Trial of Professor John W. Webster : for the murder of Dr. George Parkman in the Medical college, November 23, 1849. Supreme Judicial Court for Suffolk, March term. Present Chief Justice Shaw, Associate Judges Wilde, Metcalf and Dewey. Counsel for the Commonwealth - Hon. John H. Clifford, George Bemis. Counsel for the Defence - Hon. Pliny Merrick, E. D. Sohier / Stenographic report, carefully revised and corrected.

Webster, John White, 1793-1850

Date:: 1850

Credit: Trial of Professor John W. Webster : for the murder of Dr. George Parkman in the Medical college, November 23, 1849. Supreme Judicial Court for Suffolk, March term. Present Chief Justice Shaw, Associate Judges Wilde, Metcalf and Dewey. Counsel for the Commonwealth - Hon. John H. Clifford, George Bemis. Counsel for the Defence - Hon. Pliny Merrick, E. D. Sohier / Stenographic report, carefully revised and corrected. 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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$left my own house at 20 minutes before 1 o'- Foundry, known as Fuller's Foundry; my office clock on Friday; don't know whether anybody is at ihe corner of North Grove and Fruit sts] wrote down the statement made by me concern- knew Dr Parkman, have had many Imsiness ing the time I left Kiy house; Kingsley told me transactions with him; he has a claim on the that Dr. P. had not been seen since the day be- land occupied by my foundry; on Friday, the fore at 2 o'clock, and I came to the conclusion 23d of November, I stood at ihe Iront of the that I had seen him about that time on Friday the 23d, after this lact was told me by Kings- ley; my wife's name is Martha. Mrs. Martha Moore called. I reside corner of Vine and Bridge streets; knew Dr. Parkman hv sight; didn't see him on Friday the 23d of November, 1849; I sent my son George to goto school that day at ten minutes before 2 o'clock; he (my son) was on the sidewalk; I remember seeiBg a truck near the sidewalk; spoke to my son from the window which was open at the time; know it was ten minutes before 2 o'clock countmg room, waiting for a man by the name of Harris; Dr Parkman passed me as I stood there a tew minutes before two; I had inqmired of some person about, some time before Dr Parkman came up, what lime It was, and was then answered, 20 minutes of two o'clock':'; after the Doctor passed I again enquired what time it was, and was told that it was but a few minutes of two; the Doctor was passing towards the Medical College in North Grove st.; as the Docior passed me he saluted me. To ihe Court—Dt. Parkman was on the other be(^use I had just looked at the clock; my at- side of the street, and he came over where I tentien was called to this fact of sending my ^^^^ ^^^^^ ^ag ^^ sidewalk on the opposite son to school about one week from this time. gj^jg of the street. _ Cro5sexami«a<ion. My son attends the school; Cross-examined. The Doctor was walkinff It commences at 2 o'clock, P M; he is not hsu- fast when I saw him; think he was dressed m ally late at school; nor do I customarily remmd dark clothes; he wore a frock coat, him not to be late; I reniember that this was on Albert Fuller, called and sworn—1 carry oe Friday because I heard people talking about it; an iron Foundry in North Grove street—knew my sou George also told me within a day or Dr. Parkman—Have had business with him— two. or it may be a week, that he had seen Dr. he passed me on Friday the 23d, while I was Parkman on the Friday afternoon of his disap- standing at my counting room door—Grove St., pearance; this was stated to me by George in dont think he saw me—I thought at first he comrajon convers-'tion; no one else was present was coming in and so stepped back—Dr. Park- at the time; do not remember of any thing else man eame across the street, I last saw him which reminded me that this occurred on Fri- within forty or fifty f^*t of the Medical College day the 23d o( November. this was between the hours of half pst one and To Government. My eon George eame to the ?wo and the nearest two—Iwas weighing cast- court with me this morning, ings at the time and I remained in that place George L. Moore, called. I am 12 years ^'^ l^e afternoon; my position was directly op- of age; I liveat the corner of Vine and Bridge V^siX^ Fruit St., and if he had come out of the street; knew Dr. Parkman; saw him on Fri day, the 23d Noveml:>er, in Fruit street; I was standing near a truck in the street; he was passing down towards Grove street; [here the witness was shown a plan of the streets of and near Fruit sireet.] It was about ten minutes before 2 o'clock; remember the time, because my mother had jnst told me to go to school; an-other boy was with me at the time; his name College by that way during the afternoon. I should have seen him; there are tw© ways by which the Doctor might have left the College, My brother. Elias enquired the time olme that day about ihe period when the Doctor passed. 1 haard of his disappearance the next day af- terward*; I knew where Dr. Webster resided at that time; on the Tuesday after Dr. Park- man's disappearance, Prof. Webster came into my counting-room to sign a check; Mr. Lit- 18 U Wight Irouty, Sr.; we went to the Phillips tlefield came to my counting-room on Friday of school, in Piiickney street; it was Hbout a quar- the next week after the disappearance of Dr.P.. ter of a mile from my father's house; we got to to borrow seme tools to break through the wall school just before it \»as iarrfy, or late, on tliat he borrowed a hammer and chisel; the re- day. • - - . Cross examined—Dt. Parkman passed me on the same side of the street—I mentioned it to the other boy—saying there goes Dr. Park- man; told my mother of this the next day. Dwight Prouty, Jr., called and sworn—am 13 mains were found thdt evening; Littlefield borrowed the tools at the same time— think my brother Leonard had lent him some- thing previously; didn't goto the men; called to see wliat use Littlefield made of the tools | Mr Kinffsley eame to me that alternoon to in- years of age, saw'Dr. Parkman en Friday the qu're about Littlefield, and he went to the door 23d November, 1849, left my own house for o'^'he College; Prof Webster said, when he school that day at quarter before 2 o'clock I came to ray counting room, to fix the check,that met s<wne other boys near my house, I live at nothing had been heavd of Dr Parkman. 24 Bridge street, heard George Moore's mother '^''^ <^'o-''3 examination of the witness elicited tell him that it wanted ten minutes of 2 o'clock nothing of irnpoitance. —she was locking out oi the window—think Leonard Fuller caHerf.~I am brother of Dr. Parkman wore an over-coat on tfcat day— Elias and Albert Fuller; Littlefield borrowed we went right to school without stopping-after a drill about four feet in length on the day of the Moore's mother spoke to us the Dr. had pass- arrest of Professor Webster; he borrowed some ™ s a few moments before, and was going in other tools from the establishment; he was dirty the direction of Grove street. and perspiring at the time; he took a ehisel and Cross examination of this witness, declined, hammer from my brother and went to the col- Elias Fuller called.—I carry on an iron lege; I did not see him agaio hat ni^hl; I have$

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