Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1850-04-06
TRIAL OF DIR. J. w. WEBSTER,
For the Murder eff DR.. Parkman, before tho su-
preme Judicial Court,
DIR. WEBSTER CONVICTED.

The Summing up Of the attorney Gencral-
Speech from Professor WeJster-The Judges
Charge Verdict Of the Jury-The Prisoner
Pronounced Guilty Of Murder
BosroN, March 80, 1850.
The excitement increases as this ex,raordi-
nary trial draws 10 close. The court room
is crowded 10 excess, and the most intense
feeling prevails. The prisoner looks defect
ed. At ten minutes past nine o'clock, Mr..
Clifford, the Attorney General, commenced
his closing argument for the government.
THE SUMMING Up FOR THE GOVERNMENT, BY
ATTORNEY GENERAL CLIFFORD.
In cause, gentlemen Of the jury, Of the
magnitude of the one now before US, | ex-
pectod and you expected that all that human
| power could do TO eXonerate this defendant
would be done. From the transcendent abb
ity Of the counsel for the defence, was not
disappointed; but in a hope that expressed
10 you in in opening, am disappointed, I
did hope for some explanation which would
have saved the defendant from the terrible
web which circumstances have thrown
around him. hoped, as a man and a citi-
zen, in behalf of one who once stood so high
in this community. | stated the course |
should pursue--the outline should fill up
| drew no inferences, but filed up the out
line; and I know that these inferences must
be now pressing on your minds. This man,
although he has been immured in a CELL has
not been the fricudless man his counsel has
represented him He has been surrounded
by powerful friends, and has had every op-
porunity 10 make an explanation of the ter
rble circumstances with which he has been
found connected. He has had every facility
afforded him. The evidence before the Cor
oner's jury, though secretly given, was laid
before his counsel, that they might be pre-
pared for his defence. have withheld no
fact from his counsel which could bear on
his defence. He waived an examination be-
fore another tribunal in this building, where
he had the fullest opportunity to oblige the
government to show the charges against him.
He did it not only without the advice, but
against the advice Of the ablest counsel in
this commonwealth. put ii TO You whether
an innocent man would have refused sbch an
opportunity to explain and save the charac-
ter which he has labored sixty years TO earn9
Would he have suffered such character 10
have been blasted for moment?
They bring the testimony of Dr. w. P. G.
Morton to shake the testimony Of DR.. Keep,
who swears positively, and gives his reasons,
fortified by the opinions Of three other pro-
fessiOnal gentlemen in the same line They
bring four Witnesses to prove their abb of
Dr. Parkman They might have brought If
teen as we'll and the only reason they did
not was, that il would have required DR.. P.
to be in too many places at the same time.
1t would have required him, in short, 10 be
ubiquitous. They, therefore, selected five.
Mrs. Hatch swears she saw DR.. Parkman at
a time which is not at all inconsistent with
the Indictment | come then, first, 10 the
testimony of Mr.. Thompson-the biological
witness, as we may call him-he depends for
the time upon a clock, which we have shown
20 be no guide; but | will admit, if you
please, that he did see person who looked
like Dr.. Parkman he did not meet him be
saw him cross the street doubtless, he may
have supposed that he saw DR.. Parkman, but
this is readily explained, by supposing that
he saw some some person resembling DR.. P.
| Mr. Wentworth swore that he saw DR.. p. in
Court street he was walking with Mr.. S II,
Russell, whom we have brought on the stand.
! This was the only time that he walked with
Mr. Russell and Mr. Russell swears that
when walking with Mr.. Wentworth, they
saw Dr.. Parkman; but he does not now re-
member the time; he is sure it was not on
Friday. | submit that the witness stands
impeached. Why does he keep the know
| ledge to himself, while the search was going
on? Mr., Clelland's testimony like Mrs.
Rhodes's, has this peculiarity-he has two
! facts TO remember-frst, what time he called
on Rev. John Wells, and the fact that after
ne came from him he saw DR.. Parkman. He
had not spoken TO Dr. P. for three years. He
did not pass next 10 him. submit, he might
have mistaken person having the general
appearance o: DR.. Parkman,
The circumstances which he says struck
him, were certainly not very remarkable.
DR.. P. you well know, was much likelier 10
be walking arm in arm with an honest labor
ing man, in his every day coat than with
the professor of a college whom he thought a
swindler. Mrs. Rhodes testified that she saw
DR.. p. at quarter to five o'clock, or at five
o'clock, From the almanac which take, it
could not be introduced in evidence, it will
appear that, at four of that day, it was rather
late for very distinct vision Mrs. Rhodes
said she bowed, and the Doctor bowed to her.
Is it anything uncommon for gentleman to
return a bow to a lady who may have mista-
ken himl One pregnant fact in regard to
this testimony is, that Mrs, Rhodes, though q
parishioner of Rev. Francis Parkman, said MOI
word of what she had seen, till her daugh'
ter came back from Lexington, on Tuesday
Another pregnant fact is, that DR.. Parkmau
was walking with a gentleman. Where il