3 04 KINGSCLERE 



apprenticed in consequence of a scandal in money matters. 

 He was placed with Mr. Tylecote, a surgeon at Rugeley, 

 walked the London hospitals, ' passed,' and set up for 

 himself at Rugeley, having previously married the illegiti- 

 mate daughter of an Indian officer, who left her a small 

 property. Of his five children only the first was living at 

 the time of his trial, the others all dying suddenly of 

 convulsions within a few weeks of their birth. He lived 

 in handsome style, training and breeding race-horses, 

 and occupying himself on the turf. As his wife's fortune 

 died with her in 1854, he insured her life for 13,000/., the 

 premiums on which exceeded the income he derived from 

 her, further insurances of a greater amount being declined 

 by other offices. Within nine months after this his wife 

 was dead. Less than three months subsequently, Palmer 

 was endeavouring to effect insurances on the life of his 

 brother Walter, a confirmed drunkard, to the enormous 

 extent of 80,000/. Only one of these policies, that in the 

 Prince of W 7 ales's Office, was accepted. He then tried to 

 effect an insurance for 10,000/. on the life of one George 

 Bate, a decayed farmer, whom he employed as a kind of 

 farm bailiff, and represented as a gentleman and an esquire, 

 with a famous cellar of wine, but the insurance offices were 

 now thoroughly awake ; a detective was sent to interview 

 the esquire, whom he found hoeing turnips, and the scheme 

 fell through. 



Since 1854 Palmer had been in the hands of bill dis- 

 counters, and especially a money-lending attorney in May- 

 fair of the name of Pratt, with whom he discounted 

 what purported to be the acceptances of his mother, some 

 of which were renewed on partial payment, others cleared 

 off by the money received from the insurance of his wife's 

 life. In May 1855, Cook had lent him his acceptance of 

 200/. to meet a small claim, and had to pay it on Palmer's 

 default. In August that year Palmer asked Pratt to 

 discount a bill of Cook's for 500/., representing that Cook 

 wanted the money. It was, however, declined without 

 further security, and then Cook assigned two of his 

 horses — Polestar, the subsequent winner at Shrewsbury, 

 and Sirius — as a collateral security, and obtained only 

 375/. in money, and a wine warrant for 65/., the rest being 

 swallowed up in discount and expenses. Cook got neither 

 money nor warrant, Palmer asking Pratt to send them to 



