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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![him I was reminded of it by my daughter. I went to see Kev. Dr. Parknian on Friday moiiiiug again. I did not go to reiterate my statement. I presiume I may have told him tliat I was reminded of it by my daughter. Mart Khodes, called arid sworn. I am dau{<hter of the lady who has just testified. I knew Dr. George Parkmau bv sight, for nearly ten years. Saw him last on Friday, Nov. 23, opposite the store of Mr. Souther, apothecary.— My mother was with me. We had come from Mr. Hovey's, Winter street. There was a gentleman with Dr. Parkman. We bought a mus- lin delaine dress. I carried it home. Dr. Parkman pa^^sed nearer to me than to my mother. I moved my bundle so as not to hit him. I was out on Wednesday .^hopping. I went to Lexington on Saturday afternoon. Heard of Dr. Parkman's disappearance on Saturday. On Tuesday I mentioned meeting him, to mother and my brother. Did not mention it to any one betbre 1 came to Boston 1 have taken great pains to fix the day I saw Dr. Parkman. It was near dark, about H to 5 P. M. Cross Examined. I did not mention this meeting at Lexington. There was no discussion at the time. A gen- tleman where I was read the notice to the whole iamily. I did not hear any thing of murder. I though the disap- pearance occurred the same day tlie paper was published 1 don't recollect that mother mentioned about reward be- fore I told her she met Dr. Parkman on Friday. The gentleman with Dr. Parkman was a stout man—not so tall as he was. I did not take pains when I came into town to communicate this information. I do not recol- lect the streets we went through after leaving Hovey's store. 1 was at home all the week before the Doctor disappear- ed. I was out on Wednesday with my mother. I went through Green street from home. I was not in Green street with her on any other day, going home, except on Friday. I did not see Dr. Parkman anywhere in Green street on Wednesday. Used to see him very often, not daily. Sarah Greenough called and sworn. I reside in Cam- bridge. I was not personally acquainted with Dr. George Parkman. I saw him on the Friday, I believe, the week before Thanksgiving. It was in Cambridge street, be- tween South Kui-sell and Belknap streets. It was about 10 minutes before 3 P. M. I was passing up Cambridge Street, and looked at my watch and saw it was 10 minutes to 3. I then looked up and saw Dr. George Parkman, as I believe. Cross-examined.—Dr. Parkman was going towards the bridge, and I was coming up on the lei^ hand side of Cambridge street. I had no particular occasion to notice him. Probably I should not have thought of it un!e,>-s for the disappearance. 1 had no occasion to observe him after he passed. To tlie Court.—I can't say positively, but I believe that I saw him at the time I mention. Samdel B. Dean, called and sworn. 1 am clerk of C. F. Hovey & Co., Winter street. I am salesman, I sold 11 yards of muslin de laine on the 23d of Novetuber. There was no cash sale on that day amounting to the same sum paid for this article—$2,20 A memoratidum was made of it at the time. I do not recolitct whether the muslin de laine was puichased by a lady or not. [Mr. Soliier said that the defence had closed its evi- dence, but claimed the indulgence of the Court to look over their memoranda, to sej if any portion had been omitted.] At six minutes past 7 P. M. the Court adjourned to the next morning. TENTH DAY. Fridat, March 29, 1850. The Court came in rhis morning at the usual hour. A few ladi-were prfijiit in the room for the second time since the corrinif'ijcement of the trial. The prisoner look ed rernurkably well this morning. £. D. fjOHiER, E>q., junior counsel, rose and stated tothe Court, that the Defence rested its case on the evidence ai ready introduced. Mr. Clifford rose and stated that on the large mortgage there were still sums due and unpaid, which sums, how- ever, did not mature until 1851. i'lie f.'overnnient were prepared to show this, if the Defence should rely upon the ground that a portion had been paid. The folldwiiig rebutting te.stimony was then introduced on the part of the Goverumeii* : Joseph Sander'-on, called and sworn. I am one of the Police officers ot (ambridge. I should think that I have known Dr. W^•h^ter for about 4 >ears. 1 saw Proi. Web ster between fSundav and Thanksgiving, alter the disitp pearance of Dr. Parkman. 1 saw him get out of the The atre coach, in Harvard Square, in Old Canibiidge. in the vicinity of the colleges, where tlie omnibus slops. I shouldthink it was between 11 and 12 o'clock at night.— There was no one in company with him—none ot Ins lam ily—others got out. He passed me as he got out, and I turned round and followed him in the diiection ot his house. I do not recollect seeing him alter he passed Graduate Hall. The Hall, from ttie place where the om- nibus stops, is not more than 4 or 5 rods. I think I may have followed him 15 rods to take the sidewalk. I am a watchman and was round there. 