The organizer., 1850-04-27


the evidence on their part closed. a
feeling of pain and anguish must have
come over the mind of every juror
"What, can no more be said-or
be done in behalf of the unhappy
Prisonerl Is that the evidence, the
only evidence, on which we are to
base our verdict of'NOt GuiLty|"
At that very time, with the light
which the able charge of the Chief
Justice a(terward gave us on several
points Of 1.-THE law and the evidence" "
think | speak the sentiments of near
ly if not quite all the jury, when ]
say that they were as fully prepared
for their verdict as they were when
they retired to the jury room, after
listening to the most able and elo>
quent pleas of the prisoners senior
counsel and the Attorney General, so
strongly, so fully had the evidence
pointed to the prisoner as the guilty
man, AND TO NO ONE ELSE. After the
jury had gone to their room, with the
various evidences of guilt spread out
before them, and the door locked up
on them, shut out as it Wag IBtirely
from the world, with nothing but the
eye of the omniscient God upon them
so painful was the responsibility,
so unwilling were they to come to
the result which oil felt they must
come to, that thirty to forty minutes
were spent ere any thing was done
when at last the voice OF the foreman
was heard calling them 10 order and
reminding them OF duty however pain.
ful; and when they had all taken
their seats around the table-then it
was that one of the jurors rose and
sad-"Mr. Foreman, before entering
upon the farther consideration and
decision of this most important mat
ter, would propose that we seek for
Divine wisdom and guidance"
The proposition met with a cordial
and the foreman called upon
a juror to offer prayer. This was
done most feelingly aud sincerely
We then proceeded to the most trying
and painful part of our arduOus duty.
The various articles which we're put
INTO the case were examined by the
ury, and particularly those things
which seemed to bear most strongly 1
against the prisoner. The final de-
,ision of the question was resolved
nto three parts:
First. Are the remains of a human
'ody, found in the Medical College !
m the Both of Nov, 1919, those of
he late DIR. George Parkmanl
Second. Did DIR. George Parkman
ome TO his death by by the hands OF
Dr. John w. Webster. in the Medical ,
'ollege, on the Odd of Nov. 1910.
Third. Is DR.. John w. Webster .
uilty, as set forth in the Indictment. h
{ the wiltul muder of DIR. George o
'arkman.
When the vote on the question c
'as put, twelve hands arose immedi> a
tely. Some discussion then took d
lace, when the second question was Il
ssted-.and twelve hands At once r.
rose. The third-the most impor- o
INT question of all, was next to be p
led. Quite pause ensued. Our !,
lror--in his sympathies of kindness :
II the prisoner (who was his person !,
acquaintance or friend) aud his al =,
icted family-shrunk from the "fiery 4.
-deal." "Can't we stop here?-- b,
mt the law be vindicated and Jus.
ce satisfied five pause herel Must Of
e take the life Of the unhappy pris. Il,
ler!" Some discussion ensued- 10
e mind OF the juror seemed more G
'lm-and he expressed bis readiness To
vote on the FINAL question. which 81
as then put, and twelve hands TIC
ose. The die was casll and John IN
:. Webster was pronounced "Guilty I"
Murder"
Thus ended the closing scene in the yC
ry room. What afterwards trans. uI
red in the court room is already ag
own to the public. When oar fore> th
an then pronounced that awful word Tel
Guilty the jury, as wei as the pris. ed
er. trembled and grew faint. And thl
nat a relief il was to rs when we pr
sre again allowed to ego free and he
oin our families and friends after so on
lg and painfula a separation; and the
IRE was not a jurors heart but would ma
We leaPed for joy could the prisoner nu
We been justly allowed the same OO
speakable blessing. en-
ONE OF THE JURY. -
Boston, April Sd, 1850. 20,
LOUIS BLANC. 80