Yitrtroputi5.

The whole of the Metropolis participated in the Peace and Birthday celebration of Thursday. It began almost from break of day. There was a very general suspension of business, and at an early hour of the forenoon streams of people began to move through the great thorough- fares. Thousands had come up from the country ; London poured forth its multitudes, of all ages and both sexes ; and as the day advanced the flood of people augmented in every direction. The number of country- folk and of families of the working classes in holiday attire, the number of young girls and children abroad, was very remarkable. At noon there were what in ordinary times would be called crowds in the Parks ; in the afternoon these crowds, augmented by the ever-flowing torrents of human beings, surpassed in bulk any multitudes ever gathered on ordi- nary occasions ; at night the green grass was no longer visible anywhere within the vicinity of the fireworks—the people covered the whole space. This was more especially obvious in the Green Park, on account of its smaller area, but the multitudes were far greater in the other parks. The weather, which seemed likely to be unpropitious at the outset, for- tunately kept fair, and scarcely a drop of rain fell from morning to mid- night.

The official celebration of the day in honour of the Queeh consisted of the inspection of the Guards in St. James's Park, and the drawingroom held by the Queen at St. James's Palace. The inspection would have been an ordinary event, but for the facts that several of the men had served in the Crimea ; that the band of each regiment of Guards at- tended the section of its corps ; that there was also a troop of caralry on the ground ; and that, besides Prince Albert and the Duke of Cambridge, there were also present Prince Frederick William of Prussia and the Regent of Baden. The persons going to the drawingroom attracted great numbers of sightseers, and gave St. James's Street and Pall Mall an air of unusual gayety. So the day passed off: the permanent feeling being one of wonder at the immense gatherings of the people. At night, it was no longer possible to walk along the streets at any reasonable pace : but although they were so thronged there was no disorder. One of the characteristics of the main streets as the shades of evening fell was the seemingly endless procession of vans laden with artisans and their families going the round of the town. Another was • The very mixed character of the crowd, which may safely be said to have included all classes.

As our readers may be already aware, there were four displays of fire- works,—in the Green Park, in Hyde Park, on Primrose Hill, and in Victoria Park. Each of these attracted its huge mass of spectators. The programme in each case was the same, except that at Primrose Hill there was an exhibition of the "parachute shelL" But the presence of the Queen at the display in the Green Park gave that a preeminence over the others. Here, as elsewhere not only all the available space on stretching from Hyde the ground was covered by compacted multitudes,

Park Corner to Stafford House and from Piccadilly to the Birdcage Walk, but the windows and tops of the great houses on all sides were filled with ladies and gentlemen. A pavilion had been constructed at the North end of Buckingham Palace for the Queen. She came forth a few minutes before half-past nine, accompanied by her husband, her children, and her distinguished guests. From her pavilion the signal was given for the pyrotechnic spectacle ; and it was instantly answered by the simultaneous opening of a mimic cannonade, hurling shells far on high from the four centres of display. Let one description, borrowed from the Times, suffice for all.

"The fires were white, red, green, and yellow ; and the effect was some- thing like that which would be produced by a chemical manufactory in flames. For upwards of two hours the air above the Park and for some distance around was luminous with the blaze of suns, stars, comets, and streamers—the flight of rockets, shells, and Roman candles—the descent of meteors, parachutes, and showers of pearl, silver, and golden rain. Shining serpents and fireflies chased each other through a sea of light, rest- ing on a bed of upturned human faces ; and ingenious contrivances with hard technical names flamed against and athwart the sky in every variety of movement. The eye was dazzled with the inten- sity of the light, the brilliancy of the colours, and the complica- tion of lines and curves described by the flying rockets ; while the ear in turn was assailed by the whizzing of wheels and revolving stars, the bursting of shells, and the discharge of mines and batteries. The pro- gramme was a rather long one, consisting of no fewer than twenty-fcur divisions,' and was not exhausted till near midnight. It comprised almost everything that is either new, curious, or beautiful in py-rotechny. Some of the fixed pieces were remarkably elegant. The stars, hoops, and crosses, elicited the most enthusiastic expressions of delightS and, indeed, nothing could have been finer. Those rockets which, exploding in the air, threw out clusters of coloured stars were also much admired ; while loud cheer- ing arose from all aides when a number of shells, discharged together, burst far above the heads of the spectators, changing into graceful and glittering forms which charmed the eye and filled the air with light. Cas- cades, fountains, and trees, were represented with wonderful exactness; and perhaps one of the most beautiful features of the display was the forma- tion in the air of sheaves of yellow corn. But the great triumph of the night was that which concluded the exhibition. It consisted of five fixed pieces, all of the most ingenious and elaborate construction, with the words God save the Queen' illuminated in the centre. At the same time, there was a grand discharge of Roman candles, batteries of pearl streamers, tour- bilious, and rockets in red, green, blue, and yellow. The effect was magni- ficent, almost magical ; and when, in addition to the above, no fewer than ten thousand rockets were shot into the air, the scene was such as can be witnessed only once in a lifetime."

