Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1850-07-11
CONFESSION OF PROF. WEBSTER,
OF THE
KILLING OF DIR. PARKMANlll
BosToN, Tuesday, July 2.


At meeting of the Council this morn
ing, the case Of Professor Webster wasl
referred to a committee.
Before the committee, at 12 O'Clock.
appeared, Rev. DR.. Putnam, the spirit
|ual adviser of the condemned, with al
petition for commutation of punish
lment, together with a confession that
he killed DR.. Parkman.
The Rev. gentleman prefaced the
statement by few remarks relative to-
the manner in which the confession was
made to him. He stated that he had no
personal acquaintanceship with Proles-
sor Webster before being called to act
lin the capacity of his spiritual adviser.
In the first few weeks Of bis visit he
sought no acknowledgment of the pri-
soner. At length on the Esd of May,
5he visited him in bis cell and demanded
of him, for his own well-being, that he
should tell the truth in regard TO the
matter, and he aceeded TO the request
by making statement which was now
ssubmitted for the consideration of the
Council. 1t was as follows:
sent the note to DIR. Parkman.which
it appears was.Sarried by the boy Max
well. handed it to Littleield unseal-
Fed. II was to ask DR.. Parkman to call
at nv rooms on Friday, the 93d, after
my lecture. He had become of late
very importunate for his pay. He had
Threatened me with suit, to pu: an Off
Ger into my house, and to drive me from
B my professorship, if did not pay him,
The purport of my note was simply to
TASK the conference. Ibid not tell him
lin it what could do or what had tc
ssay about the payment. l wished to
gain FOR those few days a release from
his solicitations, to which ! was liable
every day, on occasions and in man.
ner very disagreeable, and also to aver
for so long a time at least the fulfilment
of recent threats of severe measures
did not expect to be able to pay him
when Friday should arrive. My pur.
pose was, if he should accede to the
Rproposed interview, to state TO him my
kembarrassments, and utter inability tc
pay him at present, to apologize fol
Those things in my conduct which had
defended him, to throw myself upon hi:
mercy, and to beg for further time and
Eindulgence for the sake of my family, il
mot for my own, and to make as good
promises to him as l could have any
hope of keeping. ! did not hear from
khim on that day, nor the next, WED
.nesday,) but found on Thursday he
had been abroad in pursuit of me, with
out finding me. | imagined he had for
gotten the appointment, or else did no
Hmean to wait for it. l feared he would
come in upon me at my lecture-room
or while | was preparing my expert
ments for it--therefore | called at hi:
house on that morning, friday be
Etween 8 and 9 o'clock, TO remind hin
of my wish to see him at the college a
II o'clock--my lecture closing at
O'Clock. did not stop to talk with him
for I expected the conversation woulc
be a long one, and | had nv lecture t.
prepare, Tor it was necessary for me t.
have my time, and also to keep my minC
free from other exciting matters.
DIR. Parkman agreed to call on me al
II proposed. He came accordingly be
tween II and 2 o'clock, entering at tht
lecture room door. / was engaged il
removing some glasses from my lecture
room table into the room in the rear
called the upper laboratory; he came
RAPIDLY down the step and followed me
into the laboratory; he Immediately ad
dressed me with great energy, "Are yoI
ready for me, sir-have you got the mo
neyl' replied, "No, DR.. Parkman, ,
and was then beginning to state my con
dition and my appeal to him, but he
would not listen to me, and interrupted
re with much vehemence; he called me
scoundrel and liar, and went on heapine
on me the most bitter taunts and oppro
brious epithets; while he was speaking
he drew handful of papers from hi:
pocket and took from among them my
1.-TWO notes, and also an old letter from
EDr. Hosack, written many years ago
and congratulating him on his success:
lin getting me appointed Professor oi
kChemistry. "You see," he said, 81 GO
you into your office, and now will ge
kyou out Of it," He put back into hi:
pocket all the papers except the letter
and the notes; | cannot tell how long
the torrents of threats and invectives
5continued, and | cannot recall to memo
nv but small portion of what he said.
At first | kept interposing, trying tc
pacify him, so that might obtain the
object for which sought the interview
but | could not stop him, and soon my
Gown temper was up; forgot everything
and felt nothing but the sting of his
words. l was excited to the highest
degree of passion, and while he was
speaking and gesticulating in the most
violent and menacing manner, thrusting
THE letter. and his fist into my face. in
my fury | seized whatever thing was
5handiest, (H was stick of wood and
dealt him an instantaneous blow with all
the force that passion could give it.
did not know, or think, or care where
should hit him, nor how hard, nor what
THE effect would be; it was on the side
of the head, and there was nothing to
break the force of the blow; he fell in
..I.. ,or tho pavemanf. there was