The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1850-04-01
TRLaL OF PROF j. ". WEBSTER
FOR THE MURDER OF DR.. PARK1LAN.
Mr.. MERRIcK's AReuMENr coNr1NuEp.

circumstances which attended the interview Letween
Drs. Parkman aud Webster. No human eve but theirs
saw the tram action, there direct evidence it.
and we must gather from the relations of the parties the
nature of the transactions.
You know that DIR Parlman was the creditor and DIR
webster the debtor that the former had repeatedly
pressed his indignation towards DIR Webster and had
grown more and more angry and excited.
IL was not the amount oil the money which excited
the indignation of Dr. Parkman, but the circumstances
which had attended their business intercourse. You
ma mat Or Parkman's purpose nhexible and his
manner determined
On Friday they met under the influence and excite.
ment OF all these transactions One pursuing person
whom he considered to be dishonorable debtor, and
the other meeting anexactng and excited creditor.
is highy probable, that if there alteration,
that would be followed by blows, and it is possible by
DEATH Here the debtor exacting and the less for
tunae party would naturally word for word and
blow for blow. Now which is the more natural such
course of events as have imagined, or that Dr. Web
ster coldy and deliberately led DIR. Parkman to death
ne annals OF crime tell such story of person leap
ing away all at once, to the worst crime which a man
can commit against another,
Yet you are asked by the Government to believe that
Or Webster deliberately formed the plan of seducing
Dr farkman into that building, and then codly murder
ing MN. leave You as rational to decide upon
this mass OF circumsantal evidence, that death came
not from premed tatlon but from anger from moral ex
asperatlon. For not permitted to 90 beyond
that time to fix the character of the act. But should
perhaps
expect, that the person who had been guilty of such
crime, should rush out and cry out God be mercifu to
me; IN moment of passion have slain man! But
stunned as he was, ard surrounded as he was by the
walls OF that College, the temptation him to
conceal the murder. The first step at concealment
would cut him off from confession An the rest woud
follow Then he would naturally wish to avert suspc-
Ion from HIMSELF And if he wrote these anonymous
letters which the evidence does support still
would be one consequence of his false STEP
ftarao., ~
relation OF the partesthe heat of blood aroused-the
death as consequence; and if DIR Webster killed Dr.
Tarkan must not have been III the heat of passion
and does it not reduce the crime from murder to man
slaughter?
The government says that DR. Parkman went to that
college at half past The defendant admits it
Inc government then says that he left that ROOM
Here the defendant denes and here is one of the is
sues The government says that DR. Parlsman came to
his death by the hand of DR. Webster This he denies
That Is another ISSUE The government says that the
remains are those of DIR Parkman. This DR. Webster
neither admits nor denies. 1t is true that he said on
that terrible night that he did not think they were the
remains OF a man, and much less those Of Dir Parkman
The experts, Gould and Smith, do not support each
other IN all respects. Mr. Gould expended his force
upon the sCiyis letter, and ifether is DR. Webster's
this is certainly the one. | cannot 90 fully into the
matter, but think the careful scrutiny will show
you that no reliance is to be placed upon the experts
AS to the tin box, gentlemen how does that connect
DIR Webster with the murder! 1t may be said that the
remains could have been carried off in it: but the re-
mains were at the Medical College, and when the box
was ordered, 1t was said that it to be filed with
articles out of town.
As to the fsh-hooks. DIR. Webster is not allowed TO
so upon the stand and explain what his purposes were
as to Them and you must hold the government to strict
| proof of their intended use
Now, as to the bag of tan which was carried to the
Medical College on Monday. Parts of the remains
found embedded in tan ON FRIDAY but tbe Govern
ment evidence shows that the bag of tan was there aft
er the arrest nearly FULL that does not appear that
the tan IN the bag used at all.
There was another of apparent danper-I
mean the bunch of keys But all we have is from Dr.
Webster himself, that he found them and threw them
| into his drawer.
! Mr. Littlefeld testified as to sledge- hammer: and
another, as to Irvine. 1t is truc gentlemen that Irvine
was found about part of the remains and ball was
IN the private room, which were said to be of the same
piece But the government evidence does not exclude
the idea Of another agency.
DIR Webster called on Mrs. Coleman to inuuire as to
the time she had seen DR.. Parkman; but think con
siderng the relations between the families of Drs Park
man and Webster, there nothing remarkable in the
| TACT that he should make these inquiries.
The inquiries of Littlefed respecting the vault seem
to amount simply to his;that DR.. Webster wished to
De informed as to the means of obtaining gas from that
place.
now to the evidence of the main proposit; ops
OF the government.
First, that DR.. Parkman entered the Medical Col
lcge at nan past one, and never left that building alive
now wish TO fully anayze this testimony and to show
that the time when the government witnesses saw that
they saw DIR. Parkman, was after he had been in the
medical college, and had at that time left.
AS to the time when Dr. Parkman entered the Col
lege, DIR. Websters assertion was that the time was
nan past one. Now those who saw him in Groye-st .
Tx the time as ten minutes before two Where was
DIR Parkman during the twenty minutes? contend
that he had been at the college and gone away again.
MIR i.tteheld leaves the time indefinite Now what
was the hour OF appointment! DIR Parkman's servant
iesthes that the hour Of appointment was mentioned an
halpast one 1.-THE appointment was at ha-past one.
he most likely was there for by the testimony of those
VINO best Knew him, he the most punctual of men,
Or Bosworth says he saw DIR ParRman 90 into the
college about two. Now Littleield didn't see DR..
Parklnan at this time (which shows that DIR Parknan
had been there before, when he saw him. now
contend that it is most probable that DR.. Parkrnan
had been there and finished his business and DEPART
ed; tor Mrs. Hatch says she saw him going up Cam
bridge street at quarter to 2, and he was next seen
IN Causeway street, after that time Il is true there
Is mystery everywhere here; and if So let the prs
oner have the benefit of the probability
But at this time, when DIR Parkinan NAV have
been wandering we know not where, Dr. Webster
was at his house, at tea; and also, when his family
returned from party quite late lie was at home
next morning But, according to Mr. Littlefied test
imony, the door Of the dissecng room had been mn
boed from the inside. Gentlemen, some ona had
been there. Who it was, gentlemen, | cannot say: