The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-04-09
Sentence of Death upon Prof. Webster


The Court Room was crowded at an
early hour this morning, to witness the
asst act Of the Court, which was TO an
nounce to Professor John White Webs
stcr, the dreadful penalty of the law for
the crime Of which he stood convicted,
namely, the murder Of Or. George Park.
man, on the ODD Of November last, a,
the Medical College.
The prisoner was brought into the
Court Room at 5 minutes past nine, at.
tended by the Jailer, and Officer E J
Jones. His appearance was that Of !
mau deeply crushed. he seemed tc
have lost that elasticity of gait which is
peculiar 10 him, and a settled gloom wa:
fixed upon his countenance.
The Court, consisting Of the full
bench, (fve judges came in at quarter
past nine o'clock.
The Attorney General, ]. II. Clifford
Esq, with deep emotion, arose, and af
ter recapiluIatlng the proceedings whicf
had resulted in the conviction of the
prisoner, moved that the sentence Of thC
law be now pronounced upon him.
The Clerk, by the direction of tho
Court, inquired of the prisoner, if ht
had anything TO say why sentence o.
death should not be pronounced.
Professor Webster arose, bowed, an,
replied in the negative.
Chief Justice Shaw then addressed
the prisoner as follows -
JonN w. WEBsTER-Im meeting yol
here for the last time, to pronounce tha
sentence which tho law has affixed Il
the crime of which YOU have been lounr
guilty, it is impossible by any language
to give utterance to the sense ofrespon,
sibility which we feel. The circum,
stances under which we approach thi'
duty are peculiarly painful. At all time:
il is a painful duty TO pronounce deatf
upon human being, but when We con,
slider the circumstances of your past life
and contrast them with your present con
dltion, we are impressed with grief and
anguish; aud nothing but an imperative
sense Of duty, imposed upon us by the
law, whose officers and ministers we are
could sustain us under it in pronounclng
such judgment.
Against the crime Of wi(ul murder
of which you stand convicted "a crime
at which humanity shudders, "a crime
everywhere, and in all forms Of society,
regarded with the deepest adherence,
and which the law has visited with the
severest penalties, in these few and SIM
pie but impressive words" every person
who commits the crime of murder, shall
suffer the punishment OF death for the
same
The manifest object Of this law is the
protection and security of human life,
the most important objec, Of just and
paternal government.
IL Is made the duty ol TINS Court, TO
declare this penalty against any one who
shall be found guilty, in the due course
and administration Of justice, of having
violated this law. II is one Of the most
solemn acts of Judicial power which an
earthly tribunal can be called upon to
exercise. 1t is high and exemplary
manifestation of the law, as well III a
stern and innexible severity, as in its
protecting aud judicial benigniiy. 1t
Furnishes the guilty with severity in order
that the right to the enjoyment of life
the most precious of all rights, may be
more ellectualy secured.
by the record before us it appears
ihatyou have been indicted for the crime
of murder, the Indictment alleging that
on the 23d of November last, you made
an assault upon DR.. George Parkman,
and by acts Of violence deprived him Of
life, with malice aforethought This
deed is alleged to have been done in your
apartments at the Medical College, in