Dr. James W. Stone. Report of the Trial of
Professor John W. Webster ...
, 1850
,
Image No: 213
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Dr. James W. Stone. Report of the Trial of
Professor John W. Webster ...
, 1850
,
Image No: 213
   Enlarge and print image (55K)           << PREVIOUS  NEXT >>
204 appointment was half past one o'clock. Then we have these two im. portant facts, to aid the assertion that DrWebster first makes, that it was half past one o'clock. .'Vlr. Cliford. McGowan says that he heard something said about half past one o'clock. That is all he says. .fudge Merrick. There was an appointment, and the hour of half past one o'clock was mentioned. This appointment, I think fairly to be inferred from the testimony of Patrick McGowan, was at half past one o'clock. It is likely that, according to that appointment, Dr. Parkman was there at that time, because, according to the testimony of his friends, he was the mostpunctual of men. If he made an ap- pointment, he kept it; and exactly, and especially, and strongly, in this particular case. He was pursuing Dr. Webster earnestly and closelv. If Dr. Webster appointed to meet Dr. Parkman at half past one o'clock, upon this business, do you believe that the most. punctual of men would have given to him the opportunity of an apology - °° You were not here at the time "? And therefore I say, upon the proof of Dr. Webster's own assertion in the case - on the testimony that comes from Patrick McGowan, and the probability arising from Dr. Park- man's habits of punctuality-it is extremely probable that the state- ment of Dr. Webster is true. But now I come to the testimony of Dr. Bosworth, and to compare that with Littlefield's, who says that he saw Dr. Parkman coming towards the College on-Friday noon, November 23d, and that the door was wide open. The door being wide open, and Dr. Parkman coming toward the College, he went into the adjoining room, and saw no more. There was another man there when Dr. Parkman passed. Littlefield was standing there looking out, and immediately after saw Dr. Park- man go up to the door, as he passed by. Dr. Parkman went up on the steps. Now, Littlefield did not see Bosworth. Littlefield hasnot given any account of seeing any man at that time. Ono thing more, which shows that there were two times when Dr. Parkman carne there. When Dr. Parkman was coming up from Grove-street to the College, the door of that College, according to the testimony of Littlefield, was wide open. When Bosworth came there, and crossed the top of the steps in front, the door stood ajar-that is, partly open. Now, the testimony of Bosworth, in connection with the statement of Dr. Webster, the time appointed as attested by McGowan, and the punctuality of Dr. Parkman to meet all appointments-I put it to you, if it is not the most probable thing in the world, that Dr. Parkman was at that place at half past one o'clock, and then went away. Fifteen minutes after, he was in another place, according to the testimony of Mrs. Hatch, who testifies that at fifteen minutes before two o'clock she saw him going up Cambridge-street. I put it to you, whether this is not clearly evinced by all the testimony: that the appointment was made at half past one o'clock; that the most punctual of men kept it ; that the interview was, as Dr. Webster says, very short; that he left the College; and then, for some purpose or other, came back again but shortly after was seen by Mr. Thompson, in Causeway-street. I do not see, Gentlemen of the Jury, how this conclusion is capable of being avoided. The appointment was at half past one o'cloqk. Dr