The trial of Prof. John W. Webster, indicted for the murder of Dr. George Parkman, at the Medical college (North Grove street) on the 23d of November, 1849 : Supreme judicial court, before Chief Justice Shaw, and Associate Justices Wilde, Dewey, and Metcalf. Counsel for the government, Attorney General J.H. Clifford, and George Bemis, esq. Counsel for the defence, Hon. Pliny Merrick, and E.D. Sohier, esq. / Reported for Boston journal.
- Webster, John White, 1793-1850
- Date:
- 1850
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The trial of Prof. John W. Webster, indicted for the murder of Dr. George Parkman, at the Medical college (North Grove street) on the 23d of November, 1849 : Supreme judicial court, before Chief Justice Shaw, and Associate Justices Wilde, Dewey, and Metcalf. Counsel for the government, Attorney General J.H. Clifford, and George Bemis, esq. Counsel for the defence, Hon. Pliny Merrick, and E.D. Sohier, esq. / Reported for Boston journal. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.
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![officer, found them. Dr. C. T. Jackson was tbere at the time; he is a tall man and wore spectacles; I see him now near the door. The pantaloons were taken out ot the closet at the head of the .stairs; and there were spots on them whioii we thought was blood. We wei'fr advised to keep them carefully. The pants were wrapped up and given to the officers. A pencil-case was also found, and a small saw; the blade of it was not more than 10 or 15 inches long. The handle wasmarked with something which we be- lieved to be blood. On Tuesday afternoon I wanted a pen, and an officer asked Mr. Littlefield to get me one. Ijit- tlefield picked up a steel pen from the desk, and another made out of a sort of reed, and gave me the two; he said I could not use the latter. I was present before the Coro- ner's Inquest when the limbs were put together; the gen- eral appearance of the body was about that of Dr. Park- man's—the Dr. was slim; I don't know his exact height; about five feet ten and a half, perhaps. He was very thin ; knew his weight thirteen years ago, but not sinde. He was light complexioned—what is called sallow. He hada prominent under-jaw; I could not form a decided opinion as to whether those remains would justify people in saying that they were those of Dr. Parkman. 1 have seen Dr. Parkman when he had cause to use profane lan- guage, but never heard him do so. It is true that I have been influenced in my actions by hearing that Dr. Park- man had used profane language; I have never heard him use it myself. I was one of the party who made search of Dr. Webster's house, but not when any notes were found. Cross Examined.—On the morning after the arrest, I started to go to Prof Webster's house. Got as far as the College and found that officers Clapp, Spoor and another had started before me. I joined them at Cambridge. I never went on any other occasion, but the one I have mentioned, to Doctor Webster's house. The search was made without a warrant on the second occasion.— I was with Mr. Starkweather. Dr. Parkman used hard language at any act of dishonesty when he knew any one guilty of it. He used to call names, but did not use pro- lane language. We examined the minerals in Dr. Web- ster's laboratory through curiosity They lay around in boxes, barrels, and on shelves. We noted the tire in the furnace before we looked at the minerals, i do not know the size of the furnace, having never ine,?ssured it. Mr. Littlefield went into the room with us when we went into Dr. Webster's room. We knocked pretty hard and then got in. I do not recollect any conversation in the lecture room. We passed, after a few minutes, irom the lecture- room into the laboratory. Mr. Starkweather was with me at the time, and Dr. Aiusworth, and I think it was before •we went to Dr. Webster's room that we examined the ash es. I do not know where the ke)^ of the vault was then. Dr. Webster was in his working dress when we saw him both times, with an apron and'cap on. When we called there the first time, Littlefield left us to gist something, and afterwards came to us as we were proceeding down stairs, and said that Dr. Webster was in the room. I had only traced Dr. Parkman to the College by making eu- quir)^ We made the first search on Monday, about 11 o'clock. I think the second search was between 11 and 12. I don't recollect the purport of the conversation that took place betv/een Littlefield and Dr. Webster at these interviews. Dr Webster said that the key of the privy was on a shelf on the we.st side of the partition of the clo- set, where I found it. This was on the night he was ta- ken into custody. There was no nail to hang a key on. On the tront part of the door there was a nail and a key hanging on it. He told me to look for the key there, af- ter saying that otfieer Clapp had taken his keys from him. 1 saw the tea chest emptied. I also noticed the saw, which was a small one, such as butchers use. I saw a knife, and noticed some stains of blood upon it. I am not iware that the saw was one such as gardeners use for pruning. Direct Examination.—The saw had a back plate upon it, such as would prevent its sawing through a piece of wood. Patrick McGowan was the second witness called. I live with Mvs,. Dr. Geo. Parkman. I remember the day of the Doctor's disappearance. It was on Friday. Ire- member somebody called at the house that morning. I did not know him; he did not give me his address. It was between 8 and 9 o'clock. I could not say that the prisoner at the bar was the person who called. Dr. Park- man was passing to breakfast and opened the door him- self I overheard Dr. Parkman saying that he would meet that person at half-past one. I skw Dr. Parkman about 11 o'clock that morning, and never saw him since. Dr. Parkman was very punctual in his habits. Cross Examined.