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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![«ept the Doctor-s privy, or the Doctor's private privy.— The Doctor stood back towards the furnace, talking with Mr. Olapp. I was uot talking with any one. Could not gay in what part of the room he was. Samuel Lane, Jr., called and sworn. I am iu the hard- ware business, at No. 9 Dock Square. I know Dr. VVeb- iter; have known him since 1836. I think I recollect the time of Dr. Parkman's ilisappearance After I had heard that Dr. Parkman was missing I saw Dr. Webster in my place of business. I do not recollect distinctly at what hour ol the day, but I should think that it was the after part of the day, from circumstatices that have been men- tioned since. I should think the day must have been Monday or Tuesday after Dr. Parkman disappeared. Dr. Webster came in and enquired for fish hooks. This is all I recollect. I recollect that I replied that we did not keep them. Stephen B. Kimball was clerk in the store at the time. I have been in Dock Square about a year and a half.— It was the store of R. C. Warren. I had seen Dr. Web- «ter there before. It made no distinct impression, a* I had done business with Dr. Webster before. Mr. Kim- ball was there. I have uot seen the Dr. often in Mr. Warren's store, though I have seen him frequently when «therwheres. Stephen B. Kimball called and sworn. I am clerk for Mr. Warren. I know Dr. Webster by sight. Monday or Tuesday he came mto the store and inquired for large size fish hooks. I recollect the day, as Mr Lane went away on Wednesday and was gone some time. Mr Lane was in the store at the time. It was late in the atter- Boon, but the light was good enough. James W. Edgbrly, called and sworn.—I am in business at No. 3 Union street—hardware business. Remember the time of Dr. Parkman's disappearance. A person came into the store on Tuesday afternoon about night and in- quired for the largest fish-hooks. I showed him the larg- est that I had, and he purchased six right away. [Wit- ness identified the hooks found in Prof. Webster's rooms.] There is a peculiar mark on them, and the hooks are of unusual size. I have had them on hand for several years. I think I have seen the person who bought them. I think it was Prof Webster. I did not then know him. I have seen him in jail and in court. He did not state any pur- pose lor which he bought them. WnuAM W. Mead called and sworn. I am in the hard- ware business iu Union street. I have seen Professor Webster only lately. A person came on Friday after Thanksgiving and enquired for fish-hooks. I asked what kind he wanted, tie said that he wished to have some to term a grapple with. I took down the largest, and he bought three. I put them together, and showed him how lie might form a grapple. The size was considerable smaller than the ones produced in Court. I think it may have been Prof. Webster, but I am not positive enough to swear to it. He was dressed in dark clothing. Can't say whether he had on glasses or not. I was called by olficer Spurr to go with Mr. Edgerly to the jail and see Prof. Webster. I went in and looked at Prof. Webster. I told the officer that he looked difierent in a different dress; he had on a kind of smoking cap. I said if he would change his dress I should be more positive. Dr. Webster changed his dress, put on his hat and coat, and we then looked at him. After we came out I was pretty confident that Prof. Webster was the man who bought the hooks. It was about | to 1 o'clock on Friday when Dr. Webster came in. Tbuman M. Tyler, called and sworn. I am a rope and lipe manufacturer; have been iu the business lor forty- five years. I am able to judge of the manufacture of dif- ferent descriptions of rope and twine. [Twine was pro- duced to the witness, which he identified as having seen before and marked. The twine was that found round the thigh of the remains. [Witness also examined the twine attached to the fish- hooks, and the ball of twine. The first he pronounced two-threaded marline.] I have not the least doubt that all the twine mentioned is one and the same tiling. The manufacture of such twine is unusual at the present day. It is made of good green Russia hemp. This hemp is used on shipboard. American hemp is generally used for such marline.— There is an irregularity in the manufacture, and this want of uniformity proves that it is intended for common use. Cross-examined.—I undertake to say that the twine is one and the same thing. I used to work generally fifty fathoms, and then ball up ten or twelve fathoms. My price for this twine would be 25 cents—for dew-rotted it would be 20 cents. I consider this twine carelessly manufactured. I judge of the small piece (from the thigh) by the stock and man- ufacture both. It is so laid up as to be very strong. Whether the piece from the thigh was trom the same ball as the twine of the hooks, I can't say. There is a slight difference in the manufacture of the two ends of a quantity of twine. This I should say is from the wheel end. Re-examined.