The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1849-12-04

THE PARKMAN TRGEDY.

e. arrt Sled al Cambridge Tor the murder oil DR. Park
: man, ere tied tremendous sensation throughout
The city and vicinity. The unquesonable facts
n were appalling to the last degree, and the rapid
/, circulation of unlounded rumors tended 10 mag.
nifty the horrors OF the reality. Terrible as the
> hna discovery was several persons, who had
: carefully considered the circumstances OF DR..
IS Parkmsn's disappearance, were not surprised at
!, the result OF the persevering search under the
college building. All the inquiries in every d.
= rection, beyond well within the state, left
but three uudoubted facts TO act upon, viz that
on Friday, Nov 23d, about one O'clock, he made
V some small purchases at Mr. Hollands grocery,
corner OF Vine street, and that he went out say
ing he would return in few minutes and take
E the articles. Next he was seen by many witness
SEES going into the Medical College. There DR..
Webster said he saw him, and paid him $4S3 on
mortgage The payment was made at the desk
! in the lecture room OF the chemical department
OF the institution. Dr. Webster said that, upon
receiving the money, DR.. Parkman LETT the lee.
ture room by the upper door the common entrance
Here all clue TO his movements ceased. All the
! statements about DR. Parkman's having been seen
at the south end, and on Craigie bridge, and at
East Cambridge, on that afternoon, were ascer-
tanned to be incorrect, the narrators having mis-
taken Thursday for Friday.
By Monday last people, a ccording TO their tur MS
OF mind and means OF information, respectively
settled down upon the following suppostions =
: lst, that DR. Parkman had committed suicide by
: jumping overheard; I'd, that he had been inveg-
led into some house, robbed, murdered, and the
body secreted; and Sd, that he had been killed
within the walls OF the Medical College, and his
. remains disposed oil there. Therefore, while
E large rewards were being offered to any person
Il who should find the ooctor dead or alive else
where, the college building was kept under the
" strictest surveillance. The cellars, coal binns
= and other recesses in which body mig hit be eAsi
/ lv cd in xain
NJ large vault, subterranean enclosed recess I'M
~ der but connected with headissecling was reach
I, ed with no better success. But DIR. Web
+ ster's peculiar premises remained unex-
lie amined, and also the space between the interior
re foundation walls under his laboratory, forming in
r. TACT very large vault. with opening into it
except through DR. Webster's water closet in the
he laboratory.
Mr.. Ephraim Litteheld, steward and general
lis superinte ndant OF the building, reported
O. the principal persons connected with the colleg
two unusual circumstances in relation to Dr.
WeDser's movements i'll the laboratory, viz, that
w he had been keeping up great fires in the furnace
,ns and had locked up the laboratory nights instead
op of leaving it open 10 be seto rights and to have
lr. the fire kindled in the mornings With the ex
cepton OF w Wednesday evening, DIR. Webster did
ol not work in the laboratory after his usual hours
but on that evening he sent Lttle6ed up to Mr.
Fosters store, IN Howard street, with an order
| LOT d turkey lot DIS Thanksgiving dinner. LIT
VI tle6eld started for his turkey between and g.
aud when he got back, DR.. Webster had locked
up and gone.
The question Of searching the premises under
the special control of DR. Webster, was submitted
TO DR. Bigelow, who decided that an attem "a
&C. get into the vault under them should be made
i; first. On Friday atteI noon Mr.. LittIefield de-
: :. scended through trap among the foundation
walls, and went to work under one which be cal
ii' culated must be nearly under the laboratory He
me dug away several hours and at last made all ope
en-. ing through. and limbs directly under the
- spot occupied by the water closet above Shock.
han ed by the sight, LittefeId hurried up stairs to
oe inform Bigelow, but was so wild with amaze.
j. ment that he could not explain himself for some
~ seconds. As soon the doctor could make ou
ce, from his statements " hat he had SEEN he sent
10 one OF the police officers in attendance for the
nc> city marshal The hole in the wall as the en-
gh arged so as to admit the ngress of Liteeld anc
hal, two officers, who brought the parts OF the body
..,s out. They consisted OF the lower part OF the
:, body and hips in piece, and the right thig
and right leg, without the foot, in separate piec
es, and were delivered over to officer Capp
The next step was TO break open the door O
our the laboratory, where another extraordinary dis
covery made. In the furnace were ioun
calcined fragments of skull, mineral teeth fusef
the into lump, hall melted fragments Of coat but
ton frames, and small portions Of melted gold ant
of silver.
Co. Alter short consultation, officers Clapp Stark
ike weather and Spur were despatched to DR. Web
90. sers residence in Cambridge, with instruction.
e.. to arrest him. They arrived at the house abou
90 nine O'Clock just DR. Webster was showing .
n.y. visitor out. The officers met him at the gate
al and told HIM that the college officers were metir
consultation on the subject of DR. Parkman's dis.
appearance, and had sent for him to attend it,
II He made no objection, and while ON the wsy 10
rsa Boston he conversed cheerfuiy and freely, aid
ing referring TO DR. Parkmsn's having been at the
college, said that he stopped at the Doctors house
a., on Friday morning, and requested him to call al
the college for his money between one and two
" o'clock that day. The carriage as halted at the
'hc Jail, and the party went into the Office, and then
for the first time, DR. Webster began to perceive
!. that there was something strange in the proceed
ngs OF the officers, and asked what they lad come
TO the Jail for, when their destination was the col
lege 10 Grove street. remarking also tina they
~. had come out Of the way. Ciapp then sad-.sD
Webster, it is no use to disguise our purpose any
further. You are under arrest on suspicion that
We you know something about the death o. Dr. Park
he man, parts of whose body have been found under
your laboratory We shall look no more Tor he
'"~ body" Upon hearing this accusation, DIR Web
nrs ster staggered backwards, as ii struck to the
heart, and uttered various reclamation, about hs
family and children, and also saying--fThe vii.
" lain ain ruined;" or, "The yilioin! He has
ruined me /" All who were present agree that