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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![Dbrary after I rang the bell. I supposed tliat she was I over to the jail lands, and from there to North Grove going to open the door, but she did rot; she enquired street, towards the ColleKe. I went near to the College. through the sidelights if I wished to see Mr. Littletield.— I told her I did, and she said it I should goto the east end under the shed, I should ttnd him. I did go and meet Mr. Littlefield at the door; enquired if he sent for E&e.— He was dressed as usual, but he came without shoes. He gaid that he did want to see me, and he said that he want- ed me to fill up a set of tickets for a student that was foing to leave in the morning. The student's name was '. R. Ridgeway. I filled up the tickets, and Mr. Little- field told me that he would give me the money for them on the next day when I called. 1 went out the same door that I came in. 1 filled the tickets in the little room back of Frof. Ware's lecture room, where I kept my trunk. I called at the College the next day, on Saturday, BOt far from 3 P. M. I cannot state the precise time I saw Mr Littlefield; he was sitting at a table in Frof. Ware's lecture room. [The government wished to question the witness as to the particulars of the interview, but this was objected to by the defence. A brief discussion ensued, when the matter was passed over. The object of the government was to sustain the evidence of Littlefield on some collat- eral point.] Examination tesumed.—My visit to Professor Webster on Friday was to pay him the money to get it out of my hands. I had asked Mr. Littlefield the night before to say to Professor Webster that I should call on him in the morning. I did not say anything about money. I don't know what Littlefield said to Professor Webster. When I had the interview with Dr. Parkman I can't say that he nsed any profane language. When I told him that I had paid over the funds to Dr. Webster he said the de'il you have, or something like that. His language was hard, harsh, but I do not know that it was coupled with aprofane expre.ision, when he sent the message to Dr. Webster about his being a dishonorable man. If he had used a very profane expression I should think 1 should have recollected it. When I talked to Dr. Webster I did not tell him what message Dr. Parkman sent. Cross Examined.—I have no means of knowing how many tickets Dr. Webster himself sold. I have no rec- ord of any others than those I myself sold. I presume that the bills paid out by the teller of the Kew England Bank were New England Bank bills. I had no other business with Dr. Webster on Friday morning, except in relation to the tickets. Dr. Parkman appeared to be harsh in his expressions—he appeared to be very much excited. I am not positive whether I told Prof Webster this language or not. I rather think not. Re-Eramined—I don't think that I communicated to Dr. Webster that Dr. Parkman said he was a d—d rascal or a d—d whelp. If I had carried this language from one gentleman to another, I think that I should have recollected it. John B. Dana, called and sworn. I know the defend- ant Dr. Webster—have known him for 20 years. He has kept a bank account at our bank. Did keep one in No- vember last. [The Government put into the case a bank book found at Professor Webster's house by Conbtable Clapp.] Dr. Webster deposited on November 10th, «275,- 90 in a check on the Freeman's Bank. November 15th, $150, in bills. November 24th, i90 in a check on the Free- man's Bank. On the 23d of November there was a bal- ance due Dr. Webster of $189jd6, this balance was struck upon the checks which had betu paid prior to the 23d ofNovember. On the Ist of November the balance to Professor Webster was S4,26. This aiBoantwas increased by the subsequt-ct deposits. On the Ist of December a check was drawri by Professor Webster for S93,75 which ■was paid to Mr. Vv'liife. The next check was for $6, on the 8d, the rie.it check the same day lor $10, tiie next eheck $19 oij ihe same day. At that time the Doctor's balance-was jf68,78 when a trustee procef8 was served. I think rhere were iwo or three checks presented after the trustee process was served. The balance was paid on the 21et on a check of Dr. Webster in favor of the party who truoleed, Mr. Kichardson, a coal dealer. Dr. Daniel Henchman, called and sworn. I am a drug- gfit in Cambridge street. I know Dr Webster. Dr. Webster asked me if I could give him bills for a check, on the 23d of November. It was for SIO. I did give him bills. I don't recollecT the number, but I gave him more than one bill. Dr. Webster gave me a check on the Cambridge Bank. [W^itness produced the check, dated SToT. 22.] It was somewhere near 10 o'clock ou Friday morning when Dr. Webster gave me the check. It might have been dated the day before. I sent out for collection ou Friday, the day of arrest. I have never re- ceived payment for the check. I will state that the note was presented ou Satarday, and they said Uiere were no fands. Cross-Examined. Dr. Holden took it out, and ^ays he presented the eheck. I do not know of my own knowl- edge that it was presented on Saturday, or that he was told there were no funds. James H. Blakb, called and sworn. I am nephew ot the late Dr. Parkman. I took part in the search which •was made for