Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1850-04-27
The Wahstar Trial.

The Webster Trial.
We Fe happy to perceive Tint OH
early expressed condemnation Of the
court and jury that tried Prof. Webs
ter IL perfectly IN accordance to the
sober second thought Of public opin.
ion. Every day dcvelopes new evi'
dences Of Indignation at the cold
hearted character displayed by judge
Shaw. Mt tho inconpcteney Of Prof.
Webster's Counsel. Mt the testimony
and conduct of ~l.ittletleld, and Mt the
general disregard ofthe simplest prin.
ciple of criminal law, by the court
and prosecuting attorney. We cam
not look upon Judge Shaw's charge
without involuntarilly calling up
the savage demonstration, peculiar to
Judge Ieflrys. when he sat upon the
bench. and seemed to feast upon the
suIlerings of his prisoner victims. and
fairly devour their liIe.hlood with his
eyes. As might have been expected.
an attempt IL being made ut the north
to stay the course Of legal murder by
petition. and the most eminent citi-
tens Of New York and Philadelphia
have already asked for n pardon for
Prof. Webster on the ground there
was mo warrant in the evidence for
the verdict rendered" The follow
ing extracts will perhaps more than
anything we can say, give our rea-
ders an idea of the matters connected
with the trial and the public opinion
on the subject:
WAS WEBSTER GUILTY. I
Undoubtedly. the proofs of guilt
are very strong, but the evidence Of
innocence Is by no means weak.
The proofs of guilt are the presence
Of body.
The Identification Of teeth, and the
conformation of the Jaw.
The presence Of Parkman at Webs
ter's oom.
The possession by Webster of the
note when every presumption OF his
want Of money is shown.
The secrecy of Webstor's move
ments, such asthe locking of his door.
The relics in the furnace, and the
heating Of the furnace.
The presence of gold and platina
in the slugs of the furnace.
The possession c the mortgage.
The proofs of innocence are--First,
Medical
The absence Of hlood--it would
have been almost impossible to kill a
man and cut him up without some
trace of blood. aud the most minute
examination detected none in the
room.
The dissection Of the body, evident
ly. by one who had witnessed dissec-
ton, and had disposed of subjects by
by taking of limbs but who could not
cut scientifically.
The Pelvis, too large for the oritice
of the privy, and ne signs Of taking
up the seat.
The non-presence in the furnace Of
those bones of the head. far more in
destructible by fire than the jaw.
The presence of a pearl button in ,
furnace which had melted gold and
platinum, encased in clay.
The finding of the mortgage among ,
papers where it was not at the period
of the first examination, when Webs
ter had no access to the papers, when
no one upon his direction had access
to the papers, and when, if either he
or any Of his agents had their wish, it
would have been to destroy, not pro-
duce the mortgage.
The usual everyday life Of Webs
ter pursued as usual.
And lastly, the overwhelming as
of Parbman's presence at va
rious parts of the city long after the
hour at which the murder could have
been committed. Either those wit
nesses Were perjured or mistaken; the
first is not pretended, the second the
jury assumed. That learned body
evidently thought not that the defence
effected It's object, by proving some
hing which at a blow destroyed the
ediice the prosecution had erected; but
the accused was bound to take it
brick by brick. stone by stone,