Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1850-04-05
-, of professor webster.

b ,Sd BY permission OF the Court the prisoner
d. 'p ,sd the Jury as follows
desired to enter into an explanation of the
81 mad network of circumstances which, by my
onT!c ",osition the government has thrown around
scul"ii Thich, in nine cases out of ten, are COM
be- a' 1istorted and probably -tenths OF which
eteI, satisfactorily explained. All the points of
E9ad - .o,onv have been placed in the hands of my
he Hsi5 Nv whom my innocence could have been
onns+ ,t5blished Acting entirely under their di-
'frDF have sealed my lips during the period Of
reolop enqmcut trusting myself entirely to them.
ny cWu not deemed it necessary, in their superior
AIby This was said in an ironcal tone to bring
RrilgI bp evidence which was to exoncrate me from
.r If these acts. The government have bro't
rH'I consummate ingenuity could suggest a.
rbaE va and hope it will not have an undue in
aoss anon my jury. will not allude to many of
5aeDIs but there is one which touches me, and
be '9o .Eo letter which has been produced 1t is not
t5aI ert had read in the daily prints which have
|5e ;lrtpd in my apartments, and various pub
cen u.5', which have been made respecting them
auoH 2.,,nn+ was that had, after the disappear
he ~ ~ Parkman purchased quantity of oxalic
Hcs 81 the stains of blood, and it instantly
al i" 70 me that this parcel might be saved and
ccttl' S1 rrbnn necessary. For several DAYS Mrs
noanosed me to purchase some acid for do
I". and as nv wife had repeatedly laughed
nesIlc u'' had not purchased it, had borne it
a. MI ,,;nd that afternoon, and had gone into Thay-
pa my nnJrr the Revere House, and made the
er 5loI o and waited till the Cambridge Hourly
M ajo1r ard then jumped into the omnibus with
,sn bundle | went home and gave the bundle to
u. rr;fo and when afterwards heard so much said
pInt the bundle, it flashed on my mind in a moment
st tHis must be the bundle. 1t was to this bundle,
20 not to any document, that referred in the d-
,or to my wife AS regards the nitrate of copper
tbe usual lectures preceding my arrest, had oc-
,sm 70 use the influence of chemical agents in pro-
Iac;rg changes of various subjects. Among others
~ raSes prepared large quantity of oxalic acid
@s7 4 Gallon ar was filled with gas in order to
E,,pcc the changes from dark color to orange, and
Eain air On great heat being applied to the jar,
h, oas was drawn through water.
a. TO the nitrate Of copper spilled on the floor of
5s laboratory it was spilled accidentally from a
.rgttv and by me, in my lectures between the
|49v &ir Parkmans disappearance and my own ar
s:t So | might 90 on explaining a variety of cir
rnstanCes which have been distorted. My counsel
have pressed me to keep calm My very calmness
has leen made to bear against me but my trust has
been in NY God and my own innocence. In regard
h money | must say a word. The money which |
hail Dr. Parkman on the afternoon of Friday, Nov.
53I had saved up from time to time, and kept it
HI trunk in my house in Cambridge; but, unfOr-
nnatlv, no one ever saw me take it Out-theretOrC,
lean only give my word that such is the fact Sew
pa years ago, had students who were in the habit
fbcine in my laboratory, and who injured my APP
oaratus therefore, | prepared everything for my
own use IN my lectures with my own hands, and that
is the reason Why | excluded persons from my lab
0ratorv As regards my whereabouts from the hour
of Dr. 'P's disappearance, have put into my coun-
sess hands satisfactory information, which will ac-
count for every day had spent during that week
tu every day and every hour, | never was absent
from home AS to being seen by Mr.. Sanderson, |
Vas at home every evening. One thing that has
been omitted by my counsel was that on the Friday
|n which the alleged murder was said to have been
committed had purchased Humboldts new work,
Cosmos and while waiting for an omnibus, step
ped into Brlgham's to take a mutton chop and, in
ming out to take the omnibus, had forgotten my
sOS; but after my arrest remembered the place
Fbore had left it, and mentioned it to nv counsel
Fhey had sent to Brigham's, and the book had been
inHd"
The Professor here sat down, but almost Instantly
arose and said Il will say one word more I have
at very much distressed by the production of those
Anonymous letters more so than by ANYTHING that
has occurred during the trial call nv God to wit
ness that if it the last hour of my life [ never
wrote those letters. Since the trial commenced 6
der has been received from this very 'Civis by
Notmy counsel. If this person has any spark Of
humanity, call upon him to come forward. A no
bee to this effect has been put in the papers,
The prisoner having concluded his remarks, the
uy was charged by Chief Justice Shaw, and at nine
0aock precisely, retired to form their verdict Al
precisely 20 minutes before eleven, they came into
ourt and the foreman pronounced their verdict O
GUILTY Of murder in the first degree in a solemn
Uce.
NeoSters hand, which he had held up by direc
ION OF the Court then dropped his eyes closed, and
.'' seemed oppressed by an intolerable load of an
7uIsh. The Court, the Jury and the Counsel were
''Fl0l " aHeeted and the Judge put an end to tho
scene by dismissing the Jury.
Inc prisoner was removed to Jail to await his sen
uce
Professor Webster was brought UP on Monday, tn
+" instant, to receive the sentence of the law H
l''kej calm and collected but gloomy in the ex
'lue. The Attorney General gave a history of thu
'Sv and moved that the final sentence of the Law
n0nouneed The prisoner rose up and being
"u he had anything to show why sentence O
'''l should not be pronounced, bowed and took hi.
"' Ill silence Judge SHAW then addressed him il
N"N5 manner, and concluded by pronoun
- '"v sentence Of the law, in the following words
nr ,ran now nothing remains but the solemn duty
lm;,Io""cInS the sentence which the law fixes fol-
at r, o. murder, of which you stand convicted
5coo ,1; IoHS W. WEBSTER, be removed from this
, "nu oe detained in close custody in the prison
Tao1. and thence taken 1T such time as the
T 55aI'e Government of this Commonwealth may
N I I'LL warrant appoint, to the place of execution
'ueTe be hung bY the neck until Won are dead
an, I'y God of his infinite goodness have mercy OF
" "ERsTER's guilt, and, consequently, of the pro
wy OF the verdict, there now seems to be little O.
''uOI. Indeed, after paying considerable atten
ano,, "S evidence, we cannot see how any othel
Mrs p, could have been arrived at, especially al
Dr. D. sADE the lady who testified that she saw
mrt '''4N at i've o'clock, wrote letter to tn,
,s ''i"ctlnS what she said, alleging that sh,
hot l,.o