Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1850-07-12
IN (eccIIa an E o II o {.
coDfass;on of Professor webster.

Council this morning, the case OF Professor
Webster was referred to a Committee De,
.,,re The Committee, at II o'clock, appeared
the Rev. DIR. Putnam, the spiritual adviser OF
the condemned, with petition for the COM
mutation of punishment, together with d con-
fession that he killed DR.. Parklnan;
The reverend gentleman Pre1aced Tue s'a'o-
ment by few remarks reidtlVe 10 tiie il"liiiTA T
in which The confession was made to him. lie
etated that he had no previous acquaintance
bir With Professor Webster, before being
,aIiad TO act in the capacity of his spiritual
,dvissr. In the first few weeks Of his visit,
ba sopoht 10 acknowledgement of the prisoner.
Al length, on the esd May, he visited him in
his cell. and demanded Of him, for his own
we'll being, that he should tell the truth in re
gard to the matter, and he acceded TO the re-
quest, by making statement which was now
submitted for the consideration OF the council,
Il was in substance as follows:
On Tuesday. Nov. Goth, sent a note to
nr. Parkmdn; it was handed to Littledeld,
and vas unsealed. 1t was to ask DR.. Park
man 10 call on me, as he had become quite
imnortunate about his debt. | wished to gain
ume. did not expec. to be able TO pay him
on Friday.
NY purpose was, if he should accede to the
proposed interview. to state to him my embar-
rassments and utter inability to pay him at
present-to apologize for those things in my
conduct which had offended hIm-to throw
luvself upon his mercy-to beg for further
time and indulgence for the sake of my family
If moi for myself. and to make as good proml-
sas to him - | could have any hope of keep.
inc. did not hear from him on that day, nor
the next. Nv ednesday), but found on Thurs.
day. ho had been abroad in pursuit Of me,
without finding Me. imagined he had for
gotten the appointment. or else did not mean
70 wait for H. | feared he would come in upon
me at INV lecture hour, or while l was prepa-
RING ny experiments for il, therefore called at
his house on that morning (Friday) between
: and 9. to remind hlm Of my wish to see him
81 the College at hall past one, my lecture
closing At one | did not stop TO talk with
hin, for expected the conversation would be
q long one, and had my lecture 10 prepare,
Tor it was necessary for me 10 have my time
and also to Keep my mind free from other ex-
citing matters. DR.. Parkman agreed TO call
on me as ! proposed. He came accordingly,
between haifpast one and two o'clock, enter
ing al the lecture-room door. Twas removing
some glasses from my leclure-room table into
room IN the rear, called the upper laboratory.
lie came rapidly down the step, and followed
me into the laboratory. He Immediately ad-
dressed me with great energy, ''ATe you ready
for me, sir! Have YOU got the money!
replied, Nc. Dr. Pa-hman," and was then
beginning to state my condition and my appeal
10 him. but he would not listen to me, and IN
ter;upted me with much yehemence-be called
me seound1el aud liar, and went on hsaping
on me the most bitter tauRts and opprobn0us
epIthrts. While he was speaking he drew d
handful OF papers from his pocket, and took
from among them my two notes, and also an
old tereI from DR.. Hossack, written many
years ago, and c9ngratulating him on his sue
cess IN getting me appointed Professor Of
Chemistry. ''Gou see,'' he said, Il got von
into your Office, and now | will &c. You out Of
H." lie put back into his pocket al! the pa
pers except the letter and the notes. | cannot
tell how long the torrent Of threats and inYec-
uFes continued. and | cannot recall 10 memory
bat a small portion Of what he said. At first
kept lnterposIng, trying to paclfy him, so
that | might obtain tue object for which
sought the Interview; but | could not stop MIN;
and soon my own temper was up; ] forgot
everything, and felt nothing bat the sting of
hts words. ] was excited TO the highest de-
gee OF passion, and while he was speaking
and gestlculating in the most violen: and men
acIng manner, thrusting the letter and his fist
into my face,-in my fury | seized whatever
vas hdndlest-it was a stick OF woodland
dealt hlm an instantaneous blow, with all the
force that passion could give it. did not
know. or think, or care where | should hit
him. or how hard, or what the effect would be.
l. was on the side Of his head, and there was
nothing to break the force Of the blow; he fell
instantly On the pavement; there was no second
blow; he did not move. | stopped down over
hlm and he seemed to be lieless; blood flowed
from his mouth. and / got sponge and wiped
II away. got ammonia and applied il to his
nose, but without effect; perhaps / spent ten
minutes IN attempts TO resuscitate him, but ]
found he was absolutely dead. in INV horror
and CONSERVATION | ran instinctiyely to the
doors and bO!ted theIl,-ihe doors Of the lee
hTe room and Of the laboratory below-and
ihen, what was | to do! It never occurred to
me TO 90 out and declare what had been done
dhd obtain assistance. ] saw nothing but the
alternative Of successful movement and the
conceament Of the body. on the one hand. and
Of lnfamy and destruction on the other. The
hf5l thing did, as soon as | could do anythig,
was to draw the body ia the private room ad-
joining; then ! took off the clothes and began
pnt.hs them into the fire which was burning
IN me upper laboratory, They were all con-
-Itied mere that afternoon, with papers,
PoeAei'bcok, and Wfiatcvc, they contained. I
"'9 h9t examine the pockets nor remove any-
hing except the watch. / saw that, or the
'ha!n "t It, hanging out. took il and threw
J, over the bridge as went to Cambridge.
aiy next move was to get the body into the
sinh, which stands in the small private room.
~ setting the body partially erect against the
a'fner, and by getting up into the sink rnyself.
succeeded 10 drawing it Up there; j. was On.
Hfeiy diaTneInbered It was quickly done as
%ork Of terrible and desperate neccsgity.
me only Instrument vas the knife found bv
ne oihcefs ln the tea chest, which | kept f5r
catun2 corks. made no use Of the Turkish
thhe, as IT was called at the trial; that had
.ong been kept On my parl9r manlt piece, jr
',ambrdge, as curious ornament Nv dauoh
iefs frequently cleaned thence the marks Q
"a aud whiting found On il. ! had latel,
brought II into Boston to get the silver shcati