From some points all the four displays might be seen at once. From the South bank of the Serpentine three were visible, and the coup d•ceil was extremely beautiful. In the foreground were the tall elms, aerding deep masses of shade, and beyond and below them the sheet of water. Above the trees and reflected in the water, the fiery rockets and almost invisible shells from Hyde Park sprang gracefully up, broke and filled the sky with rainbow hues that floated on the wind ; while on ins left and right, from Primrose Hill and the Green Park, a similar spectacle was at the same time visible.

When all was over, the crowds dispersed, not lees quietly, but more quickly, than they had gathered together ; in an hour the Parks were once more bare and deserted ; and the immense masses flooded the streets

again. The illuminations were far more general than was at one time antici- pated. There was plenty of light—indeed the cloud canopy above London was white with light ; but there was no great variety

in the designs. Gas played its part in forming stars, crowns, wreaths, and the initials of the Sovereigns of England and France. There were many humbler attempts in oil-lamps ; but the most ambitious of these' Somerset House, totally failed—the lamps were not lighted at all. Chinese lanterns were used in many places, with not much effect. There were also transparencies of more or less merit. On the whole there was a sameness in the designs—crowns, stars, wreaths, initials, over and over again in gas or oil : but there were some conspicuous instances. Lord Ward's house in Park Lane was en- tirely outlined in gas ; there were 20,000 ,jets, and the consumption was at the rate of 2000 feet per minute. The Marquis of Breadalbane had placed his illumination—" V. A." enclosed in laurel wreaths all in gas— above all the surrounding houses. The Turkish Ambassador's illumina- tion was a novelty—variegated lamps lighted up by gas from within. In front of Apsley House was an inscription in gas, Long live the Queen," and on three sides of the parapet flambeau jets of gas. The most brilliant centres of illumination were Belgravia, Regent Street, and Whitehall Place. Most of the obscure quarters of the town had their illuminations, some modest enough, others of more pretension. But the great fact of the evening was the numerical bulk of the crowd and its admirable behaviour. •

It is but right to say that the Police, horse and foot, ably did their duty in regulating the streams of carriages of all kinds that thronged the streets, so as to keep a clear way down the centres of the thoroughfares.

Three deputations, appointed at the public meetings last week, waited on Lord Palmerston on Saturday, to request that he would permit the con- tinuance of the music in the Parks on Sundays. Lord Palmerston made a long explanation. In the first place he corrected a prevalent misap- prehension—that the bands were withdrawn because the working classes did not support the Government. He praised the behaviour of the work- ing classes, and was not surprised that they were irritated at the with- drawal of the bands. "The case is this. I entirely concur with those who suggested the play- ing of the bands; believing it was no desecration of the Sabbath, but a means of affording innocent recreation, combined with air and exercise, which the people are deprived of during the week, from their occupations confining them to a narrow space, and breathing air not conducive to health. I certainly did not expect, at the time I concurred in the arrangement, that it would have been viewed with so much disapprobation as it has been by a very large portion of the community, on religious grounds. There is nothing so difficult for a Government to deal with in a free country like this, where we possess liberty of conscienceand the free expression of opinion on reli- gious questions and feelings. 'There must in such a country always be a

