The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-07-08

spy; that it would be an outrage to be thought
Of, and that would not consent to be used, what
might be the consequences TO myself
| had previously told him that should never
veal his statement To any one while he lived with
out his consent, and that if survived him. he must
leave all to my discretion. feel sure that il had
not occurred to his mind that his statements to me
could ever be used by me with view To his ad-
vantage, but he had moments solictudc lest
might be compelled to reveal them to his harm.
He seemed to me TO make his disclosures simply
because he was unwilling to deny my earnest re-
quest, wished to manifest his confidence in me,
and at the time glad to have the oppor-
tunty of relieving his mind Of its dreadful secret
will add here. that did not make any demand
OF DIR. Webster at the suggestion of any legal or
other friend of his, did any person know of my
intention to make it, And neither DR.. WIS state
ment nor the fact that he had made any, was com
muncated by me to any person until more than
two weeks after it had been received by me. Since
that time no steps have been taken by me without
the concurrence of DR.. w. and Of his recognised
legal adviser.
Two or three DAYS after l received Dr. Webster's
stn tement advised his withdrawal Temporary.
at least and hope fnaD of the first petition to the
executive, and il was withdrawn.
Dr.. Vebster's Statement, ms reported TO the
Committee OF the Council, by @. Putnam.
On Tuesday, the goth of November, sent the
note to DR.. Parkman which, it appears, was car
ried by the boy Maxwell. handed it to Littefed
unsealed IL was to ask DIR. Parkman to call at
my rooms on friday, the ZJu, aIter my lecture.
He had become Of late very importunate for his
pay. He had threatened me with suit, to put
officer into my house, and to drive me from my
professorsbip if did not pay him. The purport of
my note WAS simply to ask the conference. did
not tell him in it what could do or what had to
say about the payment. wished TO gain, for those
few days, release from his solicitations. to which
was liable every day, on occasions and in a man.
ner very dsagrecable and alarming to me, and
also to avert, for long time least, the fulfil
mcnt of recent threats of severe measures. did
not expect to be able to pay him when Friday
should arrive My purpose was. if he should uc-
cede to the proposed interview, To state to him my
embarrassment and utter inability to pay him at
present. 10 apologize for those things in my
duct which had offended him, to throw myself up
on his mercy, to beg for further time and indul
gence for the sake of my family, if not for my own
and to make as good promises him as could
have any hope of Keeping.
] did not hear from him that day, nor the
next, wednesday, but found that on Thursday
he had been abroad in pursuit of me, though with
out finding me. feared that 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 preparing my experiments for
it. Therefore called at his house that morn
ing (Friday) between eight and nine, to remind
him of my wish TO him at the college at half
past one, my lecture closing at one. did not stop
to talk with him then, for expected the converse
ton would be a long one, and had my lecture to
prepare for. II was necessary for to my
time, and also To keep my mind free from other
exciting matters. DR.. Parkman agreed to call on
me as proposed.
two He came in at the lecture. door.
engaged in removing some glasses from my lee
ture table into the room in the rear, called
the upper laboratory. He came rapidly down the
steps, and followed me into the laboratory. He
Immediately addressed me with great energy,
" Arc you ready for me, sir' Have you got the
money!" ] replied, No, DR.. Parkman," and
then beginning to state my condition and
la, To inn H.. uyp,,ll ,,ptE Est.v ~,
me, but interrupted me with much vehemence.
He called me =" scoundrel," and liar and went
on beaping upon me the most bitter taunts and op-
probrious epithets-
pcrs from his pocket, and took from among them
my two notes, and also an old letter from Dr. Ho-
sack, written many years ago, and congratulating
him (Dr P.) on his success In getting me appoint
cd professor of chemistry. "You see, he said 81
got you into your office, and now | will get you
Of it," He put back into his pocket all the pa.
pers except the letter and the notes cannot tell
how long the torrent of threats and invcctvea CON
tinued and ] can now recall Ia memory but
small portion of what he said. At first kept in
terposing, trying to pacify him, so that might OBJ
tain the object for which ! had sought the inter
view. But could not stop him, and soon my o~
temper was up. ] forgot every thing felt no
thing but the sting OF his words. was excited TO
the highest degree Of passion; and while he
speaking and aesticulatng in the most violent and
inenacing manner, thrustng the letter and his fist
/
was handiest-t was stick Of woodland dealt
him instantaneous blow, with all the force that
passion could give IL. | did not know, nor think
nor care, where should hit hfni nor how hard
what the effect wouls be- Ii was ON the side of
his head and there was nothing 20 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 life
less. Blood flowed from his mouth, and got a
sponge and wiped 1t away ] got some ammonia
and applied IL to his nose, but without effect Per-
haps spent ten minutes in attempting TO resusci-
Ia tc him; bat found thar he was absolutely dead
In my horror and CONSERVATION, ran instinctively
TO the doors and bolted them-the doors OF the lee
ture room and of the laboratory below And then
what was ] TO doY
II occurred to me To go out and declare
what had been done, and obtain assistance. saw
nothing but the alternative Of succcssful removal
and concealment of the body on The one ba nd, and
OF infamy and destruction on the other. The first
thing did, soon as | could do any thing was 10
drag the body into the private room adjoining
There took off the clothes and began putting them
in the fire which vas burning in the upper Iabora-
tory. They we're all consumed there that after
noon, with papers, pockct-book, or whatever else
they may have contained. ! did not examine the
pockets, nor remove any thing except the watch.
| saw that, or the chain Of il, hanging out, and
took It and threw 1t over the bridge as went TO
Cambridge,
My next move was TO get the body into the sink
which stands In the small private room. BY set
ting the body partially erect against the corner
and getting up into the sink myself, succeeded in
drawing II up. There IL entirely disnember.
ed Il was quickly done, as a work Of terrible and
desperate necessity. The only instrument used
was the knife found by the officers 10 the tea chest
which kept for cutting corks. | made no use OF
the Turkish knife, as II was called at the trial
That had long been kept ON my psrlor mantle piece
In Cambridge as a curious ornament My daugh-
tors frequently cleaned it, hence the marks of oil
and whiting found on it, had lately brough IL To
Boston to get the silver sheath repaired.
While dismembcring the body stream Of Cochi.
tuate WINS running through the sink, carrying off
the blood in pipe that passed down through the
lower laboratory. There must have been leak in
the pipe, for the ceiling below was stained immedi.
ately Found IL,
There wos hre burning in the furnace Of the
lower laboratory Littleheld was mistaken in
thinking there had never been fire there He bad
probably never knded one. but had done il myself
several times. had done il that day for tho purpose
OF making oxygen gas. The head aud the yisccra
were put into that furnace that day, and the fuel
hcaped on. did not examine at night to see 10
what degree they were Consumed. Some of the
extrcmitics, believe, were put in there on that
day.
The pcvis, and some Of the limbs perhaps all,
were put under the lid Of the lecture room table in
what 10 called the ,cei-a deep sink lined with lead
A stream of Cochituate turned into il, and kept