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remains of Dr„ Parkman. Why should he go there? It was the
privy that Dr. W ebster had excluded him from. Why not contrive
some way or other to open the door, and get in there ; perhaps all
this pains-taking of getting in would have been needless. Why not
go above? and, if the body was not found above, why, not drop a
light down the vault?-it would have shown everything. But, no!
this process was too simple. He goes below, to dig through the wall.
But he works imperfectly; he does not accomplish it. Having got
the axe from Harlow's, he went to work with the hatchet, but it does
not work effectually. And yet, Gentlemen of the Jury, is it not a
matter of some surprise-is it not a matter that requires some more
explanation than a mere passing word-how it was that Mr. Little-
field had then made up his mind to undermine that College?
I believe the last reward for the body was published coincident
with Mr. Littlefield's exertions to break through that wall. Though
he disclaims all intention of claiming it, yet I can see no earthly
reason why he should not claim it; for the parties are able, and he
has been the object of some obloquy. His exertions were coincident
with the last reward, which be now disclaims. He went to work
with this mighty conviction, and yet he left that work unfinished and
incomplete! Was it the conviction that be was upon the very track
of the murderer, and that he.should find, decaying there, the body of
Dr. Parkman, which could, the next day, be carried off to some other
place? And yet he delayed for want of tools! He went to the
party, and danced eighteen out of twenty times, with the conviction
that a dead man's bones were almost under his apartments at home,
laid there by the hand of the wickedest criminal that has lived since
Cain!
On Friday, he does not rise very early, or go to his work very
early. And, what is very remarkable, at nine o'clock, while he is at
breakfast, Dr. Webster comes in, and speaks to him, in the same calm,
easy manner in which he has spoken to others about Dr. Parkman;
inquires after the news; and he then tells him what, but a short time
before, he had been told by some one in Dr. Henchman's shop-the
story that he had heard of mesmerism, the cab, and the blood. I believe
Henchman has been upon the stand, and might have been asked
whether Dr. Webster made that statement without authority; but he
was not asked. Littlefield says, that there are so many stories flying
abroad, that he does not know what to think. And this was the con-
versation that took place when half the College wall was undermined,
and when Littlefield was meditating the completion of it! In the
course of that day, what strikes me as most remarkable is, that Mr.
Littlefield, in all the long testimony which he gave, never once, from
that moment Dr. Webster conversed with him in his kitchen, looked
for, or sought to ascertain, where Dr. Webster was. I have looked at
my minutes, and I cannot find that, after the time on Friday when this
easy conversation took place with the Doctor Mr. Littlefield even went
to the laboratory door, or to the lecture-room, or anywhere else, to see if
Dr. Webster was in the room. And, for aught 1 can see, he told his wife
to watch whether Dr. Webster was coming, before having taken the
Krecaution to ascertain whether Dr. Webster was in his laboratory.
ow, this is Friday afternoon. Mr. Littlefield goes to work again.
He goes then to the Messrs. Fuller-and, Gentlemen, bear in mind
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