sonffict of opinions on such a question,- and whether we differ or agree with one another, we are bound to attend with respect to the sincere and con- scientious opinions of others. Individuals and different bodies of the com- munity may be allowed to entertain and act on opinions which he or they profess ; but a Government ought to consider itself as standing aloof from those controversies which engage the attention of the people. The Govern- ment is compiled of men who have their opinions individually and collec- tively; but I don't think it is the proper function of a Government, in a free country, to throw itself into the conflict, and take part in matters in which large classes of the community entertain different and opposite opin- ions. We find, nevertheless, without intending it, that we did place our- selves in that predicament, and made arrangements which we never doubted were in unison with the opinions of a large body of the pie, which were nevertheless in conflict with those of another very large y of the people; and wherever on one side there were those who were in favour of the arrange- ment upon the ground of its providing innocent recreation and healthy en- joyment for the people, there were on the other those who were averse from it on conscientious and religious grounds. The matter was represented to me by the Archbishop of Canterbury as head of the Church, speaking not only for himself and the Bishops, but for a large body also of those who are regularly devoted to religious observances : and I felt that, under these cir- cumstances, the proper course for me to pursue was to restore matters to the state they were in before the bands were allowed to play on Sundays in the Parks. It was not altering that which had for years existed, but only bringing matters back to the state in which they had been before. The playing of the bandson Sundays was a recent Introduction; and I am sorry, by discontinuing them, that I am depriving large and deserving portions of the metropolis of that enjoyment which I think is perfectly innocent, and contributes to the rational enjoyments and health of the people. Having felt it was not the duty of the Government to run counter to the expressed opinions of so large a number of the community, whose opinions are entitled to respect, I don't think it would be right for Government to issue an order this week, countermand it the next, and then reissue it a fortnight after; and therefore I cannot hold out any expectation that the Government will, under present circumstances, think it right to rescind the decision they have so recently taken on this question."

Last Sunday there were large assemblages of persons in Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Victoria Park, and on Primrose 'Hill. Heavy showers in the afternoon somewhat diminished the numbers. There was a "private band" in Hyde Park, another in Victoria Park, a third on Primrose Hill. The people behaved with decorum, and the police did not interfere with the musicians, The Lora Mayor entertained her Majesty's Judges at the Mansion- house on Wednesday. There was also a goodly muster of the bar on the occasion. In proposing the peculiar toast of the evening, the Lord Mayor alluded to the great dial which had occupied public attention so many days, and congratulated the Lord Chief Justice on the patience, learning, and impartiality exhibited on that occasion. In recognizing the compli- ment, Lord Campbell said the hest reward of a judge is the approbation of his fellow citizens : had the duty devolved upon any other of his brother judges, they would have devoted equal attention to its perform- At the annual meeting of the Royal Geographical, Society on Monday, the President, Admiral Beechey, presented the founder's gold medal to Dr. Kane, for.his services and discoveries in the Polar regions ; and the patron!s gold medal to Dr. Bsuth, for his successful and extensive explo- rations in • Central Africa. A testimonial was presented to Corporal Church, of the Sappers and Miners, for his share in the Central African expedition. Dr. Kane's medal was received on his behalf by Mr. Dallas, the American Minister.

The members of the Literary Association of the Friends of Poland held their anniversary meeting on Saturday ; the Marquis of Breadal- bane in the their. The chief speakers were Earl Fortescue, the Earl of Harrington, the Lord Mayor, and Mr. Monckton Mikes; and the chief resolution was, that, under the peculiar circumstances of the time the Association should wait events, in the anxious hope that something may yet be done for Poland." The report showed an income of 7391;, and an outlay of 8091.; of which 2181. had been expended in relieving 535 eases of distress. The Marquis of Breadalbane was again appointed President of the Association.

At a meeting of the City Commission of Sewers, on Tuesday, the Court adopted a suggestion of• Dr. Lethebyl their Medical Officer of Health; to the effect that the houses in a certain court, now overcrowded with occupants, should be at once subjected to the rules and regulations of common lodginghouses, which were reported upon on the 16th of March 1852; and that notice be given that, whenever more than one fa- mily occupy a room together, the number of inmates shall be limited to the area of 300 cubic feet as a minimum for each adult; and that not more than two persons over fourteen years of age, if of different sexes, shall inhabit any one room at the same time.

The great cause at the Central Criminal Court—the trial of William Palmer for the murder of John Parsons Cook at Rugeley—terminated on Tuesday. The trial began on the 14th and ended on the 27th May; and thus exclusive of Sundays, it occupied the Court twelve days. The in- tere;t in the proceedings remained unabated to the close; and np to the last Moment there were not waiiting those who argued stoutly, not for the innocence of the murderer, but for the defect of proof.

