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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![when I went in the morning to get water for breakfast I found the door fastened. I had occasion to use more than on« pail a day. I could get the same water in our cellar, but as Dr. Webster requested me to get water, I thought I would go where he wished. I don't know whether I went to the door for water on Sunday. On Monday morning Dr. Samuel Parkman came to my kitchen door and asked for Mr. Littlefield. I told him he was about the building somewhere. He then asked for Dr. Webster, and I told him I thought he was in. as I saw him pass up a few minutes before. I showed him the way, and 1 went to the door, though I did not know he could get in. But the door was open. and Dr. Samuel Parkman went up. I don't know as I told Dr. Parkman the reason why he could not get in. Shortly after, I went to the door to get water, and found it fastened. I never tried the other door, only the one from the cellar to Dr. Webster's laboratory. I think it was the same forenoon, though I am not so sure, that the express man brought a bundle of grape vines, a box, and a bag, and placed them on our cellar floor, which was never done before, in our apartments, as he always carried them to Dr. Webster's apartments himself.— At other times when Dr. Webster was out, the Express man would get in by means of a key hung up about the doors. This time the articles were left in our apartments. I don't know where the key was that morning. I don't recollect anything in particular, though I tried the doors a number of times, though the next Thursday the doors were locked. I then asked Mr. Littlefield to put the grape Tines into the laboratory—he said he could not, as the doors were all locked up, and he went to the door, shook it, and said, you see I cannot get in. The grape vines and the box were there, whether the bag was or not, I can't say. The grape vines were in my way, and the children were getting them all over the room.s. On Wednesday, I savr Mr. Littlefield listening and try- ing to look through the key-hole. When he saw me, I told him to come(away,and I asked him-(answer arrested ) I did not see Mr. Littlefield in Dr. Webster's apartments the same day. I don't know that my husband built any fires in Dr. Webster's apartments during the week. I know that he goes to build fires, but I do not go with him, and cannot say the fires were built. I don't know any- thing about the regulation of lectures. I saw Dr. Webster pass through our entry on Monday,when Dr. Sam'l Park- man called; on Wednesday also, when he came as early as eight o'clock, I saw him pa.ss through our entry. He turned to the door which passed up the frout entry, not to the laboratory door. I observed nothing more than his passing through. I don't knew how long Dr. Samuel Parkman remained. I saw Dr. Webster come to the Col- lege on Friday morning; can't say at what hour. It was a rather late breakfast, as Mr. Littlefield had been out the night before; and did not get up; I tried to call Mr. Lit- tlefield up earlier. Dr. W. came into our kitchen, took up a paper, and said, Mr. Littlefield, have you heard any- thing of Dr. Parkman? My husband replied, '-No, I have not, which is as near as I can recollect. Doctor said tliai a woman saw a large bundle put into a cab, the number of the cab had been taken ; that tliey had gone to see the cab, and it was all covered with blood.— On Thursday I knew of Mr. LittJefleld going to dig through the wall. I know that he went to borrow tools. I saw an axe which Mrs Harlow brought herself. Mr. Littlefield replied a great many stories are flying about and you don't know what to believe, and then he said that Dr. Webster knew a great deal more about it than he pretended, but this was said after Dr. Webster went out. I knew Mr. Littlefield commenced digging un- der the laboratory on Thursday. I saw him go down. I should think that he was digging about an hour. About 3 P. M. on Friday, he said he would commence digging again ; but I had to watch both days for Dr. VV eb- ster. About 3 o'clock the doors were all locked, and Mr. Littlefield went down to dig again. After half or tiiiee- quarters of an hour, I thought I saw Dr. Webster out of the window where I was watching. If Dr. Webster came 1 was not to let him in until I struck four times witl; a hammer which I had. When I thought it was D.. Webster I struck four times, and Mr. Littlefield came .-i'. It was Mr. Starkweather. While Mr. Littlefield w;is out talking. Dr. Web.