The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1850-04-04
BosToN, March so, P. NJ.

BOSTON, NIdTCn on, L. VI.
Mr.. Clifford, the prosecuting attorney.
closed his eloquent argument at five minutes
before five o'clock today. Chief Justice
Shaw then remarked to the prisoner that if
he had anything to say to the jury before he
charged them upon the features of the case,
he had liberty now to do so. The prisoner
rose and addressed the jury in few words
He commenced in rather confused manner.
without addressing directly the bench or jury.
He said: have desired to enter into an ex-
PLANTATION of the complicated net work of cir
cumstances which BY my peculiar position the
Government has thrown around me- and
which, IN nine cases out of ten, are complete
ly distorted, and probably nine-tenths of them
could be satisfactorily explained.
All the points Of the testimony have been
placed in the hands of my counsel, by whom
my innocence could have been firmly estab-
lished. Acting entirely under their direction,
| have sealed my lips during my confinement,
trusting myself entirely to them.
They have not deemed it necessary in their
superior wisdom (this was said in an ironIcal
tone) to bring forward the evidence which
was TO eXonorate me from a variety OF those
acts. The government has brought what
ever consummate ingenuity could suggest
against me, and hope it will not have an
undue influence upon the Jury.
| will not allude to many of the charges
There is one which touches me. and it is the
letter which has been produced, and is MT
the first | hlve read in the daily prints which
are distributed in my apartment. and various
publications which have been made respect
ing them. One stated that had, after Fthe
disappearance of DR.. Parkman, purchased a
quantity of oXaIic acid 10 remove the stains
ut nd To 4lo+
this parcel might be saved and produced
when necessary for several days Mrs Web
ster had requested me to purchase some acid
for domestic purposes and as my wife had
repeatedly laughed at me because had not
purchased it had borne it in mind that af-.
ternoon, and had gone into ThayeI's store
under the Revere House. and made the pur-
chase, and waited until the Cambridge hour
" came along, and then jumped into the ON
nlbus with the bundle | went home. and
gave the bundle TO my WIFE and, when after
ward | heard so much said about the bundle,
it flashed on my mind in moment that this
must be the bundle. 1t was TO this bundle
and not to any document, in the direction to
my wife as regards the nitrate of copper in
the usual lectures preceding my arrest |
had occasion to uae the influence of chemical
agents in producing changes of various sub
lGClS, among OLU6fS upon gases.
prepared large quantity of oxalic acid
gas. A gallon jar was filled with gas in or
der to produce the changes from dark color
to orange, and also in air Or great heat being
applied to the jar the gas was drawn through
water. As TO the nitrate Of copper split on
the stairs and floor of the laboratory it was
split accidentally from quantity used by me
IN my lectures between the day of disappear
ance and my own arrest.
| might 90 on in explaining a variety ofcir-
.cumstances which have been distorted. My
counsel has pressed me to keep calm-my
calmness has been made to bear against me;
but my trust has been in my God and my
own innocence.
In regard to money, I must say a word
The money which paid TO Dr. Parkman on
the afternoon Of Friday, Nov. %, had sa Ied
from time to time and kept it in trunk at my
house in Cambridge but unfortunately no
one saw me take it out, therefore. can only
give my word that such is the fact.
Several years ago, | had students who were
in the habit of being in my laboratory, and
WHO injured my apparatus; therefore, | pre-
pared everything for my own use in my lee
lures with my own hands, and that's the rea-
son why excluded persons from my labora-
tory,
As regards my whereabouts from the hour
Of DR.. Parkman's disappearance, have put
INTO my counsePs hands satisfactory inforna-
ton, which will account for every day | had
spent during that week, for every day and
every hour was absent from home. As to
being seen by Mr.. Sanderson, | was at home
every evening. One thing that has been
omitted by my counsel was that on the Fri
day on which the alledged murder was said
to have been committed, | had purchased
Humboldts new work Cosmos" and, while
waiting for an omnibus, stepped into Brig
hams TO take mutton chop, and on coming
of to take the omnibus, had forgotten my
book, but after my arrest remembered the
place where had left it, and mentioned it to
my counsel. They had sent to Brigham's-
the book had been found.
He then took his seat, but in a moment
rose and said: II will say one word more
have felt very much distressed by the pro-
ductlon Of these anonymous letters, more SO
than by anything else that has occurred du-
ring the trial. | call my God to witness that
if it were the last hour of my life believe
that never wrote these letters. Since the