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280 TRIAL OF JOHN W. WEBSTER.
for the reason that his mutilated remains have been found under the
prisoner's lock and key!
The matter of the blankets,-the new blankets and counterpanes found
in the laboratory,-is inexplicable to me. Why they should have been
put there, or carried there, I do not know, and you will judge. I make
no suggestion respecting them.
Now what was his conduct, and what was his whereabout, through
that week?
In the first place, he was locked into his laboratory at unusual times
during a week of official leisure. Has he shown, or attempted to show,
that he was engaged in anything which required his presence there?
That he was so locked in does not depend on Littlefield's testimony
alone. Clapp, Rice, Starkweather, Fuller, Mrs. Littlefield, Mr. Samuel
Parkman Blake, Mr. Sawin (who had often gone there before), testify
to it.
The Cochituate water was running. No fires were wanted; and yet
it is in evidence that fires were kept up during that week, more intense
than were ever kept there before, and in places where no fire was ever
kept before.
Gentlemen when was he there, at the Medical College? I have
already stated to you and to the Court, that, upon a critical examination
of the testimony of his three daughters, there is a most significant and
,remarkable corroboration of the testimony of Littlefield. They do not
conflict in any particular. He was at the College on Friday afternoon.
What was he doing there? Where did he dine? I have already asked
that question and I repeat it again. It is worthy of your consideration.
On Saturday morning, you have no trace of him; from Saturday
morning at one o'clock, until Saturday in the afternoon at one o'clock.
Have you any assurance where he was during that interval? Is not
the argument just and fair, that he had come over in one of those flit-
tings„of his from Cambridge to the Medical College? No one else had
a key to the building, but himself and Dr. Leigh; and there is no
pretence that Dr. Leigh was there. That door was left bolted at night,
and was found unbolted in the morning.
In the course of the forenoon of Saturday, when Littlefield went. in
to build his fire, and was about to go down the laboratory stairs, he
received for the first time in his life, the peremptory order,-" Mr.
Littlefield, go out the other way." He went out as he came in. On
Sunday he was at the College. Then he had those interviews, of which
I have spoken, and upon which I do not care to dwell. In his inter-
view with Mr. James H. Blake, his story was prepared; and you have
been asked, with great significance, " If he were a guilty man, why
should he communicate the fact of his interview with Dr. Parkman,-
for nobody would have known it if he had not?" If nobody was to
know it, why does he have the notes? How did he know but that they
had been exhibited to Dr. Francis Parkman on that very Friday morn-
ing? The reason for communicating his interview is inexplicable on
other grounds also. How could he know but that he would be remem-
bered on that morning by the servant? And what a fatal fact, if he
kept it to himself, if it should turn out afterwards that he was recog-
nized!
But suppose he had been perfectly sincere, and had wanted simply
to communicate with this family the fact of the interview; then I submit
to you, considering the relations between him and the Rev. Dr. Park-
man that he would not, at least, have slept that night without sending
a note to relieve the agonizing suspense of that family. But lie waits
till Sunday, and is then dissuaded from going into town in the morr_-
ing, in order to go to church at the College chapel.
He had an early dinner on Sunday, that he might go over and commu-
nicate with Rev. Dr. Parkman. But he does not visit him till he had
spent some time at the College. He does not reach Dr. Parkman's house
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