New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-07-10
~. cn-. Of JOHN W. wcbstcr.

go. Committee Of the Executive Ooun on par.
l.. met at II O'Clock this forenoon % ner a.y
u I'll persons who might have any "
ADJ - ~ the case OF John w. Webster, now unue'
nske u ~" ~ Jss,b for the murder Of Dr.. George
Parkman; ~.. tho f-,t sneaker. and
..sn,ad several petitions, among which were two
o~' FRANK lin County, N. Y. with 2s6 signatures-
- from the city Of Ne York with 80 names at
ss~haS-one from Manchester N. II. with 272 sign
srs-tBd one H"Au VIC S'N'0 - ~ ~"
r;enatures. e..
N, eoesr stated that the petitions were brought
A.tcre the Council az the suggestion OF MB. Web
Yer. and after abiding TO the places from which
,bey emanated, he remarked that the one from
Manchester bore the names Of seventy nine women,
srd thoueht tina, If that fact bad any weight it
,houh be in favor Of the prisoner.
To this Lieut. Gov. Reed. Chairman Of the Com
,pttee, remarked that he would assure the speaker
(Nir Spear that they had a vast many petitions
from women-a vaSt many.
Mr. Spear said that as q % after Of course IL must
be seen that the petitions were all signed before
MIR. w Webster made hls confession. He Understood
That petitions for oommutstion Of the sentence OF
Mr. Webster had been Ia circulation ia Peunsyl-
yania ard Georgia, but had not yet reached here,
that he was aware Of.
One Of the sigpers Of enc ofthe Franklin County
petitious "a. r. Foss,) appended 70 his signature
the words Thou shalt not kill" Upon this TACT
ed that the celebrated Charles Thompson, one oil
The siguors Of the Declaration OF lndepends nee,
had made translation II the Bible snd transiat
the passage alluded to 80 that 1t read inou sna'
not murder ,..r. ..
,he ,vpfpI influence Of the crime, and the penalty
attached on the family Of the calQrs Ins grestssI
sufferipg is at home, IN the iamiiy CIRCLE inV1o
WAS the place where more real suffering was " %
lnnd than In the cell Of ihe prisoner He utgedin
al. h.
,n;sbt he copmuted bOrh for the sake OF his family
md the man In regard 70 the confession, 1t seemed
81 hin, that there Was some virtue In IT, even az shs
late hour He was aware that it might be sald'
aghy did he wait Until his spiritual ADVISER aTe~
IL ont Of him 2" But be wss not called upon 20 an
swer heterogeneous -. ,,,
ard her daughters that previous 20 the confession
being made, they were powerfully impressed VITA
his entire innocence; and IN regard 70 toe hrst Pc
fitiop he hoped the COMMITTEES would consider
that that document vas drawn Up at the urgent
solicitations Of bis family. hr. Spear closed his
Yemarks by averins that the petitioners al seemed
20 have the impression thatthe deed wa conntsed
without premedItstlon
Mr.. John n. Spear next stated that he under
gtood there was some question as to the mode OF
killing and as several professional gentlemen were
present VINO had something TO say on that point, he
would give way 10 them.
Dr. Edward Jarvis. Of Dorchester, read state
rnent quoting authorities showing that death had,
In some instances, been almost instantly produced
by a very slight and accidental blow on the head
He also read & copy OF letter written by Dr. NJ
s. Perry 10 DR.. HOmans. nerratlng an Interview be
tween themselves and ProE Webster, during which
Mr. Webster and DR.. Homsns, who, with DE-. Per
~, were then felloW.students, commenced, in
playful manner the game OF knocking off hats.
The play continued, and D.. Romans being taller
and larger than Prof Webster had every advsn-
fage OF him during the gsme, until Webster be-
came excited, and seziDg heavy walnut cane,
raised it, apparently with the intention Of striking
DIR. Romans on the head with all his force but the
writer Of the letter interfered and caught the blow
On his erm.
The letter also mentioned another instance where
Prof. Webster ives being shaved In barber shop,
and sn acquaintance coming IN, casually observed
- did you ever see a man shave monkey" Tnis
90 enraged Prof w e5sler that he jumped from his
chair and seizing a knife RAZOR, he attempted
GO use the weapon upon the person vino thought
lessly made the offensive remark. These instances
of passion were mentioned to show the natural
Temperament of Mr.. w bster
Other cases were mentioned and authorities
fitted 20 show the effect Of sudden and slight blows
ON the head, by Drs. John Flint and Charles N.
Winship Of ROxbury, Rev James Richie OF Hox-
b. ;i Dr Jetireys Wyman Profetsor OF Anat-
omy at Cambridge y " Vmsn s's'ee 'hu no
examined parts Of the skull found in the ,U'uao0 ~
aha Medical College,
alv thin-a little below the average thickness =,
4 IN the perforations in the side be was not OF
On;nion that they were caused by sharp KNIFE, II
tbev were caused by a knife at all Ihoy might
have beep ade from the inside OF the thoraX, ~hue
the person operating was removing or turning over
the outer covering. ,;1 -
NJ John M. Spear then stated that no desired TO
al The Committee to delay making their decision
In This important case that the friends oil Proi
w ehster and family in this Commonwealth could
,oe,;tion for a communication. The reason why thls
had not before been done was me iact tneV ms
friends in this Common wealth deemed II oesi'ao.e
to wait until the final decision OF the Court 10 MS
csc before thew pettioned for Executive clem'
ency. ~, ..5 81 -.
AT this point, Lieut. Gov Reed remareed tnas
,ha Comnittee would consider the question and
added that they had e;eiVed every variety OF Pc
rtons. among which we're three or four IN when
the seners said that they and not Froiessor " Gu
.ter had committed the murder. 49,
Mr. Francis Bowen, of Cambridge expressed his
hone that delay would be granted, In order tnat
citizens Of this Common wealth might DO heard
through petitions
The,olowing letter from Professor Webster was
read
Bosrox Saturday, Julye.
Hon JoHN REED CA1i,n0s Of Committee on PITd0Hs
Of n. Honcrdb Council:
The subscriber having read a statement In the
newspapers OF this date that there Is no pipe con-
veyirg the Cochituate water to the place in the
Medical College where it was allowed to flow over
the parts Of the boy Of DR.. Psrkmsn and DESTROYS
that all the facts should be known, begs leave re-
specdully TO present the folio wing:
ia the small private nom is large reservoir Tor
water, capable Of holding several ba rels of water
From this reservoir the water was drawn when
wanted, through a lead pipe issuing from the bot
1om Of the reservoir terminated by a cock This
pipe is on the right hand aud on the same side, in
the corner Of the sinh, below the reservoir is 40
exit pipe, which passes down through the floor
and in the angle formed by the wall Of the furnace
that warns the lecture room and the partition sep
srsting the lower laboratory from the dissecting
room entry.
The reservoir was filed with water in October
preparatory to other arrangements for the lectures