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
Catalogue details

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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    on the crash towels. The diaper roller, I had known for two or three years. It was the only one of that kind, that Dr. Webster ever had. I wiped my hands on it, that Friday, when I went up and told Dr. Webster, that I could not get any blood at the Hospital. I had washed some glasses for Dr. Webster, and I wiped my hands on it, as it laid upon the table. I do not recollect, whether the roller was marked, or not. He had never had any other there. I had washed it a good many times, myself, and had got others to wash it for him. I was present when the towels were found. My impression is, that it was on Saturday. They were found in the privy-vault, near the remains ; but how near, I cannot tell. [A bunch of skeleton-keys, found in Dr. Webster's private drawers, were here produced, and exhibited to the witness. But objection being made to their connec- tion with the case, they were withdrawn for the present, and the witness not interrogated as to them.] I have known no parts of human subjects, of any conse- quence, to be used in Dr. Webster's apartments. I have got a small piece of human muscle for him, as large as a finger, for the purpose of experiment. I never knew him to be en- gaged in anatomical experiments. I have heard noises in his room, when firing off pistols by the galvanic battery, or exploding bladders filled with gas. I have been in his room, when these experiments were per- formed, and have always helped him perform them. [The towels, found in the vault, were here exhibited to the witness, and the diaper roller identified. They were badly stained, and filled with holes; but, as admitted by the prosecution, the stains only afforded indications of acid, and not of blood.] The cross-examination of the witness was about to be commenced, when, at six and a half o'clock, P. M., the Court adjourned, till Saturday morning. FIFTH DAY.— Saturday, March 23d. The Court came in this morning, shortly after nine o'clock. The jury were called, and the proceedings commenced. Ephraim Littlefield, cross-examined by Mr. Sohier. On Monday, the 19th of November, when the interview took