New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-07-03
OF PROF. WEBSTER,
or THE
KILLING OF DIR. PARKMAN.
BOsToS, Tuesday, July 2.

Rev DR.. Putnam, the spiritual adviser OF the con-
denied with petition for a Communication Of pun
ishmen,, together with confession that he killed
Dr. Parkman.
The Rev. gentleman prefaced the statement by
few remarks relative to the manner In which the
confession was made TO him. He stated that he
had no personal aequsintanceshiP with Professor
Webster before being called to act in the capacity
of his spiritual adviser. In the first few weeks OF
his visit he sought no acknowledgment oil the
pri,oser At length on the 23d May, he visited
him in his cell and demanded OF him, for his own
well being, that he should tell the truth in regard
to the matter, and he acceded to the request by
making statement which was now submitted Tor
the consideration Of the Council 1t was as fol-
lows:
Isent the note to DR.. Parkman, which it appears
Was carried by the boy Maxwell. handed 1t TO
Litlefeld unsesled. 1t was to ask DR.. Parknsn
10 call az my ROOMS on Friday the 23d, after my
lecture He bad become Of late very imPortunate
for his pay. He had threatened me with suit to
put an officer into my house, and 10 drive me from
my professorship, if did not pay him. The pur-
port of my note was simply to ask the conference.
did not tell him in it what | could do or what
had to say about the payment. wished to gam
for those few days release from bis solicitations,
10 which | was liable every day, on occasions and
in a manner very disagreeebe, and also to avert
for so long time at least the fuifllment OF recent
threats OF severe measures. | did not expect TO
be able to pay him when Friday should arrive.
Nv purpos e wss if he should accede 10 the pro
posed interview, to state to him my embarrass-
ments, and utter inability TO pay him at present, to
apolOese for those things in my conduct which bad
offended him. to throw myself upon bis mercy, aud
to 10 f,rf TINA nd indulgaucp sake
of my family if not for my own, and to make as
good promises to him as | could have any hope OF
keeping. | did not hear from him on that day, nor
the next, Wednesday, but found on Thursday
he had been abroad in pursuit Of me without find
ing me. i imagined he had forgotten the appoint
ment or else did not mean to wait for It, feared
he would come in upon me at my lecture-room or
while was preparing my experiments for it
therefore ] called at his house on that morning,
(Fridey) between g and 9 o'clock, to remind him Of
my wish to see him at the College at o'clock
my lecture closing at O'Clock. l did not stop to
talk with him, for l expected the conversation
would be a long one, and had my lecture 10 pre-
pare for il 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 as proposed.
He came accordingly between ! and O'Clock,
entering at the lecture room door. l was en-
gagged in removing some glasses from my
lecture.room table into the room in the rear
called the upper laboratory he came rapidly
down the step and followedme into the laboratory;
be Immediately addressed me with great energy,
&C. Are YOU ready for me, Sir-have you got the
money 7" Ireplied, No, DR. Parkmsn,' and was
then beginning to state my condition and my APP
peal to him, bat he would not listen 20 me and In
teuupted me with much vehemence he called
me scoundrel and liar and went on heaplng on me
the most bitter taunts and opprobrous epithets )
while be was speaking be drew handful OF
papers from his pocket and took from among
them my two notes and also an old letter from
DR.. Hosack, written many years ago and con-
graduating him on his success In getting me
appointed Professor of Chemistry You see"
he SAID al 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
vectivos continued, and cannot recall TO memory
but a small portion OF what he said
At first kept interposing, trying 10 pacity him,
40 that might obtain the object for which sought
the interview bat could not stop him, and soon
my own temper was up; | forgot everything, and
felt nothing but the sting of his words ! was ex-
cited to the highest degree OF passion and while he
was speaking and gesticulating in the most VIC.
lent and menacng manner, thrustng the letter and
his fist into my face, in my fury seized whatever
thing was handiest, III was stick OF woOd and
dealt him an instantaneous blow with all the
force that passion could give 1t. l did not
know or think, or care where l should
hit him, nor how hard, nor what the effect
would be it was on the side Of the head and there
was nothing to break the force of the blow; he fell
instantly upon the pavement; there was no second
blow be did not move; | stopped down over him,
and he seemed to be lifeess blood flowed from
bis mouth, and got sponge and wiped It away
got some ammonia and applied II 70 his nose, bat
without effect perhaps l spent 10 minutes In at
temp.s TO resuscltate him, but | found he was ab.
.ol,faly daad in my horror and condemnation |
ran instinctively to the doors and bolted them
the doors OF the lecture ard OF the laboratory
below; and then what was | 10 dot Ii never
occurred to me TO 60 out and declare what had
been done, and obtain assistance saw nothing
but the alternative of a successful movement aud
concealment of the body on the one hand, and OF
iniamy and destruction on the other. The first
thing did, soon as | could do anything, was to
draw the body into the private room adjoining,
where took off the clothes and began putting them
into the fire, which was burning In the upper Ia
boratory they were all consumed there that after
noon, with papers pocket book and whatever they
contained. | did not examine the pockets nor re.
move anything except the watch. saw that, or
tie chain OF II, hanging out took II and threw
it over the bridge as l went to Cambridge. My
next move was TO get the body into the sink which
stands in the small private room, by setting the
body partially erect against the corner, and by
getting up into the sink myself | succeeded in
drawing it up there; il was entirely dis
membered 1t was quickly done, as a work
Of terrible and desperate necessity. The only
instrument was the knife found by the officers
in the tea chest which kept for cutting corks. |
made no use Of the Turkish knife as il was called
at the trial that had long been kept on my parlor
msntel piece in Cambridge, a. 4 curious ornament
My daughters frequently cleaned it, hence the
marks Of oil and polishing found on it, had lately
brought il into Boston to get the silver sheath re-
paired.
While dismembering the body stream of Co
chituate water running through the sink carry.
ing off the blood in pipe that passed down through
the lower laboratory. There must have been
leak in the pipe for the ceiling below was stained
Immediately around it.
There was Ere burning in the furnace of the
lower laboratory Littefeld was mistaken in
thinking there had never been a fire there
L. IL Ill L. l-.I n