1 met Mr John Bryant directly after Dr. Webster pa>sed. Mr. Bryant is a watch- man. I made an observation at the time that it was Dr. Webster, and then some conversation ensued between us. Dr. Webster might have touched me at the time he pass- ed. I am certain it was between Sunday and Ihaiiksgiv- ing. I mentioned it on Saturday after the arre~t. I am confident it waa after 11 o'clock from the direction I took after he went home. I took a course I never take un- til after 11 o'clock, unless something special calls me that way. I cannot tell whether it was nearer Monday than Thursday. Cross Examined. I mentioned this to Mr. Bryant on Saturday. I am a watchman. I did not go a difierent route from usual. I tix the hour in my mind from the dire.ction I went. I can't say that it was not Wednesday night. Quite a number got out of the «oach at the time. I can't say whether there were ladies in the coach. I re- collect the fact of Dr. Webster getting out of the coach alter the disappearance of Dr. Paiknian. It was not on Thanksgiving evening. That evening was very pleasant. It was hazy on the night to which I refer. I don't know it was not on Tuesday night. It was not on Saturday night. It must have been on Monday, Tuesday or Wed- nesday night. I walked some considerable di-tance in the direction of Dr. Webster's bouse. He was not in my sight any further than Graduate's Hall He w-alked very fast. I did not notice the person after he got by the up per end of Graduate Hall. I was stanaing ^vhenthe coach stopped about against the head ol the wheel-horses, on the sidewalk. 1 was looking in the diiection ot the people getting out of the coach. I did not speak to I'rcf. Webster. It was not a misty night at that time. It was cloudy—as light as stai-light. The moon was not out. The person passed me—I met him—he came towards me. and I turned and followed him. I spoke to no one until I spoke to Mr. Bryant. At the end of Graduate Hail there is not a street. Next to it there is a vacant lot— then Church street, and next the Church. The coach runs out every night when the theatre is opeti. Dr. Daniel Harwood, called and sworn. I am a Den- tist in this city. I have jiracticed her« ssnce 1829—all the time except from April 1841 to January 1847. I am a member of the Massuchusetts Medical Society. I have always been very busily occupied. 1 was one of the first who did anything extensively in the manufacture of min- eral teeth. Not the first perhaps. As a general answer a dentist would be as likely to recognise large cases as the sculptor would his own product, or the merchaiit would his own writing. I mean to be understood in general,— By large ca.^es I mean when teeih are connected upon a plate. A dentist would not recognize single teeth unless he depended upon comp<isition. About teeth in combi- nation theie are general characteristics I think that one dentist might recognize tlie work of anolher, I should not like to say positively that I could recognize Dr, Keep's . work, but I think I could generally. His nianufactuied teeth have no very disli) ct maiks. When I tee persons furnished with teeth fion) difierent dentists, I am in the habit of saying '-this is Dr. Keep's work. Dr. Tucker's, or Dr. Flagg's vv'oik. [The block of teeth fi'om the furnace was shown to the witnes--.] These are covered with foreign substances, and changed. Other dentists use the same material as I have the impres- sion. Dr. Flagu and Dr. Kelley of Newburjport. We all use the sanie material in j;eneral; quartz and feldspar, and other substances, as tiipe clay. Dr Keep's teeth ap- pear to have very little, if any, pipe clay. These teeth aj*- pear to have the same composition as Dr. Keep's teeth. I am pretty confident tba! it is Dr Keep's cctuposition,— This is Dr, Keep's style, pretty certainly. I have gained a knowledjie of his sr\ ie by seeing it in the mouths of pa- fients, and some at Dr. Keep's othce. The parts of Dr. Keep's teeth that represent teeth, are not separated down to the gums This is not general. [Some di.-cussion arose upon a point of law in ti.e introductiijn of the evidence. The Court decided that the ground taken by the Govern- ment was untenable, arid the form o! question yvas altered accordingly.] I think that Dr Keep could not be mista- ken iti his work, eftei having made the moulds and man- ufactured tlie te.elh. [The witness accidentally broke the teeth in handling theni, and so staled to the Court. The original surface was theiefore exjiosed ] I can't conceive that Dr Keep could be mistaken—about the ca.'-e to which the teeth belonged, unless they were duplicated. Cross Examined. If a block of teeth were shown in this state. I should say that a dentist would identify it as his work, because it has some peculiarities. I should say that he could identify it from the workmansiiip and the style of making, I could have identified the block it I had made it, I don't make blocks. Dr, Morton makes blocks. 1 have understood that others make blocks. The making of blocks is not a peculiarity ol Dr. Keep, I have loe.kej over all tI.e models I have, .-oine two bush- els, and I cannot find one in which so great an absoiption has taken place, as is shown in the niodel of Dr. Paik- man. All things taker, together, I think the maker of the block of teeth could i t be mistaken. Dr. Joshua Tucker, cal .ed and sworn. I am a practising](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21083629_0050.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
