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PREFACE.
The undersigned ,has undertaken to present, in the accompanying volume, a
complete and accurate report of the entire proceedings in the case of
Professor
Webster, from the time of his arrest down to the period of his execution.
It was
chiefly from the conviction that such a report ought to be attempted by
some one
familiar with the case, in view of the extraordinary sensation created by
it, as well
without as within the legal world, and in view of the misinformed criticism
passed
upon it in all its parts, more especially in reference to the conduct of
the jury-trial,
that the undersigned, after the ascertainment of the fact that no existing
report
could be pointed to as a full or reliable source of reference, and that no
other
person was likely to attempt it, took upon himself the task of preparing the
present volume. Considering the sources of information to which he has had
access
and the aids of which he has been able to avail himself, he trusts that it
will not be
regarded as presumptuous in him to express the belief that he offers to
-the public
an authentic and reliable account of this interesting case, in all its
details. He is
sure, at least, of having applied to it a diligent and anxious desire"for
accuracy, and
of having bestowed on it an amount of labor and attention which nothing but
the
supposed importance of the work could justify.
In addition to the proceedings supplementary to the jury-trial, which have
not
till now been collected together, the present volume contains various
supplementary confessions of Professor Webster to the Executive, and some
admissions of his to the Sheriff and Jailer, which have never before been
published.
In the Appendix, also, will be found a document of curious interest, now
for the
first time given to the perusal of the public,-the second "Civis" letter,
referred to
in the Professor's address to the jury, and which there is but little
reason to doubt
was written by the prisoner himself during the`trial, and after the
introduction of
the other anonymous letters in evidence by the Government.
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