Among the witnesses examined for the defence on Saturday were Mr. Joseph Foster, grazier; Mr. Henry Matthews, Police Inspector at the ELM- ton Square station; Mr. George Myatt, saddler, Rugeley • Mr. John Ser- nos‘t‘ecfs aaild til3imanat.Cralio business"; Mr. Jeremiah 'th, attorney, of Rugel ye . Man weak constitution, and was e subject M bili- ous attacks : but on cross-examination he admitted that he had only once, a year and a half ago, seen him suffering from a bilious headache ; and that he once seven years ago, saw him sick after dinner. Myatt entered into the details of the scene at Shrewsbury where Cook complained of the brandy-and-water. He said that Cook was "the worse for liquor " • that he exclaimed, after drinking the brandy-and-water, "There is something in • he did not say "it burnt his throat." Further, Myatt deposed that Palmer did not leave the room before Cook drank the liquor ; that Cook did not leave the room until after Palmer and himself had left it ; and that he did not hear of Cook's sickness until the next morning. He admitted that he had visited Palmer in Staffed Gaol with Kr. Jeremiah Smith. Mat- thews, the railway official, stated that the express leaving London at five o'clock in the afternoon should arrive at Stafford at 8.42 p. m. : on the 19th November it arrived at 8.46 p7m. - Mr.- Jereiniah Smith, -under direct ex-

,amination, deposed that on the 19th November he met Palmer, for whom he was on the watch, coming from the direction of Stafford in a car at ten minutes past ten. They went up to Cook's room, and Cook said, " You are late tonight, Doctor ; I did not expect you to look in. I have taken the medi- cine which you gave me." They did not stay three minutes. Smith de- posed that he sent some broth to Cook by a charwoman. [It passed through Palmer's hands.] Two letters from Cook and a memorandum were put in, showing that he had money troubles, and that he had mortgaged his horses Polestar and Sirius.

The cross-examination of Smith was an extraordinary scene. The witness

lied to nearly every question with great reluctance, and constant evasion. Ike Attorney-General wished to ascertain what share he took in negotiating the insurance of Walter Palmer's life for 13,0001. Smith " could not recols. lect " anything about it. He could not recollect whether he attested a pros posal or proposals ; [it was proved he got Si. for attesting the proposal a shown a signature and asked whether it was his, he said, " It is very like my signature " ; he had some doubt ; then, that it was a very clever molts. tion-, and finally, "I will swear that it is not mine." He might have re- ceived the attestation from Pratt ; he might have given it to Palmer ; he could not recollect. He admitted that he had obtained an appointment as the agent of the Midland Office at Rugele,y in order to effect, as agent, an in- surance on the life of George Bates for 10,000/. The Attorney-General, handing a document, said—' Refteshing your memory with that, I ask you, were you not applied to by William Palmer in December 1854 to attest a proposal on the life of his brother Walter, for 13,0001. in the Solicitors and General Insurance-office ? "—" I might have been." " Were you or were you not Sir ? Look at that document, and say have you any doubt upon the subject ? "—" I do not like to speak from memory with reference to such matters." " No ; but not speaking from memory in an abstract sense, but having your memory refreshed by a perusal of that document, have you any doubt that you were applied to ? "—" I have no doubt that I might have been applied it." " Have you any doubt that in January 1856 you were called on by William Palmer to attest another proposal for 13,0001. on his brother's life in another office : look at the document and tell me ? "—" I see the paper, but I don't know : I might have signed it in blank." " Do you usually sign attestations of this nature in blank ?"—" I have some doubt whether I did not sign several of them in blank." "On your oath, looking at that document, don't you know that William Palmer applied to you to attest that proposal un his brother's life for 13,000/. ? "—" Ho did apply to me to attest pro in some offices." "Were they for large amounts —" (hoe was for 1 ,000/." "Were you applied to to attest another for the like sum in the Universal Office ? "—" I might be." "They were made much about the eame time, were they not? You did not wait for the an- swers to come back to the first application before you made the second ? "— " I do not know that any answers were returned at all." "Will you swear that you were not present when Walter Palmer executed the deed assigning the policy upon his life to his brother William Palmer ? Now, be careful, Mr. Smith, for depend upon it you shall hear of this again if you are not.'' —"I will not swear that I was, I think I was not. I am not quite. positive."

