting to be signed by Cook acknowledging £4000 of bills to have been negotiated by Palmer for Cook. |
| Nov. | 23. | Mr. Stevens, Cook’s stepfather, arrives in Rugeley, sees Palmer, and discusses Cook’s affairs and the funeral. Cook’s betting book and papers not found. Coffin ordered by Palmer without Stevens’s knowledge. Stevens notices unusual appearance of the body; returns to London and consults a solicitor, who gives him introduction to Mr. Gardner, solicitor in Rugeley. Stevens and Palmer meet on the train from London to Rugeley, and Stevens informs Palmer that he intends to have a post-mortem. |
| “ | 25. | (Sunday) Palmer applies to Dr. Bamford for death certificate, which is given for apoplexy. |
| | | Sends for Newton, and has a conversation about the effects of strychnia. |
| “ | 26. | Post-mortem examination; Palmer is present, and acts suspiciously. |
| | | Mr. Stevens takes jars, with contents from the body, to London for analysis to be made by Professor Taylor. |
| Dec. | 5. | Cheshire, having opened Professor Taylor’s letter to Mr. Gardner, containing account of analysis, tells Palmer strychnia or other poisons, with the exception of traces of antimony, have not been found. |
| “ | 8. | Palmer writes to the coroner as to Professor Taylor’s letter. |
| “ | 14. | Inquest, at which Professor Taylor gives evidence. |
| | | Verdict of “wilful murder” returned. |
| | | Palmer, who was in custody of Sheriff’s officer for the bills, is arrested on the verdict and taken to Stafford Gaol. |
