Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1850-07-11
xtraOrdinary Confession Of PrOfes.
sOr Webster, of the Murder of Doc.
tor George ParkmaM.


sOr Webster, of the Murder Of Doc.
tor George ParkmaM.
BosroN, July 9, 1850.
At meeting Of the Council, this morning, the
case Of Professor Webster was referred to com.
mittee.
Before the committee, at IL o'clock, appeared
the Rev. DR.. Putnam. the spiritual adviser of the
condemned, with petition for a commutation of
punishment, 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 sta
ted that ne had no previous acquantanceship with
Professor Webster, before being called to act in
the capacity his spiritual adviser. In the first
few weeks of his visits, he sought no acknowledge
ment of the prisoner. At length, on lbe 23d of
May. he visited him in his cell, and demanded of
of him. for his own well being, that he should tell
the truth in regard to the matter, and he acceeded
to the request, by making a statement. which was
now submitted for the consideration of the Coun-
Gil.
1t was in substance as follows -
THE CONFESSION.
On Tuesday, goth Of November. l sent the note
to DR.. Parkman, which it appears, was carried by
the boy, Maxwell. | handed it to Litte6e!d un-
rooms, on Friday, the 23d, after my lecture. He
had become, of late, very importunate for his pay.
He had threatened me with suit to put an Of
icer in my house, and TO drive me from my professor
ship, if did not pay him. The purport ofmy 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
manner very disagreeable and alarming, and also
to avert for long time, at least, the fulhlment
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 accede' to
the proposed interview, to state to him my embar
easements and utter inability to pay him at pres
ent--to apoogise for those things in my conduct
which had offended him-to throw myself upon
his mercy-to 6eg for further time and indulgence,
for the sake of my family if not for MYSELF and to
make as good promises to him as | could have
any hope of keeping. | did not hear from him
on that day, nor the next, Wednesday, but
found on Thursday he had been abroad in pur-
suit of me without finding me. ] imagined he
lad 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 pre-.
pairing my experiments for it; therefore | called at
his home on that morning, (Friday,) between eight
and nine o'clock, to remind him Of my wish to see
him at the College, at half-past one-my lectures
closing at one | did not stop to talk with him,
for expected the conversation would be long
one, and had my lectures TO prepare for. for it
was necessary for me to have my time. and. also'
to keep my mind free from other exciteing mat
tiers. Dr. Parkman agreed to call on me as Pro-
posed He came, accordingly, between half-past
one and two o'clock, entering at the lecture room
door. was engaged in removing some glasses
from my lecture room table, into the room in the
rear. called the upper laboratory. He came rap
idly down the step, and followed me into the abo
ratory He Immediately addressed me with great
energy" Are you ready for me, sir! Have you
got the money. =. replied, mo, DR. Parkman;
and was then beginning to state my condition,
and nv appeal to him, but he would not listen to
me. and interrupted me with much vehemence.-
He called me a scoundre and liar, and went on
heaping on me the most bitter taunis and appro-
brIous epi,hets While he was speaking he drew
handful Of papers from his pocket, and took from
among them my two notes, and also an old letter
from Hossack, written many years ago. congratu-
atng him on his success in getting me appointed
Professor of Chemistry. "You see" he said, :"
aol you into your office, and now will get you
out Of it," He put back into his pocket all the
papers except the letter and the notes. cannot
ell how long The torrent of threats and invectves
confined, and canno, recall 10 memory but small
portion of what he said at first, kept interPos-
ng, trying to pacify him, so that might obtain
he object for which sought the interview, but
,ould not stop him, and soon my own temper was
70 forgot everything, and felt nothing but the