The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-07-11
CONFESSION OF DR.. JOHN W. WEBSTER.

At meeting Of the Governor and Council Of
the State Of Massachusetts, on Tuesday last, the
Rev. DIR Pat0sr, the sp;risaol '&fslser Of PF0fes-
sor Webster, appeared aud presented q petition
from John w Webster, now under sentence
81 death for The murder Of DR. George Parkman,
praying that his sentence might be commuted
The petition Is accompanied by a statement from
Prof Webster, in which he admits that be killed
DIR. Parkmsn, as follows, from which we make
the following extract:
"On Tuesday, the goth Of November, | sent the
note to DIR. Parkman, which, 1t appears, was car
ried by the boy Maxwell handed IL TO Little
field unsealed IL was TO ask DR. Parkmsn TO
call at my rooms on Friday, the 23j, after my
lecture. He had become Of late very importu-
nate for his pay. He had threatened me with a
suit to put an officer into my house, and TO drive
me from my professorship, il did not pay him.
The purport Of my note was simply to ask the
conference did not tell him in il what | could
do or what had TO say about the payment |
wished TO gain for those few days, a release from
his solicitations, TO which was liable every day
occasions and in a manner very disagreeable
and alarming to me, and also to avert for 30 long
q time at least, the fulfment Of recent threats Of
severe measures. | did not expect to be able TO
pay him when Friday did arrive. My pur-
pose was, If he should sccede to the proposed
utter inability to pay him at present TO apologize
for those things in my conduct which had offend
ed him, to throw myself upon his mercy, to beg
for further time and indulgence for the sake Of
my family, If not for my own, and to make as
good promises to him as could have any hope OF
keeping
al did not hear from him on that day nor the
next, wednesday, but found that on Thurs
day he had been abroad in pursuit Of me, though
without finding me feared that be had forgot
ten the appointment, or else did not mean to wait
for L. feared he would come Ia upon me ~ my
lecture hour, or while was preparing my expert.
ments for it, Therefore called at his house on
that morning, (Fridsy) between 8 and o O'Clock
to remind him Of my wish to see him at the Col
lege at half past one, my lecture closing at one
did not stop to talk with him then, for expect.
ed the conversation would be long one, and
had my lecture to prepare for. Ii was necessary
for me to save my time, and also to keep my mind
free from other exciting matters. DIR. Parkman
agreed to call on me as proposed.
He came, accordingly, between half past one
and 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 upper laboratory. He came rapidly
down the steps, and followed me into the labora-
tory He Immediately addressed me with great
energy Are you ready for me, sirl Have you
got the money! replied, mo, DR.. Psrkmsn,'
and was then beginning to state my condition,
and make my appeal to him He would not listen
to me, but interrupted me with much vehemence
He called me scoundrel' and liar, aud went on
heaping upon me the most bitter taunts aud op-
probrious epithets While he was talking, he
drew q 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 congratulsting him lDr. P) on his sue
cess In getting me appointed Professor Of Chem.
istry. you see,' he said, II got you into your
office, and now will get you out Of Ill He put
back into his pocket all the papers except the let
ter and the notes. cannot tell how long the
torrent of threats and invectives continued, and
can now recall TO memory bat q small portion
Of what be said. At first kept intcrposing, try
ing to pscify him, so that ] might obtain the OBJ
ject for which | had sought the interview. But |
could not stop him, aud soon my own temper |
was up forgot everything felt nothing but
the sting of his words. was excited to the high
est degree Of passion and while he MAS speaking
and gesticulating in the most violent and mena-
cling manner, thrusting the letter and his fist in
my face, in my fury seized whatever thing was
handiest-it was stick Of woodland dealt him
an instantaneous blow, with all the force that
passion could give il. did not know, nor think,
nor care, where should hit him, nor how hard,
nor what the effect would be. Il was on the side
Of his head, and there wac nothing 70 break the
force Of the blow. He fell instantly upon the
There was no second blow. He did
not move. | stopped down over him, and he
seemed TO be lifeless. Blood flowed from his
mouth, and ! got sponge and wiped 1t away
got some ammonia and applied 1t to his nose, but
without effect Perhaps ] spent ten minutes 10
attempts to resuscitate him bat found thst be
was absolutely dead. 10 my horror and conster-
nation ran instipctively and bolted the doors Of
the lecture room and the laboratory below. And
then what WAS 10 dol II never occurred to me
TO 20 out and declare what had been done and
obtain assistance saw nothing but the alterna-
tive Of successful removal and concesiment OF
the body, on the one hand, and Of infAmy and
destruction on the otherD
The confession then goes on 10 state the man.
ncr 10 which the body was subsequently dismem-
bered, &c, but these details are 90 horrible that
we must be excused from copying them National
I1>li,gney.