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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![ever Bhice. I say the noise might have come from the dissecting room, as well as the laboratory. When Dr. Webster came down, about 5^, he must have seen me. He did not speak to me; he blew the light out. I went to a party that night, but before going I tried the doors af- ter Dr. Webster came down. I wanted to get in to clean up. I did not lock the dissecting room door, as it locks of itself There were no lights in the dissecting room, but a fire in the stove which enabled me to see. I tried Dr. Web- ster's doors three times that afternoon. After locking the dissecting room door, I tried all Dr. Webster's doors ex- cept his lecture room door. The doors have no slides. There is a door made with a slide in it which is fasten- ed on the inside. That door was not open when I tried to get in. I was at a ball on Thursday night. I remained until 12J o'clock; came home alone. I shall not answer the question if I have played cards in Dr. Webster's room. If you refer to this winter, I can say no. I used to do his work in the afternoon, I used to draw the water oflT after Dr. Webster left, at night, when It was cold enough, so as to keep the pipes free. My fam- ily used to use the water in the day time, at Dr. Webster's request. I put on another pipe to draw the water oiT, previous to Dr. Webster's arrest, and he forbade my do- ing it. I have changed my testimony in respect to the day when I got the turkey. I stated before the Coroner's Jury that Dr. Webster gave me an order tor the turkey on Wednesday, about 4 o'clock. I did not say before the Coroner's Jury that it was before or after I had made a search. I said the order was given afterwards, if I said anything about the search. [The Court interrupted the counsel, and reminded him that he was assuming something, and stated to the coun- sel the precise answer given by the witness.] To the Ck)un.—^The order for the turkey was given on Tuesday, by Webster. It was on Wednesday afternoon that I searched. Resumed.—This is the only respect in which I changed my testimony that I can recollect of I did not reduce my testimony to writing before I went before the Coro- ners' Inquest, but wrote it down after it, the heads of my evidence. I recollect writing that Dr. Webster came to his lecture room on Wednesday after I made the search, and went down stairs. I d.on't recollect any other transactions of Wednesday that I have altered—I may have or may have not. All along that week and after Dr. Webster's arrest I began to recall the facts to which I testified yesterday. a I thought over in my own mind from day to day, all the facts. I told my wife on Sundav night I was going to watch over every step he took. 1 told my wife this as soon as I had had my interview with Dr. Webster. I told my suspicions to my wife. I was hunting round in the neighborhood on Sunday, and looked into some hous- es. I never told anybody that I meant to get the reward. Never told Dr. Webster so, and I defy you to prove it.— [The Court again interposed as to the propriety of a question put by Counsel for the defence.] I did under- take to recollect the facts that excited my suspicion, but I did not write them down until after the Coroner's Jury was held. I was standing on the left side of Grove street, and Dr Webster left the platform and came riglit up and asked me the questions to which I testified yesterday. It was about sundown on Sunday evening. I can't say that I examined his face very particularly—he looked pale; he did not look at me when he struck his cane down on tlie ground. I undertake to say that I suspected that Dr. Webster had had something to do with the disappear- ance of Dr. Parkman. I did not know that Dr. Parkman had been in the College until Dr. Webster told me himself I suspected that Dr. Parkman had been murdered by some one. That is the very time that I paid him ig483 and some odd cents, were the words of Dr. Webster. He said he counted the money down to him on his lec- ture room table. He grabbed the money up and ran up two steps to a time as tast fast as he could ; that Dr. Park- man would go and discharge' the mortgage, but I have not been over to Cambridge to see. Inever knew that Dr. Parkman had disappeared until I read it in the Tran- script, and I am come over to see about it, as I am the anknown gentleman referred to. On Monday my wife told me that Dr. Samuel Parkman had called and was with Dr. Webster. She tcid me that Dr. Samuel Parkman had asked for me. I went right up to the laboratory where the two were. I don't know as I thought over any thing at that moment particularly of what had occurred previously. I was thinking over the matter all the time, on that Monday I suspected Dr. Parkman had met foul play at the hands of Dr. Webster. Dr. Parkman saw me, as he nodded. I did not tliink it proper to go through the lecture room, as it would have crowded both gentlemen out of their places; so I went down the laboratory .stairs. After Mr. Blake called and had had the interview with Dr. Webster, I went out of the lecture room door. It was about 12 o'clock that Mr. Kingsley called I knew that I could not get in at the lower doors for thev were locked, and Mr. Kingsley and Mr. Starkweather and I went into tlie lecture room door. I can't say whether the Dr. went before or behind us as we passed down through the room. I was watching Dr. Webster some; I saw how he appeared. I