Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1849-12-06
Discovery Of a Body suppos.
ed to be that Of DR.. Park.
man..arrest of Prof. Web.


element to-day by the announcement, that
a portion of the body Of DR.. Parkman had
been discovered at the Medical College,
Grove street, and that Professor J. w.
Webster, of Harvard College, had been
arrested and committed 10 Jail, on suspicion
of having caused his dea,h. The following
statement is the most authentic ,hs, we can
obtain at the present moment -
In the early p II Of The week the atten.
ton Of tho Police was directed 10 the Med.
ical College, from information received,
and since then the building has been the
chief centre Of operations. Last night ss
about o'clock il was announced to Mar
shal Tukey that by breaking through .
brick wall, a Mr. Ephraim Llitle6eld had
found the lower part Of the body Of a man.
one leg being gone. and also the foot Of
the other leg.
The place where these remains were
found was directly under Prot. Webs,er's
own room, which was entered sy no one
but himself. These remains have not yet,
SO far as We know, been identified a. the
remains OF DIR. Parkman, but the fact Of
finding them in this place, and also the
finding of the part Of a mans Jaw, some
buttons, and small quantity Of gold in the
furnace, where The Professor has been
known TO have KEEP, fire for the past week,
which is rather unusual, led the authorities
after some consultation to send four ofhcsIs
to Cambridge to arrest Professor Webster.
In fact the Police have had information in
their possession, sufficient to have justified
the arrest several days ago, had not the
Professors character been so high above
suspicion.
1t was about seven o'clock ,ha, the off,
GERS reached the Profes ssor's residence, and
without stating their real business, inform.
cd him that a new search Of the Medical
College had been decided on, and that his
presence was required. After getting into
the carriage he was informed Of the charge
against him, when he manifested great ex.
element, and several times fell ba ck into
the officers arms. lie also made use Of ex.
prcssions OF a doubtful nature. Ills family
were not informed Of his arrest until this
morning. The college is now undergoing
a thorough search, and also the Professor's
apartments at Cambridge.
Among other facts, it il stated that the
Professor was having large tin box made.
The whole matter 10 now in the hands Of
the coroner, who will probably hold an in
q est upon the remains this afternoon, o.
ter which the accused will be brought up
for examination if the jury should think
tha, the facts elected warrant q further
prosec ution of the affair
The ground Of suspicion against Professor
Webster may be briefly stated DR..
Parkman called al the Medical College on
the day that he disappeaIed, Friday, Nov.
%, was admitted to see DR.. Webster, and
as DR.. Webster states, was paid tho sin
OF $3.50 by him to cancel mortgage. But
1t appears that person who wished
to Gee DR.. Parkman and who saw
him 60 to the Hospital, waited euuide for
considerable length Of time, but DR..
Parkman did not come out, and he finally
went away again.
That afternoon DR.. Webster was in his
study several hours with his door locked,
and he is supposed to have s,aid there al
night, during which time two barrels Of
fire klndlings disappeared, and the heat
from his room was 30 intense az to be no.
,iced by some. .ofthe inmates Of the College.
Then as to the finding Of the body, the
place is unusual, there being 4 regular 70.
ceptacls for pieces Of subjects {; no ono had
act ess to it but the Doctor there wss
found in the grato Of his room, in addition
to the articles stated above, mineral ,ee,h
and what are supposed to be pieces Of .
watch.
1t will thus be seen that until the body
is Identified as that Of the missing man, the
evidence, though strong enough to hold the
accused for trial, will hardly convict him,
but if coupled with certain recognition OF
the body, will form a strong array Of tes,i.
mony. The accused exhibited moro calm
ness this morning, and wished 10 sec HI
friends.
No additional evidence was found against
the Doctor by the visi, Of the Police 10 his
residence at Cambridge.
The crowd about the College this morn
ing was la-ee, composed, however, Of the
immediate inhabitants Of the neighborhood.
Throughout the city an intense excitement
prevails.
DIR. Webster has held high rank in 90
ciety, and has been remarkable for the am
liability OF his disposition. His arres, upon
the suspicion Of having been accessory 10
DR.. Parkman's death, has occasioned the
most intense and painful excitement, in the
community, and We cannot but hope that an
investig alton Of tho circumstances " i'll result
in exculpaling him from charge so dread
ful, and so repugnant to his general char.
m