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303
Foreman, is John W. Webster, the prisoner at the bar, guilty, or not
guilty ?
Foreman. GUILTY!
Clerk. Gentlemen of the Jury, hearken to your verdict, as the
Court have recorded it. You, upon your oaths, do say, that John W.
Webster, the prisoner at the bar, is guilty : so you say, Mr. Foreman;
so, Gentlemen, you all say.
When the Foreman pronounced the word Guilty, the prisoner
started, like a person shot; his hand dropped upon the rail in front, his
chin drooped upon. his breast ; and after remaining thus a moment or
two, he sank into the chair, covering his eyes with his hands. A death-
like silence followed, and all eyes were fixed in sadness on him whose
hopes had now fled. For nearly five minutes the prisoner remained
in this state, apparently unconscious, when Judge Merrick, his Coun-
sel, went and conversed with him. The prisoner at one time seemed
affected to tears.
No one seemed willing to move - to break the spell which kept
all fixed in silence. At length the order was given to adjourn the
Court, and the spectators began to leave. The prisoner remained
some time after the Court adjourned, with his handkerchief to his
eyes; and, at his own request, was removed to his cell, where he might
be left to himself, free from the gaze of others.
TWELFTH DAY.-Monday, April 1st.
It having been generally known that Professor Webster would be
brought up this morning for sentence, an immense collection of spec-
tators was in attendance ; and as early as eight o'clock, every position
from whence a glimpse might be had of the unfortunate prisoner
was occupied. Though the gathering was large, and composed
of all classes of people, the demeanor of the concourse was most
creditable. There were no tumults or noises, but the entire mass
seemed awfully impressed with the solemnity of the occasion.
Agreeably to adjournment on Saturday night, the Court met at a
few moments after nine o'clock. The assemblage in,the Court-room
embraced some of the most distinguished persons of the State, and
many individuals from other parts of the country. There were, on
the bench, Chief Justice Shaw, and Associate Justices Wilde, Dewey,
Metcalf and Fletcher. The Counsel for the defence, Hon. Pliny
Merrick, of Worcester, and Edward D. Sohier, Esq., of Boston, sat
at a table in front of the bench; and the Attorney General, arid George
Bemis,_ Esq., occupied seats in front of the jury-box.
Precisely at ten minutes after nine o'clock, the prisoner, in custody
of constable Jones and jailer Andrews, was brought into Court, and
took his seat in the dock. His appearance betokened extreme melan-
choly. He was downcast and nervous, and appeared to be suffering
from terrible emotions.
The vast audience having been seated, the Attorney General, Hon.
John H. Clifford, rose, and in a tremulous and scarcely audible voice,
addressed the Bench as follows : -
May it please your Honors : -The prisoner at the bar, at the Janu-
ary term of the Municipal Court, in this county, was indicted by the
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