Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-07-19
elegraphed for the New York Tribune.
.ONFEssION OF PROFESSOR

elegraphed for the New York Tribune.
ONFEsSION OF PROFESSOR
- WEBSTER,
g ~ KILLING OF DIR. PARKMAN
BosToN, Tuesday, July Q.
u the meeting of the Council. thi
rning, the case Of Professor Webste
3 referred to committee.
Before the committee, at IL o'clock
peared the Rev. DR.. Putnam, the spir
al adviser Of the condemned, with
sition for q continuation OF punish
Int, together with confession that h,
lied DR.. Parkman.
The Rev. gentleman prefaced th,
htement by few remarks relative /,
e mannerin which the confession wal
|nde TO him. He stated that he had NJ
ersonal acquaintanceship with Profess
Webster before being called to act ii
6e capacity of his spiritual ADVISER
b the first few weeks Of his visits h.
ought no acknowledgment of the pris
ner. Atlength on the 23d Of May, hi
listed him in his cell and demanded O
i'm, for his own well being, that he
hould tell the truth in regard to The
natter, and he acceded to the request by
making a statement which was now sub
mil.ed forthe Reconsideration Of the Coun.
iii Ii was as follows:
sent the note TO Dir. Parkman, which
Enppears was carried ty the boy Max
ELL. handed il TO Lit,lefield unsealed
was to ask DR.. Parkman to call at my
boms on Friday the 23d, after my lec-
bre. He had become Of late very i'm
ortunate for his pay. He had threat,
med me with suit, to put an officer in.
10. my house, and to drive me
rom my professorship, if did not pay
him. The purport OF my note was sim.
ply to ask the conference. Ibid not tel
him in il what could do or what had
10 say about the payment. wished to
gain for those few days a release from
his solicitations, to which was liable
every day, on OCCASIONS andin manner
very disagreeatle, and also 10 avert fol
so.long lime at least the fulfllment OF
recent threats of severe measures.
did not expect to be able to pay him
when Friday should arrive. My pur-
pose was, IL he should accede 10 the pro-
posed interview, to. state to him my EN-.
.barrassment, and utter inability to pay
him at present, to apologize for those
things in my conduct which had offended
him, 10 throw myself upon his mercy,
and to beg for further time and indul-
gence for the sake of my family, If not
for my own, and TO make as good prom
Uses 10 him as ! could have any hope Of
keeping. did not hear from him on
tina, day, nor the next. "wednesday but
] found on Thursday he had been abroad
in pursuit Of me without finding me.
imagined he had forgotten the appoint
men,, or else did not mean TO wait for it.
] feared be would come in upon me al
my lecture-room or while ! was prepa-
ring my experiments for it--therefore
called at his house on that morning, Fri
day. between and o o'clock, TO remind
him Of my wish 10 see him at the Col
iege a, 1t o'clock---my lecture closing
u. o'clock. | did not stop to talk with
him. for l expected the conversation
would be long one, and had my lee
sure TO prepare, for ie was necessary fol
me 10 have my time. and also TO keep my
mind free from other exciting matters.
DIR. Pafkman agreed to call on me as
] proposed. He came accordingly be.
tween I ! and Q o'clock, entering a! the
ioc,nrc-room door. ! was engaged in
removing some glnsses from my lecture
room table into the room in the rear call
ed the upper laboratory; he came rap.
idly down The step and followed me in
10 the laboratory; he Immediately adj
dressed me with great energy, "Are YOU
ready for me, sir--haye you got the mo-
neyi'' Ireplicd, "No, DIR. Parkman,'
and was then beginning to state my con
dition and my appeal to him, but he
would moi listen to me and interrupted
me with much vehemence; he called me
scoundrel and liar, and went on heapint
on me the most bitter taunts and .oppro
brions epi,hets; while lie was speaking
he drew handful of papers from hl'
pocket and took from among them my
Two notes and also an old letter from DR.
Hosack, written many years ago AMI
congratula.ing him on his success in get
Ting me appointed Professor Of Chemis
sry. "You see," he said, II got yol
into your Office, and now will get 20,
out Of IL" He put back into his poke
all the papers except the letter and tn
notes; i cannot tell how long the torren
of threats and invectiyes continued. ant
] cannot recall 10 memory buta SINAI
portion Of what he said. &
AT first ] kept interposing, trying 7
pacify him, so ihatl might obtain the 90
ject for which Isoughtthe interview, bu
could not stop him, and soon my owl
temper wassup;I forgot esery,hing. AM
felsnoihing but the sting Of his words
I was excited 10 the highest degree Q
passion, and while lie was speaking an
gesliculaiing in the most violent and me
nacing manner. thrusting the letter AM
his fist into my face, in my fury seize
whatever thing was hanliest, (it was
stick Of wood,) and dealt him an instan
ianeous blow with all the force that pas
sion could give il. ! did not know. Q
think, or care where should hit him