Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1850-04-06
AMERICAN AND SHAMOKIN


that should not be forgotten-that mother,
the partner of whose life, whose protector
that has been taken away, is not 10 be for
gotten; nor that invalid daughter whose af-
fectonatc father has been taken away; nor
that son whose lot it was TO hear of the death
of his father in foreign land, and enter upon
his high responsibilities prematurely. 1t is
not for you, gentlemen of The jury, 10 exer-
else mercy that belongs 10 another branch OF
government under our laws. But what is
mercy1 question whether the many mur-
ders that have thickened upon us Of late
would have taken place, if juries had been
true 10 their duty. There never was case
in this commonwealth which called more
loudly on jury 10 be firm to its high duty,
and think you, gentlemen, will not be want
ing in yours There are employed here men
who will spread all this evidence TO which
you have listened on the wings of the light
ming, 10 all lands and into all languages, and
your action upon it will go with it. Your ac-
tion will do honor TO Massachusetts law and
The deepest reverence 10 the same principle
Of justice.
MIR. Clifford closed about five o'clock.
PROFESSOR wEBsTEn's SPEECH.
The Attorney General having concluded
his remarks, Chief Justice Shaw, with much
emotion, stated to the prisoner that it was his
privilege now to address the jury, if he had
anything to say, or any explanation TO make.
Professor Webster rose, and in very dis
tinct voice addressed the jury, in defence of
himself.
Chief Justice Shaw then addressed the
jury in learned and able charge.
THE JURY.
The jury retired, al five minutes past
eight O'Clock, and came into court at eleven
o'clock.
| THE VERDICT
Chief Justice Shaw called on the prisoner
TO stand up and hear the verdict.
Chief Jnstce-Mr Foreman, have you
agreed TO verdict!
Foreman-We have
Chief Justice-Do you find the prisoner
guilty, or not guily9
Foreman-GvILTI
CONDUCT OF THE PRISONER.
The prisoner sank back into his chair with
his hands upon the railing, and his face on
his hands, and so remained ten minutes.
| RE-coMMITTED TO PRISON.
When he recovered from the shock, he
said 10 officer Jones, "why are you keeping
| To he, I,t inn
diately carried up 10 the jail and locked up
for the night, the precaution having been
taken 10 remove his razor and knife.
The next morning DR.. Webster was brought
into court when the usual sentence of the
law was passed upon him, after feeling ad
dress by Chief Justice Shaw.
INCIDENTS.
| A buggy was at the door of the Courtroom
Ito convey the sad intelligence 10 his family
al Cambridge.
During the whole Of this trial. we under
stand from the officer in charge, that Profess
sor Webster has not shed tear, or expressed
any particular interest for any thing but his
table of supplies. His last order to officer
Lawrence, when he left the Jail to hear the
verdict was-"Tell Parker TO send me some
of his best turkey for dinner tomorrow, and
a lot of good segars."
1t is understood that the jury, after going
out on Saturday night at first deliberated in
silence for ten minutes, They then voted
on the question whether the remains were
those of DR.. Geo. Parkman. There was all
unanimous "yea." On the second question,
whether DR.. Webster murdered him, there
were eleven yea. and one nay. The nay
came from Mr. Benz II. Greene. He stated
his point of doubt, and after some discussion
he declared il removed
The family of DR.. Webster was not inform
ed of the verdict the night it was rendered.
| Friends however, undertook the task of pre-
pairing their minds for il. The awful disclo.
sures were made TO them on Sunday morn
ing by Mrs. VIM, E, Prescott. The scene
was mos, heart rending, and the walls and
shrieks could not be concealed from the
pas.ers by Every effort has been made to
assuage the grief of the afflicted wife and
daughters, who, up TO late hour, confidently
expected an acquitta.
A letter Of coincidence was presented them
on Sunday afternoon, signed by the heads of
all the principal families of Cambridge, in
Guiding the Hon. Edward Everett, Jared
Sparks, Prof Norton, Judge Fay, sc.
The immense crowd retired from the court
room and its vicinity in silence and without
the least disturbance.
Judge Fay gave it up that his friend, DR..
Webster, was guilty man after hearing his
own speech on Saturday evening Anecdotes
of the cruelty of Dr. w. in early life are now
told by persons who were then acquainted
with him.
AS we expected, there is no confirmation
Of the ''Videtten story about the student dis
covering DR.. Webster over the body of Dr..
Parkman. We have in fact nothing new
about the case except the probable commua-
| tion of the sentence.