|
|
|
10.
His supper:
|
My
dear Jane,
Will you send the enclosed note to Frantz and give me my
supper tonight.
Yours,
W.
P.
|
|
11.
|
My
dear Jane,
I meant to have called before leaving the town to ask you
to meet me at Lichfield next week. Will you?
Write by return.
Yours,
W. P.
|
|
12.
More meetings:
|
My
dear Jane,
You are the right sort. Be near the west door of the Cathedral
at 11 o'clock on Wednesday - and leave the rest to me.
Yours,
W. P.
|
|
13.
|
My
dear Jane,
How do you feel today?
Hope you slept well last night.
Yours,
W. P.
Thursday morning
|
|
14.
Waddell = Dr. Cornelius Waddell of Tipping Street Street, Stafford.
Palmer trying to insure Jane's life?
|
My
dear Jane,
Don't see Waddell until I have seen you which will be in
the course of a few days.
Yours,
W. P.
|
|
15.
Palmer tries to reassure Jane when she fears that she is expecting:
|
My
dear Jane, Burn
this
Don't trouble yourself - we can wait for a couple of months and see.
All can be made right easily. And I can drop in at any time?
I shall be over on Saturday.
Yours,
W. P.
|
Letters
16 & 17 put in assumed correct order after 28.
|
18.
|
My
dear Jane
II ran against Mrs. W. and Mrs. T. just
now - they said they were going to call on you and had I seen you lately?
Yes - I had been to ask you for slips of your pansies for my mother.
You will get this before they arrive - hadn't you better tell them
where I passed the night?
Yours,
Wm.
Palmer
|
|
19.
Medical opinion sought before possible insurance?
|
My
dear Jane , Burn
this
I
knew Waddell would find you all right. Of course he did not discover
anything. Did he ask for a kiss? Or did he take one without asking?
Yours,
Sunday morning W.
P.
|
|
20.
Dr. Waddell advises against taking out a life policy, perhaps he is
aware that she is pregnant?
|
My
dear Jane , Burn
this
I
think the Devil is in it. Waddell says you had better not propose -
that means that he will report unfavourably - so there will be a difficulty
raising the needful for you as intended - though I am pressed you shall
not suffer.
Yours,
W.
P.
|
|
21.
Innuendo:
|
My
dear Jane ,
A
lady asked me just now how I liked last night's concert. I said very
well but I preferred a duet which followed.
So I did - rather - did you?
Yours,
W.
P.
|
|
22.
Jane worried?
|
My
dear Jane ,
I do not know what to make of your last letter - 'What do I intend'?
Well I think it would be better to see and tell you. Shall I come on
Sat. evening?
Yours,
W.
P.
|
|
23
Jane still upset?
|
My
dear Jane ,
I
think you are rather out of temper. You would not let me come on Saturday
- and you do not say when I may. I wish you would fix a time.
Any day but Thursday next week will do
for me
Yours,
Wm.
Palmer
|
|
24
Jane suspects that she is pregnant? -
|
My
dear Jane ,
I
can't make you out - of course I am sorry that you are unwell. Perhaps
the face ache is caused by that. I shall be over tomorrow.
Yours,
Wm.
Palmer
|
|
25.
A most sinister letter Palmer uses the 'dentist' as a euphemism for
an abortionist:
|
My
dear Jane , Burn
this
Ascot
tomorrow so I must repeat by letter what I said to you on Sunday because
I wish you very much to do it - it wont hurt you worth mentioning and
as I said you have had toothache and Cooke is known as the best dentist
in Stafford. Your handkerchief to your mouth - and you can't talk will
do it.
He won't keep you ten minutes. Say the
word and I will write to him and you will only have to ask him to draw
the tooth that hurts you. He will know where to look for it!!!
So don't be surprised at what he may do.
The man is as silent as death and
you may depend on him. Send word that I may write to him there's a dear
girl.
Yours,
Wm.
Palmer
P.S. You see I am not afraid 'to write as I speak' because I
am sure that you will burn this as you have burnt the others.
W.P.
|
|
26.
