The North-Carolina standard., 1850-07-13
Confession Of DR.. Webster.

case Of Prof Webster was referred to comm 'ttee.
; Before the committee, at 10 o'clock. appeared the
Rev. Dr.. Putnam. the spiritual adv'set o' s"o :"
demned with petition for communication o. Ponlsn-
ment. together with confession that he killed Dr.
Parkman.
The reverend 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 previous acquaintancesh'p with frot. eoste! oo
fore being called in the capacity Of his spiritual
adviser In the first few weeks Of his visits he songh
no acknowledgment Of the prisoner. At length on
the 23d Of May. he visited him in his CELL ana oe
manded of him for his well-beng, that ne shonG
tell the truth in regard the matter, and he acceded
IN tha reouest by making statement which was now
submitted for the consideration OF the council.
II was in substance as follows:
TIE CONFESSION.
On Tuesday, Goth November. sent the note TO |
DR.. Parkman which it appears was carried oy 'ne
nov. Maxwell. / handed it to LittlsheId unsea'ed
Il was to ask Dr.. Parkman to call at my rooms on
Friday. the 23d, after my lecture. He had become
of late very importnnate for his pay he had threat
ened me with suit; to put an officer in my house,
and to drive me from my ProfessorshiP. If did not
nav him. The purport Of my note was SIMPLY 10 ASK
ths conference. | did not tell him in it, what could
do. or what had to say about the payment.
wished to eain for those few days, release from his
solicitations to which was liable every day on oc-
casions, and in very dsagreeabie and alarm
inc. and also to avert, for SO long time at ieast'
did not expect to be able to pay him when FRIDAY
should arrive. My purpose was, If he should accede
to the uroposed interview, state to him my embar-
rassmen,s and utter inability to pay him at present
to apologize for those things in my conduct wh'cn
had offended him-to throw myself upon his mer-
cy-to beg for further time and indulgence. tor the
sake of my family, if not for myself and to make as
good promises to him as could have any hope OF
keeping.
hrfT I m ThuISdaV
abroad in pursuit of me without finding me. I'm.
aoned he had forgotten the appointment, or else did
not mean to wait for it. feared he would come in
upon me at my lecture hour. or while was PrepaI-
inc nv experiments for it, therefore called at MS
house on that morning, (Friday,) between eight and
nine o'clock. to remind him OF my wish to see him
at re College at half past one-my lecture closing
at one did not stop to talk with him, for expect
ed the conversation would be long one' and had
nv lecture to prepare for for it was necessary Tor me
to have nv time, and, also, to keep my mind tree
from other exciting matters DR.. Parkman agreed to
cali on me as l proposed. He came, accordingly,
between half past and two O'Clock, entering the
lecture room door. was engaged in removing some
ol,.aee from NV lecture room table into the room in
the rear, called the upper laboratory. He came rap
dIy down the steps. and followed me into the labo-
ratory. He Immediately addressed me with great
energy" Are you ready for me, sir! Have you got
the money!"
I replied, No, Dr. Parkman," and was then
beyinninp to state my condition, and my appeal to
him. but he would not listen to me, and interrupted
me with much vehsmence. He called ne scoun-
drel and liar, and went on heaping on me the most
bitter taunts and opprobrious ePithets. " hlie he
was speakng, he drew handful of papers from his
pocket and took from among them my two notes, and
also an old letter fiom Dr.. Hossack, written many
years ago, consratuating him on his success In get
ting me appointed Professor Of Chemistry. e ou
see" he said, IL got you into your 9fce ana now
ct ali the papers except the letter and the notes.
cannot tell how long the torrent Of threats and invec-
tives continued, and cannot recall to memory hut
small portion of what he said; at first. kept inter-
posing, trying to pacify him, that might obtain
The object for which I sought the interview, but
could not stop him, and soon my own temper was
up; forgot every thing. and felt nothing but the
sting of his words.
was excited to the highest degree of passion, and
violent and menacing manner, thrusting the letter
and his fist into my face in my fury seized whatev.
er thing was handest, (it 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, MOI
what the effect would be. 1t on the side of his
head and there nothing to break the force of the
blow. He fell instantly upon the pavement. There
was no second blow he did not move. stopped
down him, and he seemed to be iifeess. Blood
flowed from his mouth, and got sponge and ped
it away. got some ammonia and applied It to his
nose, but without effect. Perhaps spent ten min
utes in attempts to resusctate him, but found he
was absolutely dead. In my horror and consterna'
ton, insnctively 10 the doors and boted them,
the doors of me lecture and Of the laboratory
below. And then what was to do! 1t never oc-
Cured to me to 90 out and declare what had been
done, and obtain assistance. ! saw nothing but the
alternative of successful movement and conceal.
ment of the body on the hand, and of nfamy and
destruction on the other. The first thing did, as
soon as could do anything. was to draw the body
into the private adjoining, where took of the
clothes and began putting them into the hire, which
was burning in the upper laboratory. They were all
consumed there that afternoon. with papers, pocket
: boof and whatever they contained. did not exam
Inc the pockets, nor remove anything, except the
watch. saw that, or the chain Of it, hanging out
I took it and threw it the bridge as l went te
Cambridge. Ny next move was to get the body into
the sink, which stands in the small private by
setting the body partially erect against the corner
and by getting up into the sink myself, succeeded
in drawing it up there. 1t entirely dsmembered
1t was quickly done, as work Of terrible and des
perate necessity.
The only instrument the knife found by the
officers in the tea chest, which l kept for outing
corks. made no Of the Turkish knife, as it
called at the trial. Tha, had long been kept my
mantelpiece 10 Cambridge, as curious ornament
My daughters frequently cleaned it; hence the mark:
Of oil and whiting foun. on it. had lately brough
it into Boston, to get the silver sheath repaired
While dismemberng the body, a stream Of Cochitu
water running through the sink, carrying of
the blood in a pipe that passed down through the
lower laboratory. There must have been a leak il
the pipe, for the ceiling below was stained immedi
atey around it. There was FIRE burning in the fur
race of the lower Laboratory. Littlefeld was mis-
taken IN thinking there had never been fire there
it myself several times. had done it that day fo
tha purpose Of making oxygen pas. The head AM