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Peschel Press
The Life and Career of William Palmer
The Life and Career of William Palmer
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The Bad Boy of Rugeley
In 1856, Dr. William Palmer made history when he was hanged for poisoning his best friend. It was not only the first trial involving strychnine, but the first that was moved because of the extensive publicity it received in the new penny newspapers that were exploding in popularity.
"[The Palmer case] shows me that atrocious wickedness is consistent with good education, perfect sanity, and everything, in a word, which deprives men of all excuse for crime. If he had been the lowest and most ignorant ruffian that ever sprang from a long line of criminal ancestors, he could not have been worse than he was."
In 1925, George Fletcher published his lifetime's research on the case. Drawing on his family's ties to the area, he visited Staffordshire repeatedly over several decades. He interviewed many of the people connected with the case and collected their stories and observations. His biography of Palmer was the first to feature new information about him, his murders, and the controversies surrounding his trial.
"We were at Rugeley Grammar School together for three years. He was a thoroughly bad boy, and did not mind how he cheated, He would get other lads to write his thesis and many of his exercises. He was not cruel to small boys, but very cruel to animals and sneaking in every detail."
This new edition of "The Life and Career of Dr. Palmer of Rugeley" brings Fletcher's biography back into print with the original illustrations and photographs. It has been carefully annotated to flesh out the story and explain the social and cultural references unfamiliar to today's readers. Fletcher's biography is part of "The Rugeley Poisoner" trilogy that includes two books published in 1856: "The Illustrated Life and Career of William Palmer" and "The Illustrated Times Trial of William Palmer." With these three books, true-crime fans can experience early Victorian Britain where money was king, reputations ruled, and where evil lurked in the heart of a benign doctor.
In 1856, Dr. William Palmer made history when he was hanged for poisoning his best friend. It was not only the first trial involving strychnine, but the first that was moved because of the extensive publicity it received in the new penny newspapers that were exploding in popularity.
"[The Palmer case] shows me that atrocious wickedness is consistent with good education, perfect sanity, and everything, in a word, which deprives men of all excuse for crime. If he had been the lowest and most ignorant ruffian that ever sprang from a long line of criminal ancestors, he could not have been worse than he was."
In 1925, George Fletcher published his lifetime's research on the case. Drawing on his family's ties to the area, he visited Staffordshire repeatedly over several decades. He interviewed many of the people connected with the case and collected their stories and observations. His biography of Palmer was the first to feature new information about him, his murders, and the controversies surrounding his trial.
"We were at Rugeley Grammar School together for three years. He was a thoroughly bad boy, and did not mind how he cheated, He would get other lads to write his thesis and many of his exercises. He was not cruel to small boys, but very cruel to animals and sneaking in every detail."
This new edition of "The Life and Career of Dr. Palmer of Rugeley" brings Fletcher's biography back into print with the original illustrations and photographs. It has been carefully annotated to flesh out the story and explain the social and cultural references unfamiliar to today's readers. Fletcher's biography is part of "The Rugeley Poisoner" trilogy that includes two books published in 1856: "The Illustrated Life and Career of William Palmer" and "The Illustrated Times Trial of William Palmer." With these three books, true-crime fans can experience early Victorian Britain where money was king, reputations ruled, and where evil lurked in the heart of a benign doctor.
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