Report of the case of John W. Webster, indicted for the murder of George Parkman, before the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts : including the hearing on the petition for a writ of error, the prisoner's confessional statements and application for a commutation of sentence, and an appendix containing several interesting matters never before published / by George Bemis.
- Webster, John White, 1793-1850.
- Date:
- 1850
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Report of the case of John W. Webster, indicted for the murder of George Parkman, before the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts : including the hearing on the petition for a writ of error, the prisoner's confessional statements and application for a commutation of sentence, and an appendix containing several interesting matters never before published / by George Bemis. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)
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![part was right, repaired the spring, and spent a half an hour in doing what was necessary. This was my last professional intercourse with him. He called on me, however, the day before his disappearance, and stayed some fifteen minutes, in- quiring about a servant that had lived with me. I left the city, the Wednesday following, (November 28th,) and went into the country, to Longmeadow, to spend Thanks- giving, and returned the Monday after. I had heard of the Doctor's disappearance before I left. On my return, Dr. Wins- low Lewis, Jr., presented to me these three portions of mineral- teeth, [referring again to the blocks taken from the furnace,] saying, that he was requested to bring them to me for examina- tion. On looking at them, I recognized them to be the same teeth that I had made for Dr. Parkman. The most perfect portion that remained, was that block, that belonged to the left lower jaw. [Holding it in his hand.] I recognized the shape and the outline, as being identical with the impression left on my mind, of those that I had labored on so long. [Here, the witness was strongly agitated.] Several of the other portions had been very much injured by fire. I pro- ceeded to look for the models, by which these teeth were made. On comparing the most perfect block with the model, the resemblance was so striking, that I could no longer have any doubt that they were his. [Here, the witness was so overcome by his feelings, as to be unable, for a moment, to proceed. The prisoner exhibited no signs of emotion.] There was sufficient left of these blocks, to show where they belonged. This, in my right hand, [holding it up,] be- longs to the right upper jaw. This, to the left upper jaw; and this, to the front portion of the upper jaw. The three parts make up the whole of the upper set. The left lower block is nearly entire. The block attached to it, I take to be the right lower block, from exclusion. This last, certainly does not belong elsewhere ; and, as we have found places for the others, I infer that this must belong in the place not supplied. There is a piece not identified, which may, or may not be, the small front block, (of two or three teeth,) of the lower jaw. I identify and assign places for five pieces, and there is one other piece not identified. These would, together, make the six pieces of the set. I find the platinum pins re- main attached to the teeth. [The witness here exhibited to the jury, and afterwards to the Court, the blocks of teeth in connection with the plaster- model or cast: calling attention, particularly, to the coincidence between the left lower block, and the model. He also pointed](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21163194_0110.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
