New York Globe report of the Webster Case, 1850,
Image No: 30
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New York Globe report of the Webster Case, 1850,
Image No: 30
   Enlarge and print image (87K)           << PREVIOUS  NEXT >>
29 not drink; he tried to bring it to his mouth, but when he raised it, he began to snap at it like a mad dog; one of the officers told me to let him have the water; I gave it to him; the offi- cer took it and gave him some to drink, but it appeared to choke him very badly; we went to the furnace, uncovered it and took out some of the minerals; Mr. Andrews was thereat the time, and I think Mr. Parker also; Coroner Pratt said, " Let everything be;" after that we went down to the privy, and brought up the remains, and put them on a board; Professor W. was also brought in, and the rest who were about came in; I heard somebody ask Dr. Gay if those were parts of a human body; he replied that he thought they were; Professor W. was very much agitated, and perspired a great deal; 1 thought I saw tears running down his chtieks at the time; Officer Spurr or Baker was left in charge of the Medical College after Professor W. went away ; have seen the slippers, now exhibited, at the College ; there was blood on one of the slippers when I saw them last; never saw the saw now exhibited before the Saturday after the discovery of the remains; I have seen the knife exhibited, before; Doctor Webster showed it to me himself, the Monday before the disappearance of Dr. Parkman; ,this was a bowie knife which was found ; Dr. W. said, when he showed me the knife, " Littlefield, see what a fine knife I have got.' I looked at it, and he said, `° I got it to cut corks with." I answered, °' Well, I should think it was just what you wan." The professor used to wear a pair of blue cotton overalls and an old coat, to work in; have not seen those overalls since his arrest; the last time I saw them was when he had them on at the time the officers called to search the house on Monday or Tuesday; the Professor used to have a key to the dissecting-room, 4nd those to his own apartment; didn't know whether he had any others ; there was a bunch of skeleton keys found in the back private room. There was some objection raised by the defense against the introduction of this bunch of keys in evidence. I know that some towels were found in the privy vault; one diaper-roller and two crash tow- els were found; there were marks on the towels; knew the roller, but didn't remember having seen the others before; don't know whether the roller was marked; never knew any parts of a human body of any consequence, to be used by Professor Webster. He has sometimes asked me to get him small pieces of flesh to try experiments upon; have seen him explode bladders of gas in his lecture room, and these make considerable noise ; have heard noise in his lecture room when he was experimenting with this gas or with the galvanic battery. Here the discolored and torn towels found on the remains were exhibited, and the prosecuting officer remarked that the spots were caused by acid, and not blood, as had been supposed. At this period, the Government rested the examination of Littlefield, and the defense com- menced their cross-examination ; when his Honor, Chief Justice Shaw, adjourned the Court until the next day, at 9 o'clock, A. M. . FIFTH DAY. CROSS-EXAMINATION OF MR. LITTLEFIELD. At the opening of the Court on Saturday, Ephraim Littlefield was called to the stand, and his cross- examination was taken up by Mr. Sobier, on the part of the defense. Mr. Sohier. You stated, Mr. Littlefield in your direct examination on yesterday that on Monday, the 19th November, you saw r. Parkman with Dr. W. at his rooms in the college; I want to know about what time? A. I can't tell the hour-it was dark, and they had lights. Q. In which room did you see them? A. In the laboratory-I mean in the back one. Q. In what position did you see Dr. W. ? A. He was standing by the stove. Q. You saw Dr. P. come in? A. I did. I can't say if he saw me. Q Did you hear anything pass between them ? A. I did; when Dr. Parkman came in, I heard him say to Dr. W., '° Dn. ebster, are you ready for me to-night l" °° No," said Dr. Webster. He then put his hands in his pockets for some paper, which he took out, and accused Dr. W. of selling something which he said he had sold before. Q, Well, what else? A. Dr. P. then raised his band. Q. You say that Dr. P. raised his hand-when did he do so, and how 2 A. When he went out; he was near the door at the time ; he stood at the door and made a motion with his hand; he then turned round and said to Dr. W., °° something must be done to-morrow." Q. Was he excited? A. Yes.. Q. How long did you remain tere that evening ? A. I remained there about an hour: Q. You say it was on Friday, the 23d, that you took up the broom to sweep the ashes from the stove ; now from what place did you take the broom ? A. I took it from behind the door. It was sometimes left behind the door, and sometimes in the lecture-room. Q. Did you not have a particular place for it? A. No, it was left everywhere. (Laughter.) Q. You say you saw a sledge in one of the rooms there. A. Yes, it was a sledge that was left there last summer, by some workmen that were working for Dr. Webster. Q. Was it a sledge such as people use for any particular kind of business ? A. It was such a kind of one as is used for breaking ap stones. Q. On what particular kind of work was it used or brought 'there ? A. It was used by workmen who were engaged in building up a flue at the time for Dr. Webster, pr in opening a flue for the Doctor, last summer. Q. How long, after the building of the flue, was it when you first saw the sledge 1 A. I can't say; it