JOHN DAY'S RETIREMENT 33 



inherited a sum of ;^i 2,000 or ;^i 3,000, went on 

 the Turf, and there made Palmer's acquaintance. 

 At the time of his death Cook was part owner, 

 with Palmer, of some horses trained by Saunders. 

 There had been bill transactions between the 

 two men, and Palmer should have met one for 

 ;^500 the day Cook died. The poisoning of 

 Cook was begun at Shrewsbury (where he. 

 Palmer, and some other friends celebrated the 

 victory of one of Cook's horses) and was 

 completed at Rugeley. 



When I arrived home for breakfast after 

 seeing Palmer, and told the family that Cook 

 was dead, my father remarked that it was very 

 strange so many people associated with Palmer 

 had died suddenly. He proceeded to recall the 

 cases within his knowledge. There were thirteen 

 of them. I never saw Palmer again. The 

 Coroner's inquiry into Cook's death revealed 

 strong evidence against Palmer, who was arrested. 

 Owing to the prejudice against him in Stafford- 

 shire he was tried in London, found guilty, and 

 hanged. It came out that Palmer's wife died 

 nine months after her life had been insured by 

 her husband for ;^i 3,000 ; that four of his five 

 children died in convulsions within a few weeks 

 of their birth ; and that he had endeavoured to 

 effect heavy insurances on other relations and 

 acquaintances. Palmer's racing stud was sold 

 at Tattersall's in January 1856. Mr. Padwick 



