The Parkman murder : trial of Prof. John W. Webster, for the murder of Dr. George Parkman, November 23, 1849 : before the Supreme Judicial Court, in the City of Boston with numerious accurate illustrations.

  • John White Webster
Date:
1850
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Parkman murder : trial of Prof. John W. Webster, for the murder of Dr. George Parkman, November 23, 1849 : before the Supreme Judicial Court, in the City of Boston with numerious accurate illustrations. 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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    ■which there was supposed to be blood. IThcse slippers were exhibited to the Jury.l I satisfied myself that the sj)ots on tliein were bliia^d. [Tlie pantaloons found on the premises were also exhib- ited to the Jury. These pantaloons are marked with the name of Dr. Webster. From microscopic e.xamination I w:is satisfied the spots on them were ca'isrrl hv M(ui. The blood did not appeal- to have Urii,)ini: 1. ,1 ■■••■,- sreat height, not so much as 3 feet. Tlis s;.oi,. a'o'cni the left leg, inside, near the bottom. Tlte sii;i|iers are spotted on the right side. My reason for believing the blood did not fall far is that it did not-trickle down. [At the request of the government, Dr. Wyman exhibited several bones found in the furnace, with their relative pot'itions illustrated by the diagram. There were some ol the bones to which no position could be assigned with certainty, in consequence of their minuteness. | From the appearance of the portions of one of the jaws, I made a diMgram showing the absence of some of the teeth. This was before I saw the model of Dr. Keep. The diagram made corresponds gener- ally with that model. The three grinder teeth on the right side in the jaw exhibited, had been gone so long that the parts which supported them had dis- appeared also. The bones indicated the throwing forward of the chin. The remaining fragments of bones, aside from the head, were two pieces of the vertebriB of the neck, some of the arms and hands, and portions of the right leg below the knee, the in- step and the toe; have no doubt of the identity of those belonging to the right leg. This portion of the right leg was the portion which was missing from the other portions of the remains found else- where. In all tlie fragments there were no dupli- cates. These bones all belong to mis.sing portions of the body. I examined the bones of the teeth with reference to the e.Tect of heat upon them. The dif- ference of fracture in such cases eas reference to circumstances. If while in the fire, the animal mat- ter adhered to them, the fracture would be more la the natiu-e of splintering than crumbling. Cross examined. From the experiment) irr.de, I should consider nitrate of copper efTectnr;' in re- moving stains of blood. Water would r: swer as well except where the blood is grni ■ u into the wood. I should suppose muriatic ;icid a better method. It is usually estimated by physiologists, that the quantity of blood in a hni;ian body is about one-flfth of the whole weight of the body. Gener- ally there are about twenty-five pounds, which is about the same number of pints. The only spots of blood found, were those I have mentioned on the pantaloons and slippers. The floor of the laborato- ry was taken up to see if any blood could be found, but without success. The floor was of brick. I ex- amined the thorax: saw a hole between the sixth and seventh ribs: my own impression is that it was not made by a knife. The cutting up of the body indicated knowledge sufficient to show where to separate the diflerent parts. If blood had fallen from a height of three feet, vertically, it would trick- le down, giving the mark that of an oblong figure. After twenty-four hours, blood usually assumes a darker tint, after which it does not change. I could not tell how long the spots might have been on the pantaloons. [A recess of a few minutes here took place.] In answer to Mr Sohier, Dr Wyman said that with the microscoije he could not distinguish the , blood of a human body from that of an o.x. I)r OLIVER W. nOLMES. I am a Professor fe the Medical College. I remember seeing I)r Park- man on the occasion of the opening of the Medical College. I remember his teeth at the time. They were very long and white. Dr Webster lectures four times a week in the college, on the subject of Chemistry. His room and laboratory form a por- tion distinct from all the rest of the establishment. I have never known Dr Webster to have subjects for dissection. Prof Webster's lectures are from 12 to 1: my own fiom 1 to 2. I saw ]iortions of the remains found at the college, at the time they were found; I examined theni, not as an expert. They exhibited marks of a knowledge of anatomy in the person who cut them up. I can confirm the general statement which has been made, that there was no botching of the business. I took notice of liiscolorations on the remains, which I at first might have supposed to be from heat, but which I was told was from the action of caustics; noticed the hair on the portions of the body. Knew Dr rarkman well; did not see any- thing in these remains which would lead one to be- lieve there were not those of Dr Parkman. In the; case of stabs, the outwan' effusion of blood would depend on circumstances. In a stab between the sixth and seventh ribs, there would not necessarily be much outward efl[usion of blood. My lecture commenced on the day on which Dr Parkman dis- appeared. My room is directly over that of Dr Webster. I never was disturbed in my room by noise from Dr Webster's. The rooms are high; they have been occtipied three years, in all which time, there have been regular chemical courses. Cross examined. In the case supposed, of stab- bing, if the knife went up it would strike into the heart; if down, death would not probably be in- staneous. If the knife went up, there would proba- bly be bleeding internally much, and externally some; more outwardly in this case, than if the knife went in any other direction. When 1 have been in the Demonstrator's room on the same floor with that of Dr V/ebster's room, I have heard ap- plause in the room of the latter. In the case of the hair, already mentioned, I cannot say that it was singed; I was ready to believe the appearance of ii; might have been caused by potash; I smelt no odor from the remains. By the Governinent. A mortal blow on the head might be given without any effusion if blood. WM. D. EATON called and sworn. I am a Po- lice officer, and had something to do with finding of the remains. I was present when the thorax was taken from the tea chest. I had been searching the building with IMr Fuller. After the body was turn- ed over, and taken out of the bhest, I discovered a small hole in the side, which I immediately spoke about. The hole appeared as though it might have been made by the knife found, and I made a remark to that effect to Mr Fuller. I put my finger on the wound; believe it was on the left side. I saw the wound as soon as I brushed the tan off. I did not put my finger in the woirad, as Mr Fuller said it had better not be touched until the Doctor saw it. There were some half dozen persons present at the time—Fuller, Heath, Butman, Spurr and Rice. I did not know there was any jhing particular in the box until it was turned over. I took out some of the minerals and supposed it was full of them. I turned away, leaving Mr Fnller to take out the rest, when it was turned over, and the discovery was made. I saw some one turn over the body before I took hold of it. At twenty minuses before 7 o'block, the Conn adjourned.