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TRIAL OF JOHN W. WEBSTER. 281
till four o'clock in the afternoon; and then he makes a communication
the object of which seems to be to impress on Dr. Parkman's mind just
two things:-one, that he had paid money to his brother; which brother
he knew was never to appear; and which payment was to be his answer,
if the notes should be traced to his possession; -the other, that his
brother was in a strange condition, and that he rushed out in a man-
ner that indicated a disordered mind. This was the substance of all
that he had to say in that cold, business-like, unsympathizing interview
with the family of his own pastor and the pastor of his children.
Then, on Monday, that striking interview with Mr. Samuel P. Blake,
when he braced himself up to answer questions! His counsel complains
that we charge him with being too warm in his interview with one,
and too cool in his interview with the other. But both are consistent
with the theory I have advanced.
In the interview with Mr. James H. Blake, Dr. Webster stated substan-
tially that Dr. Parkman had the mortgage with him, although we find
that very mortgage in Dr. Parkman's house, as you have learned from
Mr. Shaw.
The prisoner had also an interview with Messrs. Fuller and Thomp-
son on Sunday night. Mr. Thompson did not observe as much as Mr.
Fuller did, and Mr. Fuller did not hear what Mr. Thompson heard. Mr.
Fuller witnessed the agitation of Dr. Webster; Mr. Thompson heard the
statement of his interview with Dr. Parkman. The testimony of the
two is to be taken together. But the statement, either that two persons
were present when he paid the money, or two persons the moment
before, one of whom, the janitor, had just left, was a pure fabrication
of Dr. Webster's.
On Tuesday he stated that he wanted no fires; his lecture would
not bear the heat. With the knowledge of this fact, can the counsel
turn round and say that the Government have not shown that it would
bear it? Dr. Webster could show by the students what the subject-
matter of his lecture was on that day; and the chemists here could tell
whether it would bear heat or not. This is for him, and not for the
Government to show.
Then Clapp's search! It amounts to nothing, except the leading
away from the privy and the opening of another door through which Dr.
Webster led them. Mr. Kingsley saw a fire in the assay-furnace on that
Tuesday. That fire was burning, and Dr. Webster was there, and the
tea-chest was there also,-the tan and the minerals in it,-on that day.
Then, Gentlemen, he gives that turkey to Mr. Littlefield! If this
was an attempt at conciliation, it was not an attempt of Littlefield's.
but of Dr. Webster's. And is it consistent with the fact that he enter-
tained such an aversion, as he says he did, towards this man?
If you believe Mr. Littlefield, on Wednesday Dr. Webster was at that
furnace. He was away from home, by the testimcay of his own daugh-
ters. He made up that fire in the morning, covered it up, and, locking
up everything fast, left it to burn and smoulder away in his absence.
Then, his other object, that of keeping up the alibi, was to be
attended to. He was at home at dinner on Tuesday; but he came into
town in the afternoon. For what purpose? So far as it appears,-to
give Mr. Littlefield this turkey! Nothing else!
On Thursday, Thanksgiving-day, he was at home after eleven o'clock
in the forenoon. So he was on Friday morning, at eight o'clock. At
nine o'clock on that morning, he was at Mr. Waterman's shop, ordering
the tin box. It is said by one of his daughters, that they were in the
habit of sending plants to Fayal. If that had been the purpose of this
box,-such a one as he had never needed before,-would it have required
the strong handle? If live plants were to be sent in it across the ocean,
would it have been soldered up tight, so as to exclude all air and
moisture?
More decisive than this, his daughter tells you that she does not
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