The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1850-07-15
Confession of Professor webster.

Committee, at II o'clock, appeared the
Rev. DIR. Putnam, the spiritual adviser ol
the condemned, with petition for com
mutation of punishment, together with Q
confession that he killed DR.. Parkman.
The Rev. gentleman prefaced the state
ment by few remarks relative to the
manner in which the confession was made
to him. He stated that he had no previ-
Gus acquaintanceship with Professor Web
ster, before being called to act in the ca
pacity Of his spiritual adviser. In the first
few weeks of his visit, lie sought no ac-
acknowledgement ofthe prisoner. AT length,
on the 2Sd May, he visited him in hiscell
and demanded of him, for his own well.
being, that he should tel the truth in re.
gard to the matter, and he acceded to the
request, by making n statement which was
now submitted for the consideration Of the
Council. 1t was in substance as follows
On Tuesday, Nov. Goth, sent note
to DIR. Parkman, it was handed TO Little
field, and was unsealed 1t was to ask DR.
Parkman TO call on me, as he had become
quite importunale about his debt | wish
Cd to gain time. | did not expect to be
able to pay him on Friday.
My purpose was, if he should accede to
the prop, ed interview, to state to him my
tmbarrassments and utter inability 10 pay
him at present-to apologize for those
things in my conduct which had offended
him. TO throw myself upon his mercy, to
beg for further time and indulgence for the
sake Of my family, if not for myself, and
to make as good promises to him as could
have any hope of keeping. l did not hear
from him on that day, nor the next
| (Weduesday,) but found on Thursday,
he rad been abroad in pursuit of me with.
out finding me. imagined he had forgot.
ten the appointment, or else did not mean
to wait for it. feared he would come in
upon me at my lecture hour, or while !
was preparing my experiments forit, there.
fore called at his house on that morning
friday between Sand 8 to remind him
of my wish to see him at the College n,
half past l, my lecture closing at |. |
did not stop to talk with him, for expect
ed tho conversation would be long one,
and | had my lecture to prepare, for it was
necessary for me to have my time and also
to keep my mind free from other exciting
matters. DR.. Parkman agreed to call
on me as | proposed. He came according
ly between lsond 2 o'clock, entering al
the lecture.room door, | was removing
some glass from my lecture-room table
into the room in the rear called the upper
laboratory. He came rapidly down the
step, and followed me into the laboratory
He Immediately addressed me with great
energy, care you ready for me, sir
Have you got the money!" replied, "No,
DR.. Porkman," and was then beginning
to state my condition and my appeal to
him, but he would not listen to me, and in
terrupted me with mnch vehemence,- ,-he
called me scoundrel and liar, and went on
heaping on the most bitter taunts and ap-
probrious epithets. While he was speak
ing, he drew a handful of papers from his
pocket, and took from among them my two
notes, and also al old letter from DIR. Hos
sack, written many years ago, and con-
graduating him on his success in getting
me appointed Professor of Chemistry
=" You see," he said, 81 got you into your
office, and now will get you out Of it,"
He put back into his pocket all the papers
except the letter and the notes. cannot
tell how long the torrent of threats and in
vectives continued. and cannot recpll to
memory but a small portion of what he
said.
AT first kept interposing, trying 10
pacify him so that | might obtain the OBJ
iect for which sought the interview-but
could not stop him, and soon nv own
temper was up-I forgot everything and
1t nothing but the sting of bis words. |
was excited TO the highest degree of pas
sion, and while he was speaking and ge.-
ticualing in the most violent and mena-
ing manner, thrusing the letter and b's
fist in.o my foce,-in my fury / sei4cd
whatever was handiest ;-.it was a stick of
woodland dealt him an instantaneous
blow with all the force that passon could
give ii, did not know, or think, or re
where | should hit him, or how hard or
what the effect would be. 1t was on the
side of his head and there was moth NC to
break the force of the blow; he fell in
stantly on the pavement; there was no
,cond blow; he did not move. stopped
down over him and he seem to be life
less, blood flowed from his mouth, and
got sponge and wiped it away. | got
ammonia and applied ii to his nose, but
w'hout effect; perhaps Ispent ten min.
utes in attc npts to resusitate him, but
found he was absolutely dead. In my
horror and CONSERVATION ran instructive
ly TO the doors and bolted them--the doors
of tho lecture room and Of the laboratory
below--and then, what was | to do? 1t
never occurred to me TO 60 out and dcclore
what had been done, and obtain assistance.
l saw nothing but the alternative of sue
cessiul movement and the concealment of
the body, on the one hand, and Of infamy
and destruction ON the other. The first
thing did, as soon as could do any hing,
was to draw the body in the private room
adjoining; then took off the clothes and
began putting them into the fire which was
burning in the upper laboratory. They
were all consumed there that afternoon,
with papers, pc lSet bck, and Whatever