^ler came to the College, went to the door of the laboratory and unbolted it. I heard him unbolt it and take in the grape vines, and then he went away, leaving the door unlocked as he had usually done before the disappearance of Dr. Parkman. I saw the door standing a little ways ajar. Tlieu Mr. Lit- tlefield came in and went to digging again. Dr. Webster went right out—was not in tlie building but a few mo- ments. I saw Doctor Webster pass through the en try, but I could not tell which door he went out. While the Dr. was in, Mr. Littlefield was out talking with the Police oflicers. Mr. Littlefield had not been more than 10 minutes under the building before he came up. He seemed to be very much afi'ected, more than I ever saw him before in my life. * [Questions were put to the witness as to the appearance of Mr. Littlefled, his conversation, &c., at the time he came from under the building. Tliis series of questions wai objected to by the Defence, and the question was ar- gued, the government contending that the testimony to be elicited had a most important bearing upon the oas^ especially upon the possible line of defence that might be set up, going to show that appearances were assumed^ The questions were allowed as to appearance.] Wlien he came up he appeared very much affected, and burst out a crying, and said [ You must not state the conversation, interrupted Mr. Clifford. I can't say any thing else, then, replied the witness.] Mr. Little- field locked the doors and went away. Mr. Trenholm, the police ofiicer, came in five or ten ■ lutes after Mr. Littlefield went. He asked for Mr. Lat- ■iield, and I told him he was gone to Dr. Bjgelow. I unlocked the cellar door with the key of another door, and Mr. Trenholm went down. • He was not gone more than five minutes I stould think. He came up and said there was no mistake— (Answer ar- rested). Mr. Trenholm remained at the College until M*. Littlefield and Mr. Clapp returned. No one else went down while Mr. Littlefield was gone. I was then about the house. After the oflicers came I went into my own apartments, not wishing to hear or know anything more about the matter. I never saw any bed clothes brought there by the Express-man. Cross-examined—It was after dark when I went after the water. The boy, my own child, is four years of age, the little girl about eight—the little girl is not mine. Some- times the little boy sets up late—sometimes he goes to bed early; that night we were in so much confusion that perhaps he did not go to bed before twelve o'clock. I don't know whether the bag was tan or not, or wheth- er I ever saw any tan in the laboratory or not. When Dr. Webster carried these articles in I don't know how long he remained. I did not see him take the articles in; they were there when he went in, but were gone after he left. We had a turkey on Thanksgiving day, and Mr. Little- fleM said Prof. Webster gave it to him. When he men- tioned about the turkey I corrected Mr. Littlefield as to the date; this was before the Coroner's Jury was held. I didn't know what he stated before the Coroner's Jury. John Maxweli, called and sworn. I live in Fruit Street Place. I know Mr. Littlefield. I knew Dr. George Park- man. He lived in Walnut street. I recollect Mr. Little- field getting me to take a note to Dr. Parkman the week before he disappeared. It was about 12 o'clock. I did carry tlie note to Dr. Parkman's house. It was the fore part of the week. I delivered the note into Dr. Parkman's own hands. John Hathaway called and sworn. I have charge of the medicines at the Massaciiusetts General Hospital. Mr. Littlefied applied to me for blood the Thursday previous to Thanksgiving Day, and I am impressed that it was the day before Dr. Parkman's disappearance. I attended all the Chemical lectures. Cross Examined. I fix the day, as there was only one more chemical lecture that week. The Court gave some instructions to the jury, and then adjourned to Monday morning at 9 o'clock. SIXTH DAT. Monday, March 25th, 1850. The prisoner was in the dock this morning a few min- utes before 9 o'clock. His appeaiance indicated that the recess from Saturday down to this morning, had been at- tended with beneficial effects, so far as he was concerned. His countenance was less haggard, and his manner was calm and collected. During the arduous sittings of Fri- day and Saturday, the prisoner appeared to sufler quite as much from the confinement of the room and the close at- tention which he was obliged to pay to the testimony, as from any other cau.se. He was also quite bhsy in takmg notes of Littlefield's evidei^ce. It is utterly impossible to draw any conclu.sion as to his guilt or innocence from his manner, and it seems somewhat unwise to us for individ- uals to attempt to do so. Miss Sarah Bubsell, called and sworn. I know Mr. and Mrs. Littlefield. I am niece of Mrs. Littlefield. I recol- lect making a visit to them last fall. I came on the 19th of November, and went home the 23d. My home is at Medford. While there I recollect of hearing of Dr. Park- man's disappearance. Heard of it Friday. I mean to say 1 heard of it on Friday in the afternoon. I heard them talking about it on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. I went to the door on Friday between 4 and 5 o'clock to let a gentleman in; the front door. I have since ascer- tained his name was Mr. Pettee. I did not know his name at the time. I did not let him in at tlie front door. As I was sitting in the kitchen, and Mr. Littlefield was lying down, and Mrs. Littlefield was gone out, I went to the front door. When I got there the key was not in the front door, and I did not know where to find it. The door was locked. I looked through the side-lights and saw a gentleman, who asked fur Mr. Littlefield. The door was at the top of the steps. I told him that Mr. Littlefield had laid down,but if he would o;o round to the other door I would call Mr. Littlefield. He went down to the other door. I](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21083629_0029.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
