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259
Having obtained these notes from Dr. Parkman-having got these
notes into his possession - he is to make up his story ; and, in order
to do that, he must fix upon the sum he had paid to Dr. Parkman. He did
not owe Dr. Parkman 8483.64, on the 23d of November. We prove
that by his own documents; we prove it by the papers found in his
own wallet. He sets down to frame his story; -and there is the most
extraordinary document ever found in the pocket of an honest man.
You will remember the interviews he had with Dr. Parkman. On the
9th of November, Dr. Parkman calls on him. On Monday, the
19th, he calls again, and leaves him with that declaration,
'° To-morrow something must be done!" The next day, he writes the
note. You will find that the Monday night of the interview is en-
tirely ignored. Nothing is said about the Doctor's going over to
Cambridge to see him ; nothing between the 9th and the fatal 23d.
What is the story he prepares ? He tells it twice on the same piece
of paper. What is the object of that? Is a man keeping a journal
on such a piece of paper as that? If he were, it is important. If
he is writing an account in consequence of the disappearance of Dr.
Parkman, why, he had already communicated it to Dr. Francis Park-
man, to Mr. Blake, and others ! But, Gentlemen, there is intrinsic
evidence that here,on the 23d, he did not owe Dr.•Parkman $483.64.
That was not the sum he owed him. He is to set down and fix that
sum. Here is his paper: -
,, Nov. 9th, reed $510
For Dr. Bigelow 234
Pettee, cash $276.
Dr. Parkman came to the lecture room-took the front left hand
seat."-Of what importance was that?-'° Suddenly stopped, came to
me, and asked for money. Desired him to wait till Friday, Novem-
ber 23d,"-thus, you see, stepping over entirely the evening of the
19th,--°° as all the tickets were not paid for, but no doubt would be
then. A good deal excited! Went away! Friday, 23d, called at his
house about nine; told him, if he would call soon after one, he should
have the money. He called soon after one, and I paid him." Now,
there is added to that, at a different time, with diffefent colored ink,
I $483.64." There is added, " Said I owed him X483.64." This
would imply that he had fixed upon his story. Here are his own fig-
ures ; and yet he states that Dr. Parkman says he owed him, on the
9th, 8,'483.64. Then he says, on the 23d, after a half month's inter-
est, that he paid him just that sum. Do you think, if Dr. Parkman
was standing on points like these with this man-that if he owed
him that amount on the 9th, he would not have insisted on the one or
two dollars interest which would have accrued on the 23d? Do you
think he would say nothing about the continuing of the interest to
the 23d ?
Then, on the paper which Dr. Webster wrote afterwards, I think
you can see, between his writing these two pages, that. he had fixed
this amount in this way
11 $456.27 due April 25th, 1849.
27.37 interest.
483.64.
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