looked about some in the ro om; I think that I went into the back laboratory first, and the others followed me I can't say whether Dr. Webster went down stairs or not. I can't say whether I saw Dr. Webster again on this Monday ; I heard him in the rooms —whether in the morning or afternoon I can't say. On the same night, Monday, I went to a dance. I tried Dr. Webster's doors all the afternoon. I did not try them every moment, but at different times. My only object was to get in and do up his work. I always had work to do. On Tuesday I did not see Dr. Webster go into the building. About 9J or 10 A. M. I went into the lecture room, and found Dr. Webster there, busily pre- paring for his lecture. It was about 11 o'clock when the persons came there and made such examination as was made. Dr. Webster let them into the lecture room. [The witness detailed the particulars of the interview as te.stified to upon the direct examination ] ^'''M I thought that Dr. Webster lead them away froni the privy, and turned their attention to another quarter. I recollect that it was after I said that is the Dr.'s private privy that Dr. Webster attempted to withdraw the atten- tion of those present from the privy. I thought at the time that Dr. Webster wanted to get people away as soon as he could. The key of the dissecting vault was set up on end on the bricks, right at the corner of the vault; it was at the dark corner, where no one ever could see it. I saw Dr. Webster come into the College while I was in the passage. I went into the entry to watch him. I wanted to know what he was about. There are bells in my kitchen, with pulls from all of Dr. Webster's rooms. I can't say which bell was rung. It was about 4 o'clock when the conversation about the turkey took place. The days were short. It was not dark when I got home from Mr. Foster's. I got into a window; I never got in there betore, as I never had occasion to The window is below my coal cellar and Dr. Webster's coal-bin. It was made when the house was built. I might have said that I did not see the Doctor after the gentlemen left until 6 o'clock on the evening of that day, as I made a mistake about the turkey, the day when the order was given. I may have said so before the Coro- ner's jury. I would not swear it was after 6 P. M., that I saw the Doctor. I had got home with the turkey some time previously. The Doctor came down with the light, blew it out, and placed the candle-stick upon the settee. The conversation about going to the lodge, and Freema- sonry, was after I had received the turkey. I might have tried the doors after I got back from the lodge—I can't say. It was as late as 11 o'clock when I got back. I can't say whether I tried the doors, as I had no occasion to. I had no glasses to wash since the Friday previous. I guess there were not many glasses there after Friday, as Dr. Webster only delivered one lecture after that day. There were some after his arrest, which I emptied of water to prevent their freezing. I don't recollect of saying that I heard any one in Dr. Webster's laboratory at 1 o'clock on Wednesday. I don't think that i said any such a thing. I don't recollect that I heard anybody there. Before I went out with my wife at 9 o'clock on Wednesday. I went to peek at Dr. Web- ster's door. Dr. Webster told me on Tuesday night that he should not want any fires that week. Dr. Webster was a man who wanted pretty hot tires. That morning being cold as 1 thouglit, 1 thought it was strange that he should be in his room without any fires. I did not state before the Coroner's Jury that I heard any one before 4 o'clock Wednesday, in Dr. Webster's room. I don't re- collect of saying this. I did not watch any great time. I heard Dr. Webster stop when I was at work with my knife'j and this was why I thought he heard ma. This was before I heard the coal-hod. I heard him move it on the floor, and this was after 1 laid down on the bricks. I said that I saw him go to the lurnace. The cylinder did not lay upon the fur- nace, bur upon the sand bank. The heat of the wall I thoUf;;ii very strange, as I never knew any heat was there befori- I went into the room, but I did not unkiver the furnace I sail! that there did not appear to be much fire there. When 1 put my hand to the wall it was about half afoot higher than my head. The furnace is about 3 feet high, and the heat I felt was above my head. The flue runs up. When I got into the laboratory there did not appear to be much fire in the furnace. There had been no fires in the large furnace since Friday. I did not unkiver the furnace because Dr. Webster had told me never to touch articles except placed upon a particular table. The soap stone cover had mineral stones upon it—there were none of the stones in paper. I know the furnace was pretty hot—the bricks hot—but I can't sa\' that there was any fire in the furnace. I did not look at the ashes. The hogsheads were made for the manufacture of gas. Theyi had never been used. I took the broom from the corner of the coal-pen. I did not know but that Dr. Parkman might be in the hogs- head. I found two-thirds of the water gone; I did not think of finding anything in the furnace. I can't say what kind of a lock was on the privy ; I never saw it. I believe Mr. Clapp has it. I believe I had under my con- trol sixteen keys. I did not try to get into the privy that](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21083629_0027.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
