|
78 TRIAL OF JOHN W. WEBSTER.
morning. The money for the other two, I had paid over, previously to
that.
I recognize the slippers, [exhibited to the witness,] as Dr. Webster's.
I have seen these, or a pair like them, for a year or two, about his back
room. There was blood on them. I 'think that I never saw the saw,
[exhibited to the witness,] until Saturday, after Dr. Webster's arrest.
I was present when it was taken down from a rack, by the passage into
the little private room.
[Mr. Bemis exhibited the saw to the jury, and showed them some
marks on it. He said that Dr. Wyman had examined it with the micro-
scope, and could not satisfy himself that the marks were blood; but
he should submit it ~to them, for what it was worth. It had a red thumb-
print on the left side of the handle, where the thumb would naturally
press in using it. It was about eight inches long, and is such as is used
by joiners for fine work. It was put into the case.]
I have seen the jack-knife found in the tea-chest, or one, exactly
like it. Dr. Webster showed it to me, the Monday before Dr. Park-
man disappeared. He said, " See what a fine knife I have got." He
handed it to me, and I examined it. He said, that, he had got it to
cut corks with. I said, " I should think that is just what you want,
Doctor." I noticed at that time, the images of the deer, and the dogs,
on the blade. I never saw it, before that Monday. I did not, see it
afterwards, until it was found in the tea-chest.
The Doctor's usual working dress, was a pair of cotton overalls,
and an old coat; the overalls were blue. Since the arrest, I have not
seen them. He had them on, the first day the officers came to the
College, Monday, or Tuesday. I cannot say how old, or how new, the
overalls were. I always saw him have a pair on, when he was about
his work.
I never knew, that the Doctor had the keys of any other doors, than
those of his own rooms, and of :the dissecting-room. I knew that a
bunch of skeleton-keys were found, on Saturday, in his little back
private room. I knew, also, that towels were found in the privy vault;
-a diaper roller, and two crash towels. There were marks of "W."
on the crash towels. The diaper rollers; I had known for two or three
years. It was the only one of that kind, that Dr. Webster ever had.
I wiped my hands on it, that Friday, when I went up and told Dr. Web-
ster, that I could not get any blood at the Hospital. I had washed some
glasses for Dr. Webster, and I wiped my hands on it, as it Jay upon the
table. I do not recollect, whether the roller was marked, or not. He
had never had any other there. I had washed it a good many .times,
myself, and had got others to wash it for him. I was present when the
towels were found. My impression is, that it was on Saturday. They
were found in the privy-vault, near the remains; but how near, I can-
not tell. [A bunch of skeleton-keys found in Dr. Webster's private
drawers, were here produced, and exhibited to the witness. But objec-
tion being made to their connection with the case, they were withdrawn
for the present, and the witness not interrogated as to them.]
I have known no parts of human subjects, of any consequence, to
be used in Dr. Webster's apartments. I have got a small piece of human
muscle for him, as large as a finger, for the purpose of experiment. I
never knew him to be engaged in anatomical experiments.
I have heard noises in his room, when firing off pistols by the gal-
vanic battery, or exploding bladders filled with gas. I have been in his
room, when these experiments were performed, and have always helped
him perform them.
[The towels found in the vault, were here exhibited to the witness,
and the diaper roller identified. They were badly stained, and filled
with holes; but, as admitted by the prosecution, the stains only afforded
indications of acid, and not of blood.]
The cross-examination of the witness was about to be commenced,
|
