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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![mispiTig. If he had not been missing I suppose I would not have taken it for his body. It was by tlie hair on the breast that J was able to identify the remains to be those of Dr. Parkraan. Direct Examination. I took the mortgage presented in Court from Dr. Parkman's house, I think a day or two before the Grand Jury met. I had it from Mrs. Park- man, but I do not recollect the exact date of my having received it. The proceedings of the first day here closed, and the Court adjourned, at 7 o'clock, to meet again at 9 o'clock next morning. SECOND DAY. Wednesday, March 20,1850. The Coust did not open till 20 minutes to 10 o'clock this morning, the jury having been engaged up to that time in inspecting the localities of the Medical College, agreeably to the instructions received at the adjournment of the case yesterday. Francis Tuket, City Marshal, was the first witness call- ed, who stated that he commenced making the search for Dr. Parkman on Saturday forenoon. Messrs. Shaw and Blake called upon him, and by their instructions he di- rected the police of the West JBnd to search for him. I also advised them to advertise in the newspapers, and commissioned the reporter for the Journal., who happened to be in my otHce at the time, to carry this into effect. [The Court was of opinion that it was unnecessary to go further into the tact of Dr. Parkman's disappearance.] Every diligence was used to discover Dr. Parkman by messengers, handbills, circulars, and offering rev^ards. 28 thousand bills had been circulated calling for informa- tion respecting him. When the remains were found at the College we ceased searching. I was in my oflice v.'ith Mr. Blake and Mr. Kingsley, when Dr. Henry Bigelow made the communication to me respecting the find- ing of the remains at the College. I immediately went to Mr. Shaw on receiving this information.— Subsequently went with Dr. Bigelow to the College. I saw officer Clapp wiien I went there along with Little- field. We then went into the cellar. Littlefield, Tren- holm. Clapp and I went down together into the trap, and Dr. Bigelow went with us. The trap-door is on a level with JMr. Littlefield's apartments. After-getting through the trap-door, we passed a distance of about sixty feet over an uneven surface, to a corner; in this corner there was a cross wall, in which there was a hole about eighteen inches square. The mortar and bricks lay around as if freshly broken from the wall. [A map with wooden models ef the localities at the Col lege, was here handed up and explained to the Bench by the counsel for the prosecution, and then to the Ju3-y.] Witness here described on the models the route they took in the vault. When they got to the hole, he held the lamp round, and saw several pieces of flesh. The w^ater from a sink was running and spattering about. I desired Trenholm and Littlefield to pass out what they could find. After getting a board to stand upon, three pieces of a hu- man body were found. I asked Dr. Bigelow, as a matter of form, if these pieces were parts of a dissected body, and he said No. I asked Littlefield it there was any entrance to the vault except through the.privy hole and the aperture in the wall below, in which we stood. His reply was No. We brought the remains out, and placed them on the same floor with the laboratory. While we were in the vault we heard some person walking over- head. Littlefield said that Dr. Webster was in his room. I then w^ent into another room, where I remained till the men went into tlie laboratory and lecture room. I then went up stairs—having been told by the men that they had found something. I went into the laboratory. I stopped at the furnace, and saw some person there, I think it was Clapp, with charred bones in his hand, and also another person with some more. I ordered them not to be touched till the Commissioner from the Court took them iu charge. I then sent for Prof. Webster, and in the mean time, went back to the house of Robert G. Shaw. [Mr. Tukey here produced a box containing the calcin- ed bones which were found. A knife with a silver han- dle, and something supposed to be teeth, found there, were also produced. The knife was about tvsrelve inches long.] Cross examined.—I myself wrote the first part of the bill for the recoverv of Dr. Parkman. It was sub.sequeufc- ly altered vi hei; submitted to the family I should not think the privy hole was above 18 inclies wide. At the breacli in the wall below, the size was the same, and im- mediately in a perpendicular line with the hole above, frorQ wViicli a line would drop within 18 inches of its in- ward surface. One part of the remains lay near the wall, and the others separated a little from it. They were not exactly below tlie hole above the privy, and I cannot say how far off tl;ey might be I am not aware of the rela- tive posilions of the'riifTerent parts. The grounn ro^e to the wall, and the remains Jay on the side of the plane formed by the rise of the ground. It was the north wall of the privy. Direct Examination. I cannot say whether the tide ebb- ed ana flowed where the remains were found. I did not go in.side