Dr. James W. Stone. Report of the Trial of
Professor John W. Webster ...
, 1850
,
Image No: 29
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Dr. James W. Stone. Report of the Trial of
Professor John W. Webster ...
, 1850
,
Image No: 29
   Enlarge and print image (60K)           << PREVIOUS  NEXT >>
20 nicated his suspicion on Sunday evening, two days after the -disap. pearance of Dr. Parkman ; that, daring that week, being the only man who lived in that building, being the man who would have oppor- tunities to know what was going on-that, during that week, he acted in honest belief of that impression, and you will look upon him in some degree as the dependant of Dr. Webster, he being the assist- ant of the Professors, and relying upon them for his bread ; and you will consider how such a man, having a suspicion, would proceed with caution, with the greatest deliberation, fearful that, it should ripen into certainty, but that he did act with honest suspicion, until, on Thursday, he attempted to open that vault, which, in addition to Dr. Webster's private room, was the only part which had not been searched, which had no access to it save through Dr. Webster's room, and Dr. Webster himself being bolted in a large portion of the time ; and that, on Thursday, he determined to make an entrance into it; that he commenced the work, arid found it much more difficult than he anticipated ; that he still continued it, however, till he had made something of an approach to an aperture, there being several courses of bricks; that he communicated to other persons his purpose of doing it; that he went on, and, on Friday morning, not having accomplished an entrance, he communicated to two gentlemen of the faculty his purpose-to Dr. Jackson and to Dr. Bigelow; and, following up their suggestions as well as his own, continued his labor; and, while at work, set his wife to watch for Dr. Webster, lest he should approach the building unexpectedly; and this is a fact as being a part of the proof, a part of the res gesta, that he set his wife to watch Dr. Web- ster, and cared not for the others ; that Mrs. Littlefield thought, at one time, that Dr. Webster was approaching, and gave the signal which they had agreed upon in this event; that she afterwards found that it was not he; that he continued his work; and the circumstances under which he came up from this work, which enabled him to see what first met his eyes, and afterwards startled the eyes of the whole com- munity, you will consider. You will also judge of his deportment and conduct as he went down to Dr. Jacob Bigelow, and, not finding him at home, went to his son, Dr. Henry J. Bigelow. It will be seen,. that they returned ; that, on their return to the College, police having been summoned, these remains having been examined in the vault, the Government, having no other alternative, arrested Dr. Webster,. a Professor of that Institution, as the murderer of Dr. Parkman. He was arrested, and it is in this connection that it is proper that I should speak of the testimony of Mr. Littlefield, because, that night, Dr. Webster made declarations inconsistent with each other, and which, I think you will be satisfied, were inconsistent with his own belief; that he charged upon Mr. Littlefield either the commission of this deed, or of being a conspirator. Almost in the same breath, he averred what was inconsistent with the fact of a conspiracy, that those were not the remains of Dr. Parkman, any more than they were his. After his arrest, - and I do not intend to go into that any more than to state that it is important, and you will regard the evidence with proper consideration, - his conduct, from the time he was arrested up to the time of the Police Court, was peculiar. He waived am examination there. You will consider all the evidence which pro- seeded from him,, most-especially his declarations with respect to 11&