Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-03-23
TRIAL OF PROF. JOHN w. WEBSTER.

lpL ana raVeller.l
Present-Chef Justice Shaw; associate Judges
Wilde, Dewey and Metcaf
Counsel tor Govenment-Attorney General J. IT,
Clifford, and George Bemis Esq
For the Detence-Hon. Pliny Merrick, and f. ID.
Sohier, Esq.
The trial of Professor ]. w Webster, charged with
the murder of DR.. George Park man, was commenced
at Boston, Tuesday. AT early hour OF the morning.
Notwithstanding the uncomfortable state OF the Streets
consequent upon a severe storm OF rain and snow du-
ring the previous day and night the square around the
court house was thronged with people, about 300 Of
whom held tickets of admission to the trial. while the
rest were drawn thither by morbid curiosity which
fed upon the chance OF catching glimpse of the prso-
he should pass into the building of cleaning
some items OF gossip from the crowd around them,
corning the momentous occasion
In the Court room the jury box was on the right of
the BENCH at the west side, with the sheriff desk next
the SOUTH and between that and the south wall were seat
ed the eporora corps of the daily press Boston and
New ork The bar and the area around it was occu.
pied by the jurors and witnesses summoned who are
very numerous but this portion of the floor will be al
loed hereafter almost exclusively to gentlemen of the
legal and other professions and to the members of the
families most particularly interested in the trial
AT nine O'Clock the accused was conducted to the
court room and was placed in the usual seat for pr-
soners lie appeared 10 be perfectly sepossessed, and
as he gazed at the crowd, bowed to his friends
There was general movement in Court when he
appeared; all stretched forward scan his ooks Tor
stlnctyely all men physognomists Dr. Webster is
modle-slZed manor perhaps little under the mid
dle-slze tie was dressed plainly but neatly, and ap
peared perfectly unaffected and ease There is moth
ing sinister n his face nothing strkngy peculiar
save the stern compression of the lips which natural
to those who have to face danger. He looked more
OF the scholar than the criminal; and if the forehead
andeyes both intellectual, be induces OF his mind you
would consider that his thoughts have dwet more among
BOOKS than projects of crime His hands were clasped
together; his frame rigid and motioness His gaze re-
NAMED ntenty fixed on the BENCH and he never, even
once, looked around him.
AT five minutes past ten the Judges entered and the
proceedings were Immediately commenced by the read
ing by the clerk of list of Jurors drawn for the trial
sixty in number
The district attorney then arose and said that at the
January term of the grand jury the prisoner John w.
webster was indicted tor the murder of George Park
man, and at the last session OF this arraigned
and pleaded not guilty He moved that he be put to
the bar for trial
The Court ordered the clerk to commence the en-
pannellng OF the jury.
The clerk informed the prisoner if he had any OBJ
lection to make to any person called he must do SO be-
fore such person was sworn as juror; and that he
he prisoner had the right to challenge 20 persons Pc
remptoriy.
Chief Justice Shaw then made some explanations of
the laws respecting the disqualification of jurors to wit
the formation and expression OF opinions as to the guilt
innocence of the accused or the entertainment of
such individual preiudces would bias opinion to
be ormedor for holding such opinions the matter of
capital punishment would preclude the finding of
verdict of guilty against defendant in case where the
punishment was death.
Messrs. Charles Il Appleton. William H. Bailey,
James Bliss, John Bowker, Jr., George H. Chapman
Alonzo Jones, Jr and Jacob w. Pierce-7-were Sc
veray aside for having formed and expressed opi-
Mons.
Messrs. George Bemis Daniel F Child, and John B.
Hewes-3were set aside for having anti capital pun
ishment opinions [Mr B. H. Greene one of the panel
that it he were legislator he would endeayor to get
the death penalty abolished yet believed he could act
imEpartiay :; as juror under the existing law.l
Messrs Simeon B. Adams, Hiram Bosworth, Will
liam L Eaton, James S. Fowler, George O. Frothng-
ham, Cyrus P. Gould, Daniel Hall George w Larned
Walter G Manning, William Melvin, Samuel B. Morse,
Moses Pike and Greenleaf c. Sambonl--l3-were pre-
emptorily challenged by the prisoner Mr. Soher,
junior counsel for Defence assisted Prof Webster in the
selection OF the jury.
AT loa o'clock, the drafting completed, and the
following gentlemen duly sworn and impanelled as the
jury :Thos. Barrett printer John Borrowscale slater;
Robert ] Byram, locksmth; James Crosby, clerk
John E. Davenport, painter; Albert Day, dry goods
dealer Joseph Eustis merchant Daniel r. Fuller ot
North Chelsea Benjamin H. Greene, book seller Ar
mold Hayward, carpenter +. A. Henderson, iurpsher;
Stephen A; StackpaIe, clerk, The Court appointed
Robert j. Byram, foreman OF the jury.
The Indictment was then read. 1t contains four
counts; that Professor Webster murdered Dr. Parkman
by sabbng him in the left breast with knife; by blow
with hammerupon the head; by striking and kicking
him with his hands and feet by some other means
did he deprive him of life.l
The Attorney General, Mr.. Clifford then addressed
the Jury esad that in entering upon their respective
duties in case OF so much Importance he sure that
charge OF their duty, more especially that they should
keep themselves from all that excitement that existed
out OF doors. But here in this temple of justice they
investigate the with all the light that would
be placed before Them They to try this cause as
they would any other, upon the testimony. They were
all engaged here not IN service OF their seeking
but by an obligation imposed upon them by the coun-
try, and by the prisoner They were duties which
could not be avoided or sighted.
The grand jury, after faithful examination had
upon their oaths charged the prisoner with the crime
evidence, receive such instructions would enable
them to judge OF the law and pronounce upon the case
This high and responsible duty-the highest that
could be devolved upon the citizens Of the Common
wealth.
His was different duty; and he regarded it as in an
essential character judicial He was here to aid them
The common idea OF prosecuting officer, that be was
to press case beyond what fair estimate OF the facts
would justify, he would repudiate. He was here for
the commonwealth, and he should endeavor to discharge
his duty with fairness to the prisoner and faithfully 10
the commonwealth.
He should confne himself to a simple statement Of
the evidence, without endeavorng to bias their minds in
regard to it. He should content himself with such an
uerance of the facts would facilitate their ipyestga
TONS and show them the grounds upon which the grand
jury had made their presentment.
That indictment involved two propositions; first that
DIR. George Parkman had been murdered; and second
that Dr. John w Webster was the murderer
They should offer testimony to show that Dr. Park
man was alive and we'll on the morning Of Friday the
23d of November, up to within about ten minutes be-
fore O'Clock, when he was to enter the Medical
College in Grove street. On that day he had purchased
quantity of lettuce which he had evidently intended
to take home dinner, for his daughter who was sick
He did return; and this from his particular habits,
Of being pupctuay at home at certain hour gave his
amily alarm. They however waited till the next morn
ng before they made any public movement On that
lay general search was commenced The police were
Engaged in it. Notices were published in the evening
O the general facts. Rumors of his having been soon
we're rife, They were traced, and found to be entirely
nfounded His friends We're SO much affected by these
# them but at length ii found that the parties
we're either mistaken in the time or the person.
The entire police Of the city were brought into requi-
ewards brought tdings Of his having wandered |
away, that hope vanished, and deepened into certainty
hat he was not in the land ofthe living
had been in his company between the hours of and
o'clock, on the Esd Of November. The search was
continued through the week, Monday, Tuesday, and
IN Friday And althouoh the friends Of lbs EorLr