Bemis Report of the Webster Trial, 1850 [1897], Image No: 70   Enlarge and print image (70K)           << PREVIOUS  NEXT >>
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Bemis Report of the Webster Trial, 1850 [1897], Image No: 70   Enlarge and print image (70K)           << PREVIOUS  NEXT >>
v 70 TRIAL. OF JOHN W. WEBSTER. of the building, to which I had access, myself. While we were talking, I saw Dr. Holmes, and beckoned to him to come down the steps, and told him of Mr. Kingsley's request. . The Doctor told Mr. Kingsley, that he didn't suppose that he wished to overhaul the anatomical subjects. Mr. Kingsley replied, that he did not; that they only wished to look round in the attics, to see if Dr. Parkman had not stowed himself away somewhere there. Dr. Holmes then told me to show them all round. Mr. Kingsley spoke of going to Dr. Webster's apartments, first. I went and found his door bolted, (the lecture-room door leading from the front entry,) and gave three or four raps. In a few minutes, Dr. Webster came and opened the door; just putting his head out. I told him that the officers had come to look for Dr. Parkman: and I don't know that- he made any answer at all. We passed into his lecture-room, and down through the back room, into his lower laboratory. Messrs. Kingsley and Starkweather looked round a little, and then went out, by the door leading into my cellar. I went out with them, and did not hear the Doctor say anything; do not know that he followed us down stairs, that day. I showed the parties all over the building; went up with them into the attic, and then they left the College. . I do not recollect whether the officers went into my apartments, that day or not, nor whether I got into his rooms, again, that day. Dr. Webster was there, however; and I think that I heard him in the after- noon. I hadn't done any work for him, since Friday. Tuesday morning, I tried all Dr. Webster's doors, in order to make his fires, it being lecture-day; but could not get in, further than the lecture-room. About as late as half-past nine or ten, I should think, I unlocked his lecture-room door again, and found that he was in. I found him with a, cap, (a kind of smoking cap,) upon his head, and with a pair of overalls on. He appeared to be busy, in preparing for his lec- ture at twelve o'clock. I passed round his table, to go into the back room, and saw that he had a fire in the stove there. As I walked round the table, he walked towards the back room. I asked him if he wanted a fire in his furnace below;-the furnace, by the passage-way from the laboratory into the dissecting-room entry. He replied, No; that the things which he was going to lecture upon, would not stand much heat. I then left his room, and went out the same way that I went in; by the front entry. A short time after, I was standing in the east shed, and saw Mr. Clapp, Mr. Fuller, Mr. Kingsley, and Mr. Rice, coming towards the Col- lege. Mr. Clapp said, that they wanted to search the College; that they were going to search over every foot of land in the neighborhood. He said, " If we search the College first, people round here, will not object to our searching their houses." I told him, that I would show him any place in the College, where I had access. As we went to the shed-door, we met Dr. Jacob Bigelow, and told him what the officers had come for. They all went into my parlor, and talked. Dr. Bigelow told me to show them all over the building. One of the officers said, " Let us go into Dr. Webster's apartments." I led them to the laboratory-stairs door, and found it fastened,- bolted upon the inside. I told them that that door was fast, and that we should have to try another way. I went up stairs, through the front entry, to Dr. Webster's lecture-room door. I found it unlocked, but bolted on the inside. I rapped as loud as I could with my knuckles: not hearing an answer, I rapped again; and then pounded with my hand, as hard as I could. In a minute or two, Dr. Webster unbolted the door, and I told him what the officers were there for. I don't recol- lect hearing him say anything, as we passed in; all of us went down into his back room. I think it was Mr. Clapp, that went to the door of his little room, to which I have had no access. Dr. Webster said. "There, is where I keep my valuable and dangerous articles." Mr. Clapp did not go in, but acted as if he were afraid to. He barely looked in, and then we all