Bemis Report of the Webster Trial, 1850 [1897], Image No: 26   Enlarge and print image (70K)           << PREVIOUS  NEXT >>
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Bemis Report of the Webster Trial, 1850 [1897], Image No: 26   Enlarge and print image (70K)           << PREVIOUS  NEXT >>
TRIAL OF JOHN AV. WEBSTER. of the ribs put in so that the ends of the ribs had left marks upon it. This was the left thigh. A large knife fell out of the tan; I should call it a jack-knife. A string went round the body and leg, for the pur- pose, as it seemed, of lashing them together. These limbs were taken out and washed, and put with the others, and given into 'the charge of the officers. I saw the medical gentlemen examining them, Sunday. I was at the Medical College, Sunday afternoon, when a pair of slippers and pantaloons, with spots of blood on them, were found by officers Butman and Heath. Dr. C. T. Jackson was also present. Mr. Butman found the pants in a clothes'-press, at the head of the stairs leading to the laboratory. Dr. Jackson directed that they should be kept carefully, in order that Dr. Wyman might examine whether they had blood upon them; and they were wrapped up in paper, and, I think, Mr. Butman took charge of them. A large knife, with a silver sheath or handle, was also found by officer Heath, Sunday afternoon, when I was present. I was also there when a saw was found, with something on the handle looking like prints of blood; hand-saw, some twelve or fifteen inches long. I was present when the limbs were put together, by Dr. Lewis. I think it was on Monday morning. The general appearance? of the body was that of Dr. Parkman. He was tall, and very slim. I should say, about- five feet, ten and a half inches, high. He was straight, and small over the hips. He was light complexioned; his hair, sandy; his under jaw was prominent. I should not like to say positively, that the parts of the body which I saw were Dr. Parkma.n's. (Objection was here made to a question put by Mr. Bemis, whether the witness had ever known Dr. Parkman .to use profane language. On the statement being made, that it was proposed to connect the testi- m6ny with the witness's own actions, or to implicate the defendant in an untrue statement, as would hereafter be proved, the objection was waived.) I have heard Dr. Parkman use gevere language, but never, a profane word; and I have seen him under circumstances calculated to produce the greatest excitement. I remember hearing Professor Webster remind Mr. Littlefield that it was time, or nearly time, to ring the bell for lecture, when we were at the Medical College, on the Tuesday's examination before the arrest. Cross-examined by Mr. Sohier.-The morning after the arrest, I searched Professor Webster's house at Cambridge, in company with officers Clapp and Spurr, and officer Sanderson, of Cambridge. I made a second search, there, about the 12th of December. We had a search- warrant on the first occasion, but not on the second. Mr. Starkweather was with me the last time. Dr. Parkman would use plain language in talking with people, who, he thought, had dealt dishonestly with him. If a man had acted knav- ishly towards him, he wouldn't hesitate to tell him so; but I never heard him use a profane word. I never heard him use harsh language in asking for paymient of money, when treated with civility. I Mr. Clapp and the other officers took up some of the minerals and examined them out of curiosity. on the occasion of the Tuesday's visit to Dr. Webster's apartments. The minerals were all about the vicinity of the tea-chest; on the shelves and the boxes. I can't say whether any were taken from the chest itself. I think Dr. Webster spoke of ringing the bell for lecture, Tuesday, just as we were going out. I observed the fire in the furnace before looking at the minerals; also before going to the privy. I think that Dr. Webster stood, at the time I looked under the grate, by 'the bench near the window, and wag talking with Mr. Clapp. The door of the small back private room was open, when Mr. Clapp put his head in:-far enough open, for me to have seen the bottles on the shelves. Professor Webster let us into the lecture-room himself, when we knocked. Mr. Littlefield knocked. I don't know that there was anything peculiar about the knock. I don't remember the con-