Another portion of the cross-examination of this witness was intended to show that he had an improper intimacy with the mother of the prisoner, He admitted that, although he lived in Rugeley about a quarter of a mile off, he sometimes slept three nights a week at Mrs. Feline's house. Her sons were sometimes there and sometimes not. That went on for three or four years. A good specimen of Mr. Smith's mode of answering questions is tho following attempt of Mr. Slice to extract something positive from his own. witness, Mr. Sergeant Shoe—" Ie there any pretence for saying you have ever been charged with any improper intimacy with Mrs. Palmer." Wit- ness—" I hope not." Mr. Sergeant Shoe—" Is there any pretence for say. ing so ?" Witness—" There ought not to be." Mr. Sergeant Shea—" Is there any truth in the statement or suggestion that you have had any ha- proper intimacy with Mrs. Palmer ?" Witness—" 'Ihey might have said so, but they had no reason for saying so." Mr. Serjeant Shee—" Is there any truth in the statement ?" Witness—" I should say not." (Laughter.) Sergeant Shea desired to reply upon part of the evidence but the Court decided that he had no right to reply.

The defence having closed, the Attorney-General replied upon the wholo of the evidence at very considerable length. He repeated the charge— that, having been first practised upon by antimony, Cook was killed by. strychnine. All the witnesses for the prosecution said he died from te- tanus ;- but was it a case of tetanus produced by strychnine ? He revived the evidence to support the position that Cook could not have died from idiopathic tetanus, or traumatic tetanus, because the first is a disease not of minutes but of days, and because as regards the second there was no pre- tence for saying that Cook was suffering from lesion in any part of the body. The evidence of Dr. Savage negatived the supposition that be was suffering from syphilitic affection. Dr. Nunneley referred Cook's death to idiopa. thie tetanus ; but general convulsions destroy, the consciousness of the suf- ferer before they kill him, and Cook retsina' his consciousness to the end. Mr. Partridge said that the granules in the spinal cord might have occa- sioned tetanic convulsions ; but he would-not pledge his reputation that such was the fact in Cook's case. In all there were five different theories set up by the defence to account for the death of Cook,—general convulsions, epilepsy proper, epilepsy with tetanic complications, arachnids, and angina pectoris; but all the medical men for the defence agreed with Sir Benjamin lirodie that they know of no disease to which the symptoms in Cook's case could be referred. He showed that there was a close similarity between the symptoms in the death of Cook and those in the authenticated cases of death by strychnine—Mrs. Smyth, Mrs. Dove' and the Glasgow girl ; and he in- sisted that the Jury could not hesitate to declare that Cook died by strychnine. He admitted the case was not without its difficulties—no strychnine had been found. But the stomach was sent to Dr. Taylor in a most unfavour- able state, and it is not certain that the poison can be found in all eases. But his case did not rest there. There was one part of the ease on which Sergeant Shea did not venture a word of explanation : did Palmer possess strychnine ? That ground had been entirely abandoned by the defence. The Attorney-General dwelt long upon this point—that whether Newton gave Palmer strychnine on Monday or not, there was no doubt that Palmer bought strychnine of Roberts on Tuesday. Account for that six grains of stryclin in, the purchase of which is an undoubted and indisputable fact. Was it purchased for a patient ?—produce him : if for any other pm.. pose—let it be explained. 'Why did not Palmer get the strychnine from Thitlby ?—because Thirlby knew Palmer could have no legitimate use for such an article- "Palmer no longer practised except among a small circle of his relatives and particular friends." That part of the case was wholly un- covered, unmet, without a shadow of explanation. But some facts were cited to show that Palmer had no guilty intention : he called in two medical men—old. Mr. Bamford, and Mr. Jones. who, in spite of the fearful symptoms attending Cook's death, suspected nothing. Palmer, however, did not know that Jones intended to sleep in Cook's room; and had he not slept there Cook would have died unseen. The Attorney-General dwelt at some length on other points in the case—the presence of antimony in the body, an undoubted and undis- puted fact ; the balance of testimony to the effect that the broth sent by Smith, and warmed in Palmer's kitchen, by Palmer himself, produced sick.

ness in Elizabeth Mills; the repeated description of the illness of Cook as a "bilious attack "; the conversation 'with Newton as to the effect of-

strychnine and the probability of finding it after-death' Palmer's behaviour

at the post-mortern examination ; his attempt to bribe Myatt the post-boy to upset 'Mr. Stevens and the jar ; the attempt to obtain the signature of Cheshire as a witness to the signature of Cook after his death ; and the in- cident of the betting-book. Oh,' says Palmer, the betting-book is of no use.' 'No use,' replies Stevens, I am the best judge of that. Why is it of ne use ?" Because,' he is told, dead men's bets are void, and Cook re- e tived some of his money on the course.' Dead men's bets are void—true ; but they are not void when they have been received. Who received the dead man's bets ?—the prisoner at the bar. Who appropriated the proceeds of the bets ?—the prisoner at the bar. Who was answerable for the bets ?- the prisoner at the bar. Who was interested in concealing the amount of the bets ?—the prisoner at the bar. The executor of the deceased wanted to know what he was entitled to receive. The prisoner tells him the record is of no use. If it had been found, Stevens would have seen that he was

