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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![medical. The anatomical is up stairs. The private room is baek of Dr. Ware's lecture room. I then went down stairs to Dr. Webster's door to clean out his stoves; I tried the door under the laboratory stairs and found it bolted on the inside. I then went round to the other laboratory door on the same floor and tried that, and found that locked. This is the door which leads into the store room from the main entrance. I unlocked the door, lifted the latch and found it bolted. I heard some one walking. I thought. I heard the Cochituate water run- ning. I then went up stairs to the front entry, and tried the door that led into the lecture room. I put my key into the door to unlock it. I found it unlocked, but bolted on the inside. I went down stairs again, went into my kitchen, stopped a spell, and then went and laid down. About 4 P. M. there was a young lady at my house from Medford. She came to my bedroom and told me that there was a gentleman at the door, that wanted to see me. I got up and went out to see the gentleman; it was Mr. Pettee, messenger ot the New Englanu Bank, the col' lector for the College. A student by the name of Ridg way was going out of town the next morning early Mr. Pettee came there to fill out all the tickets for the course of lectures. He filled out all except for Dr. Web ster, which I had for myself. I had half a dozen, which the Professor gave me to sell, if anybody wanted to buy. He gave me the tickets and went away—six tickets, all except Prof Webster. I was to take the tickefs and get all the money from Mr. Ridgeway After Mr. Pettee went away—he might have been there 15 minutes, or longer—1 went to the laboratory stuirs and found the doors all last, the same that I did when I went to 'get in the first time. I don't recollect that I tried his doors again that af- ternoon until late in the evening. My object in trying his doors was to clear his furnace, to clear up his table, and wash his apparatus. In the evening, about 5^ o'clock, I was coming out of my kitchen. Ilieard some one coming down the back stairs that lead from the front entry down into my cel- lar. It was Dr. Webster. He had a candle-stiok in hi,- hand and a candle burning. He always used candies; 1 never knew him to use a lamp. He blew the candle out; placed the stick on the setiee, and went out of the east passage way, what I call my door. I did not see Dr. Webster again that night. I fixed myself and went out to a party, and got home about 10 P. M. I went to Mr. Grant's. When I came home I went to my kitchen, took oif my outside coat, took a lamp to go and fasten the building up. The first door I went to was Dr. Webster's laboratory stairs door. I found that fast. 1 then started to go into the dissecting room, that ex- tends on the Southwest part of the building. I went to put out the lights in the dissecting room, as the students dissected sometimes as late as 10 P. M. I s^w ne lights and no one there. I shut the door too, came out, and bolted the dissecting room door leading out. I founid the door from the store room bolted as before. I soon went to bed. I had never found the doors locked before—not at night—all the time I have been at the College On Saturday 1 had only one furnace fire to make. There were only two lectures from 9 to 11 A. M. 1 made the fire in the furnace that warms Dr. Ware's room. I then went to the dissecting room to make the fires there. I found the door unbolted. This was about 7 A. M.—it might have been earlier or later. No one had had access to the room. I thought that when I found the door of the dis- secting room unfastened that I had locked some student in the night before, and I thought no more of it at the time. No one had the key to the outside front door except Mr. Leigh, the librarian, that I know of; Mr. Leigh has been there two years. No one that I know of except Mr. Leigh, could gain access to the building after I had lock- ed it up at night. I tried to get into Dr Webster's back room on Saturday morning; did unlock his lecture room door and got in.— I went to a door leading from Dr. Webster's lecture room to his back private laboratory. I never had any key to that door; it was always locked during summer, and no one had access to it during winter. Soon after Dr. Webster came to the College. He came into my entrance, the east door. I think tliat he had a small bundle under his arm. He went up the same stairs that he came down the night before. I followed him up into his room, he unlocking the door. He then took his keys and unlocked the door leading from his lecture room to his private room. Alter he unlocked his door the first thing that he said to me was, Mr. Littlefield, make me up a fire in the stove. I made the fire in the stove. I ask- ed him if he wanted anything else done—he said he did not. I then started to go down the stairs that leads into the lab- oratory. He stopped me and told me to go the other way. I turned round and went out the same way I went in. I don't recollect of going to his back room or laboratory again that day. 1 saw Dr. Webster again that forenoon before 11 o'clock. 