The old Duke was over eighty years of age and too infirm to attend the
funeral, but the Marquis of Titchfield and Lord Henry Bentinck were
present.
As in most mysteries, there were other conjectures more or less
improbable.
Years afterwards it was put down to the account of Palmer the poisoner,
who it was said had administered strychnine to Lord George as he did to
some other members of the aristocracy.
But what was Palmer's motive?
Had Lord George and he any betting transactions together in which Palmer
had lost, and finding himself unable to pay, destroyed his noble
creditor with diabolical secrecy?
Yet Palmer in 1848 was a young doctor, aged about twenty-three, just
setting out on his professional career.
It was not until a few years afterwards that Palmer commenced to turn
his attention to turf transactions, therefore it is difficult to find a
motive which should be some evidence against him as the perpetrator of
this crime.
The case of Palmer was an extraordinary one. He was a medical
practitioner at Rugeley in Staffordshire, and having become infatuated
with betting had no scruples about removing those to whom he had
contracted debts of honour.
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