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-going to Salem, going to East Boston, going to different parts -of the
city, where he was reported to have been seen-followed up with
great diligence every one of these rumors that carne to their knowl-
edge, and they all turned out to be entirely unfounded.
It may be stated here, perhaps, with propriety, that doubtless others
may have honestly believed that they saw Dr. Parkman after that
period. But so far as it has come to the knowledge of the Govern-
ment, Gentlemen, no person has appeared 1to state that Dr: Parkman
was seen and conversed with from the time that we shall show that
he entered the Medical College, ten or fifteen minutes before two
o'clock on that Friday; and the inevitable and unavoidable inference
is that he is dead.
I ought to state to you that the evidence will show how thorough
the search was. The river was dredged. The yards, the outbuildings,
the dwelling-houses in the west part of the city, where Dr. Parkman
was known to have had a large property, were thoroughly and faith.
fully searched.
On Monday and- Tuesday, Gentlemen, there was a search at the
Medical College. The manner of it, the extent of it, the character
of it, particularly with reference to the rooms which were occupied
by this prisoner, Dr. Webster, will be a subject which will demand
your consideration hereafter. I merely state now that this search
at the Medical College was a mere formal one; no suspicion on the
part of the police then having attached to Dr. Webster; and such a
suspicion, of course, being very unlikely, unless upon some strong
ground, to be fastened upon him by any one.
Thus, Gentlemen, it will he made to appear to you that Dr. Park-
man was seen and traced, as I have already stated, and at the time
that I have stated; and that from that time to the present there has
been no person, so far as the Government is aware-no person who
can, so far as anybody is aware, correctly and truly state that he has
since been seen. Whatever may be the impressions, like those which
I have already suggested were entertained with the strongest belief
and idea, the Government are compelled to believe, that from that Fri-
day noon he has not been seen alive, independently of the evidence
which I shall now proceed to state.
On the 30th of November, the Friday after his disappearance, in
the vault of a privy connected with the defendant's laboratory at the
Medical College, were found parts answering to the description of Dr.
Parkman. They consisted of a pelvis, (the hip bones,) the right thigh,
(from the hip to the knee,) the left leg, (from the knee to the ankle;)
and with them were found certain towels with the initial of the
prisoner, and similar to those used by him in his laboratory. On
that day, Friday, and the next day, Saturday, were also found in the
furnace of Dr. Webster's laboratory, fused in with the slag and cin-
ders, as the evidence will show you, and which you will consider im-
portant in one view of this case - fused in indiscriminately with the
slag, the cinders, the residuum of the coal- a great number of bones,
and certain blocks of mineral teeth. Certain quantities of gold
which had melted were also found, and other substances, which will
be disclosed to you by the testimony.
On Saturday morning, or in the course of the day, certainly -I
do not mean before meridian - in the course of the day, Saturday, in
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