1 met him in the lower entry coming into the College, the same entry that he went out the night before. He had a bundle under his arm done up in a newspaper. I gave him $15 in gold half eagles for Mr. Ridgeway's ticket. Mr. Ridgeway paid me $83 for the course. I gav« the balance to Mr. Pettee. I don't know of anything else particular. Saturday is my sweeping day. Prof Web- ster came in through the east shed—what I call my door. I could not get into his door any more than I could on Friday, to do work. 1 did not sweep out his rqom often- er than once in five or six weeks. I tried the doors sever- al times during Saturday I heard some one walking in the lower laboratory. I can't say that I saw Dr. Webster again on Saturday. I heard walking and some moving in the lower laboratory, but I could not tell what was doing. I heard the water running all the time from hia sink. The water had not been in the habit of running constantly. I did not see Dr. Webster in the College all day Sun- day, hut the doors were fast all the time. About sunset Sunday night I was standing in North Grove street, abreast of Fruit street, talking with Mr. Calhoun. We were talking about Dr. Parkman—-how m) steriously he disappeared. 1 heard of it pretty late on Saturday af- ternoon. Mr. Kingsley told me of the disappearance of Dr. Park- man. While we were taking, 1 looked up Fruit street and saw Dr. Webster coming. 1 said to Mr. Calhoun, there comes one of our Professors now. As soon as Dr. Webster saw me, he came right up to me. The first words Dr. Webster said to me were Mr. Littlefield, did you see Dr. Parkman the latter part of last week ? I told him I had. He asked me at what time I saw him. I said last Friday, about 1^ P. M. He asked, where did you see him? 1 replied, about this spot. He asked which way he was going? I told him he was coming right towards the College. He asked where were you wlien you saw him? I told him I was standing in the front entry looking out of the front door. He had his cane in his hand, and struck it down upon the ground and said, that it was the very time I paid him $483 and some odd cents. I told him that I did not see Dr Park- man go into the lecture room or out of it. as I went and laid down on the settee in Dr. Ware's room. The lowest iioor is never opened except to throw out asiies or dirt. Ue said he counted the mone> down to Dr. Parkman on his lecture room table—said Dr. Parkman grabbed the money up without counting it, and ran up as fast as he could, two steps at a time, the steps upon which the seats are elevated in the lecture room. Said that Dr. Parkman said he would go immediately to Cambridge and discharge the mortgage. Dr. Webster made answer. I suppose he did, but I have not been over to the Register of Deeds otfice to see. The Doctor said this was the first I knew that Dr. Parkman was' missing. I read it in the Transcript. He said he came over to see about it, and that he was the unknown man that was to meet Dr. Parkman, alluded to in the notice in the Transcript. I understood him to say that he had been to see Dr. Francis Parkman. He then went away, saying nothing more. When Dr. Webster talks with me he holds his head up usually. When he was then talking he held his head down and appeared to be contused—a great deal agitated. I never saw him so before—that is, look in the way he did; my attention was attracted. I saw his face, and I thought he looked pale. [The counsel for the Government propo.«ed to ask the witness if from the unusual manner of Dr. Webster, he did not take occasion to speak of it. To this counsel for defence objected, and the question was passed over.] 1 noticed agitation in his manner; he looked pale. I cannot say which way he went; to the best of my recol- lection he went towards Cambridge street. Ue did not go to the College. On Monday I could not get into Dr. Webster's room to make up his tires; I tiied twice. The first I knew of his being in the College my wife told me. Dr. Samuel Parkman had been there, and had gone up to see Dr. Webster. I asked her how he got in, since the doors were all kept locked. She said she tried the laboratory stairs door and found it unlocked. I went right up by this door. 1 went into the back room and saw Dr. Samuel Parkman and Dr. Webster talking together. I can't say whether there was a tire or not in the stove. Dr. Webster was in the lecture room— Dr. Samuel Parkman near by, in the door. The parties were talking about Dr. George Parkman. I heard some conversation about some money-heard Dr. Webster say that Dr. George Parkman was very angry. I did not stop more than half a minute. I went down stairs and soon the front door bell rang. I did not see Dr. Samuel Parkman when he went. 1 went to the tront door and it was a gentleman who had specs on; he ask- ed for Dr. Webster. The gentleman I did not know, though I have since as- certained it was Mr. Parkman Blake. I told him Dr. Webster was in. He said he wanted to see him. I asked him his name, so that I could carry it to Dr. Webster. 1 took the key to unlock Dr. Web.-ter's door. I found it unlocked, but bolted on the inside- I told liini 1 could not get in that way, but 1 would go round the other way by the laboratory stairs. 1 went up stairs; I told Dr. Webster Mr. Blake wanted to see him. He did not answer at rirst—seemed hesitating- and finally said you may let him it. Dr. Webster was stand,](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21083629_0023.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
