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

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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$s«3 •wrote my name on l\'is slale, and fhen went to the college. I found Mr Treiihobu there; he told me he had been down. The marshal came in ten or fifteen minutes with Dr Bigelow, Mr Clapp came before them. I did not hear Mr Clapp's testimony. This hole was against the north wall; the height of the hole was about three feet below the plastering, and about as much abqve the ground. It was about «ighteen inches by twelve. On the other side of the wall the ground was a foot lower. From the privy floor to the earth it was about eight or nine feet. These remains were found a little one side from the privy hole, as though tkey had been thrown out. * [The shelving position was here shown to thejury by a diagram.] The tide flows in through cracked stones thrown about the walls on the outside. Since the straining ■of the walls of the vault by Dr Webster's coal, the water has flowed in for two years past. The Marshal, Mr Trenholm and myself went into the laboratory, and I think they discovered bones in the furnace. The Marshal went away, leaving Mr Trenholm to stay there until he returned. At about 11 o'clock, when Dr Webster came there, I heard the bell ring. I saw tlie officers and others at the door. Mr Spnrr said they had Dr Webster there, who was very faint. I opened the door, saw Dr Webster with one man each side of him. They all came in. Dr Webster said to me, they had taken fjim from his family without allowing him to bid them good night. They wished to go into the lec- ture room; I unlocked the door. He appeared much agitated, sweat bad, had not the use of his legs; I thought he was supported by the officers ^together. They all passed into the room, to the back private room, the door of which was locked. I told them It was locked, they must ask Dr Webster about it; I never had the key of it. Dr Webster said they took him away in such a hurry he had not a chance to take his keys. Some one proposed to force the ■door. Mr Starkweather or Mr Trenholm helped me to break the door open. Mr Tukey and myself had previously gone into the laboratoi-y by the door near the steps, which had been left open by Dr Webster when he put his things in. I did not know it was open until my wife told me. Tliis was the first time it had been left open for some days by Dr Webster. After I opened the door before spoken «f, I was asked about going into his small private room, and when similar replies by myself and Dr Webster had been made ss before, that also was broken open. They then asked about getting into the privy. Dr Webster said the key was hanging upon the nail. Mr Starkweather handed down a key, wliich however did not fit. I told Dr Webster that was not the kej'. After looking at it he said, that is the key of my wardrobe; but the key is up there somewhere. I hunted round, but could not find the key. Dr Webster said he did not know where it was. The door of the privy was then bro- ken open. On breaking open the small private room inquiries were made about a hatchet. I asked the Di where the hatchet was. He said, in the sink in the laboratory. I went down and found it. This hatchet was a shingle hatchet, and usually hung up by a ring. There was another hatchet found in the drawer of the small private room, wrapped up. When the olhcers were undoing it Dr Webster said that was a new hatchet never used. We passed down stairs from this and broke open the privy. When we got into the laboratory Dr Webster asked for water. I went up and got a tumbler, procured some water and handed it to him. He got the water up in his hand and made motions to drink like snappiiig at it,like a mad person; he did not drink it. An officer held it for him, and when he put the water in his mouth, he appeared as though he would choke. Some one asked where the furnace was, where the bones were fonnd. They asked this question of me, I uncovered it; took the minerals all off; put my hand in and took out a piece of bone of some length. Mr. Pratt was tliere, and anot'her person took out several bones. Then some one said, don't disturb them, I saw the District Attorney, Mr. Parker, and Gustavus Andrews present, Mr. Pratt, Mr. Trent- holm and myself went down and took the remains found, which were laid on a board, and tl^ey were then passed up. They were placed in the front cel- lar where the trap door v/as. The party all came in. Dr. Webster among them. I stood within five or six feet of him. 1 heard Mr. Parker nst: l>r. Oi^.v if they were the remains of aliuinan boiiy. He said they were. Dr. Webster appe.ired niutl) agita- ted, and svifeat very bad, and I saw tears run down his cheeks. The party then went off. Mr. Adams, Mr. Fuller, Mr. Rice and Trenholm were left ia charge of the building, I betieve. I think there were fonr. During that season I had received six tickets from Dr. Webster to sell for |his lectures, and sold tliree. IMr. Bemis for the government now submitted the slippers in Court to the witness.) These slip- pers belong to Dr. Webster; he had a pair just like them. I saw them when they were found. The saw in Court, I never saw until the Saturday after the arrest, on searching Dr. Webster's room. [The saw was submitted to the Jur^for inspec- tion, there being upon it some spots resembling blood.) Tlie knife shown to me I have seen before. Dr Webster showed it to me himself on the Monday before the disappearance of Dr Parkman. He said, see what a fine knife, I have. I noticed the deer on it. He said he got it to cut corks with, when I re- plied I should think it was just what yon want. He said it was. This knife was found in the tea chest with the thorax. The doctor's usual work- ing dress, about his dirty work, was a pair of cot- ton overalls and an old coat. Since the arrest I have seen those overalls. I saw him have them on the Monday or Tuesday, when the officers visit- ed the College. I cannot say how old they were. I always saw him have a pair on. I don't know that the doctor had any keys to the buiJding except to the dissecting room and the keys of his own apartments. A bunch of skeleton keys was found in the private room of Dr Webster on Saturday after bis arrest. I know that a diaper roller and two crash towels were found in the privy' vault of Dr Webster. On the towels were the mark W.—the roller I recognized as the only one of the kind we hatl in the College. I recollect wip- ing my hands on that towel on the Friday when I went for the blood at the Hospital. I wa-.hed some glasses and wiped my hands on it; it was then in the doctor's room. I do not know that the roller was marked; I had this roller washed for him sev- eral times—it was the only one in the building, which leadis me to remember it. (Some objections were here made to offering the slceleton keys which were found in Dr Webster's apartment. The government proposed to show that some of them >fi|^^ the locks of other apart meiits in tlie buildjirg besides those of Dr Web- ster's. These keys also, it was said, were tied with a piece of tii^ same twine which was found tied to the remains in the tea chest.] I was present when the towels were found; do not know whether it was on Saturday or Sunday. J have never known any parts of human subjects of any consequence to be used in Dr Webster's apart- ments. The most I have known him to use, was a piece of muscle; have got such pieces myself for him. I have heard in Prof. Webster's apartments the noise of exploding pistols by the galvanic bat- tery; also the explosion of bladders. The roller exhibited to me had no holes in it when I used to see it; I think it is the same found in the vault. The other towels 1 have also seea.$