Bemis Report of the Webster Trial, 1850 [1897], Image No: 107   Enlarge and print image (50K)           << PREVIOUS  NEXT >>
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Bemis Report of the Webster Trial, 1850 [1897], Image No: 107   Enlarge and print image (50K)           << PREVIOUS  NEXT >>
TRIAL OH JOHN W. WEBSTER. 109 1 was all the morning at my brother's house; returned after dinner. None of us went to church, that day. It being now ten minutes to seven o'clock, P. M., the Court adjourned to to-morrow morning. SEVENTH DAY.-Tuesday, March 26th. The Court came in, at nine o'clock; and the jury, having been called, and answered to their names, the trial proceeded. Ralph Smith, sworn,-examined by Mr. Bemis. 1 reside in this city; am engaged in mercantile business. My place of busineiis is in Exchange street. Professor Webster was owing me a small amount, last fall. I wrote him, to the effect, that I wished to have the account closed; and received the following letter. [Produced,-admitted to be in the prisoner's hand- writing.] Cambridge, Oct. 15th, 1849. R. Smith, Esq, Dear Sir, -I will call, and pay your bill, on receiving the fees from our medical students, the first of November; until when, l will ask your indulgence. Respectfully yours, J. W. WEBSTER. No cross-examination. Samuel B. Fuller, sworn,-examined by Mr. Bemis. I am a police- officer; have been such, for nine years. I hive seen Professor Webster, but have no acquaintance with him. I saw him on Sunday, November 25th, after the disappearance of Dr. Parkman. I went to East Cambridge, to the Registry of Deeds, on that day, to see if the mortgage was cancelled; and I was told, that I could ascer- tain better, by going to the house of Dr. Webster. I took a Mr. Thomp- son, a clerk, I believe, in the Register's office, in a chaise, with me, and went to Dr. Webster's house. We arrived there about dark, and found him at home. He invited us in, and Mr. Thompson informed him what was the object of our visit. I did not hear all that they said; but Dr. Webster went to an account-book, and turned over the leaves two or three times, and appeared to tremble badly, He then left the room. Ile was gone some two or three minutes, and then returned, sat down in a chair, and said, "It is strange, that I can't find -those papers." He got up, and went to a trunk which was under a table in the front room, and then went back to the account-book on the centre-table. He then had some conversation with the clerk, Mr. Thompson; but what it was, I do not know. He then sat down in a chair, again, and said, "My ticket-man told me, that Dr. Parkman came to him, and demanded what money he had in his possession, for the tickets which he had sold. My ticket-man refused to let him have the money; and thereupon Dr. Parkman told him, that I was a d-d rascal, and a scoun- drel." Says Dr. Webster, "i thought hard of it, at the time; but I don't care about it now, as I have settled with Dr. Parkman, and it is all over." He had some further conversation ,with the clerk who went with me, and told him that the mortgage was on personal property, and not