|
104 TRIAL OF JOHN W. WEBSTER.
t
Mr. Bemis, (to the witness.)-State whether he ever made such an
inquiry.
Witness.-He did inquire of me, whether I had any of Dr. Webster's
funds in my hands; and, I stated to him, that I had none, at that time.
Mr. Merrick.-We, object to any further prosecution of this line of
inquiry.
Attorney General.-We wish for the whole of this conversation, with
the view of its being shown to have been afterwards communicated to
Dr. Webster.
Mr. Bemis.-And, with the further view, to show that it was there-
upon mis-quoted by him.
Mr. Merrick.-We do not object to proof of any conversation that
was communicated to the defendant.
Mr. Pettee resumes.-I told Dr. Parkman, at that time, that I had
paid over to Dr. Webster all the funds that I had in my hands, a few
days before. He made some few remarks, and left the bank. In the
course of some fifteen or ;twenty minutes, he returned, and received a
dividend belonging to his wife which I paid to him. As he was signing
a receipt, I ,inquired of him, if Dr. Webster owed him; and he said, "I
should think thaat you might judge so, from my manner." He said a
few words more, and then left.
A few days after this Dr. Parkman called on me, again; it wag on
the same day that I paid Dr. Webster, $195. The check for this amount,
is dated the 14th. He asked, as before, if I had any funds belonging to
Dr. Webster; and I told him, that I had not, as I had just paid them
over. I don't recollect, whether I told him the amount which I had
paid, or not. He said, that he thought he had given me a hint, to
retain the funds for him; or something of that sort. I told him, that I
had no control, whatever, over the professors' funds; that my duty was
merely to collect them, and pay them over. He said, that I should have
been doing justice to himself, and Dr. Webster, and all concerned, if I
had retained -the funds for him; and, that, now, he should be obliged to
distress Dr. Webster and his family.-I supposed, that he meant, that
he should be obliged to commence a suit. He seemed to blame me for
not retaining these funds. He then made some remark in relation to
Dr. Webster; that he was not an honorable, an honest, or an upright
man.-That was .the import of it. He repeated it; and added, "And do
you tell Professor Webster so, from me." I never saw Dr. Parkman
again, after this.
On the morning, of the 23d of November, I went to .the College, to pay
Professor Webster, the $90, which I had collected. I went about nine
o'clock. I inquired for Mr. Littlefield, and they told me, that I should
be likely to find him at the front door. I went, accordingly, and found
him standing in the front entry. I took a notice, from notice-box, (a
notice to the students, when I would be in attendance, to deliver the
tickets) which I wished to alter, so as to change the day of attendance,
from Thursday, to Saturday. I can't state whether the hour was men-
tioned. Mr. Littlefield gave me the keys to the Library, which I
unlocked and passed through to the private room, in the rear of Pro-
fessor Ware's lecture-room. I altered the notice, and returned; and
then passed down the stairs, through Mr. Littlefield's cellar, by the
laboratory-stairs, 'to Dr. Webster's laboratory. The door was not locked.
I passed up into the upper back private room, and found Dr. Webster in.
I excused myself, for coming in at that time in the morning. Dr.
Webster made some remark, and told me to walk in. I then stated to
him, the reason why I came. I told him that Dr. Parkman had called
on me several times and inquired, if I had any- funds of his, in my
possession; and as I did not wish to have any of his funds trusteed in
my hands, or any trouble with Dr. Parkman, I had come to pay them
over to him. Professor Webster said to me, "Dr. Parkman is a peculiar
sort of a man; rather nervous; and has been sometimes subject to an
|
