Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1850-09-03
rxecution Of Prof John W. webster:

penalty ofiho law, for the confessed murder OF
George Parkman. Sad and most terrible was
this las, closing scene in the criminals life
one never 10 he forgotten by those who wit
messed IL. But the black curtain ofdeaih has
fallen on the chief character in the melancho-
" drama, and his name and hi, crimes belong
no more 10 the crilicizing tongue. Of men or
the stern judgments ofhuman law.
Professor Webster, few days since, made
a request tina, his body should be disposed in
the following manner. When his body was
cut down from the gallows, he desired that it
should immediaiely.be earned 10 the cell late
~ occupied by him: that It should there re-
main, Unseen BY any visitors, until night,
when he wished that the corpse might be
taken quietly and secretly, and conveyed to
the residence Of his family in Cambridge
Furthermore, he wished his body tn b. placed
N a mahogany coffin which be- supposed
would h. furnished by his friends, and not in
one ofchclp pine, such az is usually hni,h.
ID the authorizes.
On Thursday the family Of Prof Web
stcr remained in his cell until nearly halfpast
,is O'Clock, =. NJ As they len The prison, a
great number Of pcrsons were grouped To-
gethor On the sidewalk, to satisfy morbid
curiosity BY gazing on the wreichcd Nifc and
daughters Of the condemned man.
At liulc before seven O'Clock, Edward
u. Sohler, Esq one Of the counsel visited
him in his crll, at his own previous request.
A, seven o'clock, constable Edward J.
Jonc, Ind John Leighton, the latter clerk Of
the Jail, entered The cen, for the PurPosc OF
watching him during the night.
At dusk, the fret wagon entered the back
gate Of the jail yard, 9TH the stakes and
other fixtures necessary 10 mark or the
ground that was to enclose the scafold
Prof Webster, it's said, passed the night
IN praying, reading The scriptures, and IN de-
,o,lonnl meditation.
Friday morning on entering The jail yard a
litlc before : O'Clock, We found a collection
ofaboui Ion persons, Il whom one third were
con.ahcs and police officers.
We found the ,cafTold erected in the centre
Of the back JAIL yard, IN d,frrrn, position
from tia, occupied BY Goodies bu, We think
more conspiruou,ly situated
4 clear view Of the ctccuton could b.
witnessed from a dozen hosscs IN Lowell st.
and one building at the end Of Wall street.
The windows Of these houses wcrr Gllcd With
persons of both scncs aud On the back sheds
were crowded with hoys and girls and men
and women ofaB arc TcypIc'vamed up.
on the tops Of buildings, and outside The jail
who're NJ possible yiaw could h. obtained,
was gathered motley crowd, eager to bear
the frs, iiducs of,hc fate Of Webster.
Abou, a quarter before eight, the carpcn.
rcr' assembled the ,cadold, and finished their
Ia, duties.
The ropc adjusted on the beam, tho noo,c
tied, and all things made rrady
At cirh, O'Clock, nearly two hundred per.
sons had congrrga,cd IN the Jail yard, and
gradually increasing In numbers
The scaaold va, made Of unplnncd pune
jo.st. and was the sums % which Washington
Goudc was hung, although an alteration was
made IN the iraP-ioor, By which il would all
BY the touch ola spring, instead Of the cut
inF ola rope
Alta quarter before nine, Sheriff F,cle,h
and the jail officers visited The condemned man
IN his crlI Prof Webster thanked them Tor
the kindness and attention he had received
from ,hem, and after about five minutes IN
icrirw BID them an lhrci,on,ic lrcwell.
Maa quarter past nine, the sheriff, ,acl,c
witnesses, members Of the press and a number
ofPublc officers entered the lower corridor Of
'ho dr,t prison, aud gathered around the cell
door.
Dr. Putnam stood ai the foot II the cell,
and offered up mos, circ,ull PRAYER AZ
icr this the assrmblacc retired into the yard,
leaving the Sheriff and his officers and Dr.
Putnam, With the prisoncr
At twenty five minute. before ten O'Clock,
to sheriff, with his deputies, the prisoner,
and the officiating clergyman, advanced from
the prison doors To the scafold. Professor
Webster walked with a firm step to the gal
lows. He was dressed In deep black, bu,
wore no nrcLcloih He looked in good health,
bu, hc=Ppurcd reconciled to his htc, allho'
his hear was bowed.
The sheriff read IN slow and measured Dnc-
the warran, TOT the execution Of The criminal,
amidst the most profound silence Of the wit.
ncsscs IN the jailyard. bot from out side
the walls were heard the shouts and hootng,
Of the mob.
Prof Webster behaved in very firm man.
ncf--iook his place upon the drop, and stood
perfectly quiet. He had few minutes earn.
est conversation with Sheriff Eyelcih and
Rev. DR.. Putnam, which could no, be heard
by others. The substance Of il, however,
was IN express his thanks to all. for the kind.
ness shown him, and the Nowal that his
doom was just. He also expressed himself
rady to meet his God, and trusted tina, he
died a christian.
Deputy Sheriff Rugg then put the fatal
moose over the head Off unfortunate man,
and adjusted i, easily around bis neck. The
black cap was then drawn ovcr his face by an
ltteNsant
One moment Of dreadful silenee-,he High
Sh.r,n ,,i..,J ht. a., up.n n snrtnc-tha