Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1849-12-28
A TREMENDOUS EXCITEMENT
IN BOSTONi
1fHrdeT Of Or. FGrFma1s i---.9rresf Of Profes-
scr J. ". Webster.

count IS nom JsrOn Courier, that OF the
Atlas, Post, and journal, does not materially
differ.
/ Every topic, however important, has been
sunk INTO comparative insignidicance 10 this
community, by the circumstances which
! have just come to light in connexion with the
mysterious disappearance of Geo. Parkman.
4 week had elapsed without any tidiugs from
this individual, when, on Saturday morning
the city was astonished with the intelligence
! of his presumed murder, and the arrest of
Prof. John w. Webster of Cambridge. on
suspicion of having committed the deed. The
shock which this announcement produced in
the public mind, and the excitement conse-
quent upon It, were never before equaled IN
Boston. The dreadful character of the deed,
and the high standing aud reputation Of the
individual charged with it, were such as might
well Justify Iucredulity; and even at this mo-
ment, when the accumulation of circumstan-
ces seems to gather into a fearful mass of
testimony against the supposed murderer, we
and it hardly possible to bring our mind to a
belief lie the possibility of his guilt
DR.. Webster has been, for upwards of 20
years, Professor of Chemistry at Cambridge
He has wide circle of acquaintance. and has
maintained through life an unblemished rep
utatiou- He has paid a strict attention to
the duties Of his profession, and has conduct
has been marked by uniform sobriety and
steadIness. His disposition was frank and o.
pen, his manners lively and social; he was
esteemed by all who knew him as a good cit
zen, peaceable neighbor, and kind, atfec-
/ tionate husband and father. In every moral
and intellectual characteristic, he might be
/ regarded as one who was placed beyond the
suspicion of a tendency TO the commission of
crime. 1t is hardly necessary to say that a
shock OF this most sudden and unexpected
1 disclosure has fallen with terrible weight up
on his family and friends.
/ Amid the numerous versions of the story,
and the multitude OF rum0rs circulating on
\ good, bad and doubtful authority, we have
gathered the following statements, which ap-
! pear to comprise the substance OF what has
/ yet come TO light ia relation TO this tragical
affair:
! DR.. Parkman held a note for $3.50 against
/ Prof. Webster, which, although it was secu-
/ red by mortgage on some personal property
at Cambridge, the Doct. was most anxious to
collect. He several times called upon his
debtor for the money, and was put off. At
I length he applied 20 the officer who disposed
of the tickets for Prof. Webster's course of
4 lectures on Chemistry, 20 know il there was
4 sufficient balance due the Professor to take
up his note. This circumstance IS said 10
( have greatly inCeused Professor " ebster. who
on Friday morning Of last week called at DR..
Parkman's house and left word that if he
/ DIR. Parkway wanted has money on that
4 mortgage, to call at the Medical College a
/ bout one O'Clock that afternoon. DR.. Park
man left his house No. Walnut st. at one
O'Clock, 2. VI. on Friday Nov. %, for the
purpose of attending to this engagement. On
his way to tile Medical College, he stop
J ped at a groceT's on the corner of Vine
and blossom streets. and purchased some ar
tcles, which he ordered TO be sent TO his
[ house. From this store he went direct 10
/ the Medical COllege-adaceu he
was seen to enter. but from which he was
never seen to depart. That day. FRIDAY,
/ Nov. 23) information was lodged at the Mar
SHais office to the above effect, Scouts of 10
+ lice were sent in all directious-bIls were
posted up in conspicuous places, and large
reward was offered for intelligence Of the mis-
/ sing person. Prof. Webster. on being ques-
toned stated to the Policemen that Dr.. Park
man met hun at the College at the time ap-
pointed; that he paid the Doctor 1857: but
when asked TO show the receipt for the mon
4 ev, he could not. Though this was circstnl-
stance against the Professor yet his good char
acter warded eff suspicion for the time
/ The general supposition was that DR. Park
man had been visited with fit of insanity.
} On Sunday the 25th party of policemen
were sent 10 examine the Medical Col
I lege. They searched through all the rooms.
except the laboratory on the first floor, and
small aute-rOom over head-bOth Of which
were locked and it having been stated that
they were apartments visited only by Prof.
/ Webster, the police departed without open
ing them.
On Monday, the Goth policemen were dis
patched with handbiIls on the various rail-
roads while others were sent in other direc-
tons, to trace the source of sundry rumors
that come TO town, OF a person who had been
wandering IN tue woods 10 one town, acting
strangely in another, and raviug maniac ia
another. Thus the officers were engaged on
this day: but on Tuesday in consequence of
a rumor that had got abroad to the effect that
/ Professor Webster had kept himself very Sc
cluded in his apartments at the College by
day, and that when he went away at night he
locked his rooms-a thing uuusuaI-the por-
ter Of the College was Intercepted as 10 the
i the correctness Of these statements. and his
answers were such as 10 create belief that
all was not right.
Up to Tuesday night the only persons
who had ventUred to suspect the Professor
were those connected with the COLLEGE
+. Their suspicious were founded on the fact Of
the visit OF DR.. Parkman on Friday-the
mysterious seclusion of DR.. Webster when IN
the College, and his locking up his laboratory
and Office at night. These suspicious were
+ not communicated TO the police until Wed
nesday morning at which t5rae a third exam
ination of the building was made and watches
set; but the professors doors were not vet
opened. On this day the excitement at the
west part Of the city bad increased to such
degree that the other Professors of the in
stItutiou bad resolved upon a thorough exam
nation OF the premises For this purpose
five policemen We're detached to act in uni>iou
with AIr. Ephraim LittIcfield. the Porter Of
the College. There were but three apart
meu,s inthe College that had not been search
cdr. Webster's private rooms aud under
hls laboratory. The first operations were
commenced upon the vault which from the
construction Of the foundation with tie bull
ding. was difficult Of access.
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