The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1850-04-13
The Jury in the webater Trial.

men,-fluying read IN several pHpers whal
unmarried 10 be- q relation Of The seems and
evenis which lunBIirgd ~ the jury Room
on lhs nial Of Dr, John w, Webster I have
fuit desirouH now thal Tho subject hhs been
brought before lhe public uaod) that plain
statement NJ lie more important matters con
rreted with the Jury Room should be made
az Il might prOVe Interesting, " not lnsiric'
iise, 20 lhe community, Tie Jury was COM
posed oflwelye men, from ~ many different
branches of the mechanic aHd mercantile
"nrsfesdOas," they were from four different
religious denominations, and their Fes ynri-
ed from % 10 60 ye7TG, They were men
whom should designate ~ possessing good
sound common aenHe-men capable ofludg-
ing-of discerning -Of approaching evidence
and estimating iis Importance, 1he Jurors,
after they hal become better acquainted viii
zach other, aud as tho evidence begin 10
benr with crushing weight upon tbs prison
or, aud the met work Of complicated cir
cnmslanccs" seemed 10 cncirele him. felt
nrongiy tie need of "thht wisdom which
eOineIh from above, 10 guide nnd direct their
minds Alright in their most momenlous aud
responsible situation,
II was then thAt our worthy Foreman
Whom We all most highly respecihnd whom
,yc shall ever remember with plsasurel pro-
posed 10 the Jury that they'ahould have ro-
igous services every evening. The propo.
ailion was most eheeriiIlly responded TO, and
ever after that time, the voice Of praise and
pfayof daily assembled, al wa trust from sin
core hearts, 10 The Throne Of Infinite Wis
dom anil Mercy. need not say that the bur
den &c every prayer was for wisdom 10 guide
md direct unto-n right decision aud for bless
ings most rich aud precious TO descend upon
The prisoner aud his afflicted family,
now como 10 The closing part Of this mo-
Tnentoua trial. When the witnesses for tho
def,lneo hnd given IN dieir testimony, and the
counsel for the prisoner announced the evil
doncn on their part closed, feeling OF pain
and anguish must have come over the mind
of every juror-"Whnt! can no more he said,
.sz-no more bo done in behalf oriho unhappy
prisonasl. l. thht tho oyidenco-the oniy a.
idsnce on which ,se,afe 70 base oaT verdict Of
Not Guilty !"
AT that very tine, with tho light which HE
able charge fIhe Chief Justice afterwards
gave us on several points Of "lhc law aud ev-
idence," | think | spoak the sentiments OF
asarly &c not quite ali ihe Jury, when say
that they were hs fully prepared lor
their verdict rs they were when they re-
drod to the Jury Room, after listening TO the
most aldo and eloquent pleas OF thu prisoners
senior counsel aud tho Attorney Generhl--so
aironaly, 20 fllly had the evidence pointed
oNE ELaG. Aiier the Jury had gone TO their
room-wih tho various evidences Of guilt
spread oul on tho table before them, and the
door locked upon theng shut out NJ IL were
entirely from the world, with nothing hut
Jhc eye oflho Omnis"e"' G''l anon them
20 painful WINS the sense Of responsibility, 10
unwilling were They 10 come To tho result
which all felt they must come TO, that 30 TO
40 minutes were spent ere anything was
done when at last the voice of the Foreman
was heard calling them 10 Order and remind
ing ihom OF duty. however painful; aud when
they Ind all tnken their seats around the IN.
Go-thcn il was that Que Of the Jurors rose
aud said, "Mr Foreman, before entering up
on the further consideration and decision Of
this most important matter ! would propose
that NO seek for Divine wisdom and gtd-
. ance." The proposition met with cordial
response, aud the foreman called upon Ju.
ror 10 offer PRAYER. This was dono, most
foelingly aud sincerely. We then proceed
oil to the mos, trying and pninfOl part of our
hrduous duty. The various Erticles which
were put into the case wern oTaminnh nv
Lllc jury, and particularly those things which
seemed to bear most strongly against the
prisoner. The final decision oflho question
was resolved Into three parts:
FYral-Are il,a remains oi-a human body
found in the Medical College on the Both OF
November, lsi9 those ofthe late DIR. George
Parkrnnni
!Scoond-Did Dr.. George Pnrkman come
TO his deuth 10y the hands of DIR. John White
Webster, in the Medical College, on the Odd
Nov, 1Si0?
ThId-Is Dr.. John w. Webster guilty as
set forth IN the indicttten Of le N'liH Hf''F
der of DR.. George Parbman2
Whom the vote on ihe first question was
put, twelve hands arose Immediately. Some
little discussion then took place, when n sec
ond question was tesicd-nnd twelve hands
nj once arose. The ihird-the most impor-
rant question of all-was next To be tried
Quite pause cnsued. One juror-in his
sympathcs Of Kindness for the prisoneEwbo
was his personal acquaintance or friend and
his afflicted InmiIy-shrunk from the "fiery
ordeal" Cant we stop here ?-cant the
law he indicated aud justice satisfied, IL wo
Iause here ? Must we take the life of the
tiuhurry prisoner ~ Some discussion en-
sucd--,iie mind OF the Juror ssemed- moro
calm-and he expressed his readiness TO
vote on the final question, which was then
put and twelve hands arose. Tho die was
east and John w. Webster was pronounce
led Gully VI Murder.
Thus ended the closing scene in the Jury
Room What afterwards transpired IN the
Court Room is nlrendy known tohhc public
When our foreman then pronounced that
awful word-Guil'y! the Jury as wol>ns tho
prisoner, trcmbled and grew faint. And
what n relief il was to us when we were
again allowed to Ego free and rejoin our
families aud friends after so long and pnin-
fnl separation; and there was not jurors
heart but would shave lenped for JOY could
the prisoner have been justly allowed the
game unsrenkable blessing,
ONE or THE tUEY.