—The^re: is considerable quantity of this kind manufactured for the use of ships, but little for store use. NATaiNiEL Watermah, called and sworn. I am in busi- ness at 83 and 85 Cornhill, doing plate work. I know Dr. Webster, have known him 10 or 12 years—perhaps longer. I saw him in my shop on the 30th of November, about 10 o'clock in the forenoon. The same day ot his arrest, seeing him talking with my foreman, and feeling anxious about the disappearance of Dr. Parkman, I went up to Dr. Webster and said—Ex- cuse me Dr, but 1 want to know how Dr. Parkman aj)- peared when you gave him the note. He said he took the papers in his hand, and darted ont in an unusual manner. If that is the case, said I, ■' he did not get fur from the College before he was mur- dered, as some one may have enticed him into one of his houses, and I believe that if he was ever found he would be found in one of his own houses, for I did not believe the story of his going over Cragie's bridge '' Dr. Webster said he did go to Cambridge. He said this energetically, as if he was sure of it. He then said •'Only think of it, Mr. Waterman, a mesmerising woman has told the number of the cab he went away or off in: and Mr. Fitz Henry Homer has found the cab, and blood has been fouiid on the lining. There was no further talk about Dr. Parkman. At this point the Court at 2 P. M. adjourned to SJ. AFTERNOON SITTING. The Court came in at 3^^ P. M. Nathaniel Waterman. Examination continued. The subject was a tin box, about which Dr. Webster had been talking before I came up to him. I told Dr. Webster if he was going to put in a large sized thing, put in the whole bigness, the sides must come up straight, without the edge turned in. If made that way. the cover would have togo on the outside, and it would be more trouble to solder it on. He said he was going to have small things, gay books, &c. He then spoke of having the handles made very strong. I told him he could have a piece of tin put on where the handles would go, and then the box would hold a hundred pounds. He was to have the handles on the cover, not on the sides. He said that he wanted it to solder it up himself, and he said you know I can do such things, Mr Waterman. I left him standing by my fore- man. There was to be only one handle, and that on the top. I did not hear him say when he wished to have it done. I have done business for him before. This is the account (produced by the witness) of different articles which Dr Webster has ordered from me since the year 1843. I had never made any such apparatus for Dr. Webster before, nor any thing precisely like that for any one else. The Doctor wanted the handle made very strong. I don't remember any other particulars. On Saturday morning it came down from the shop labelled. It has not since been called for. I don't know whether Dr. Webster was to call for it or not. The label has upon it To be called for, and charged. Cross Examination. My store is near the Cambridge Omnibus office. The box was made as though it was to be iilledwith small things. Introduced the conversation in regard to Dr. Parkman. I went up of my own accord. Charles P Lothrop, called and sworn. I work or Mr. Waterman. I remember the occasion of Dr. Webster calling for a tin box. He came on Friday, the 30th of November, about 10 o'clock, and wanted a square tin box. I showed him some, and he said they would not answer. He said he wanted one to pack things in. I asked him what he wanted it for, and he said fo books, &c. He gave me a piece of paper with the dimen- sions, 18 inches square and 13 inches deep. He said that he wanted it made out of thick tin. I told him that we generally made them of light tin, as that was all that was necessary to keep the air out. He want- ed it made strong, with the handle so that it would not slip out. He wanted to know if I could not make a grove in it. I told him the best way would be to have the edge turned in one half or three quarters of an inch on top.— About this time Mr. Waterman came along and made some apology or remark about interrupting him. How did Dr. Parkman appear when you paid him the money? asked Mr. Waterman. The Dr. replied, he took it in his hand. Mr. Watermaa said he did not believe that story of his going over to Cambridge. He took the money in his hand and dashed off; this was the expres- sion used by Dr. Webster. Mr. Waterman did not believe .that Dr. Parkman got beyond tne vicinity of his own tenements in Grove street. The Doctor replied, Oh, there is no doubt of it, he was seen going over the bridge. Dr. Webster stopped a min- ute, and then said, Oh, Mr. Waterman, a woman that was mesmerised, named the number of the cab which took Dr. Parkman off, and Mr. Homer had found the cab with spots of blood on it. I asked if it was Fitz Henry Ho- mer, and Dr. Webster said yes. After we got through I spoke to Mr. Waterman about the box. Mr. Waterman told him if he would send the box in after he got his things in, he would solder it up for him. No, Mr. Wa- terman, said the Doctor, I have got to send it out of town, and I have got soldering irons and will do it my- self. Mr. Waterman told him if he was going to solder it himself, to have a holder made to hold it down, as he could solder it a great deal easier. A flat piece of wood to](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21083629_0038.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
