The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-07-04

HIS PETITION TO THE GOVERNOR AND COUNCIL

OPEN 20 that the :.stsment was made in psblis, DR.
Putnam presented tfs
PETITION OF DIR. WEBSTER,
3s his Eaceintt the Goron and 10 The Honorable Es-
scuh-t Council If the Comm xeaA Of M.s,schueett.
John White Webster, convict, under sentence Of
death, in Boston jail In behalf Of himself and Of his
vii. and his children respectfully petitions that the
sentence awarded ainst him by the Law may ~
mut.d to such Other less horrible and ignom NOUS
! puuhhmens as your honorable bedy may mercifully
! decree.
Your petitioner fully admits that he was tried before
isr and impartial tribunal, and under the law 1t
sAsts ne Jury, composed "a 1t was OF honorable aud
hishfnueo men, could have returned verdict other
than they aid But he respectfully reminds your hon
/ the crime OF murder malice aud generalization, have
never DC, found against him by jury but have BET
from etrIin general which your petitioner will
DOT deny but the extSnuating def as OF which
y1nf p,t,en.rs ,ltu.tiSn can ever possess legal
cont 10 the friend who presents his petition with
authority 10 state them to your honorable body, In the
hope that you will fnd reason TO extend to
petitioner and his family that mercy of which the Law
has made you the dispensers.
And your petitioner will ever pray.
BosroS, June, 1850
DR.. Putnam th,n proceeded to read the following
PRELIMINARY REMARKS.
The grounds which Am authorized to take in aid
oflhe petition OF }. W. Webster and which take not
as an advocate pledged to side but in good faith,
as expressing my own personal belief are Is fol-
That the human remains found in the medical col
lege III Der lat those Of the late George
Parkman, that he to Lis death by the han
OF DIR. Webster, in moment of passion, under great
provocation that there no prsme ditation, NOR
murder; II it could be called murder under the
rigid Interpretation vi the rules Of common law pre-
vAiilbg In this commonwealth, yet that 1t not
murder according 10 the moral judgments Of our people
or Of mankind, not the CRIME to which the public
sense Of justice awards the punishment Of death
for which that punishment Is inflicted under the
usual and actual administration OF the law In Aasss
shusetts
81 am enabled to present from DIR. webster's own
lips, statement OF facts connected with the homi
eide. The credibility and value OF his statement
must depend partly ON the date OF It, and the circum-
stances under which it made. Before reading it,
therefore, will relate those circumstances TO the
committee.
Ny acquaintance with Dr. Webster before his trial
had been OF the slightest aud most casual kind Soon
alter his sentence received from him request that
l would visit him ~ clergyman, during his impri-
sopment. 1t sas service not To be declined.
had followed the reports Of the trial and scqui-
escsd in the verdict righteous one, and had
thought but that the sentence to be- and ought to
be- carried into execution. did not make 1t my OBJ
ject to draw q confession from him early. or to lead
him to commit himself way the ether, on the
question OF his guilt or innocence. carefully avoid
ed every remark inquiry that might tempt him to
make any false declaration. He seemed TO under
stand me apd neither denied nor declared his guilt
/ expected he would finally be induced to commUni-
cate whatever he knew about the disappearance
OF Dr. Parkmsn, and about the remains found at the
college. but WAS in no hurry about this thought
should be more likely to obtain from him the exact
truth, by waiting Til favorable time. Accordingly,
il my object for the first weeks to become
quanted with HIM, to win his confidence and attach
ment by attention and sympathy, and to endeavor to
Y
ture, which we're suited to his situation a more
less tinfu aud certainly dying As time passed,
seemed TO myself TO have succeeded in these objects,
A, iergth on the I'D day Of May, had made up
my nina TO address him in a wholly new strain, and
TO d. mand Of him "a full statement Of facts then
believed my self to be such terms with him that
could abruptly and auth ortatvely demand his conf
dence. did do So and WAS not disappointed in the
result On entering his cell that day told him that
was going to breach u and important subject to
him snd hs must listen me seriously, and not
had Il
have felt AL along that there barrier TO our
free communication; one point on which we did not
understand one another that the embarrassment
which attended the avoiding Of that point obviously
went far TO defeat the Subtraction and proht to him.