The abortion has been arranged. Cooke probably James Cooke a chemist/druggist
from Foregate Street, Stafford:
|
My
dear Jane, Burn
this
You
are a good plucked one. I have written to Cooke - do just as he tells
you - send me word how you get on.
Yours,
W.P.
|
|
27.
Jane has had the abortion, Palmer sends two £5 notes cut in half:
|
My
dear Jane, Burn
this
All's
well that ends well. I am glad that you were so little hurt - in a week
or two you will be all right again. I enclose halves of two £5
notes. Say you have got them and I will send the others.
Yours,
W.P.
|
|
28.
Cautious Palmer sends the other two halves of the £5 notes:
|
My
dear Jane, Burn
this
I
am deucedly sorry to hear that you are so unwell - but you have got
rid of the cause and now as old Tylecote would say the effects
will cease.
Remaining halves enclosed - send me word you have them and that you
are better.
Yours,
W.P.
|
|
16.
Numbering out of sequence? Assumed correct place:
|
My
dear Jane, Burn
this
I
enclose halved of four £5 notes. Acknowledge receipt and I will
forward the others - they can't be traced.
Yours,
W.P.
|
|
17.
Numbering out of sequence? (£20 given to Jane):
|
My
dear Jane, Burn
this
Enclosed
are the remaining halves - drop me a line by return to York to say they
are all right.
Yours,
Wm.
Palmer
|
|
29.
Walter died on 16th, buried 20th August 1855.
Palmer wants to restart their affair:
|
My
dear Jane,
Walter's
funeral went off very well.
I caught sight of you at the window -
when shall I call?
Hope you are are all right now?
Yours,
Wm.
Palmer
|
|
30.
Palmer and Jane aware of gossip?
|
My
dear Jane,
Your
letter is hard to understand. What queer things are people saying? Some
damned chatterboxes can't mind their own business and are looking after
mine, are they? You can't say I have used you ill. Let us speak of a
man as we find him is my motto.
Please write and say why you think I 'had
better not call for a few weeks'.
Yours,
Wm.
Palmer
|
|
31
More poetry as he bargains over the blackmail. On the same day as Cook's
horse Polestar won at Shrewsbury & Cooke taken ill:
|
Rugeley,
Nov. 13th 1855
My dear Jane,
It's
damned hard for a fellow to find his friends turning against
him and I was surprised to learn that you have never burned one of my
letters - I cannot do what you ask
- I should not mind giving £30 for the whole of them though
I am hard up at present. If you agree you shall have the money in the
course of a week or ten days.
I enclose the only letter of yours I can
find.
I shall always think with pleasure of our intimacy and can say with
Moore:
We've had some happy hours together
But joy must often change its wing
And Spring would be but gloomy weather
Yours,
Wm.
Palmer
|
|
32.
Blackmail - the a compromise sum agreed (£40). Note that Cook
died 1.00 a.m. on Nov. 21st 1855:
|
My
dear Jane,
I
am agreeable to split the difference and will send you £40 in
notes tomorrow or the day after and shall expect you - honour bright
- to let me have the letters on return of Bearer.
Yours,
Wm.
Palmer
|
|
33.
Part of the blackmail paid:
|
My
dear Jane,
Enclosed
you have halves of eight fivers.
Please acknowledge receipt and I will send
remainders.
In great haste.
Yours,
Wm.
Palmer
|
|
34
Paid in full:
|
Nov.
24th 1855
My dear Jane,
Remaining
halves of notes enclosed.
Please keep letters for me until I send for
them.
Yours,
Wm.
Palmer
P.S. You have no reason to be unfriendly to me,
remember. W.P.
|
The
letters were not made public at the time of the trial and their affair
was not general knowledge. The letters, however, do little to enhance the
reputation of Palmer or Jane.
Background dates:
Palmer's wife Anne died September 29th 1854. On June 26th 1855 Palmer's
housemaid Eliza Tharm gave birth to a son who later died on December 13th
1855. Jane had abortion sometime around the beginning of August 1855.
|
Introduction
