|
TRIAL OF JOHN W. WEBSTER. 123
go with the officers, and see them opened. He said, that he would go,
if he could. I told him, that there was a coach at the door, all ready
to carry him. He wished to have Mr. Franklin Dexter, or Mr. William
H. Prescott, sent for. I told him, that Mr. Dexter lived out of town.
He said, that some of Mr. Dexter's family were at the hevere House.
I told him, that it was too late, that night, to notify the gentlemen he
had named; but, that, they should have early notice, the next morning.
He spoke, two or three times, of the distress of his family;
which induced me to remark that there was another family which had
been in great distress for a week, and that we owed duties to society,
as well as ourselves. I also said to him, that there would be an oppor-
tunity afforded to him, to make any explanation which he saw fit; and
that, I hoped to God, he would be able to explain the whole of it.
When I left my house, I was incredulous of his guilt. At the jail,
I tried to soothe him, all that I could; and I said to the officers, that
he was not to be interrogated.
Dr. Webster got into the carriage, with some assistance. I did not
accompany him, but rode down to the College before him, in another
conveyance. While at the College, I did not speak to him, at all, that
I remember. I recollect the occurrence of the same convulsions, in
the lower laboratory, as Dr. Webster had previously had, at the jail.
He asked for water, about the time they were breaking open the privy-
door. I remember, before we left the room, that Mr. Andrews, the
jailer, called my attention to the bones, or to something worthy of notice,
in the furnace. When we were looking at the remains, I asked Dr.
Gay, If these were human remains, and parts of one body? And he
answered in the affirmative.. The defendant stood, then, about nine
or ten feet off from them; but was asked no questions, and said nothing.
I left the College, in company with Dr. Gay, having first given directions
that proper care should be taken of the remains.
Cross-examined, by Mr. Sohier,-I did not send to Mr. Dexter's, that
night; it was after twelve o'clock, when I reached home. I called early
the next morning, however, upon his son, at the Revere House, myself,
and communicated Dr. Webster's request.
Direct, again.-I attended in the Police Court, when the defendant
was arraigned. He there waived an examination; or rather, his coun-
sel, Mr. Dexter, so signified to the Court, on his behalf.
John 111. Cummings, sworn,-examined by Mr. Bemis. I am watch-
man, and turnkey, at the jail.
I was present, when Dr. Webster was first brought to the jail. Mr.
Clapp left him in the back room, and went away a short time, and
then returned, and told me to commit him. I took the key, and went
into the back room, where he was sitting on the settee, and spoke to
him two or three times, to get up and go with me. He made no answer,
and did not seem to take any notice of what I said.. Mr. Starkweather
and I then went to him, and took him by the shoulder, and helped him
up, and assisted him down stairs into the lock-up. He could not walk,
and was in a very bad state. We had to hoist him up into his berth,
and laid him in, with his face downwards. He spoke of his family,
several times, and wanted water.
Later in the evening, Mr. Samuel D. Parker, and several other gentle-
men, came to the jail, and wanted to see Dr. Webster. I took a key,
and went down and unlocked the lock-up, and told him, that I wanted
him to come up stairs; that Mr. Parker wanted to see him. He did not
take any notice of what I said. I took hold of him; he appeared to be
very much agitated, and made the remark, " I expected this." I found,
that, I could not handle him alone, and went up stairs; and told Mr.
Parker, that he could not come up. Then Dr. Gay, Mr. Leighton, Mr.
Pratt, and Mr. Jones, came down with me. Dr. Gay asked him, if he
could not get up and go up stairs. He made no answer. We then
|
