The twelve days' trial of Dr. John W. Webster for the murder of Dr. Parkman : comprising the addresses of the counsel engaged, the examination of the 121 witnesses, the prisoner's singular defence, and the chief justice's charge to the jury, and his sentence on the prisoner.
- John White Webster
- Date:
- 1850
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The twelve days' trial of Dr. John W. Webster for the murder of Dr. Parkman : comprising the addresses of the counsel engaged, the examination of the 121 witnesses, the prisoner's singular defence, and the chief justice's charge to the jury, and his sentence on the prisoner. 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.
43/104 page 39
![Webster if my brother actually went to Cambridge to cancel tlie mortgage. He replied that he did not know, but intended to go to Cambridge and see. He then went to the door, repeated his intention of going to Cambridge, and then left, I think I have a correct recollection of what Dr. Webster said and did—especially, as to the paper, and dashing a pen through it. I could not but observe that his manner was very earnest. He commenced by speaking in a business tone the moment lie entered. He expressed no surprise at the mysterious disappearance; and no sympathy in our grief. It seemed like a business visit. I have observed similar quickness of manner before. It is charac- teristic. But there was a certain flurry which I had not observed before; but I was not so much struck with that as the absence of any expression of sympathy. He remained from ten to twelve minutes. My impression is that Dr. Webster went towards Green Street when he left my house. Dr. Parkman's habits were remarkable as to punctuality. He was almost invariably at his regular meals, and seldom out of the city, though much about in it. His daughter had been a great invalid, and for her, he was perpetually anxious. At the time, his son was in Europe. I have never heard Dr. Parkman use language properly called profane. When he was moved, he would express himself strongly, but not v/ith profane words. Cross-examijied.—Fessenden and Oliver were the names of the persons who said they had seen my brother. Dr. Webster did not say what the paper was which he iiad dashed his pen through. SEVENTH DAY, Ralph Smith (44th witness).—My place of business is 20 Exchange Street. I have had dealings with Dr. Webster. He was owing me last year. I received this letter [shown by the witness] dated Oct. It), 1849. I wrote to him for payment, and this letter was in reply : Dear sir,—I will call and pay your bill when I receive the fees from the medical students ; until which I respectfully ask your indulgence. Respectfully yours, J. W. Webster. Samuel B. Fuller (45th witness).—I am en the police. I saw Dr. Webster on Sunday night, Nov. 25th, after the disappearance. I went to East Cambridge, to see if Dr. Parkman had discharged Dr. Webster's mortgage. I went with the registry clerk to Dr. Webster's house in Cambridge, just after dark. Dr. Webster came to the door. The clerk made known our business to Dr. W. He turned over an account- book two or three times, and then left the room. He trembled while turning over the leaves. He left the room and was absent some minutes, when he returned and sat down. He said it was strange that he could not find the papers. He then overhauled a trunk under the table, and then returned to the account-book, and turned over the leaves a number of times, and then had some conversation with the clerk. He said, My ticket man told me that Dr. Parkman came to him the other day, and demanded what money he had in his possession for tickets sold; but my ticket man refused to let him have the money ; when Dr. Parkman said to the ticket man that I was a damned rascal and a scoundrel. I thought hard of it at the time, but I don't care about it now, for I have settled with Dr. Parkman, and it is all over. He had some conversation with the clerk, and told him that the mortgage was on personal property, and not real estate. I remarked that we would go to the City clerk and see if Dr. Parkman had been there, and then we left the room. I engaged in the search on Tuesday, about half-past eleven, with Messrs. Clapp, Rice, and Kingsley. We went to the lower laboratory door, leading from Mr. Little- field's cellar, and found it fast, as well as that from the store-room. We then went to the front door of the lecture-room. Mr. Littlefield knocked twice, and, in the](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21083630_0043.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