entitled to receive 1020/. Does this throw no light upon the case ?" In the course of his address, the Attorney-General severely handled some of the professional witnesses for the defence, whom he accused of perve the facts and starting ingenious theories and he denounced Mr. Jere Smith as a most discreditable and unworthy witness. The Attorney-General finished his reply at half-past six on Saturday. On Sunday, the Jury, still in charge as before, were taken to Epping Forest.

On Monday morning, the Lord Chief Justice began to stun up the whole case ; and on Tuesday he brought it to a close. The plan he adopted was the simplest and the fairest. He went over the whole of the evidence, in two sections—first the evidence for the Crown, then the evidence for the defence. He caused nearly the whole mass of testimony to be read ; connecting the parts with observations bring- ing out the turning-points of the case as presented on either side. When he had caused a fact or facts to be laid before the Jury, he repeatedly remarked, that it was for them to say whether they believed it, and what inference they should draw from it. Thus, with regard to the motive, he showed the desperate state of Palmer's circumstances ; recalled his forgeries ; the insurance effected at his instance on the life of his brother and assigned to him ; the fact that his finances were in November reduced to the lowest ebb; the great pressure upon him at the moment ; the fact that he appro- *ated Cook's money to the payment of his debts, by means of a forged check: itwas forthe Jury to say what weight they would attach to these facts. With regard to the evidence of Mills, (as to the poisoned broth,) Lord Campbell said there was no warrant for believing either that she was bribed or that she had been instructed to give evidence pre- judicial to Palmer. Her statement before the Coroner had omitted one of the facts she dated before the Court—her sickness on tasting the broth : but she explained this by stating that she was not asked the uestion before : her testimony before the Court was corroborated by that of Lavinia Barnes, and it was for the Jury to say whether thus corroborated it was not worthy of belief. Lord Campbell also dwelt upon the fact that if the Jury did not believe Newton, [upon whose testimony, however, he threw no doubts,] Roberts, who deposed that Palmer bought strychnine of was not contradicted in any way. That evidence was undenied and immiestioned; yet there was not even a suggestion as to what became of the strychnine. Lord Campbell saw no reason to doubt the evidence of Myatt, the post-boy; or that Palmer was anxious to have the body fastened up; or that he tampered with the Coroner Ward, or the Postmaster Cheshire. These were serious matters. In dealing with the medical evidence Lord Campbell called the attention of the Jury to the fact that no strychniiie was found in the body. The prisoner's counsel very naturally placed great re- liance on that fact. But it did not admit of a doubt that in four experi-

ments tried by Dr. Taylor and Dr. Rees, strychnine was only found in the body in two cases. He did not see what interest Dr. Taylor had to give

evidence against the prisoner : he had been questioned about some indis- creet letters he had written ; but against Dr. Rees there was no imputation whatever, and he concurred with Dr. Taylor. With regard to the medical evidence for the defence, Lord Campbell made some severe remarks on those gentlemen who were rather advocates than witnesses for the prisoner. Dr. Nunneley displayed an interest not quite becoming a witness in a court of justice. Having gone over the whole of the evidence, Lord Campbell re- marked, that as regarded the motive of the prisoner, the Jury would pro- bably think that the case remained untouched. Then the conduct .of the prisoner remained unexplained. If the Jury thought the symptoms were consistent with death by strychnine, then they must take that in connexion with other evidence, so that they might decide whether Palmer adminis- tered the poison. Mr. Sergeant Shoe attempted to show that Lord Campbell had ceded the verdict on the question whether Cook's symptoms were consistent with death by strychnine : the question should be, whether the medical evidence established beyond reasonable doubt the death of Cook by strychnine.