self which ought to result frem interviews. L
said that he mutt certainly have come knowledge re-
fptctiDg the tate OF DR. Parkmsn, which had not,
and that the unsbarcd secret must be to him an OPP
pres.ive and iutcierabis BURDEN that the time had
come when he ought to share IL with some one and,
under the circumstances, with me- that had scrspu
lousy iorborne hitherto to press him ON this point aud
urged it osly hecsuse believed 1t would be tor
his relief and peace mind; that thought he must
feel by this that he owed the truth, and tAst
he could Trust me- that he need not fear 20 tell me
the whole truth for was not there to reproach him,
to judge HIM but to comfort him In his distress,
sndt help HIM in making peace with God and his
conscience and to astist him, II might, 10 live while
he lived and die when he should die, with the hui
mlity Of sinner ana the frmness Of q man, and,
trusted. the hope Of Chrstian that in order to my
being OF any real service TO him there must be truth
and true relations between us 1 cautioned him not
TO sntw,r me hastily not to speak Till he was prepared
T. tell the whole and absolute truth that would
end,syor TO put favorable construction on his
silence; that was in no hurry and that he might
take day two more TO consider whether nay advice
To him TO make full disclosure was not reasonable
and good
1 spoke to him some time, in a strain which have
thus Indicated. lie sesmad to be much affected by /
what raid, and when paused, he said immediately,
lie then proceeded to relate the facts which have
since bodied IN the statement to be presented
/ put him great number of questions, all OF which
he answered promptly and with every appearance it
meo to of an honest purpose TO tel the truth.
Some tbs minor facts ana explanations given
nv IN on n mt lus u
whole narrative, ana the more important details were
given ut tn. interview Of May sd
IL In pOrtant to observe that at the date, the writ
Of error pending. and also that DIR. Websters pc
ttion for full pardon, with strong declarations OF
entire innocence, vas in the HANDS Of the Oovernor
If the writ should fail, he considered everything ~
staksd upon that petition, the declarations 1t con-
tanned and the documents and Afhiayits he believed
would lie obtained Tor It's support. Ms immaculate
family nimly ana sincerely believing him entirely
Innocent we're engaged In seeking iaets And papers
to tustAn his petitiUn. am cOnnden. that 81 that
time D., had not the rmotft IDEA OF approaching the
Executive In any other way than according to the
t.Btr Of that petition nor began To contemplate the
qu,ttitn ~hsthtr commutAtion wouia be a practices
bic d,sIsbls alternative Ills whole thought,
lar he entertained any hope, Was OF pardon on
the ground of Innocence. Once In the course Of his
narrative he suddenly paused ana ss.d .i'n an ap-
granted and a Io- trial follow might not yoo be sum
moBsd as vitIets and complied Ia reveal All thai
government would not put into his cell as HE
hd.ntial friend aud then try 20 use me AS spyi that
would he outrsgc not to be Thought Of ana tina,
Nthlu hVt sfhfAN W
the cone, qu.bees to myssn l had previously told
him that should never reveal his statements TO any
while he lived. without hi- consent aud that. II
survived him. he must leave all to my discretion.
feel that u had not occurred to his mind, that his
statements TO could be used by me with a
view 90 his d,abtage but he had a moments solicit /
tude les might lie compelled to reveal them TO mis-
ham. lie seemed 60 me 20 make his disclosures
simply bscause be was unwilling to deny my earnest
request wished TO manifett his confidence in and
at the time glad to have the opportunity OF
relieving his mud Of its dreadful secret
\ wuI b.r at I m Ike AN
ofDr Webster at TIE suggestion OF any legal or other
friend Of HE, did any person kno- Of my inten
ton TO maxi. IL. And neither Dr. = statement nor
the fact that he had made any, communicated by
to any person until more than two weeks after 10
had been received by Since that time, no steps
have been taken by without the concurrence OF Dr.
Webster and OF HE recognized legal adviser.
I've three days after 1 received DIR. Websters
stat, m. 1t advised the Withdrawal Temporary at
len,t nd hoptd hnall Of his hrst petition TO the