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362 TRIAL OF JOHN W. WEBSTER.
him. The purport of my note was simply to ask the conference. I did
not tell him in it what I could do, or what I had to say about the pay-
ment. I wished to gain, for those few days, a release from his solicita-
tions, to which I was liable every day on occasions and in a manner very
disagreeable and alarming to me, and also to avert, for so long a time at
least, the fulfillment of recent threats of severe measures. I did not
expect to be able to pay him when Friday should arrive. My purpose
was, if he should accede to the proposed interview, to state to him my
embarrassments and utter inability to pay him at present, to apologize
for those things in my conduct which had offended him, to throw myself
upon his mercy, to beg for further time and indulgence for the sake of
my family, if not for my own, and to make as good promises to him as
I could have any hope of keeping.
I did not hear from him on that day, nor the next (Wednesday); but
I found that on Thursday he had been abroad in pursuit of me, though
without finding me. I feared that he had forgotten the appointment, or
else did not mean to wait for it. I feared he would come in upon me at
my lecture hour, or while I was preparing my experiments for it. There-
fore I called at his house on that morning (Friday), between eight and
nine, to remind him of my wish to see him at the College at half-past
one,-my lecture closing at one. I did not stop to talk with him then; for
I expected the conversation would be a long one, and I had my lecture
to prepare for. It was necessary for me to save my time, and also to
keep my mind free from other exciting matters. Dr. Parkman agreed
to call on me, as I proposed.
He came, accordingly, between half-past one and two. He came in
at the lecture-room door. I was engaged in removing some glasses from
my lecture-room table into the room in the rear, called the upper labora-
tory. He came rapidly down the steps and followed me into the labora-
tory. He immediately addressed me with great energy: "Are you ready
for me, sir? Have you got the money?" I replied, "No, Dr. Parkman;"
and was then beginning to state my condition, and make my appeal to
him. He would not listen to me, but interrupted me with much vehem=
ence. He called me "scoundrel" and "liar," and went on heaping upon
me the most bitter taunts and opprobrious epithets. While he was
talking, he drew a handful of papers from his pocket, and took from
among them my two notes, and also an old letter from Dr. Hosack,
written many years ago, and congratulating him (Dr. P.) on his success
in getting me appointed professor of chemistry. "You see," he said, "I
got you into your office, and now I will get you out of it." He put back
into his pocket all the papers, except the letter and the notes. I cannot
tell how long the torrent of threats and invectives continued, and I can
now recall to memory but a small portion of what he said. At first I
kept interposing, trying to pacify him, so that I might obtain the object
for which I had sought the interview. But I could not stop him, and
sodh my own temper was up. I forgot everything. I felt nothing but
the sting of his words. I was excited to the highest degree of passion;
and while he was speaking and gesticulating in the violent and menacing
manner, thrusting the letter and his fist into my face, in my fury I
seized whatever thing was handiest,-it was a stick of wood,-and dealt
him an instaneous blow with all the force that passion could give it. I
did not know, nor think, nor care where I should hit him, nor how hard,
nor what the effect would be. It was on the side of his head, and there
was nothing to break the force of the blow. He fell instantly upon
the pavement. There was no second blow. He did not move. I stooped
down over him, and he seemed to be lifeless. Blood flowed from his
mouth, and I got a sponge and wiped it away. I got some ammonia
and applied it to his nose; but without effect. Perhaps I spent ten
minutes in attempts to resuscitate him; but I found that he was abso-
lutely dead. In my horror and consternation I ran instinctively to the
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