Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1849-12-07
THE TRAGEDY IN BOSTON.


in regard to the disclosures which have produced such an
unparalleled sensation in that city We copy below, from
the Boston Atlas, additional particulars which
were not given in the summary published yesterday from
the N. Y Tribune.
The family of Professor Webster it is aid, submit to
the terrible afction of his arrest under such narrowing
circumstances, with surprising camness 1t is also said
that the m orning the arrest of Professor W., his
daughters had given out invitations for large party, to
come off during the present week, and though they
reached home after their father had left with the
officers ofthe law, they ignorant of the arrest and
the charge against their parent until the following
morning.
So great has the excitement become in Boston, that
it is said, if two persons conversng upon any sub
ject in the street, Immediately crowd gathers to listen
to the subect-matter Of discourse, supposng that
other topic than the recent developments at the Medical
College can be thought or spoken of.
From the Boston atlas Of Monday.
In the early part Of the month of November Dr.
Geo. Parkham called at Prof Websters lecture room,
in the Medical College in North Grove street, while the
professor engaged in delivering lecture before the
students, and he waited until the lecture over and
the students had alleit He then asked Prof Webster
for the money due him, and after conversation, in
which both parties were much excited Prot Webster de-
sired him to wait until the 23d OF November, all the
tickets Tor the lectures engaged by the Students had not
been paid for but would in all probability be by that
time DIR. Parkman it is stated lett the building good
deal excited On Thursday afternoon, Nov. %, DR..
Parkman called at the residence Of PROT Webster, in
Cambridge, who being, absent he left word with his
wife that he wished to have her husband call at his DR.
Parkmans s. house next morning. On Friday morning,
Nov. %, the day alter, about o'clock, Prof Webster
called at DIR. Parkhams house, in Walnut street, and
the doctor being out he left word for him that he would
pay him. if he would call at his in the college
after o'clock DR.. Parkham, Prof Webster states,
called at the Medical College about half past o'clock,
and was paid by him tWebster $493 g. which amount
to take up two notes and cancel mortgage. DR..
Parkman gave up the notes. but had the mortgage
with him. He, however, said he would go and cancel
it. This transaction, Prot. Webster says, took place
at the counter in his lecture room, and that Dr. Park
man left the room through the door near the main en-
trance to the building.
As early last week Tuesday, Professor Websters
apartments in the College searched by the Police
in his presence, and nothing then found furnishing
any clue to the Doctors sudden disappearance. The
suspicious however seemed still to increase, that DR..
Parkham had never quilted the college buildings, and
as there part OF 1t which had not been searched,
which was the vault directly underneath Professor Web
sters laboratory, the only access to which was through
water closet in the laboratory, and DR.. Henry j.
Bigelow Professor OF Surgery at Harvard University,
DESTROYS that all suspicious should be cleared up,
far as in the power of those having direction the
building he directed Mr. Ephram Lttlefeld the person
who has charge Of and whose family resides in part of
the building to effect entrance into the vault without
forcing the lock OF the closet door.
To explain how the entrance effected thsvault
we will state that the College is built upon walls which
rest upon piles and that the tide GIBBS and flows through
apertures underneath the basement floor between the
compartments formed by the walls One of these COM
parments forms what is termed the vault underneath
Prof Websters laboratory There trap door the
compartment next to that used by Prof Webster situa-
ted some 40 feet from the water closet Littleheld de-
scended through this trap door Friday, with
bar and knocked aperture in the wall the water
closet, and discovered about o'clock that afternoon,
portions OF human body, which had been washed by
and the right leg. Lttleeld Immediately proceeded to
Dr. Bgelow's Office and acquainted him with the fact.
Dr. Bgelow went to the City Mashals office that at
ternoon and informed Mr. Turkey of the discovery
which had been made, who Immediately, with some Of
fcers proceeded to the college, and found it
Mr. Turkey then gave directions for the of Profess
sor Webster and officers Capp, Starkweaher and Spur
proceeded to his residence in Cambridge in carriage
for that purpose. Upon alghng from the carriage,
short distance from Professor Websters residence the
officers found at the gateway gentleman opening the
gate leave, and Prof Webster standing in the door
way Of his house. The officers and the Professor went
into his study, and Col. Capp informed him that the
examination should be made of the college, and wished
to have him present at the time. Prot Webster put on
his boots, coat and hat and accompanied the officers
out OF the house without seeing his wife, and took
in the carriage with them
The carriage was driven to Levere JAIL through
East Cambridge, oveg Craiges Bridge and arrived there
about y o'clock. When Professor Webster got into
ami here or Col Clapp replied, that he was arrest
ed on charge OF having murdered Dr. George Parkman,
at the Medical College in North Grove-s on Friday;
all the reply which he made was, "Why is hs?" What
is FORT" He asked to have his friends Messrs Dexter
and Prescott sent for that his family could be inform
ed where he was. The officers, however, persuaded
him hait would be better to have the intelligence COM
municated in the morning. He was then committed to
Jail by constable Capp, and officer Spur proceeded to
the residence OF s. d. Parker, Esq, the county Ator
ney, and informed him OF what had been done, and also
notified Coroner Pratt Of the discovery made at the
College. About 10 o'clock Mr. Parker, Coroner Pratt
Dr. Martin Gay, and Mr. Kingsley visited the Jail office.
Prot. Webster was sent fol- by Mr.. Parker and he
turned answer that he was unable to come. He was
however brought up into the Office and appearing faint
some water offered him, but he refused drink
Mr. Parker addressed Prof Webster, stating under
what circumstances he had been arrested, and what had
been tound and expressed the hope that he would be
able to explain the matter, and prayed to God that he
might be able to excupate himself MIR. Parker said
that they were going pursue the examination at the
College, and asked him to accompany Them and he did
so. The officers, Professor Webster, and the above
named persons then proceeded to the College building,
where they arrived about l0a O'Clock. The pieces OF
the body found in the vault in the afternoon, were then
brought up into the laboratory and exposed to view in
Professor Websters presence. A Jawbone, some art-
fetal teeth, particles OF gold and silver and some but
tons, found by the officers in furnace used in the
laboratory were shown at the same time A number OF
other persons were present. Professor Webster said
nothing, and nothing was said to him. He was then
conducted to the room adjoining the lecture room used
solely by him for preparing mixtures to be used in max
ing experiments at his lectures. This is connected
with the laboratory by staircase. Upon his entnnce
into this room he said, "This is where make exami-
nations. This is all the remark he made while in the
College The examination having been concluded, he
was conducted back to his cell in the jail.
The Police We're put in possession OF the portion OF
the college building occupied by Prof Webster Fri
day afternoon, after the discovery had been made, and
they engaged in searching the premises that even
ing, Saturday and yesterday. On Saturday afternoon
officer Fuller discovered tea chest slowed away in a
nook in the laboratory under shelves, which
found to contain portion Of human body, comprising
thigh These covered over first with TAM and
that layer of mineral substances in the chest
also found large hunting knife Saturday morning the
officers discovered tracks of what they considered blood
from the counter in the ecture-room upon the brick
floor of the adjoining, upon several OF the stairs
leading from this room to the laboratory, and upon the
floor of the laboratory to the watercoset down which
believed the portions of the human body found
thrown.