him after his disappearance. Sunday after- itoon about 3 o'clock, as near us 1 can recollect, I went I was talking with a police oflScer, and Dr. Webster came towards me from the direction of the College. He took me by the hand. I think that he had no overcoat on. It was rather an unpleasant day, cloudy,—had rained all the forenoon. He took me by the hand, and said that he saw, in the Transcript of the evening previous, that Dr. Parkman was missing. He said he came in on purpose to notify the family that he was the gentleman who went to Dr. Park- man's house on Friday morning, and made the arrange- ment to meet Dr. Parkman at the College on Friday noon. That was the first time the family knew who it wa«. He said that Dr. Parkman met him at the hour appointed. Dr. Webster said that he paid him the amount of a note, ■3483, or some such amount. I don't exactly lemember whether there were any cents mentioned. Webster said that he kept the note; that Dr. Parkman left, and said that he would go to East Cambridge and discharge the mortgage. Dr. Webster said, We all know Dr. Pai'k- mantobean honest man, and I trusted him with it. These were his very words. By u I suppose he referred to the cancelling of the mortgage. ^He then said that he should go up and see the Rev. Dr. Francis Parkman. Dr. Webster said that he went to the church in the morning, and he thought that he wouid wait until after dinner before he came into town. After the con versation he went into the College I came np North Grove street from the jail lands. There were half a dozen persons in company. I presumed that the Doctor came out of the College—he came from that direction at any rate. I did not see Dr. Webster afterwards. I did not stay about the College any considerable time. It must have been between 2J and 3 o'clock. It was not after 3 o'clock. The Doctor might have come up Grove street while I was standing there, and I might not have seen him. [Witness pointed out to the jury upon a plan of the grounds the spot upon which he stood.] We had not been there for more than two or three minutes when Dr. Web- ster came up. He might have seen us coming up North Grove street, or not until we stopped. Dr. Webster took me by the hand rather suddenly, and during the whole of the conversation he held me by the hand. I did not no- tice any thing peculiar. I never knew him to do it be- fore, but I have not had much communication with Dr. Webster. Dr. Webster did not say anything about the search lor Dr. Parkman. He was rather earnest in his manner. Dr. Webster said, I kept the note and 1 trust- ed him with it to go over to Lechmere Point and dia- charge the mortgage. Cross examined. Dr. Webster said he came in purpose- ly to inform the family of Dr. Parkman about the un- known man. He did not tell me how he came in. _ I commenced the search on Saturday afternoon, after din- ner. Rev. Dr. Fsancis Paekman called and sworn. lam a brother of the late Dr. Parkman. Have known Dr. Webster for a great many years. While a resident at the North End, I was his pastor for several years. After he removed to Cambridge, I knew him as all gentlemen did who were acquainted with the College. After he went to Cambridge I was called to certain pastoral offices there, and up to within a few months of my brother's disap- pearance. I was called to baptize the grandchild of Dr. Webster the last Thursday in September, I think—the child of his daughter acd son-in-law, who reside at Fayal. On the Sunday after the disappearance of my brother we were in great distress. None of us went to church that day. I passed it with my brothers family. About 4 o'clock in the afternoon, just as people were passing from church. Dr. Webster came to my house and was let into the parlor. On entering the room almo.st without customary salutations, he said, '•! come to tell you I saw your brother at lA o'clock on Friday, and paid him some money. It was tlien said by Mrs. Parkman or myself, I dou't recollect which, then you are the gentleman who called at George's house at 9^ on Friday morning, ■ud made the appointment. He answered that he was, and that he should have come and told us so before, but he had not seen the notice of his dii-appearance until Sat- urday evening, and he had waited until now, thinking the lamily at church. I then said, Dr. Webster, we are very glad to see you, as it is a relief to us to know who called at my brother's on Friday, as we feared that some one who meant him ill had called, and that he had been betrayed over to East Cambridge. Dr. Webster said, I was the man, and your brother came to the College at 1^ P M., and I paid him *483 and some odd cents. I asked hiui •* if he was certain about the hour, to which he answered. I am quite certain; I finished my lecture at 1 o'clock, and I waited 20 minutes or no for your brother. 1 asked him if he had a bundle of papers in his hand, as fonie per- sons who saw him at 1} o'clock, said Uiey saw him with papers in his hands. Dr. Webster sard that he had pa- pers, and lie took out one and dashed his pen through it. Dr. Webster meant to couvey the idea that the ac- tion wa,x violent. ^ Dr. Webster said that my brother said in relation to the mortgage, he would see to that—he would see to that.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21083629_0034.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