Lord Campbell said, that the question he submitted was, that if the Jury thought that Cook died from natural causes, they should acquit Palmer; but that if they thought Cook's symptoms were consistent with death by strychnine, and that Palmer administered the strychnine, then they-must find the prisoner guilty,

The Jury retired at eighteen minutes past two on Tuesday, and returned at twenty-five minutes to four o'clock. Palmer, who had been taken out, was again brought in. The buzz of excitement which ran round the court on the reappearance of the Jury was hushed by the formal question of the Clerk of the Arraigns--" Gentlemen of the Jury, are you all unanimous in

yarar verdict ? " The Foreman—" We are." The -Clerk of the Arraigns— "How say you, gentlemen, do you find the prisoner at the bar guilty, or not guilty ? " The Foreman, (rising, and in a distinct and finn tone)— " We find the prisoner Guilty."

The prisoner, who exhibited some slight pallor and the least possible shade of anxiety upon the return of the Jury to the box, almost instantly recovered his self-possession and his demeanour of comparative indifference. He maintained his firmness and perfect calmness after the delivery of the verdict; and during the passing of the sentence he looked an interested al- though utterly unmoved spectator.

The Clerk of the Arraigns—" Prisoner at the bar, you stand convicted of murder : what have you to say why the Court should not give you judg- ment to die, Recording to law ?" The question is one of a formal nature, and the prisoner made no answer.

The Judges then assumed the black cap ; and the Lord Chief Justice pro- nounced sentence in the following terms—" William Palmer, after a long and impartial trial, you have been convicted by a jury of your country of the crime of wilful murder. In that verdict my two learned brothers, who have so anxiously watched this trial, and myself, entirely concur, and we consider the conviction altogether satisfactory. The case is attended with such circumstances of aggravation that I will not dare to touch upon them. Whether this be the first end only offence of this sort which you have com-

mitted, is certainly known only to God and your own conscience. It is sel- dom That such a familiarity with the means of death should be shown with- out long experience : but for this offence, of which .you have been found guilty, your life is forfeited. You must prepare to die ; and I trust that,

II WO II

as you can expect no mercy hi this world, you will, by a repentance of your Mimed, seek to obtain mercy from Almighty God. The act of Parliament on winch you have been tried, and under which you have been brought to the bar of this Court at your own request, gives leave to the Court in direct that the sentence under such circumstances shall be executed either within the jurisdiction of the Central Criminal Court or in the county where the offence was committed. We think that for the sake of example the sen- tence ought to be executed in the county of Stafford. I hope that that terrible example will deter others from committing such atrocious crimes ; and that it will be seen, whatever art, or caution, or experience may accomplish, that such an offence will surely be detected and punished. How- ever destructive poison may be, it is so ordained by Providence, for the safety of its creatures that there are means of detecting and punishing those who administer it. I again implore you to repent, and to prepare for the awful change which awaits yon. I will not seek to harrow up your feelings by any enumeration of the circumstance of this foul murder; but! will content myself now by passing upon you the sentence of the law,—which is, that you be taken from hence to the gaol of Newg,ate, and be thence removed to the gaol of the county of Stafford, being the county in which the offence for which you stand convicted was com- mitted, and that you be taken thence to the place of execution, and be there hanged by the neck until you be dead ; and that your body be afterwards buried within the precincts of the prison in which you shall be last con- fined after your conviction. And may the Lord of Heaven have mercy on your soul. Amen."

The prisoner was immediately removed from the dock, and the trial was at an end.

Mr. James, Q.C., applied that the bills hearing the acceptance of Mrs, Sarah Palmer, which had been proved to have been forged, should be lm- pounded; an application which the Court without hesitation granted.

