Bemis Report of the Webster Trial, 1850 [1897], Image No: 119   Enlarge and print image (63K)           << PREVIOUS  NEXT >>
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Bemis Report of the Webster Trial, 1850 [1897], Image No: 119   Enlarge and print image (63K)           << PREVIOUS  NEXT >>
TRIAL OF JOHN W. WEBSTER. 121 Dr. Webster pass by the window. I went out, and walked down to the toll-house with him. I asked him, if he could recognize that twenty- dollar bill:-a twenty-dollar bill that I had taken in the morning. I did not show the bill to him. (This twenty-dollar bill matter, was thus.-On the morning of the 30th of November, I was attending the toll-house, on the Cambridge side of the bridge. An Irishman came along, and offered me a twenty- dollar bill, to take his toll, of one cent, from. On his saying,. that he had nothing smaller, I changed the bill for him, and took it over to the Boston side, and showed it to Mr. Hadley, one of the other toll-men. He thought, that it was advisable to preserve it; and I carried it home, and substituted other money for it: afterwards Mr. Hadley showed it to the City Marshal. It was on the Freeman's Bank.) I felt interested about the bill, and when I saw the Doctor, in the afternoon, I asked him, If he could recognize that bill? he said, " he could not; that the money, he paid Dr. Parkman, he had received from the students; some, in large, and some, in small denominations." I had not heard, that an Irishman had said, that he had received such a bill, from Dr. Webster. We parted at the toll-house. I saw Dr. Parkman, on the Wednesday, or Thursday, before he dis- appeared. He came down to the toll-house, and asked me, If I had seen Dr. Webster, that morning? I told him, That I had not; and he turned, and went back to the city. It was between eleven, and one, o'clock. In fifteen or twenty minutes, Dr. Parkman came along, in a chaise, with the top turned down, and a white horse, and passed over the bridge. He had been down to the toll-house, twice within four or six days, to inquire for Dr. Webster. Cross-examined, by Mr. Sohier.-I mentioned this conversation with Dr. Webster, to Mr. Hadley, as soon as I got to the toll-house. I did not make any memorandum of it. Betsey Bent Coleman, sworn,-examined by Mr. Clifford. I reside in Cambridgeport; have known Dr. Webster, for a, number of years. I remember the day of his arrest, Friday. I saw him, that day, at my house, at about four o'clock, in the afternoon. He called, and the servant showed him in, without announcing his name. I knew him, however, as soon as I saw him. He said, that he had called respecting Dr. Parkman; and asked, What day I thought, that I had seen him? I told him, that I thought I saw him, on Thursday, before Thanksgiving, the day before his disappearance; that I was sitting at my window, in the afternoon, and saw him pass by, as I thought. Dr. Webster then said, "Was it not Friday, you saw him?" I said, " No. I was very busy, on Friday, down in the lower part of the house." He asked, How he was dressed? and I told him, that he was dressed in dark clothes, and had a, cane. I asked Dr. Webster, If he had heard anything from Dr. Parkman? He said, that a cloak or coat had been fished up, which was thought. to be his, which had spots of blood on it. There was a hat found, like- wise. I said, "Oh, dear! then I am afraid he is murdered." Then he says, "We are afraid, that he is." He said, that there was a twenty- dollar bill left at the toll-house, by an Irishman, that was thought to be suspicious. He asked me, twice or three times, in the course of the interview, If I was sure that it was on Thursday, that I saw him? I accompanied Dr. Webster to the door, and he repeated it again, and asked, " Wasn't it Friday, that you saw Dr. Parkman? " I told him, No; and this was the last that I saw of him. Samuel D. Parker, sworn, examined by Mr. Clifford. I was at home in my parlor, on Friday, the 30th of November, about eight o'clock in the evening, when some ten or fifteen gentlemen, came in,