The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1850-07-06
Confession OF Professor webster.

TO THE COMMITTEE OF THE COUNCIL,
BY G. PUTNAM.
On Tuesday, the 10th of NovetHber, | sent the
note to DR.. Parl1man, which, it appears, was car
ried by the boy Maxwell. l handed it to Littlefed
unsealed, 1t to ask DR.. Parknan to call at my
rooms on Friday, the 23d, after my lecture. He had
become oflate very mportunate for his pay. He had
threatened me with suit, to put officer INTO my
house, and to drive me from my professorship if
did not pay him. The purport ofmy note was sim
ply to ask the conference. did not tell him in it
what | could do or what had to say aboutthe pay
ment. | wished TO gain, for those few days, a re-
lease from his solicitations to which was liable every
day, on occasions and in very disagreeable
and alarming to me- and also to avert, for so long
time at least, the fulment ofrecent threats of severe
measures. l did not expect to be able to pay him
when Friday should arrive. My purpose was, if he
should accede to the proposed interview to state to
him my embarrassments and utter inability to 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 indul
gence for the sake of my family, if not for my own,
and to make good promises to him as could have
any hope of keeping
did not hear from him on that day nor tie next Wed
nesday,) but found that on Thursday he had been
abroad IN pursuit of me, though without finding me-
feared that he had forgotten 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 for it. Therefore called
at his house on that morning (Friday) between
and 9, to remind him of my wish to see him at the
college at half past one, my lecture closing at one
did not stop to talk with him then, for | expected
the conversation would be long one, and had my
lecture to prepare for 1t was necessary for me to
save my time and also to keep my mind free from
other exciting matters. Dr. Parkman agreed to call
me as proposed
Hp boIc /
two. He came in at the lecture room door. | was
engaged in removing some glasses from my lecture
room table into the room in the rear, called the up
per laboratory. He came rapidly down the steps
and followed me into the laboratory. He nmedi-
ately addressed me with great energy: care you
ready for me, sir Have you got the money?'' |
replied, ''No, DR.. Parkman,' and was then begin
ming TO state my condition and make my appeal to
him. He would not listen me, but interrupted me
with much vehemence He called me 'scoundrel''
and "liar, and went on heaping upon me the most
bitter taunts and opprobrious epithets. While he
talking he drew a handful of papers from his
pocket, and took from among them my two notes,
and also an old letter from d.. Hosack, written many
years ago, and congratulatng him Or Pr on his
success in getting me appointed professor of chems-
try. "fou see, he said 81 got you into your Of
ice, and now will get you out oft" He put back
into his pocket all the papers except the letter and
the notes. cannottel how long the torrent ofhreats
and lnvectlves continued, and can now recall to
memory but small portion ofwhat he said. At FIRST
| kept interposlng, trying to pacify him, that |
might obtain the object for which [ had sought the
interview. But could not stop him, and soon my
own temper up. forgot every thing. | felt
nothing but the sting of his words. ! excited in
the highest degree of passion and while he was
speaking and gesticuating in the most violent and
menacing manner, hrusting the letter and his fist in
to my face, in my fury seized whatever thing was
-
an instantaneous blow, with all the force that pas
sion can give It, did not know, nor think, nor care
where should hit HIM, nor how hard, nor what the
effect would be. 1t was the side of head and
there was nothing to break the force ofthe blow He
fell instantly upon the pavement. There was no
second blow. He did not move. | stopped down
over him, and he seemed TO be feless. Blood flow
ed from his mouth, and got sponge and wiped. Il
away. | got some ammonia and applied it to his
nose but without effect. Perhaps spent ten min
utes in attempts to resuscate him; but found that
he was absolutely dead. In my horror and conster-
nation ran instincvely to the doors and boted them
the doors of the lecture and of the laboratory
below And then what was | to do?
1t never occurred to me to 90 out and declare what
had been done, and obtain assistance. l saw Moth
ing but the alternative ola successful removal and
concealment Of the body, the one hand, and of IN
fanny and destruction on the other The first thing
did as soon as could do anything to drag the
body into the private room adjoining. There | 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,
pocket book, or whatever else they may have con-
tanned did not examine the pockets, remove
any thing except the watch. saw that the chain
Off, hanging out and took it and threw it tower the
bridge as went to Cambridge. ~
Nv 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 get
ting up into the sink myself, | succeeded in draw
ing it up. There it was entirely dismembered. 1t
was quickly done, as work of terrible and desper-
ate necessity. The only instrument used was the
knife found by the officers inthe tea-chest, and which
kept for cutting corls. made no use oft Turk
ish knife as it was called at the trial. That had long
been kepton my parlor mante piece in Cambridge
as a curious ornament. My daughters frequently
cleaned thence the marks of oil and whiting found
on it. had lately brought it into Boston to get the
silver sheath repaired
While dismembering the body stream Of Cochi-
tuate was running through the sink, carrying off the
blood in a pire that passed down through the lower