Turning then to the Jury, the Lord Chief Justice said—" I beg to return to you, gentlemen, the warm thanks of my learned brothers and myself for the service which you have rendered to your country upon this occasion. Your conduct throughout thisprotracted trial, which you have attended, no doubt, at much serious inconvenience to yourselves, has been such as to merit our utmost commendation. I only hope, and I doubt not, that you will be re- warded for your patient attention and for the sacrifices which you have made, by theapprobatMn of your own consciences and the approving voice of your country." Lord Campbell also thanked the Sheriffs for their excel- lent arrangements. The convict was removed in a cab the same evening from Newoute to Ens- ton Square ; whence he started by railway for Stafford, in charge of two gaolers. A considerable crowd was soon collected, and he was the centre of all glances. As soon as he got into a carriage, the blind was drawn down. Palmer's behaviour throughout the whole trial was remarkable for the coolest self-command. He seldom showed even the slightest anxiety. He looked steadfastly at the witnesses, and stood without support in the dock. Every now and then he wrote remarks and suggestions on slips of paper and banded them to his counseL He-seems to have fully made up his mind for an acquittal. During a pause in the summing-up of Lord Campbell, Palmer handed down a slip of paper, contsining the words--" I think they'll find a verdict of Not guilty.', After sentence, he is said to have complained of the unfairness of Lord Campbell's summing-up. Before he left Newgate, anew suit of clothes was put on him, and other precautions were taken to guard against suicide. [In Stafford Gaol, Palmer has been taciturn, but not apparently dejected. Mr. John Smith, his solicitor, and his brother George Palmer, are, it is said, about to urge a mitigation of the aentence, on the ground that there is "a. conflict in the medical testimony amid 'anabsence of direct proof." The exe- cution is fixed for Saturday the 14th june.] Danger to gold-ships. William Lewis was charged before the Thames. Police 'Magistrate, on Monday, with conspiring to murder the coptain and crew of the Steboubeath and to piratically run away with the ship. Lewis, a tall, dark, resolute-looking fellow, shipped as a seaman-at Melbourne ; the Stebonheath had a crew of thirty-six, with twenty-two passengers ; the gold. on board-was valued at 244,000L; Lewis lusted for thetreasure. Alew days, after leaving port, he proposed to three other sailors to murder the officer!, " dose " the crew with laudanum, throw most of the passengers overboard, keeping the young women, take the ship to Peru' get out the gold, and then scuttle her, 'leaving the unhayipy women to drown. Lewis was provided with laudairam, a keg of brandy bowie-knives, revolvers, pistols; powder and shot, and a life-preserver. The three seamen informed Captain Ser- geant of the atrocious proposal; Lewis was seized, ironed, and brought home a prisoner; his-weapons were also found and taken possession of by Mr. Sergeant. So impressed were the passengers with the dangers they and their families had escapedby the three seamen—Whittington, Bolitho and Kent—having proved true men, that they subscribed 1151. to be presented to these sailors.

Lewis was reexamined on Wednesday. Bolitho, Whittington, and Itint, detailed the atrocious proposals made to them. Lewis told them of crimes he had committed in Australia, and said that he and a gang in a schooner had once seized a Californian ship, got 1000 ounces of gold, and then scut- tled the ship, drowning the people on board. Mr. Yardley asked Captain Sergeant if it is not -the custom to search the chest or bag of sailors who come on board at Melbourne ? The witness answered that it is not. Mr. Yardley remarked, that this case wouldhe a warning for the future to all captains sailing from Australia. Lewis is committed fcir trial. William May, a billiard-marker, has been remanded by Alderman Sir Robert Carden on an extraordinary -eharge--that of having -4' loitered about London Bridge with intent -to commit suicide, and having assisted a woman unknown to drown herself." Frederick Gill, a lamplighter, described the occurrence. " About twenty minutes past-three &clock this morning, I was turning off the gas-lamps on London Bridge, and I saw a girl on the South, work aide of the bridge alone-. I passed her' and in about five minutes after- wards, on returning over the bridge towards the City, I saw the same girl !tending outside on the ledge below the railing, and the prisoner was stand- ing on the seat of the recess, holding tar by the wrist. He said to her, Jump in,' and let go her wrist, and said., 'Go on, and follow you.' She directly jumped from the bridge into the water. He then said, My God ! I did not *think she'd do it.' He still stood there, and I went up to him and said to him, You vagabond ! you vagabondl you ought to be ashamed of yourself : you have murdered that girl I' Remade no answer. I saw the girl floating along the water, and heard her cry out, Save me—help!' I hallooed out as loud as I could ; but she sank 'before the boats got up to her." Other witnesses partially corroborated Gill; but they were not near enough to hear the words of May to the girl : two saw him waist her over -the parapet. Both May and the girl appeared to have been drinking. 'When a policeman came up, May professed that he had been trying to prevent the girl from destroying herself. The girl's body has been found.

The Lord Mayor has fined Messrs. Stubbing and Lee, of Leadenhall Mar- ket, 201.,—the extreme penalty—for selling a large quantity of beef unfit for humanfood.

Mr. Charles Garnar, a zinc-worker of Queen Street, Cheapaide, was killed a the London Bridge terminus on Wednesday, through his own impru- dence. Ha was one of a crowd all eager to enter a train for Epsom he seized hold of the handle of a door while the train was in motion ; sud- denly he lost his grasp, fell between the carriages and the platform, and was dreadfully eruahed. He died in three hours.