—I went to live with the Dr. the 26th September. When 1 am in the hou.se it is my duty to tend the door. I could not tell how many gentlemen called on him that morning; there were a good many. I did not tell any of those who called that Di. Parkman had left town. KoBERT G. Shaw was the next witness called. I am brother-in-law to the deceased. Dr. Paikman would have been 60 years old in February. I am acquainted with Dr. Webster, but cannot say how long. The first time I heard ol Dr. Webster being in Dr. Parkman's debt was when 1 logical collection to me. This was the Friday before the deceased disappeared, and we walked together from my house to iSfate street. This was the last time I saw him. On Saturday morning he left. 1 called at Dr. Parkman's house and found the family in distress.— After this, I took steps to find out wlier^ hr. Park- man was. I offered a reward of two thousand dollars for his recovery, and sflOOO for the recovery of the remains. I gave general instructions for the conduct of the search during the following week. The first time I heard of the discovery of the remains was on the evening they were found. My impression was— [Counsel for the defence here asked if witfiess had any grounds for the impression that the remains found were those of Dr. Parkman, and objected to any opinionative evidence being offered. After a consultation for a few minutes, the Court was of opinion that a question to elicit the ground of a fact was admissible, but no greater lat- itude could be allowed. .Some debate ensued—the Attor- ney General holding the opinion that a general impres- pression was admissible evidence, when it influenced the party to form a confirmed opinion, without the power of detailing the grounds on which it was based. The Court admitted this argument.] Exa7ninati.on resumed.—I observed some appearances about the remains wliich induced me to believe they were the remains of Dr. Parkman. He had showed me his leg, in my house, on Thursday morning, and I could recognise it the same in form and comijlexion; but I could not iden- tify that so well as I could the hair on the breast.— Form, size and height, all corresponded with parts of Doctor Parkman's body. I saw the false teeth there ; and I knew Doctor Parkman had used such teeth.— I took charge of the remains for entombment as being those of Dr. Parkman. I had a connection with Dr. Webster in a pecuniary character. He came to me about the 18th of April- Lit was objected to by the defence to go into the business transactions of Dr. Webster and witness, on the ground that they were not relevant to the case in question. It was contended on the other side that it was only intended to go into them so far as was necessary to show the relations of Dr. Webster and Dr. Parkman. The question was allow- ed.] Examination resum.ed.—Dr. Webster came and asked a private interview with me. He said he was embarrassed, and that the Sheriff would soon be in his house if he could not raise enough of money to pay off a debt that had been over-due a year or more. He propo,=ed to mortgage a Cabinet of Minerals. He wanteu S1200. I said I would let him have n\y note at three months for $600, as the story he told me about his family had afiected me. [The receipt for this note, dated 20th April, 1849, was here read, making a sale of the minerals in consideration of the sum of $1200] On the 6th of June he came and got $200 more, and subsequently, on the 6th of August, he got the balance, $400. I now come to the time when Dr. Parkman came to know this thing. Subsequently to the above transaction, I was walking with Dr. Parkman, when we met Dr.Webster, (I cannot tell the date.) I said to Dr. Parkman, what salary does Dr. Webster get at the College? [Objected to, and this line of examination discontinued. Objection was iftterwards withdrawn.] Dr. Parkman told me that his salary was $1200 besides his fees at the Medical College. On telling Dr. Parkman that Dr. Webster had sold me the minerals, he replied that they were not his to sell, and took me to his house to show me the mortgage he had up- on them. Dr. Parkman then said he would see Dr. Web- ster, when I said, you had better not trouble yourself— Soon after, Dr. Parkman told me he had seen Dr. Web- ster, and talked to him [Evidence objected to as b'eing conversation.] [The mortgage Dr. Parkman had upon the minerals, amounting to $2400, dated 22d January, 1847, was here handed up and read, and included furniture, &c.] Examination resum.ed.—Dr. Webster wrote an explanato- ry letter to me, but not being able to see to read the letter, anddisliking to employ a third person to do so, I filed it. I heard afterwards that Dr. Webster proposed to give his mineralogical collection if he could raise a certain sum towards their conveyance. I was asked to subscribe, but declined, and concluded to subscribe $500 of the sum I had lent to Dr. Webster—that is to deduct it fiom the debt. A gentleman named Smith came and gave me the balance, siTOO, due me, when I gave him the catalogue and bill of sale, telling him to say to Dr. Webster to think no more about the matter, as I never should. I knew that Dr. Parkman never received liis debt out of the money raised from the minerals. He told me so when I talked with him in November. Dr. Parkman left a wile, son and daughter. His daughter had been an invalid for several years, and wa.r not expected to recover. He was always anxious to provide things suitable for her delicate condition. His habits were very punctual both at home and abroad. Cross Examined.—ThK punctuality referred to business transactions, appointments, and eveiwthing else. I would not have suspected the remains I saw to be those](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21083629_0013.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
