32 JOHN PORTER OF KINGSCLERE 



big races. Palmer was a great gambler, and 

 when he had not money of his own to bet with 

 did not hesitate to employ the money of other 

 people ; that is to say, he would induce friends 

 and acquaintances to put money on for him. It 

 is believed that some of these men were murdered 

 when Palmer's indebtedness to them became 

 inconvenient. George Hodgman, who in those 

 days made a substantial " book," knew the 

 doctor very well, and had many dealings with 

 him, always had his suspicions about the fellow, 

 ** There was an air of undesirable mystery about 

 his proceedings," writes Hodgman. " He cared 

 not so much about the price of a horse he fancied 

 as the substantial character of the bet. It was, 

 my intuition taught me, only desirable to deal 

 with Palmer when he was known to be in funds. 

 Long before he was arrested for the murder that 

 justified his hanging he bore a most sinister 

 reputation." 



When, one morning during my holiday, I 

 was passing Palmer's surgery, which was oppo- 

 site the Shrewsbury Arms, he called me to him. 

 ** Are you going out riding this morning ? " he 

 asked ; "if so, and you go Hednesford way, I 

 wish you would take a note from me to Saunders 

 to tell him that Cook is dead." I said I would 

 deliver the message, and did so. Cook was 

 lying dead in the Shrewsbury Arms. Formerly 

 a solicitor, he abandoned the law when he 