to examine the wall. I cannot say whether it was rough or smooth. Calvin G. Moore was the next called. Resided at 24 Bridge street, where I resided the 2.3d day of November last. I am not a tenant. I saw Dr. Parkman in I'aul Holland's store, at the corner of Vine and Blossom streets. I went there between 1 and 2 o'clock to purchase some- thing, and while I was there he came in. I think it was about ten minutes to two. Dr. Parkman enquired of Mr. Holland about some su- gar. He asked for something to put it in, and Mr. Hol- land pointed to a bucket., I had some talk with him about the weather, and he said he could not find fault with it, for it was remarkable for the season. That is all I recollect that passed. I think he was about 25 minutes there, when he went out by Blossom street. He made some remark to Mr. Holland as he went out, but I did not overhear it. I did not notice the direction he went. Qross-examined. My house is near Holland's store. I went into the store to make purchases I did make pur- chases then and paid for them. I bought nothing but some hutter off the same piece the Doctor had. The transaction was in part delayed through Dr. Parkman's coming into the store. I dined about half-past 12 that day. I think I must have left for the store about tvi enty minutes past one. I did not write down this statement of the interview. I first told Mr. Kingsley of it. On the afternoon of Saturday, Mr. Kingsley called to see me about five o'clock. It was after Mr. Kingsley left me I came to this conclusion as to the time. I do not remem- ber whether or not I said that I had or had not seen Dr. Parkman that day, before I spoke to Mr. Kingsley on the subject. Martha MooEE, wife of the last witness, was called. She stated that she knew Dr. Parkman by sight. She did not see him on the Friday he was missing. I have a recollec- tion of sending my son George to school 10 minutes be- fore two. He w-as at the corner of Fruit and Bridge streets, on the sidewalk. I opened the window and spoke to him. I knew it was 10 minuces to two, from having just looked at the clock. Mj^ attention was first called to the fact of the time of having sen<^ George to school about a week afterwards. Cross-examined.—My son attends Phillips School. It was George called my attention to the fact of my having told him the time on the Friday. This conversation took place about three days or a week afterwards. I don't know to whom I first stated this. I dont recollect any- thing else. George N. Mooee was sworn. I am 12 years old. I knew Dr. Parkman. Saw himi last on Friday the 23d day of November. Heard Saturday for the first time he was missing. On Friday I saw him. I was standing looking round me in Fruit st. He was crossing towards Grove st. [The witness, was here asked to examine a map of the city, and requested to point out on which corner of Fruit street he resided. During the conversation which took place the questions and replies were perfectly inaudible, but the examination of the witness appeared perfectly satisfactory. Mr. Sohier then laid the map before the Bench and explained the po.sition.] Examination Continved.—About 10 minutes before 2, 1 met Dr. Parkman. My mother told me, having called me, I had better go to school. A schoolmate was with me; Dwight Prouty was his name. There goes Dr. Parkman, said I. We went to school—Phillips School —got there just before it was tardy, (laughter) about 2 o'clock. Cross-Examined.—Didn't see the Dr. since Friday. Saw him a great many times before. He passed close to me; didn't say much about it. Next day I told my mother that I had seen him; this was in the afternoon. In reply to tlie Court. I heard the next day that Dr. Parkman was missing. Dwight Prodtt, Jr. examined. I am 13 years old ; go to school with George Moore. Saw Dr. Parkman on'Fri- day, 23d November. I knew it was near two o'clock, for I go to school regularly at two. It was a quarter to two when I left the house. A short time after I met George Moore, I saw the Dr. near (irove street. Moore said there goes Dr. Parkman, which called my at- tention to him. I saw saw him many times before. I be- lieve he had an overcoat on him on the day in question. He passed right by me on the same side of the street.— George's mother said that it was near two. She was look- ing out of her window. We then went immediately to school. The Dr. passed before Mrs. Moore spoke to us. Cross-examined. It was at the corner of Fruit and Bridge streets, just as you go round the corner. Elias FtJLLER. Carries on an iron foundry near the Med- ical College. My counting-room is at the corner of North Grove street, and next tlie corner of Fruit street, on the west side of Groxe street. My counting-room is about 75 feet from tlie College. I knew Dr. Parkman well. I had business transactions witli him. He had a cla m on the land where my foundry is sitna ed. I saw him last between half past one and two on 2Sd Kovember, in front of my countiijg-room, where I was waiting for Joseph Annis, with whom I had made an appointrnent for two o'clock. A few minutes before two o'clock 1 saw the Doctor. I](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21083629_0014.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
