The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1850-07-22
AnDgFss % Gov. R89Gss.

NSVarn1r. % The N0Uncs II GS1sTsnce - As ease d
F'rRf Webster.
/ II Ehf Honorable Council
E The Council having considered and nctaa On the
eass q anha W Wshslsr, uaHrlC1 under sentence
81 dsa1h, becomes NJ 1uF IS the Ghlei Executive
Magistrate Of the Commonwealth u mike final
decision q question involving the life of the prs
oDsr feel the Nslgh1 81 Is responsibility But Il
responsibility found in the path Of ohcIal duty,
and am not disposed 10 eFade II, 10 shrink from
( IL For sgia months past this extraordinary case
mas crea1ed deep and pal4fal interest among the
people Of Massachusetts and Of the whole Union
LIS history Is as brief as Il Is terrible and Instructive
every mex development IN II progress has been
{ more strange. and has Increased thai interest.
4 On the zSrd day Of November, 1919, Dr. George
4 f'aTkDRn, we.i-kn0Bn md highly respectable cit
IZar ul Boston, 4e his house and family business
a. was nsaai for lIlm, and never returned to them
his unexpected absence alarmed has family and ex-
clae3 the attention Of The people IN and around Bos
Ton. In Inc course Of day OF 1--WE twas understood
+ tha1 the prisoner had sand that DR.. ParknRn mel
tn Al his rooms In the Medical College IN the west
pan 81 the cry far from half-para O'Clock On
the day Of his disappearance, and that ne then and
E there pad him 3 SUM Of money, winch be, DR.
4 PErkman. took laf0 his hands and hastily rushed
4 towards the 0u1er door
4 Dr. Parku4an was also seen by other person about
the TINE a day within forty feet Of the door of
the Celiese, and walking quickly towards Il These
with other circumstances directed the public Hlnd
towards the College Buildings The next Friday,
E one week Efiar the disappearance Of Dr.. Parkman
4 The dlsDaUbar8d parts Of human body were found
II aiHarsH1 places IN and under the rooms occupied
ty the prisoner IA thai College, some Of them N
furnace nearly DESTROYED by fire. some Of them puck
ed In lsa chest, and Other parts In the vault Of
/ FrIvy attached u ms laboratory.
Suspicious wsre strongly fixed VI him, and be was
arrested and COMMITTED To LsVsretf street Iail
4 coronars Inqnesz called and after long exam
laasn into rhs facts Of the case conducted In Sc
crH, the JErT reported that the remains found were
parts OF the body Of the hate DR.. George Parman,
that De came 70 ms death by violence II the Medi-
cal College IN Boston, on Fri1aF. the 23a dav Of
A0Fambsr, and TINT he was killed BY John w. Web
ster- The evidence taken before the inquest WAS
1oi given 10 the public. In gaunary, 1850,
the case land before the Grand jury for
the County OF Suffolk, and The investigation before
that body resulted IN finding an Indictment against
the prisoner for the murder OF Dr. Parkman-
He was arraigned on the Indictment and pleaded
not guilty. Two OF the most able and distinguished
lawyers Of the Commonwealth were, upon ms own
selection assigned to HIM as counsel bv the Supreme
Court, and ms trial before the fUn bench Of that
Court fixed on the 18th day Of March. Some time
before the day Of trial the Attorney General furnish
u Lht GeAtSe O TIE faS0f DOL 90iN Win Isl o.
the names Of the witnesses to be called against him.
which Is required to be done in all capital cases in
tins Commonwealth but also with q copy Of the tes-
tmony taken before the Coroner's inquest, and
winch had been produced against him before the
Grand Jury.
The time appointed for the trial arrived. when
-four Judges OF the Supreme Court were present. and
sal during the trial n pursuance Of the provisions
box IL the County Of Suffolk. By law. The prison,,
mad rlghf perempoFIly, without giving any reason
10 challenge twenty Jurors and for rood reasons ia
object 10 any others whose names might be called :
La empannellng the Jury who tried him, the prison.
CT exercised ms peremptOry right Of chaenge inon.
" fourteen instances
HE trial was Of surprising interest and sole-
nItys and lasted eleven DAYS On the part Of the
prisoner, The case argued with great earnestness
candor and ability, by the Hon Pliny Merrick. hi.
SENIOR counsel After denying that the evidence OF
lhe part OF the Government was sufficient to prove
rnai the prisoner killed DR.. Parkman At ali. the
counsel took the ground that If IN any event the iu1
snouid come to the ceDcR sion thai he did kill INN
Lan lhe circumstances OF the case were such as Ia
saIlsiy Them that the killing could not IHve beer
Iremedraisd. but was the result OF an unexpected
can1let between The parties and d sudden passion
ms Tosnon ne endaaNursd 10 rrlaintulu bv an IN
gemous and powerful appeal 70 The jury The case
was closed on the part or the Commonwealth BIZ the
Attorney General, by an address Of singular point
ana effect After The Attorney General had finished
ms argument the Cour1 informed the prisoner that
ne had the right, winch he uaghi exercise or not as
hs pleased 10 make such remarks to the Jury as he
saw nj The prisoner rose and lor some time nd
dressed the jury IN his own behalf An elaborate.
Gear, and comprehensive charge was given by tho
llaei Justice after conversation with the other mem
Dsfs Of the Court who sat with him at the trial
The lury retired to their room, and after an alb
senos Of three hours late on Satur3ar evening. re-
turned lnfo Court with Q verdict ofguilty The next
Monday morning the prisoner was again brought IN
70 Court, and Received from the Chef Justice The
sentence Of the law, which doomed him 10 suffer
Death by hanging, AT such time as the Executive Of
the Commonwealth should appoint
In few days copy ofIhe record Of his conyic-
ilon was transmitted to the Governor and Council
BY the sheIf Of The county Of Suffolk, according 10
the direction Of the Statute.
90 the Path Of April the prisoner sent by the hand
q ms friend 10 the Governor and Council petifon
ior pardon, under his hand, on The ground Of his
enilfe innocence OF The crime Of which he had been
convicted, and for which be was under sentence az
Death All proceedings on this petition before the
LGcuuve were suspended, IN consequence OF having
received notice from the counsel OF The prisoner tai
they were about 70 make application to the Supreme
Couff LOT writ Of error to be issued in his case. on
account OF CERTAIN alleged irregularities which had
been discovered in The curse OF the